No work on the fence today, but I did work on my coffin lid opener. I made yet another trip to the hardware store and picked up a set of metal files. I needed a file to file down the clevis mount FrightProps sent me. They eventually decided to send me the right one but I didn't want to wait for it so I went ahead and filed down the wrong one to the right size.
The old plywood coffin is a bit heavy and poorly constructed. Once I put the cylinder kit together it took me awhile to figure out where attach it for the effect I wanted. Finally I decided to mount it at the foot of the coffin, but the sides were too thin for the screws. I had to measure and cut a piece of 2x4 to glue and screw to the foot of the coffin so that the cylinder mount would have something to screw into. Everything was going well until I tried to screw in the mount. That 2x4 was a tough SOB and I nearly stripped all the screws. I gave myself a blood-blister at one point when the screw slipped and I started to screw my forefinger.
I did the same thing to the top of the lid, measured and cut a shorter piece of 2x4 for the clevis mount to screw into. I was lucky that the 2 pieces of 2x4 didn't hit each other when the lid closed all the way. I determined the placement of the clevis mount, marked the place, and the had to drill pilot holes for the 2 screws that go into the mount. I still had trouble with it. Those 2x4s are tough bastards or my drill bits are weak, I don't know which.
Once the cylinder mechanism was in place I took a break and went to run errands with Kat for the rest of the afternoon. We picked up the rest of our costume supplies. When we got back I drilled access holes in the back of the coffin for air tubes and cables, and cut some supports for the back so it won't rest directly on the ground.
Next I gave the inside a quick once over the the black spray paint to hide the plywood and the new 2x4s I'd added. I touched up some of the outside of the coffin where there was light paint from last year and then redid the lid. Last year I'd painted a rough white cross on the lid, but that looked bad so this year I painted R.I.P in white. It's only slightly better than nothing.
When I tried to hook up the air compressor and give it all a test I determined that I didn't have the right sized hookup for the air hose. I'll have to make yet another run to the hardware store tomorrow.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Pillar Project Phase 4
Almost done with the cemetery fence. I spent today shortening my old fence sections to match the new pillars. I thought it would take much longer than it did. I'm glad Jared mentioned the unscrew, move, rescrew, and cut method, otherwise I would have hacked out a foot from the middle of the posts and that wouldn't have worked too well.
Once I got the fence sections cut down I went about setting up the fence in the yard. Pictures are here. Tomorrow I'll go about lighting them and covering them with webbing.
I discovered that my pillars are a bit wobbly and very light-weight so they will probably blow over with a stiff wind. I'll have to devise some way to hold them in place. I hope they hold up in the weather until next Saturday.
Once I got the fence sections cut down I went about setting up the fence in the yard. Pictures are here. Tomorrow I'll go about lighting them and covering them with webbing.
I discovered that my pillars are a bit wobbly and very light-weight so they will probably blow over with a stiff wind. I'll have to devise some way to hold them in place. I hope they hold up in the weather until next Saturday.
Pillar project phase 3
Over the last few days I finished painting the pillars and attached the skull toppers. Pictures are here. I had to sand and cut down the foam before painting them. I used gray latex primer, 2 coats, and once that dried I use black acrylic spray paint to give them a weathered look. It didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped. I should have used black primer and then dry-brushed gray over top.
The skulls gave me a bit a of a problem. I decided not to put the lights inside the pillars. Instead I'll have the lights attached on the outside and through the back of the skulls. I cut holes in the skulls and then attached them to the tops of the pillars with hot glue. I had to pick the "best" side of each pillar for the front and top. They were all a bit lop-sided and uneven. Today I might chop off a few inches of my fence sections and then set it all up in the yard.
The skulls gave me a bit a of a problem. I decided not to put the lights inside the pillars. Instead I'll have the lights attached on the outside and through the back of the skulls. I cut holes in the skulls and then attached them to the tops of the pillars with hot glue. I had to pick the "best" side of each pillar for the front and top. They were all a bit lop-sided and uneven. Today I might chop off a few inches of my fence sections and then set it all up in the yard.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Pillar project, phase 2
The next phase of the pillars is finished, cutting and gluing the foam insulation around the frames. I've put more pictures up here.
I severely under estimated the amount of glue it would take to get everything mounted. I ended up using 7 tubes of foamboard project glue. I preferred the stuff I found at Home Depot over the Liquid Nails I picked up at Jerry's. It's called "PL300 Foamboard Adhesive" and comes in a blue labeled tube. The glue is light blue when it comes out. It had a more tacky consistency which helped keep the foam attached to the PVC.
I had to keep weight on the pillars while the glue dried. I came up with a way of distributing the weight across all 5 pillars at the same time by using some boards I had laying around in the garage. This meant I could do 5 sides at a time. It took about 8 hours for a side to completely dry so after about 2 days I had all of the sides done.
After the sides were done I cut small 1 foot by 3 inch strips of foam to surround the tops and bottoms of the pillars, giving them some weight and depth. This process used a bunch of glue. The strips stuck much more readily to other foam and plywood than to the PVC pipes so I didn't have to weight them down before doing the next strip. As I did this it became painfully obvious that my plywood "squares" were far from square and that the PVC frame had not been centered correctly on them. I will have some very irregularly shaped pillars. Maybe it will increase their charm.
I used a coarse sandpaper to shave down any corners of the foam where the sides joined and to smooth out the beady nature of the foam. Cutting the foam with a utility knife left many jagged edges and my garage floor was covered in foam shrapnel by the end of the process.
Tomorrow after all the glue has dried I will start painting them.
I severely under estimated the amount of glue it would take to get everything mounted. I ended up using 7 tubes of foamboard project glue. I preferred the stuff I found at Home Depot over the Liquid Nails I picked up at Jerry's. It's called "PL300 Foamboard Adhesive" and comes in a blue labeled tube. The glue is light blue when it comes out. It had a more tacky consistency which helped keep the foam attached to the PVC.
I had to keep weight on the pillars while the glue dried. I came up with a way of distributing the weight across all 5 pillars at the same time by using some boards I had laying around in the garage. This meant I could do 5 sides at a time. It took about 8 hours for a side to completely dry so after about 2 days I had all of the sides done.
After the sides were done I cut small 1 foot by 3 inch strips of foam to surround the tops and bottoms of the pillars, giving them some weight and depth. This process used a bunch of glue. The strips stuck much more readily to other foam and plywood than to the PVC pipes so I didn't have to weight them down before doing the next strip. As I did this it became painfully obvious that my plywood "squares" were far from square and that the PVC frame had not been centered correctly on them. I will have some very irregularly shaped pillars. Maybe it will increase their charm.
I used a coarse sandpaper to shave down any corners of the foam where the sides joined and to smooth out the beady nature of the foam. Cutting the foam with a utility knife left many jagged edges and my garage floor was covered in foam shrapnel by the end of the process.
Tomorrow after all the glue has dried I will start painting them.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Pillar project, phase 1
Pictures are up for the first phase of the pillar project here.
The plan has evolved slightly since my initial idea. I changed the layout of the PVC skeleton to save a bit on money and add some structural support in the middle of the frame. I've decided to put the skulls on top of the pillars rather than split them and set them into the face of the pillars. This should save me some headaches later. I've also decided to install a light, preferably black light, somewhere in the pillar to react with the glow-in-the-dark skulls which should be a neat effect at night.
I feel pretty good about the progress so far. I built the basic frames of 5 pillars in one night. I'm in the process of gluing the foam on the frames now. That is not going as well as I had hoped however. Liquid nails doesn't seem to be doing the job, but if I get something stronger it will melt the foam. Jeff Fields gave me a good suggestion to use duct tape on the PVC and then glue the foam to the duct tape. I've got the pillars drying today and I'll check back tonight and see if I have to take more drastic measures.
I'll need to go to the hardware store again tonight and look for lighting supplies for the skull toppers.
The plan has evolved slightly since my initial idea. I changed the layout of the PVC skeleton to save a bit on money and add some structural support in the middle of the frame. I've decided to put the skulls on top of the pillars rather than split them and set them into the face of the pillars. This should save me some headaches later. I've also decided to install a light, preferably black light, somewhere in the pillar to react with the glow-in-the-dark skulls which should be a neat effect at night.
I feel pretty good about the progress so far. I built the basic frames of 5 pillars in one night. I'm in the process of gluing the foam on the frames now. That is not going as well as I had hoped however. Liquid nails doesn't seem to be doing the job, but if I get something stronger it will melt the foam. Jeff Fields gave me a good suggestion to use duct tape on the PVC and then glue the foam to the duct tape. I've got the pillars drying today and I'll check back tonight and see if I have to take more drastic measures.
I'll need to go to the hardware store again tonight and look for lighting supplies for the skull toppers.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Halloween preparations
I have a bunch of new projects to keep me busy from now until Halloween. I'll track my progress here and upload pictures to my flickr account.
This year I'm going to expand my graveyard fence by adding fake stone pillars to place between each section. I've seen various plans online that I will borrow ideas from. The basic skeleton will be plywood and PVC piping, covered in pink insulation foam, painted and carved. I have some translucent skulls that I can cut in half and mount on the pillars for light to shine through.
My most ambitious project to date will be a pneumatic coffin effect. I'm taking my plywood coffin from last year and upgrading it. I ordered a pneumatic kit and some other electronic toys online and will borrow or buy an air compressor. I've added hinges to the coffin and when I get the kit I'll install it. Combined with a pressure trigger, the air compressor, and an effects control box I'll have a professional looking haunt this year. I'm excited.
Next I'll use the air compressor along with a glue gun to make a cobweb shooter for the yard and possibly the garage.
Lastly, I have to find a configuration of monitors, TVs, and speakers that will work for the "Rock Band" stage.
So much to do.
This year I'm going to expand my graveyard fence by adding fake stone pillars to place between each section. I've seen various plans online that I will borrow ideas from. The basic skeleton will be plywood and PVC piping, covered in pink insulation foam, painted and carved. I have some translucent skulls that I can cut in half and mount on the pillars for light to shine through.
My most ambitious project to date will be a pneumatic coffin effect. I'm taking my plywood coffin from last year and upgrading it. I ordered a pneumatic kit and some other electronic toys online and will borrow or buy an air compressor. I've added hinges to the coffin and when I get the kit I'll install it. Combined with a pressure trigger, the air compressor, and an effects control box I'll have a professional looking haunt this year. I'm excited.
Next I'll use the air compressor along with a glue gun to make a cobweb shooter for the yard and possibly the garage.
Lastly, I have to find a configuration of monitors, TVs, and speakers that will work for the "Rock Band" stage.
So much to do.
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