how to insert multiple records using cakephp

In the cakePHP project I'm building, I want to insert a defined number of identical records. These will serve as placeholders records that will have additional data added later. Each record will insert the IDs taken from two belongs_to relationships as well as two other string values.

What I want to do is be able to enter a value for the number of records I want created, which would equate to how many times the data is looped during save.

What I don't know is:

1) how to setup a loop to handle a set number of inserts

2) how to define a form field in cakePHP that only sets the number of records to create.

I've spent time looking around but all solutions I found were lacking, and I've come to regard stackoverflow as invaluable means of solving problems.

As always, your help and direction is appreciated.

-Paul