| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jayde |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:25:28
Ive got a load of artificial 'decorative plants' with the long wire stems coated in plastic, that I want to make free standing in the vivs, to look like the aquarium plants you can buy that already have the base on the bottom.
(I have already been to all the local aquatic shops and mixed pet stores in search of some, but they all only seem to stock cartoon themed decor or bright flourescent plants)
How can I make a base or transform the artificial stems I've got into free standing plants?
I had a little look on ebay at decorative planters, but they either come up with the coco planters, or little tree trunk decor that don't look as though theres any concave space to be able to secure the stems in place, with a sealant.
Any idea's or suggestions or ways you've transformed things would be muchly appreciated  |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| carlb1981 |
Posted - 18/06/2012 : 21:04:35
Something like this
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=199433&categoryId=255230&langId=-1 |
| carlb1981 |
Posted - 18/06/2012 : 21:02:23
Liquid metal filler would work or araldite but not sure if these would be toxic when set i wouldn't think so |
| Jayde |
Posted - 18/06/2012 : 20:50:13
Seem to be having abit of trouble on the sealing part of this.
I've tried 2 different sealants now, a general splash proof sealant, and after this proved useless, a thicker bathroom sealant, which I had been informed by the B&Q man, was the strongest waterproof sealant they sold, so should do the trick.
Now, this bathroom sealant seems to have had a better effect on the thicker stemmed flowers, but the thin stemmed foliage is having none of it, and is falling out as soon as my smallest corn brushes around it. So it's easy to stay it's not going to stand up to my large corn or royals!!
Now, I'm wondering if the problem is that I made the base holes too big, after peoples experience was that they shrunk during the baking process. I used a berol felt tip liner pen thing to create my holes, and typically they didn't shrink one bit! Could it be that they needed to be smaller so that the sealant just fitted them snug into the holes rather than being a massive blob that I think push the stem into?
And also, any other suggestions or recommendations on a nice strong'something to hold the stems in? I'm guessing it needs to be something that sets to a hard finish rather than the spongey finish you get from sealant?
Other half keeps saying supper glue, but I'm pretty sure that's too toxic to use, right? |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 12:05:30
Yes! I've done this. I didn't make the holes quite big enough though (they seemed to shrink a bit with baking) but I used aquarium sealant too and the whole thing's quite effective. |
| chrisc |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:58:58
yea a blob of sealent an poke them in, might be worth leaving something in the holes while its baked so they dont close up |
| Jayde |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:38:02
Thats a good idea, make a base a poke the holes in, and then once it's done seal the stems in? |
| chrisc |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:27:47
could make a base for them with the same method as making salt dough hides
http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1041 |
