# Making a large cauldron?



## BCat

I would like to build a large witch stirring a large cauldron this year. I haven't had any luck locating a large cauldron (3' x 3'), so I was thinking of making one. 

My first thought was to carve a cauldron out of foam, seal it, and then cover it in fiber glass. Sanding a foam block that size would be very messy and time consuming! I was thinking that since the cauldron can be described as a surface of revolution, putting the foam on a slowly rotating base would speed things up, and using a hot nichrome wire would allow me to convert the block of foam into a cylinder, but even going from a large cylinder to a cauldron would still take quite a bit of time.

Any other suggestions?

-Brian


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## Lilly

Well a bushel basket might work and build it up ,then paper mache it...
using Ghostess's rock light cover formula would work great I think.
see this post
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=6380
good luck and post pics!!!!


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## pyro

i have a large flower pot( tree pot) 3'x3' some way ,some how ,it will be my cauldron---didnt think about Ghostess's rock cover thingy--thanks lilly something to think about.


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## Sickie Ickie

I've thought about doing that, too. The pots are so big and soooo cheap that it's a natural!


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## maureenpr

I made my cauldron out of a large plastic bucket with rope handles...









This is what it looks like...


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## IshWitch

I made mine out of a dryer drum.
Can get them free and they easily fit lighting and a fogger inside.


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## Sickie Ickie

McGuyver: "I made mine out of 2 rubber bands, a paperclip and an old posterboard garage sale sign..."


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## turtle2778

LOL, sickie. So out of curiosity, whats wrong with the basic 55 gallon barrel? I got mine for 14 dollars. You could build around that to make it look wider, but still have the protection of the plastic. Just a thought.


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## IshWitch

A 55 gallon barrel would be cool!
Can you cut that in half and make 2 cauldrons?


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## ScareFX

Barrels can work.









http://www.scarefx.com/project_witch_cauldron.html


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## DeadSpider

I used a 5 gallon pail & cardboard as an armature and made mine out of paper mache.


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## maureenpr

That's nice, how did you get the bubble effect??


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## slimy

She got the effect by selling her soul to the devil......

Click on the Scarefx link. His is THE best stirring witch on the internet.

Great How to. Highly recommended by me. And I'm an idiot.


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## tcarter

turtle2778 said:


> LOL, sickie. So out of curiosity, whats wrong with the basic 55 gallon barrel? I got mine for 14 dollars. You could build around that to make it look wider, but still have the protection of the plastic. Just a thought.


where'd you get a 55 gallon drum for 14 bucks?


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## Beepem

Sickie Ickie said:


> McGuyver: "I made mine out of 2 rubber bands, a paperclip and an old posterboard garage sale sign..."


AAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and scarefx's really is amazing. his howto is crazy good too.


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## krough

Speaking of Big cauldrons. I have a dilemma. I need a a larger one for this year. After building the Shanty last year. The ScareFX cauldron I put in there looks just a bit too small.
Tcarter. Look around for places that recycle beverage drums. Thats how I found mine. It used to have Mountain Dew syrup in it. I think it was 17 bucks


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## Lagrousome

I checked the scarefx and it is a great how to for the witch....but cannot find anything on the bubble effect like in the pic of DeadSpider. Would love to know how you got it to bubble.......


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## The_Caretaker

I think the bubble effect was done with clear christmas bulbs and colored lights


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## Hellrazor

krough said:


> Speaking of Big cauldrons. I have a dilemma. I need a a larger one for this year. After building the Shanty last year. The ScareFX cauldron I put in there looks just a bit too small.
> Tcarter. Look around for places that recycle beverage drums. Thats how I found mine. It used to have Mountain Dew syrup in it. I think it was 17 bucks


I agree Krough, you seem to need a wider, more oval one now. Perhaps one on a big hook or chains, that one looks a little too "skinny" now. Perhaps you could use it just outside your shanty and make a "fatter" one for in.


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## Hellrazor

tcarter said:


> where'd you get a 55 gallon drum for 14 bucks?


Look in the yellow pages for Restaurant food suppliers or call your local coca-cola or pepsi rep.

Mine was a soya Sauce drum. I got mine for 15.00 cdn from a wholesaler.


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## Hellrazor

Heres my knock off of ScareFXs cauldron. I added some of Mr. Unpleasants ideas too with the Spray foam.


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## DeadSpider

Lagrousome said:


> ...but cannot find anything on the bubble effect like in the pic of DeadSpider. Would love to know how you got it to bubble.......


Bubbles are made from those clear christmas craft balls that open into two halves so you can stuff things in them...


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## slimy

....so does that mean you DIDN'T sell your soul to the devil?


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## DeadSpider

slimy... shhhhhh


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## CerysCrow

maureenpr said:


> I made my cauldron out of a large plastic bucket with rope handles...
> 
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> This is what it looks like...


Great Idea!


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## coffin_creature

built mine out of a 55 gallon drum aquired for free from the local mechanics shop. He gets the full of oil. I made plywood ribs screwed them on from the inside then skinned it with landscape fabric.


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## Terrormaster

Anyone know where I can get one of the 55gal drums in the Connecticut area? I tried both Coke and Pepsi. Pepsi was the only one I could get a human on the line for. While the operator was optimistic, the loading dock manager said that they don't deal with the 55gal drums (although I think he didn't wanna have to deal with it - he sounded evasive). Its been a bust with food distributors here, at least in the yellow pages. 

I don't mind driving into the Springfield, MA area as well if anyone knows of any.

I really like the shape that the drum has compared to say using a 55gal trash can. But at $70 bucks for a new one, NO WAY!

Thanks,
-TM


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## Bloodhound

Anyone know where I can get one of the 55gal drums in the Connecticut area? 
Terrormaster, Check and see if you have a paint manufacture company. I went to one here. They said I could have as many as I wanted.. Free!!


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## Terrormaster

Bloodhound said:


> Anyone know where I can get one of the 55gal drums in the Connecticut area?
> Terrormaster, Check and see if you have a paint manufacture company. I went to one here. They said I could have as many as I wanted.. Free!!


Thanks anyways Bloodhound - those were a bust too. It seems CT is pretty strict with hazardous materials (which is what I was told drums containing paint were and makes sense) and only releasing them to recycling companies. But most told me that they don't even use the drums anymore. And the few that did use aluminum.

Think I'm gonna resort to a Rubbermaid 32gal trashcan for $15 bucks at Home Depot - trim off the top just below the handles.

-TM


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## sharpobject

I have an extra 55 gal drum - we use them as burn barrels. If you're ever in PA - you can have one. Now I know what to do with the old burn barrels we have laying around. thanks for all the ideas.


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## Evil Bob

Here's the one I built a few years ago. Plastic tub, cardboard and duct tape.

http://www.bastardrat.com/2004cauldron.html


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## eanderso13

Terrormaster, have you tried Craigslist? I found mine at a place that did industrial cleaning company for $15. It used to hold a non-toxic, enzymatic cleaner used in restaurants.


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## psyko99

I posted a request on Craigslist and got a response quickly. I ended up getting one from a car dealership's parts department for free. They buy parts cleaner in bulk. I was told they go through a couple a week.


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## Bloodhound

Terrormaster said:


> Thanks anyways Bloodhound - those were a bust too. It seems CT is pretty strict with hazardous materials (which is what I was told drums containing paint were and makes sense) and only releasing them to recycling companies. But most told me that they don't even use the drums anymore. And the few that did use aluminum.
> 
> Think I'm gonna resort to a Rubbermaid 32gal trashcan for $15 bucks at Home Depot - trim off the top just below the handles.
> 
> -TM


That's to bad the drum's I got were used to ship the paint pellets in, that are used to manufacture the paint itself. Not to store/ship paint in.


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## Terrormaster

@sharpobject: I wish PA WAS closer, with the cost of gas these days I might as well buy a brand new one at what it would cost to drive to PA - but I do appreciate the offer.

I took a peek at Craigslist and just a few other want ads looking for some as well. I'll stop in to Home Depot this weekend to take a look at the 32gal refuse can I saw on their site to see if it's something I can work with. If not, I'll post something up on Craigslist and see what kind of response I get.

Thanks everyone,
-TM


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## eanderso13

The problem with posting "wanted to buy" ads on Craigslist is that there are a horrible number of lazy people that post stuff on there...I've been on looking for something, seen tons of "want to buy" ads for the same thing I'm looking for, and then a little further down the page, a guy selling the same thing for a very reasonable price. He never took the initiative to contact any of the "want to buy" people, and the people just wanted someone to come ot them, I guess, and never contacted him, so I call and, surprisingly, I'm the first one to call on him 2-week old ad!! So you never know whats out there...


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## jabberwocky

Maybe try to makke a wooden frame.
My example shows 8 "ribs" but Id try to double it for a more "rounded" look.
Then stretching a fabric like lycra around it, followed by a coat of resin................
I used this method to creat a "mobile" bathtub one year.


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## Demonique

I would suggest making a cauldron by paper mache-ing a 'fit ball' you know one of those big balls you excercise on... Thats what Im doing at the moment and its starting to look really good. They are usually fairly cheap and you can use the fit ball after halloween to work off all the candy! (not that I could be bothered) :googly:


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