What won't stick to conrete?

[sandalscout]

making rock, and want to be able to stick things in it to make shapes, and then pull it out. Silicone around wooden dowels was a thought I had, but I can't verify this. I read that many oils will release, but I want something that won't leave a residue.

Thanks for any help!
Matthew

 

[DMBillies]

I use silicone ice trays to make frag plugs. They release really easily out of those, but I'm not sure you'd be able to pull a silicone wrapped dowel out of a piece of rock, especially if the dowel doesn't go all the way through (because of suction).

I've been trying to think of things to make really porous rock with as well (although I have PLENTY of rock now... like a 50 gallon rubbermaid and 2x20 gallon rubbermaids full). I'd love to hear what you come up with.

 

[waynesworld]

the trick is to pull the things out before the concrete is dry you can use wood as that is what forms are made with then they just take them off when it is shaped and a little firm but not cured.

 

[sandalscout]

hum, okay, that's good to know. I can probably stick the dowels in all the way through the concrete AFTER pouring it, and then pull them out before it's completely dry.

Brian, I do have one idea I'm going to try to use. I plan to replicate the skeleton of a tabling acropora (like EcoRox) by using a slightly sharpened dowel and pressing it repeatedly into my wet sand that will be the mold base for the rock. I think/hope it will work, will provide some decent surface area, places to mount frags, and not look quite as blocky as the salt people have used.

 

[Angela Short]

I used macaronie noodles and the big fat tortolini roll things. I formed the sand and placed the shapes and poured the mix onto them, The big huge sea shell shaped shells made a nice shape. When you soak it in water the noodles disolve.

 

[sandalscout]

hey, another good choice!

 

[Wyley]

You might be able to find some more answers to your question by looking around on here.

http://www.garf.org/

Paul

 

[sandalscout]

Thanks Paul, I've seen there site before, but I was sort of turned off by several things I read (or rather, some of their ideas and alot of the tone of their site). I'm digging through it right now, they have some cool shapes of their own rock on there.