DIY Foam Rock/ Arborial Feeding Dish

[crimson.dawn]

Step One: Design

Drawing out a design is often helpful with any project, since I knew I wanted to use a foam block I already had, i drew on it. For anyone who is looking for cheap supplies, you can easily use the solid foam bars that are often packed with things like computers, TV's and other fragile items that you buy around the house. When you come across them. Keep them. If you have the access though you can buy a block like this one at Micheal's, hobby lobby, or a Foam Sheet at Lowe's or Home Depot.



I changed my idea a few times in the middle. I decided to go with two different sized condiment cups instead of the two large ones. I wound up going with one 2oz. short, and one 3/4oz cup.





Step Two - Cutting
You can use a number of things to pull out the shapes you desire from the foam. Anything from a heated knife, to a razor blade or Xacto blade, Even a regular old kitchen serrated knife will do to hack off a blocked out portion of the area you would like to start with.
They even make cutters that are like a long needle that heats up for slicing effortlessly though many kinds of foam. I dont use them. I like my Utility knife.




Now my finished design called for a magnet or rather two, to be used as a fastener so that my ledge could hang on both glass and mesh. These large magnates can be found at lowe's, and a pair will run you about 3$ (thats what the small rectangle in the side is for.)

I could not find the ones i bought online to show you, but here are some other options to show you.
Here and Here

I also needed another small chunk of the foam to use as a handle on the outside of the cage to hold the other magnet. I roughed that one out after the first.

Step Three: The fun part!
Slowly use the blade to hollow out spots for the water and food bowls, and for the magnet, If they are a little big thats ok. We will be using hot glue later to fill the gaps. after that go to town, make it look how ever you like. I stuck with a kinda rock-ish look, but you can be as simple or ornate as u like. Just remember if u carve off to much you can always glue bigger chunks back on with some hot-glue and start again. (a few times at least)





Step Four: Dry Fitting
After I got everything how I wanted it, I painted the outside of the little clear 3/4oz cup black, to match, and then made sure it all fit.



Here's that little back piece I was talking about. The part that goes on the outside of the cage.

[crimson.dawn]

Step Five: Sealing and Paint
Theres alot of options here, If you have groat or cement laying about the place, use it and add a small layer, I happened to have the crafting compound for sealing foam laying around. Because I've done alot of fauz-faom stuff. If you want to get that stuff at Hobby Lobby or Micheal's Heres what it looks like.


Just add about 4 or 5 layers of the stuff (it takes a while to dry inbetween) over the whole thing. Front and back. Try to stick to only one layer inside the cutouts you made for the cups and magnates.

On the last layer, drip a frew drops of black paint into you cup of the white compound Dont Mix It though! Just dip your brush in and it will make a marbled black grey and white streaked look on your faux rocks. like this.


Step Six: Final Assembly
Once you've got it looking how you want use a hot glue gun and put a huge gob of glue inside the outcoves for you cups. If there is space on the sides between the cup and foam, Gently wedge the glue guns tip into the space and fill it. Same with the magnet. Once it cools, Test it! Make sure you can pry the magnets apart without the glue giving out and your all done. Attach it to your cage.




Oh and instead of filling the cups I glued in, I stack cups of the same size inside. that way I can just throw away whatever they dont eat!

Step Seven: Enjoy!

[Chris L]

Very awsome thanks for sharing.

[Vienna]

Awesome how to! Thanks for posting it! I tried working with foam to make feeding bowls before, but I had tried to glue a coat of eco earth on the outside. That failed miserably.

Do you know if any foam sealant will work well? I was worried about toxicity and tried to seal with silicone. That was far too goopy and didn't evenly coat the foam.

[crimson.dawn]

Originally Posted by Vienna

Awesome how to! Thanks for posting it! I tried working with foam to make feeding bowls before, but I had tried to glue a coat of eco earth on the outside. That failed miserably.

Do you know if any foam sealant will work well? I was worried about toxicity and tried to seal with silicone. That was far too goopy and didn't evenly coat the foam.

I would use probably a 2 part resin. but thats because i have it around. it makes it completely none toxic and can be poored or painted on. (that's what makes most tables in restaurants so shiny. its also non porous so it cant absorb nasty germs lol)

You can also try a spray acrylic. look for one that has low or no VOC's but you will have to do about 5 layers to achieve a real waterproofing effect.

[mttycaz85]

i just made some of these used velcro ill have to post pics too

[crimson.dawn]

Originally Posted by mttycaz85

i just made some of these used velcro ill have to post pics too

Yes please do! I love seeing others express themselves 2 can follow the same set of instructions and yet the outcome can be so different even as it serves the same purpose.

[pakinjak]

Good job, it looks cool. I like seeing people be creative and do their own stuff.

[CMPatton]

I loved this idea & so attempted to make one myself with a couple differences. I bought my magnets at Home Depot for $2.19 for a set of 2. I used 2 glass tea light votive instead also. Unfortunately it is either too heavy for the size magnets I used or the magnets aren't strong enough to use on glass. I looked back at this today & realized in your pics you mounted it to screen & not glass. So it's back to the drawing board for me. Does anyone know how strong/size magnet it would take to work with glass? Also where I could pick up said magnets, prefer not to pay shipping cost. Any ideas on how to make this work with a glass terrarium would be greatly appreciated as I have invested some money in this project & would really like to get some use out of it. Thanks

[mannyshat]

Very creative! We made a foam background for one of our enclosures. It's a very inexpensive way to make an enclosure look fantastic. We were looking into buying a food dish similar to the one you made, but now we may just make one ourselves. Thanks for sharing!