# tree trunk w/ root buttress



## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

I haven't even got the glass yet for the tank I'm building for the last spot on my rack but I needed something to do this last weekend . 
I've wanted to do this type of tank for a while but never got around to it . And after seeing a few posted lately I had to make it . 
I wanted a free standing tree stump w /root buttress' and no background .

So I started with some 2" thick H.Depot insulation foam and glued 4 - 8x36" pieces together with gorilla glue and ended up with a 8"x8"x36" foam block . The one root I cut out in one of the original four pieces and the other two I cut seporate and just glued them on . I rough cut the round shape out with a saws-all and then a little planing, ( shaving with a wood plane ) and sanding . Then I added some vines with a quick thin coating of handi-foam , let dry and sand smooth. Right now its about 6" - 6 1/2" in diameter x 30" tall . I also cut the back of it flat at the top ( it will be tilted twords the back slightly in the tank . ) so I can silicone it to the back glass so it will not fall over .
I'm not sure how I'm going to coat it yet , coco and silicone or the grout method . I'm swaying tword the coco and silicone as it will make planting and mounting broms to it easier . I might do some texture to it like bark but with it planted you probably will not see it . So ? I also might add another branch to it but I will not know untill the tank is done . 
If I figured right it should go all the way to the top glass when installed in the tank . 
Now all I have to do is build the tank . 

It kinda looked like a rocket ship before the vines were put on . 

























What do ya think so far ?


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## RichardA (Jul 15, 2009)

That is awesome! I was working on one this weekend trying to come up with a way to make that!

Keep the updates rolling on this one!


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## pedan (Jul 13, 2009)

Thats looking really great, making me wish I did mine out of the tank too.


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## nathan (Jul 24, 2009)

That looks awesome so far . . . can't wait to see the finished tree. Think I might do one for the up and comming 55 viv project . . .

Keep up the great work!


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

I still haven't got my glass yet and I'm getting a little PO'ed but I went and bought some colored grout and did the vines while I'm waiting . And I put a little green paint in some grout to mimic some moss . I'm going to do the rest with silicone and coco fiber hopefully there will be enough color diference to look good . 
Here is where I'm at so far . 

































More to come .


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## fraser2009 (Jan 4, 2009)

that looks amazing you did such a good job job on the roots why not do the hole tree with grout ? 
great start so far mate


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## ray1taylor (Nov 15, 2008)

woah that looks really cool!


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

> that looks amazing you did such a good job job on the roots why not do the hole tree with grout ?


 Because I figure when I start punching holes in it to mount the broms on it or the " staples " to mount the plants it would probably crack the grout . It would look awesome all done up all with the grout though , you could shade the bark nice. Just this little bit of vines done with the grout ,the texture of it looks real good so far . That would be the way to go otherwise . 
Anyway after its all planted and grown in , how much of the tree will be showing through .


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

Finally ! I got my glass this morning .  
I did this a little differently than my other tanks . I covered the glass with paper so I don't have to spend hours cleaning extra silicone off of it. The extra 15 minutes should save alot of time and razor blades . 
This one measures 14.5" w x 17" d x36" H . 

























And a prieview . I'm still thinking of adding anothr branch on it . 









I have the coco fiber in the oven right now drying it out to go on the tree .


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## Trey (Sep 10, 2008)

I think another branch right there would look nice. Thats what Id do.


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

Here we go , while waiting for the silicone to dry here's the branch I came up with . And some grout touch up on thin spots on the vines . I put it up high since the frogs going in here like the heights .


























Back to work.


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## RichardA (Jul 15, 2009)

very nice!


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

This looks awesome! I can't wait to see the finished product! I'm sitting here looking at it and I thought of something - take this how you will - but I think it would be really cool if you hollowed out the top 6 inches or so and made the top "jagged" as though the tree died, rotted, and fell over - rather than being cut down (though that might be more "accurate" - haha). You could plant moss at the bottom of the 6" deep hollow area and even attach some broms to the inner walls etc. Here is a pic that somewhat represents what I mean . . . 

http://www.celnav.de/vacation/treestump.jpg

I think it will look great either way . . . this idea just hit me as soon as I looked at this. Good luck!


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## Trey (Sep 10, 2008)

Your tree looks pretty amazing! I really like it, and cant wait to see it all finished up. I kinda like melas' idea also, I did that to a degree on a similar build, and I really like the way it looks. I didnt make the hollow as deep as six inches, but I like the idea of making it deeper. 

Get that coco fiber dried up and on that tree so we can see it!


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

There is a little "ragged and cup look" on the top it just dosen't come out in the pics . I originally planned on this going all the way to the top glass originally that's why I cut it flat .
Alot of silicone and coco fiber covers the rest of the foam and a couple more touch ups on the vines and its pretty much done . I'm going to do the back glass only in flat cork like the exoterra "bark" panel if I can find some or cocofiber matt . 
 Hopefully the vines darken up some in the damp and humidity .
I don't think it turned out too bad for my first try . 
I can't wait to see some broms plants and vines on this .


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## fraser2009 (Jan 4, 2009)

thats great mate get er planted lol
i have tried the coco method a few times but never liked the final result but that looks great


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## froggysan (Sep 14, 2008)

Great work!

I was actually just thinking about doing something like this for my intermediate Iguana tank. My General Cupcake is due for an upgrade!

I want to do a slightly large fake slant-style bonsai. Sort of like this:











One problem I'm going to face that you're probably not is load bearing. Unlike our wee froggy friends... By the time Cupcake is ready to be upgraded to his massive home in about 3 or 4 years, he'll be up to about 15lbs.


Anyone have any ideas on how I apply similar techniques that are used pigface's tree, to something that might have a weight bearing skeleton underneath?



Keep up the good work piggy!


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## sandiegoleu (Jun 2, 2009)

looks great, cant wait for final product.

thought about doing this before, just didnt have any guidance, now i do..


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

I'm getting a little closer to planting . I got the door done and the coco fiber glued on . But I ran into a small problem . Normally when I build something I usually over-build it , but this I decided to save a couple bucks and a bunch of weight by not using 1/4" glass on everything . And I built it with 1/4" for the bottom and back and DS glass for the sides top and front . And since I wanted a unobstructed front view I built it with full legnth 26"x15" hinged door out of DS too , and the weight of the door caused the side to flex a little because of the 36" tall sides . And the door sagged down . It' s not bad when the door was open but more pronounced when closed . So I added some braceing to the door side glass to suppport the extra weight . 
So I bought a piece of 1 3/4" pvc pipe and cut it longwise down the center and siliconed it to the inside of the glass and covered it with silicone and coco fiber . Not the exact look I was looking for but it helped the sagging door and side glass . From the front streight in view it's hardly noticeable but I guess it looks a little like branches and gives the frogs a little highway to get up from the floor . maybe I can get something vining to grow on it . Next time I'll listen to myself and do it right the first time . 










door open . 

































Oh , on your bonsai Idea don't make it free standing , build - glue the trunk to the back glass and it should support alot more weight . Make the trunk oval . so when your looking streight at it it looks round but look down on it and its flatter and have the leafy part jut out from the background twords the front . If you get my idea ? Or make a frame out of pvc pipe ( for the trunk ) and cover it with foam and sand it round . Heat the pipe good and you can bend it anyway you like . Either way should work .


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

Untill I get it planted Here are a couple pictures of the latches and hinge .
The hinge is just acrylic hinges glued to the side and door with silicone . Nothing special. I just laid the tank on it's back and taped the door glass in place with the two edges meeting , the side & door .
I used pieces of masking tape about four over lapping pieces on top of each other on the edge of the door in two places on the door where it meets with the lower piece of glass as a guage to leave a small space between the two pieces of glass , so when the door closes they don't hit , and then siliconed the hinge in place . 








On the latches , since they are small and acrylic dosn't adhere real strongly to glass I siliconed a piece of lexan up the side and on the door .( on the inside) 1 1/4" wide on the side glass since you don't see the side much and about 3/4" on the door , then glued the latches to the acrylic strips . The door glass overhangs the side a little to give a place to grab to open . About 3/16"

















































After all was dry I made a gasket around the edge of the tank for cushioning and to make it fly proof by running a bead of silicone around the edge of the sides of the tank (not the door) . Then covered the door where they meet with the side edges with glad wrap and then closed the door . When it dries cut the excess off with a razor blade . 

I siliconed the ends of the branches to the glass so it dosn't fall over .


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## boombotty (Oct 12, 2005)

Dig the root, Mark. I respect the way you always make your vivs from scratch. pretty envious of your collection as well.
Scott


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