any ideas on how to make a wood like coating?

[hydin]

I am still doodling up a few things I want to make, and I am a little stumped on this one project idea. basically it is a prop from a series of books i like. i need one end to light up, and some runes engraved to light up as well. this, to me, means go PVC for the tubing, cut the "runes" out with a dremel, and then make sure whatever i "coat" the outside can look like wood.

only problem is i have no freaking clue how to accomplish that.

it is going to have some decent size to it (maybe 18" long by about 1.25 to 1.5 diameter) so theres plenty of room for electronics. only real brain buster on this will be how to engrave it, have the runes light up, but keep em dark until the light is turned on. i dont want to leave it hollow as that will end up causing light to pass through the inside and look all funky and cheesy. i figured something like a wide width LED on the end to "light up" would give the impression of more light coming out. That or maybe a small clear resin (or amber resin) "jewel" and a laser pointer built in to aim and hit it. dunno yet.

the biggest hurdle on this is the wood finish on the outside. i need something durable (i.e. if i pick it up i dont want paint to flake off and end up seeing white PVC) and i need something that looks nice, but still is able to be engraved a bit in case coating the rod fills some rune holes.

so... any ideas?
chris

 

[slave1pilot]

Hydin,
why don't you just paint it wood-grain?

 

[hydin]

id like to it kinda feel like wood too.

otherwise i could just wrap it in contact shelf paper or something and itd be the same thing.

i was thinking of seeing if i can get a hollow tube of wood, and then find a piece of tubing to fit inside that to hold the electronics and whatnot, but i dont know of a place that sells wood tubing

brains a lil fried though.

chris

 

[morganthirteen]

Try a wood veneer or laminate. It's real wood, just flattened and pressed to (roughly) a 16th inch thickness. Just use a spray-on adhesive to both surfaces to apply. As long as you don't have to flex it anywhere, it should be ideal.

 

[PHArchivist]

Chris, get yourself some Elmer's latex-based wood filler and coat it with that. Its pretty much exactly what you need to do. Thats what I did no our Totokia project. $5 bucks gets you a quart-sized tub.

http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=110994

 

[UFO]

http://www.sci-fire.com/how_to_wood_grain.htm

 

[Gigatron]

Hey Chris,

Here's a tutorial on painting on a wood grain http://www.sci-fire.com/how_to_wood_grain.htm Never had a problem with it flaking off.

If you want whatever it is your working on to feel like wood, and you have time (and based on your "speed of dark" thread, I'm guessing you do :lol ) , use a dental pick and just run it length wise. Using more and less pressure with vary the depth of the "grain". After that, use the grain tutorial from sci-fire and you should be set.

-Fred

 

[UFO]

looks like great minds think alike. :lol

 

[Great_Bizarro]

I you want a finish like it has bark on it still use body putty smear on it then run a dental pick over it for the grain and sand it a bit once it sets then paint and do a wash.

 

[classicbullwhips]

use the tips and techniques from
http://www.sci-fire.com/how_to_wood_grain.htm I have even seen professionals use this to get a very realistic wood grain look. also it looks great and people will be amazed that it is really not wood.

 

[hydin]

im gonna give it a shot.

it seems quite a few people have used this, and have had great results, so who am i to stand in the face of great ideas? (besides, you know, me )

thanks guys. (percocet gets you awesome ideas for props. now just to get them figured out totally.)
chris