How could I describe this building/carpentry process of a volcano for a science project?
Hi Y’all. I’m looking for some expertise here, in building with wood, paper mache’, etc, in order to make my short story more believable. I am writing about a father and daughter who are building a volcano for a science project. The father has visions of grandeur and wants to make it huge. The story is told from a very close 1st person perspective, so I am deep in his head, which means, his expertise, lingo, etc, needs to shine.
What I need are building materials, and processes that would need to take place to make it.
Here is what I am thinking with the exterior:
4 pieces of wood to stand that would make a pyramid structure.
4 pieces of wood for the base.
The exterior would need some sort of wrapping – I am thinking tarp, and maybe some fabric, and then a whole bunch of paper mache’ over the exterior to make it round. Perhaps some thick/industrial meshing would do here?
Then, on the inside, I want to make a cylinder run up the center and up through the top as the volcanic pipeline for explosions, effects, etc.
So yeah. Any bits and pieces of this would be very helpful… Like would I need nails, other obscure attachments, etc?
Also, any inkling into a carpenters mind would do – no parameters, just thought processes.
Thank you :)
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7 Answers
The standard volcano building method involves an 18×18 wood base, a paper towel tube, newspaper, masking tape, papier mache paste, and tempra paint. Maybe some small rocks, glue and spray varnish. To make the volcano explode, you put baking soda in the paper towel tube, a little red food coloring, and then you add white distilled vinegar, and it overflows.
A good “HELP! My Father Hijacked My Homework!” version would be a 4×4 piece of plywood, chicken wire, PVC piping, plastic sheeting, spray expandable insulation foam, spray paint, rocks, dry ice, vinegar, baking soda, food coloring. The version of this baby that appeared at science fair stood 4 feet tall. There was a main eruption chamber that got the vinegar and baking soda. There was side vents coming out of the mountain that had dry ice, and looked like steam escaping. The mountain was shaped out of chicken wire, covered in plastic sheeting and then sprayed with the expandable foam to look like a mountain. The thing was spray painted, rocks added. If I recall correctly there was trees on the mountain, and a model farm at the base. It was eviable.
Thought process would be durability, making it light enough to be transportable, and repurposing materials at hand. The guy that built this was an engineer and a model train buff.
Here is the list I have so far, with descriptions of my my thought process in parenthesis:
Structure:
• 12, 12-ft planks of whitewood lumber
o (4 for pyramid, 4 for the base, 4 for volcanic pipe)
Exterior fashioning:
• 10, 10 pound bags of a variety of plaster and paper mache’ and art paste (to wrap the structure in)
• 100 ft. of tarp
• 100 ft. industrial fabric
• 100 ft. industrial strength meshing
Interior:
• 1, 10 ft. plastic pipe (for the volcanic pipe in the center
• 500 ft. tin foil (to line the interior for effect – also goes with my plotline)
• 1 gal. adhesive (to glue on the til foil, et al)
Tools/Misc.
• Hammer
• Nails
• Metal saw
– Buckets
What else? Like bolts of brackets to bound them together?
@BarnacleBill excellente! At first I thought you were joking as in “standard volcano building method” but alas, there are others out there who think alike!
For those of us who went to grade school in the 1960’s, every kid built a volcano as a science homework assignment, and you had to do it yourself. Points were deducted for parents helping. Not that my dad would have helped.
DIY was important. Grade school teacher gifts consisted of either an angel or Christmas tree made out of Reader’s Digest magazines and pipe cleaners, spray paint, and glitter, or a wreath made out of old computer punch cards, or a candle made in a paper milk carton filled with cracked ice, and then hot wax poured in it.
Spray foam (Stuff-It, I believe is the name) is wonderful. We made prop ice cream cones out of it for a school play. Looked real.
I made a large volcano with soap for a local science TV show for kids. (I’m a commercial soapmaker and bath and body products formulator) but ANYONE could do it the way I did it, given enough raw soap to deal with. I filled the ‘lava’ section with a ‘bath bomb concoction of baking soda and citric acid dyed with red colouring and when water was added, it flowed up and over…. brilliant.
I have photos and can give step by step. PM me if you want more info.
I like to work with ~ galvanized expanded metal lath~ It the greatest stuff to form shapes with and it’s pretty durable. Paper mache can be applied over it. http://www.cemcosteel.com/ca-44.aspx
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