Check out my other DIY pages.

DIY: Fixing a cracked LCD (and backlight) on a Canon Powershot Elph. SD600 SD790 SD1000 SD1100

Building a Digital Velcro removable Camera LCD Protector/Guard

Lost foam with packaging peanuts.

The current system:
Packaging peanuts are glued together with hot glue and pour spouts are made out of pink insulation.I have used both drywall mud and plaster and found that plaster is much better for holding the shape.



After the foam is coated with plaster it is buried in play sand and the metal is pour over burning out the foam.






Concerns:
Cleaning the plaster off is a pain. Currently I do it by soaking the piece and working out the plaster with a fine metal tool and a wire brush. I was thinking a pressure washer or sand blaster might work well.
The hot glue sometimes obstructs the profusion of the metal. In this piece one of the rear legs is not getting the metal.

 buy my ingot from Rotometals. also available through Amazon.