AusBonsai

melbrackstone wrote:Carole Waller did a demo up here in Qld too, it's an awesome technique.

DSC_0773.jpg

Epic

Tonight i added the first layer of tile adhesive. I also put a small amount of black cement oxide to the mix. This is going to get addictive.
Once it dries i will add another layer and becin painting it with acrylic paint.

Coming along nicely beanwagon.
I think you’ve definitely nailed the shaping, very realistic and believable.
Well done.

DocPep wrote:Coming along nicely beanwagon.
I think you’ve definitely nailed the shaping, very realistic and believable.
Well done.

Cheers i appreciate the kind comments. I just hope it holds together/lasts. I am undecided on what i am going to plant on it. I am contemplating seiju elm or a variety of juniper but i am open to suggestion

Looking great and love that texture.

are you going to be running water over it constantly? If you are, I suspect you'd do well to put a species that can take the extra humidity the waterfall will produce.

Good luck, I'll be keen to see how it goes.

melbrackstone wrote:are you going to be running water over it constantly? If you are, I suspect you'd do well to put a species that can take the extra humidity the waterfall will produce.

Good luck, I'll be keen to see how it goes.

Im still undecided on what i plan to do with this to be honest.
I haven't really put any planning into it. If i do put a water feature/waterfall into this i will need to carve a channel into the back to put the water pipe in and then cover which shouldn't be too dificult.

My main concern at the moment is it being strong enough to support its own weight. I may need to drill into it and insert some sort of support for eg metal pipe or cement.

Today i added a cement base to hold it in place. I also experimented a bit and mixed wood glue with acrylic paint and then painted it. I will add more layers. My idea is that the wood glue will add extra strength.

If i do add a waterfall it will most likely flow like this.

I imagined it as a horizontal piece.
I think you’ve moved into the realm of art (I don’t think a rock structure like this could stand on such a small base).
Water feature
Lovin’ it. Keep us updated

I don’t think the wood glue will add strength. This is the job the tile adhesive does. It should be fine. Wood glue, like pva, typically fails when exposed to water.

Any extra structural support, such as stiff wire inside the foam needed doing before the tile adhesive was applied.

Elms are not a good choice for root over rock. Their roots don't grip to the rock like tridents or figs. If there are soil pockets in the structure, you could plant a wide range of species in these. Again, need to make these before applying the tile adhesive.

Keep having fun with it.

SteveW wrote:I don’t think the wood glue will add strength. This is the job the tile adhesive does. It should be fine. Wood glue, like pva, typically fails when exposed to water.

Any extra structural support, such as stiff wire inside the foam needed doing before the tile adhesive was applied.

Keep having fun with it.

Well my plan was to drill into it and push something into it suh as a metal bar/thick wire and then re apply the tile adhesive/pain.

I was also thinking of sealing it with pond sealer wich would protect the paint/pva. This is all experimental/trial and error and i am havig a blast doing so.

DocPep wrote: I imagined it as a horizontal piece.
I think you’ve moved into the realm of art (I don’t think a rock structure like this could stand on such a small base).
Water feature
Lovin’ it. Keep us updated

Definitely agree i wanted to push this to the extreme.

These two images were my inspiration. Which sort of explains my design

SteveW wrote:.

Elms are not a good choice for root over rock. Their roots don't grip to the rock like tridents or figs.
Keep having fun with it.

I have been training an elm root over rock(statue) to good effect. I would actually be concerned that the roots would crush/break the tile adhesives?

SteveW is correct -You will need to add a sealer over the Acrylic paint as it is not weatherproof long term - Unless it is thick house paint rather than artist acrylic. The tile glue is the waterproof part.
I would use a Marine sealer to allow water - either rain or waterfall. You may be able to insert a bit of threaded steel top to base into the pot & fixed with a washer & nut if you have a straight line ???? That would give you stability.Next time maybe build on an armature to add stability and give you a good strong structure to stand firm.
Keep going you are adding inspiration for us all.

SueBee wrote:SteveW is correct -You will need to add a sealer over the Acrylic paint as it is not weatherproof long term - Unless it is thick house paint rather than artist acrylic. The tile glue is the waterproof part.
I would use a Marine sealer to allow water - either rain or waterfall. You may be able to insert a bit of threaded steel top to base into the pot & fixed with a washer & nut if you have a straight line ???? That would give you stability.Next time maybe build on an armature to add stability and give you a good strong structure to stand firm.
Keep going you are adding inspiration for us all.

I will definitely seal this as i want it to last. I guess i should specify that i do already have a piece of threaded booker rod inserted into the base, i just didnt put one in another area that i now realise needed it. I am definitely learning a lot for next time i make some. Thank you