hand made boulder for indoor rcrc course

[minor_threat]

this is the first one i've built and can see that i'll be making more of these boulders. some will be wider as i feel this one is a bit too narrow. i built it with four angles of approach and since it's on a plat form it will be easy to move around as needed. the rest will be built the same way and all layed on an incline, possible garage course is the wife permits parking in the drive way, LOL










still need to color it though. it's about 50x25x13 and the base is 54x30.

after I build the core up, i built the platform and then rocked it up. i've spent about 7 hours so far. today i put in 5 just doing the rock work, tomorrow i'll color it. it heavy though, about 50LBs. I think the next time i'll also make it more square...anyway, hope it's posted in the right area.

zzz

[RobCam]

that looks pretty real already. great job. what did you use to make it ?

[Slowkrawl]

Honestly, depending on what colour you want it, colouring it might make it look more fake haha.

[minor_threat]

yeah, but i'm good with coloring since it's my job. it'll look like this:



it's use a mix of sorts to make it. it's going to mikes so tell me what think~

[Slowkrawl]

Originally Posted by minor_threat

yeah, but i'm good with coloring since it's my job. it'll look like this:



it's use a mix of sorts to make it. it's going to mikes so tell me what think~

Yeah..I guess that doesn't look too shabby LOL. I thought maybe you were going to attack it with spray paint. Either way, looks good!

[po' riggity]

I like it but why not just use spray foam, isn't it lighter than that mix?
Scott

[jason]

How'd you make it? Care to share the process?

[amorton94]

Originally Posted by po' riggity

I like it but why not just use spray foam, isn't it lighter than that mix?
Scott

im guessing because it wouldn't have the same texture? but that is awesome! i want some but that 50lbs would kill after moving it all the time

[minor_threat]

i used foam covered with a fast setting cement that flashes in about 20 minutes with cold water, 10 with warm so i could do it in one day. I'll upload some photos of the process but basically, i made the shape with foam, not that expanding crap but the sheets, then like icing a cake, started covering it and used warm water for this and a pancake batter thickness, then i added more of our mortar mix to the bucket and cold water and took small areas at a time. right now i'm getting ready to color it.

spray foam would look very nice...it would look like foam, no?

50 isn't much, it's platform is easy to move and if you have it on a plywood "table" then you just slide it around. besides, if you can't lift 50#s then...well, anyway. it's pretty light compared to real stone of same size and it's custom...i'd say the dead ift manuver to lift it is worth while.

[Thorne_Dog]

Looks awesome!

[quickster47]

That is really nice looking.

The first picture or two were quite deceptive, size wise, until you added the crawler for a perspective.

Good job!

Carl

[REDCORN]

i never even thought of that, i am going to see wat i can build up.. good job.

[minor_threat]

Thanks all!
I was first pushing to make a 5x6 slant piece but i think the modular boulder style will be better. these can set like bumper cars on the actual platform and then just back fill with top sand or pebbles..rock, what ever.
redcorn, be sure that if you use Portland or plastic cement that you give it a week to dry. this one though, a cement my company developed dried in a day. i think you could add fly ash to Portland but I'm not sure, never use that stuff my self; too much lime for me.



I still have some black to tone down the redish tone.

[jeepcj578]

Originally Posted by minor_threat

Thanks all!
I was first pushing to make a 5x6 slant piece but i think the modular boulder style will be better. these can set like bumper cars on the actual platform and then just back fill with top sand or pebbles..rock, what ever.
redcorn, be sure that if you use Portland or plastic cement that you give it a week to dry. this one though, a cement my company developed dried in a day. i think you could add fly ash to Portland but I'm not sure, never use that stuff my self; too much lime for me.



I still have some black to tone down the redish tone.

man that looks great, you did an awsome job

[minor_threat]

Originally Posted by jeepcj578

man that looks great, you did an awsome job

Thank you!!! I hope this takes off!

[Tom95YJ]

That looks great !

I wish I had the space to put them cause I'd make a nice rock garden

[ErichF]

We need you down here in FL! There's no rocks anywhere! :(

[DBR]

Originally Posted by minor_threat

i used foam covered with a fast setting cement that flashes in about 20 minutes with cold water, 10 with warm so i could do it in one day. I'll upload some photos of the process but basically, i made the shape with foam, not that expanding crap but the sheets, then like icing a cake, started covering it and used warm water for this and a pancake batter thickness, then i added more of our mortar mix to the bucket and cold water and took small areas at a time. right now i'm getting ready to color it.

spray foam would look very nice...it would look like foam, no?

50 isn't much, it's platform is easy to move and if you have it on a plywood "table" then you just slide it around. besides, if you can't lift 50#s then...well, anyway. it's pretty light compared to real stone of same size and it's custom...i'd say the dead ift manuver to lift it is worth while.

How thick did you make the cement/mortar layer? For that size, 50 pounds could probably be shaved if the layer were thinner. for something that will have the single purpose of having relatively light rc crawlers running on it, the thinner layer should be durable enough. I know that the garden formations and pool decorations need to have a stronger structural integrity, but thinner/lighter would make them more mobile.

Do you think your product would survive in a thinner coat?

[akguanja]

what did you use to color it?

[minor_threat]

it has to be thick to last the abuse from moving it and such. if you make it too thin the it will fail you. the thinnest i do is 1/4" but in some areas for a high relief effect like cracks and such, it's got to be thicker to allow for sculpting. Durable needs to include things like accidentally dropping one end to the floor, dropping a real rock on it at a course, having someone think it's okay to stand on and do so...it's got to be designed to include all these concerns and last a long while otherwise it's a waste of time and money. If sure if this was for me, I'd probably do it thinner like you said because it would be just me crawling it but for the weight and such, adding the extra protection and strength by going thicker isn't so much of a hassle...i dead lift 160lb all the time. most people probably have a friend over to help so it's easy. the weight should not be the concern IMO, over structural integrity. sorry for rambling, 8-)