Fake rock mod for dry events

[Winged Mermaid]

A great thing to have for a dry event is staging. For dry events, yeah, you could sit on a fold out table. But if you can have something more mermaidy, why not?

Well, usually styrofoam rocks are a good option for mers. However, that stuff can be way expensive, and only a few people make them at all.

So my idea is that I want to mod a fake rock- the kind used to cover utility boxes in or septic tank a yard- to hold enough weight to use it as such.

Here's a good example of a rock that's a good size: http://www.sears.com/dekorra-fake-rock-artificial-stone-septic-lid-cover/p-SPM4230484801P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

The rocks are made of thin polyethylene. So, only question that remains is how do you mod a rock like this so it can take the weight? Average person is about 150lbs, with up to a 30lb tail. Hopefully enough to be able to have a child sit on your lap, so another 100lbs max.


My only idea is to fill in the ridges at the top with something like liquid foam, then find/build a stool to go underneath.

Any other ideas? Throw 'em at me!

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I use a blue fabric where I sewn sequence stars and shells on to cover up a table,a chair or my wheelchair.
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[AniaR]

I usually bring fabric and netting to sit on. Im all in favour of anything other than stryofoam. That stuff is so bad for the environment

[Capt Nemo]

You can carve the rock out of extruded foam insulation.(pink stuff) Glue the sheets together with 3M Super 77 adhesive. Carve the rock with a palm sander, and then coat with Sculpt n Coat or Foamcoat for a hard surface. Then paint.

[Winged Mermaid]

I appropriate you putting thought into that Capt Nemo! However I am no artist. If I tried to sculpt and paint a rock it would look SO tacky! Some people can make them really awesome but I've seen them done badly too. I'd rather just try and buy mod something like the already made fake rocks if I can. I think your suggestion may be of use to any other people willing to DIY though, so thank you!

[Mer_Adella]

Winged....I know what you mean about being horrible at sculpting. When in College I was in Theater class. We didn't put on the plays, we were the stage hands and prop builders. I had to build a rock to do a phootshoot with. We had to paint the back drop, make the costume and build everything! it turned out ok....We basically used the same technique that Nemo just described...it worked out pretty well. I will attached the photo of the finished project ( the model is me since I was stuck with a group of guys).

unfortunately you can't really see the rock all that well :( I will try and enhance it

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[Taniira]

You can carve the rock out of extruded foam insulation.(pink stuff) Glue the sheets together with 3M Super 77 adhesive. Carve the rock with a palm sander, and then coat with Sculpt n Coat or Foamcoat for a hard surface. Then paint.

That's that insulation sheeting that comes in an accordion fold, right? If so, I have almost a full thing of it just sitting around that I have no idea what to do with (I bought it to make a Pyramidhead costume). Now I have a use for it!

[angelstarfish]

home depot has some nice fake rocks in the garden department

[Winged Mermaid]

home depot has some nice fake rocks in the garden department

But that's what I'm saying- the rocks the size I'm looking for aren't meant to be sat on, not designed to take weight. They're meant to cover utility boxes and such. I'm looking for a way to modify it so it can hold around 250-300 lbs.

[angelstarfish]

oh- it was just an idea. I saw them when I went shopping with mama the other day... I meant to ask her if I could take a closer look, only I got distracted by the cactus display...

[MerEmma]

This just showed up on Tumblr: http://www.smarin.net/en/editions/livingstones

Pretty neat!

[Mer_Adella]

I am still going to do the rocks out of pink foam board for our lagoon. And I am aiming this question at you Iona....

there was a picture not too long ago of a lagoon you were in with other mermaids...it was my inspiration for our lagoon. Tehre was a flat rock that one girl was sitting on...do you know what it was made of ?

[MerEmma]

Owens cornering foam? I'm curious as to how that'll work out...doesn't seem like it would hold a person all that well but good luck!

[Mer_Adella]

My fake rocks would only be set decor ..not for sitting. the mermaids would know that and we would warn kids that were attempting to sit on them. but we also have barriers set up so the kids can't get near certain things, like our changing tent.

[Mer_Adella]

Owens cornering foam? I'm curious as to how that'll work out...doesn't seem like it would hold a person all that well but good luck!

and its not owens corning. ...owens corning is not the board. I'm talking about this stuff 14930

http://www.lowes.com/pd_304089-210-304089.0_0__?productId=3122445&Ntt=Pink+foam+insulation+board&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3DPink%2Bfoam%2Binsulation%2Bboa rd&facetInfo=

[Echinacea]

I like the idea of getting the fake rock and putting a stool or small bench inside, with maybe some of that expanding foam-in-place stuff to hold it. Or what about a small wooden bench, kind of distressed to look like sea wrack or driftwood, with some seaweed and barnacles and stuff on it, instead of a rock?

[Winged Mermaid]

I am still going to do the rocks out of pink foam board for our lagoon. And I am aiming this question at you Iona....

there was a picture not too long ago of a lagoon you were in with other mermaids...it was my inspiration for our lagoon. Tehre was a flat rock that one girl was sitting on...do you know what it was made of ?

Sorry, I don't. It was Moon's lagoon and Moon's tank- the whole thing was her gig, I was just lucky enough to get hired as part of the crew :) There were two rocks in the lagoon, both different. They were completely smooth so we could slide around on them easily and we wouldn't snag our tails on them. They were plasticky. They were painted but the paint was part of the plastic. I know the coral and plants were added onto them for decor, and heavy duty metal legs were added on the bottom to have them out of the water. As far as I can tell the rocks were manufactured with all but the coral and plants and the legs (though possibly with the legs). They had a lot of things specially manufactured and shipped from China for that event. Moon also works in the film industry and has been in the mermaiding business for a long time (over 10 years) so she probably knows a lot of people who do stuff like that professionally. You could try asking her, but she's really protective of her business- so don't get offended if she'd rather not say. Sorry I can't help more.

[Mermaid Lilium]

what about recycling one of those thick, solid plastic storage boxes? they'll usually hold a fair bit of weight when turned upside down, and you could always fill the box with insulation foam and seal the lid on and then use insulation foam between the box and the shell of the 'rock'?

Otherwise, build a wooden supporting frame??

[MermanJesse]

15024

Something like this?

I sell them. They must be specific dimensions so they can fit under a bus. I use Greyhound's Package Express to ship the rocks.

[Winged Mermaid]

Last I checked, I can't afford ya Jesse! Plus I'm looking for a more organic look, like the rock in the link I posted :)