Thread: Aluminum Creature Bones

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I am building a very large animatronic creature. The skeleton (leg and arm bones) is 1" aluminum tubing. Does anyone have a suggestion what material to use to build up the tubing into the shape of bones. I need it light but also durable.

Thanks

Great stuff would work. Messy to apply, but once cured can be carved and painted. I'd suggest one good coat of Gesso to give it a smooth surface before painting. Great stuff is lightweight ,fairly durable and easily repaired.

Any type of foam can be used, and then hardened with a thin layer of fiberglass and resin.

Just depends on how much effort you want to put into it.

carve them fro extruded foam and hollow them out

Originally Posted by The_Caretaker

carve them fro extruded foam and hollow them out

Ditto on that. Use the pink or blue styrofoam insulation, it's much denser than the white stuff. You can either rout a channel for the tubing or glue up some "U" or box shaped channel to slip over the tube, then carve to shape.

Styrofoam is easy to shape and finish and is pretty tough if you buy the better stuff.

Don

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