The coral reef in the foreground of the display will be one of the highlights. I've already started construction. Basically, it will be a wood base and frame with chicken wire and paper mache simulating a rocky outcropping. Sponges, coral and sea urchins will (I hope) complete the look.
Here is a picture of the basic wooden frame made out of pieces of thin plywood for the ribs and base, and covered in chicken wire. My staple gun got a good workout attaching the mesh to the wood frame. My neighbor spotted me working on it and had to come over and ask what the heck I was doing. Sheesh, you'd think he'd be used to living next door to a nut by now.
Anyways, the frame has a spot on the top where my animatronic skull will sit. The hole is so he can turn his head to look at the clams.
The back part will have an are left open to hold a laptop computer that will control the servos.
I made a huge tub o' paper mache by soaking lots of newspaper in water overnight, mixing it into a pulpy mess, then wringing it out and adding a big bucket of wallpaper paste. I discovered it's hard to find good old fashioned powdered wallpaper paste any more. I had to buy this expensive premixed stuff so I hope it dries okay.
I started to cover the frame with the paper mache. What a sloppy mess it is to work with the stuff but it seems to be covering it pretty well. The secret it to pat handfuls off mache flat, lay them on the chicken wire, and then gently press it down and smooth it out.
Hey it's starting to really look like something.
Oh oh. I'm running out of goop. Oh crap, I'm not going to have enough to cover all the wire so I'm going to have to make more later. Oh well at least I've got the front part covered.
Looks pretty impressive already though. Back soon!
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