Strofoam supplier

I am looking to carve a tiki out of styrofoam and then coat it in a rock like coating. The problem I am having is finding affordable styrofoam. I need a block 5'X 4'X 15" I was wondering if anyone here knew a supplier online that might have something close. Or something I can glue together to make the dimentions I need to start the carving. Thanks.

[ Edited by: Tiki G. 2006-07-08 17:01 ]

Messy stuff! Isn't there a denser foam material ?

Lingam,

You don't state what area you reside...
What is affordable styrofoam? EPS beaded white foam is the most inexpensive.
Your alternative is the pink board you can pick up at Home Depot or Lowes. The downside is you'll have to glue it up to get your thickness. I always have great success using PL polyurethane commercial adhesive( also at Home Depot) It doesn't melt the foam like Liquid Nails does which I've seen others recommend in the past. Let the glue set up over night then start shaping away with your rasp. It will file right through the glue if your rasps are clean and sharp.
Warning like McTiki sez: It's messy....beaded foam is static charged and sticks EVERYWHERE! What were you going to carve? Mind you as well it is hard to get really great fine, detail with styrofoam. One final thought too; make sure you "oversculpt" your detail because once you add your rock texture you'll lose alot of the small detail. This rock texture your applying what will it be???

Happy hunting and carving
Loco Moke

On 2006-07-08 19:45, loco moke wrote:
Lingam,

You don't state what area you reside...
What is affordable styrofoam? EPS beaded white foam is the most inexpensive.
Your alternative is the pink board you can pick up at Home Depot or Lowes. The downside is you'll have to glue it up to get your thickness. I always have great success using PL polyurethane commercial adhesive( also at Home Depot) It doesn't melt the foam like Liquid Nails does which I've seen others recommend in the past. Let the glue set up over night then start shaping away with your rasp. It will file right through the glue if your rasps are clean and sharp.
Warning like McTiki sez: It's messy....beaded foam is static charged and sticks EVERYWHERE! What were you going to carve? Mind you as well it is hard to get really great fine, detail with styrofoam. One final thought too; make sure you "oversculpt" your detail because once you add your rock texture you'll lose alot of the small detail. This rock texture your applying what will it be???

Happy hunting and carving
Loco Moke

I am carving a tiki god for my lounge. I think I got a quote on the styrofoam from eps and it was 225. That isnt cheap.

The other alternative is to build a form and use morter and shape the tiki on the form. I am open to suggestions.

That is spendy for the foam. I can get a block 8'x 4' x 4' for about $150 here. How tall will it be? If you're going to mortar You might try chicken wire around a sonnet tube? Used to fill with concrete to make a cement pole footing. The card board tube can be found at Home depot. They come in different lengths and sizes. You can wrap the wire around the tube to the desired shape and then apply your cement mixture to the mesh. Just one option.
Good luck,
Loco Moke

On 2006-07-08 21:37, loco moke wrote:
That is spendy for the foam. I can get a block 8'x 4' x 4' for about $150 here. How tall will it be? If you're going to mortar You might try chicken wire around a sonnet tube? Used to fill with concrete to make a cement pole footing. The card board tube can be found at Home depot. They come in different lengths and sizes. You can wrap the wire around the tube to the desired shape and then apply your cement mixture to the mesh. Just one option.
Good luck,
Loco Moke

Yeah, I thought it was a little pricy for what I needed. I am torn between the styrofoam vs chicken wire form. Neither have I done so I am seeking advice from people here that have the knowledge of which is better. I planned on coating the tiki like was done here.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=17040&forum=18&hilite=tiki%20fireplace

thought about paper mache'. newspaper, plaster. dont get no cheaper.

On 2006-07-09 01:19, chisel slinger wrote:
thought about paper mache'. newspaper, plaster. dont get no cheaper.

I did think of that, I just didnt know if it could be hard coated to look (and perferably feel) like rock. Do you know of a way to get that effect?

Quote:

I did think of that, I just didnt know if it could be hard coated to look (and perferably feel) like rock. Do you know of a way to get that effect?

        
Paper mache takes a long time to layer up and to dry. so get the fans out. You can achieve a rock effect through the paper by soaking it in water until it is saturated then pulse it in a cuisinart for a pulpy effect. Mix in a bucket with wallpaper paste and start slapping it on. Mind you to get this effect you should lay up a few layers of paper strips on your wire frame first or the pulp being so wet will soak through the layers and fall through the wire. I made an 8' dinosaur with this process 6 years ago for indoors and it is still in great shape. If I find a photo I'll send it to you.

-Moke

If you use a layer (or several layers) of (UGL)coating, which dries as a rubbery, yet cretatious surface that repels moisture You have a "sticky" base for crete to adhere to. It's lightweight and can be color tinted to your desire. It's found at Home Depot. I used it widely on my pond and waterfall and found the stuff to be amazing.

On 2006-07-09 17:09, McTiki wrote:
If you use a layer (or several layers) of (UGL)coating, which dries as a rubbery, yet cretatious surface that repels moisture You have a "sticky" base for crete to adhere to. It's lightweight and can be color tinted to your desire. It's found at Home Depot. I used it widely on my pond and waterfall and found the stuff to be amazing.

Thanks for the advice. But it seems that using paper mache seems to be an extra step, would it not be easier just to use the chicken wire and the concrete from the start?

The UGL could go easily over a well shaped paper mache.

Chicken wire and crete is far greater an expenditure of energy only to lose your original shape before you have reached the proper thickness. I have learned this first hand. PM me if you want details. Or, talk to Capotiki...He's the master of crete Tiki and basis.

Maghalo (galic sound)

Mc

a chain of stores called TAP plastics makes a two part foam originally developed to pour in the hollow recess of fibreglass boats. Once you mix them, it turns mocha colored, and foams then turns solid.
http://www.tapplastics.com/

I belive it's a urathane base...

the nice thing about it is you can plan how much you need...by the volume of the container you pour it into.

It's messy as hell to carve, but gives a pretty good volcanic stone look.

On 2006-07-09 18:45, McTiki wrote:
The UGL could go easily over a well shaped paper mache.

Chicken wire and crete is far greater an expenditure of energy only to lose your original shape before you have reached the proper thickness. I have learned this first hand. PM me if you want details. Or, talk to Capotiki...He's the master of crete Tiki and basis.

Maghalo (galic sound)

Mc

I see. I would love to talk to you some more about this. I will PM you. Thanks.

On 2006-07-09 22:23, Gigantalope wrote:
a chain of stores called TAP plastics makes a two part foam originally developed to pour in the hollow recess of fibreglass boats. Once you mix them, it turns mocha colored, and foams then turns solid.
http://www.tapplastics.com/

I belive it's a urathane base...

the nice thing about it is you can plan how much you need...by the volume of the container you pour it into.

It's messy as hell to carve, but gives a pretty good volcanic stone look.

Thank you. That might be an option for me as well. I suppose building the form and using that to foam the form would be straight forward. Kinda like the Monster house fireplace.

It was mentioned using the blue foam from home depot or lowes. Is that a good medium to work with as far as styrofoam goes? I am also interested in anyone that might have a good mixture for concrete/mortar to use on the chicken wire frame. Thanks