# Over Ambitious NooB Haunter



## spinachetr

My wife told me right after Halloween that I could “decorate” the yard for Halloween 2010. We have a total blank slate of a yard. These are words I'm sure she will live to regret. I immediately had visions of bodies ripped apart all over my yard (as a kid I had saved up money to go to Tom Savini's FX School, but bought a car instead), but she said spooky not gorey. So being the over ambitious person I am I have come up with my wish list to build over the next 347 days:

2 Fog Chillers
FCG
Axworthy
Fence (update 11/28/09, everything purchased and 95% wired, then assemble & paint)
Gate columns 
Spider victim (shiatsu massager)
MIB
Ground breaker (shiatsu massager)
Bound/asylum person (shiatsu massager)
15-20ish tombstones
Zombie grave escape grabber (shiatsu massager)
Werewolf (oscillating fan or shiastsu)
Tombstone leer
Coffin popper
Glue gun spider web shooter
A few corpsed buckys
Laser Vortex (Updated- Tripod mounted Laser Vortex completed 11/28/09)
LED spots 
Lights and sound/music
Find someone to be the headless horseman to ride around our neighborhood. 
..and a few pumpkins ala Stollo (which are freakin awesome!)

I got the tools, I got the ambition, I got credit cards, and thanks to you wonderful people who have dedicated a hell of a lot of time and effort with the how to's, I have the knowledge. I hope I have the time. Will I succeed and have the best yard in the neighborhood or will I fail and hang my head in shame as I'm setting up my store bought tombstones and plugging in the inflatables? Check back on my progress.


----------



## RoxyBlue

Welcome to the Forum, spin! Just get done what you can and hold your head up proudly no matter what


----------



## spinachetr

Thanks, I'm up here in Walkersville, MD. Are there ever any make and takes held in the Washington Metro area?


----------



## RoxyBlue

Not at the moment. We've seen more Maryland haunters joining in recent months, so it may come to pass eventually


----------



## Rahnefan

Welcome from one over-ambitious noob to another.

I hope you don't have small children and despise sleeping. :jol:


----------



## nixie

I also tend to get over ambitious, and as I am just now beginning to emerge from newbie status, I can tell you two things from experience: Prioritize, decide which things you can't live without and get those done first. Then work on it all year, don't wait until "the season" to get started. This was my first year to accept that some things may have to wait for the following year, and to prevent that reality from ever smacking me up-side the head again I will be setting up an area where I can work all through the year. I have small kids, I need all the time I can get....
Your plans sound great, ambitious, but solid. Good luck, have fun! Keep us posted-can't wait to see the progress!
...one more suggestion: Make two of everything and send one to me!! Your wish sounds a lot like mine! lol


----------



## Spooky1

Welcome to the forum, Spin. Good luck on the list. Glad to have another Marylander here.


----------



## BackYardHaunter

for LED spots theres a great HOW TO heres a link LED SPOT LIGHTS
im build a few of these i would be willing to sell them.
welcome to the forum i new around here to but not to the Prop Building scene.

-BYH


----------



## Dixie

Welcome to the forum Spin, I can't wait to watch your progress.... my only piece of advice for that list would be to finish each project at a time... nothing would be worse than a huge list of half finished props that are not yard ready come October! If you start a project and finish it, then even if you only get 7 out of 20 proposed pieces done, you will still have a hella good haunt!


----------



## fick209

Welcome to the forum Spin. That is a very ambitious list you have for 2010. Good luck with all of it and I to look forward to watching your progress. Dixie gave you some great advise, finish each project at a time. Once again, welcome and good luck.


----------



## Aquayne

Build yourself a foam cutter table. It will be usefull in many projects. The problem of getting everything done in one year is......What will ya' do for next year?


----------



## Eeeekim

You sound like me this time last year. I wanted to do every project i had found online.
I didn't start working until september of this year i had a small budget and 3 kids under 8 so i only got 1/4 of what i wanted to do finished. I put in a lot of hrs and lost a lot of sleep but it was very awesome! I would suggest you get your wife a gift or 2 along the way. Mine started calling herself a halloween widow. 

You have all year. SO go for it! good luck and welcome!


----------



## hidehoman

My advise it to theme it as heavy as you can. Random scary things in a yard is not nearly as impressive as A well themed yard with two or three large effects and lots of small "support" details. 
Take a look at your house and yard. Do you have a 50"s rambler? 70's split level? Modern McMansion? or something traditional? What story will work with the setting you have? What is scary to you? Zombies? The criminally insane? 
Take a note from the Disney people work the story first then the props. 
Actually wright a back story for your haunt and for each large prop. This all helps a ton.
The Haunted Mansion is a good example. The simple story line of a retirement home for ghosts. "We have 999 happy haunts but we have room for a thousand any volunteers?"
Now they have added the killer bride to try and give it some deeper story but I don't think it works. The original story works on a simple level and works for just about any age.
So who are you targeting? TOTs, Teens or Friends? 
Lighting and Sound! never over look dim dramatic lighting and the importance of soundtrack. 
Bring out the originality. If you use the same old caned sound that every one has used for years. You will loose the drama and apprehension.
One last thing have fun with the process. Don't stress if some things you wanted to finish stay on the work bench for another year, its ok. Better to have a great prop next season than to have a crappy prop for this year.
P.S. Listen to your wife....A happy wife=a happy haunt. Trust me I know.


----------



## debbie5

Welcome! We are all noobs, since as soon as we learn something, we usually move on & try something new. Glad you are here. Welcome to being a part of "us".

As a wife, I HIGHLY recommend you discuss two things with the spouse: time constraints & budget. Make sure you understand & agree on both. I find that setting up takes waaaaaay more time than I estimate (I am persnickety & want everything as perfect as I can make it) and that a preset budget is needed, or I will inadvertantly go hog-wild: twenty bucks here, thirty bucks there..a few more long extension cords needed....after a few shopping excursions, it adds up. A rough sketch of your yard (I use a blown up photo of my house and overlay tissue paper over it to trace out placement) is also helpful to figure out sight lines and lighting placement. I have a dedicated notebook of ideas, sketches, stuff I have printed off, attendance, comments from TOTers and layouts that I use &refer to year after year. 
Enjoy!! Now, you need to write a Halloween countdown on your 2010 calendar....mine's already done!!


----------



## spinachetr

Thanks for the welcome everyone and thanks for the advice. The wife is in the loop and my 4 yr old has already asked if she can paint the pumpkins.

The first thing I'm working on is a fence to line one side of my driveway and one side of the sidewalk. It's basically a simple post and chain fence with flashing skulls on each post. I'm going to run it approx 120 feet with the posts approx 4 feet apart. The posts are 3/8" x 48" solid fiberglass electric fence posts from Tractor Supply Co. and have a pointed end to be pounded into the ground, ($1.09 each x 30 - $5 off coupon), 120ish feet of plastic chain (20 feet at $3.99 each x 6 at Ollie's) and 3 sets of Gemmy flashing skull string lights (on clearance at Big Lots for $2.25 ea). Total for 120 feet is about $70 after I bought enough wire.

I didn't like how the wire came out of the top of the skull, so when I drilled the hole in the bottom of the skull, I re-ran the wire out through the screw hole at the base of the skull, The string lights only ran about 10 feet, so I cut all of the skulls off the wire (keeping enough wire for the LED lights inside the skull to be rewired) and added about 4 feet of new wire between each skull. The chain, with a little help from a heat gun to soften it up, fits nicely down each post and the 3/8" hole I drilled in the bottom of each skull fits snuggly on the pole too. I will use the original chipboard and wire it to a wall wart, and set off the sensor with a strobe light. It should break down for storage pretty well, just pop the skulls and chain off when I'm done. I'll probably paint the chain and posts gray. I'd like to paint them black, but I want to make sure the TOTs see the posts and chain.


----------



## Devils Chariot

My advice is have three things going at once, that allows you to use the "drying time" more efficiently. And start with the hard things first. Motorized, light up, pneumatic, whatever. Then full body corpses, then work down to ground breakers, heads, tombstones, etc.


----------



## STOLLOWEEN

Welcome to HF. Everyone has offered great advice. Speaking for myself I find the best thing I can do is make a list, once I write it down on paper I am more committed to making it than if I keep it in my head just thinking about it. We've been doing this since 1992 and I have never completed everything on the yearly list...I usually get about 75% of the list complete which I'm OK with...just roll with the punches and most importantly have fun making your creations.

Also get the family involved if it is something they would enjoy, when my boys were younger they liked to papier mache so I always had two helpers...as they've gotten older not so much...it has become Dad's hobby which is fine...I just try to get as much done as possible each year without neglecting the truly important things in life. Have fun!


----------



## The Bloodshed Brothers

i wish you luck


and welcome


----------



## Dixie

Devils Chariot said:


> My advice is have three things going at once, that allows you to use the "drying time" more efficiently. And start with the hard things first. Motorized, light up, pneumatic, whatever. Then full body corpses, then work down to ground breakers, heads, tombstones, etc.


Ah, so true DC... thats actually much better advice than my one-at-a-time routine, and it would also keep him from running into the "garage full of half finished props" black hole that I know so many run into when they first start out.

When doing mache, I usually have 5 or 6 going at a time, like you said, for various drying stages, so I will always have something to work on that night.

Good thinking!


----------



## Haunted Bayou

spinachetr ownes a drill press so I am sure he'll be ok!


----------



## debbie5

That's for his amateur trepanning business, I'm sure...


----------



## DarkLore

*First Year Haunt*

All good advice. And I'm looking at this from the hindsight of one year later.

I just spent last year trying to do the same thing. If you want quality....heed what has been said...about three projects at once to allow for dry time. If a project isn't done...it's not time to start another.

As for animated projects - I'd plan projects that provide bang for the buck. Normally shiatsu or wiper motor projects that are easy enough for a beginner, no special controller required, attention getting. Such as flying crank ghost, shiatsu zombies, leg kicker, stirring witch, tombstone peepers, and rocking chair figures. I also like those props because they continously provide large reliable motion without needing to stop.

A few weeks before Halloween, I realized how much I wanted the area enclosed or bordered. So I attacked a fence with columns. Based on that, in my opinion, starting with your fence is a very good place to begin. But tuck that big project list in a folder for future reference.

1. Figure out your storyline and structure (fence, walls, garage, whatever). 
2. Identify half dozen props for your plan. Don't even think about more until these are finished. Finished...not thought up and designed...finished!
3. As stated...about three at a time and no more. Just because you haven't found a head or mask isn't an excuse to go to another. All that will do is fill up your garage with uncompleted props.
4. Complete each build before starting more. That means a head, hair, paint, stain, clothes or whatever.
5. Get sound accomplished for any prop that needs it. That means a player and speakers for each including ambient sound. This is part of the prop's display, not an afterthought. You aren't finished with it if this isn't done.
6. Consider spotlights after you have these projects completed. That way, you have a sense of what you are lighting, where, and how.

I spent a lot of wasted time creating mini spots with brass tubing, pvc spots w/leds, etc....and didn't even use any of them. Not one. I used ebay purchased led spots.


----------



## Dixie

I'm with ya, DarkLore - thats why I was able to snap off that advice so fast.... I myself have a garage of half finished props that did not get used in October at all. So sad!!!

(I have also found that the things I complete in February somehow don't end up making it into my haunt either, dagnabit!)


----------



## scream1973

I think the stuff you create in Feb gets dwarfed by something new and really really cool someone here makes later in the season that you just have to have..

09 i didnt get anything new other than what i managed to pick up earlier in the season due to workon the addition on our house.. But 2010.. I am back and determined.. Once the wife makes me put the decor away this weekend then its go time for next year.. 

Another piece of advice.. Storage figure it out .. its great to build and build but if you have no place to put it all then you can get stuck ..


----------



## hpropman

Welcome to the carnage - there is some good info on my website about motion detection and electronics - please do not be afraid to ask questions there are a lot of very nice people here with a broad spectrum of knowledge.


----------



## Haunted Bayou

DarkLore knows a lot about ambitious Halloween building. LOL!


----------



## spinachetr

Completed my tripod mounted laser votex today. Thanks to Garage of Evil for the how to.


----------



## hpropman

Nice job, well done!


----------



## nixie

That turned out fantastic! I Love the picture of the creepy, swirly effect! Can't wait to see what you accomplish this year, I'm sure your haunt will be amazing!


----------



## spinachetr

Prior to getting the haunt bug, I had one addiction...playing poker. In the past, everytime my wife and daughter would go out of town I would organize a game at my house that would last until the wee hours of the morning. They are going out of town the weekend before Christmas and instead of organizing the poker game I can't wait to go to Home Depot, get some 2" foam and start making tombstones.

Since this looks like it is going to be bad....is there rehab for haunters?


----------



## Haunted Bayou

No there is no rehab for you just a big support group called HauntForum!


----------



## DarkLore

spinachetr said:


> Prior to getting the haunt bug, I had one addiction...playing poker. In the past, everytime my wife and daughter would go out of town I would organize a game at my house that would last until the wee hours of the morning. They are going out of town the weekend before Christmas and instead of organizing the poker game I can't wait to go to Home Depot, get some 2" foam and start making tombstones.
> 
> Since this looks like it is going to be bad....is there rehab for haunters?


All I read out that was....blah blah blah....*2" foam*....blah blah blah.

Now I know how pirates feel when they make a career decision. It's really sad when words like poker don't register like they used to. Rehab meetings will be Wednesdays at 6pm. Hoping you can attend....see you there.


----------



## The_Caretaker

Why do you need rehab, this is more than an addiction its a way of life


----------



## Jaybo

spinachetr said:


> Prior to getting the haunt bug, I had one addiction...playing poker. In the past, everytime my wife and daughter would go out of town I would organize a game at my house that would last until the wee hours of the morning. They are going out of town the weekend before Christmas and instead of organizing the poker game I can't wait to go to Home Depot, get some 2" foam and start making tombstones.
> 
> Since this looks like it is going to be bad....is there rehab for haunters?


You want a big scare? Keep a journal and track all of the money you spend this year on your haunt. Just don't show your wife the total!

You'll find yourself looking at all kinds of new things at Haunter's Delight (Home Depot) once the fever really sets in. Oh, and "normal" people will start looking at you funny.


----------



## Warrant2000

For sound effects I suggest Poison Props. Adam has some great tracks with quality recordings. I purchased "Toxic" which was blasting from my Toxic Control room near the entrance to my haunt. Some ToT's (including adults) didn't even want to go inside based on what they were hearing around the corner!


----------



## jaege

If get 25% of that your yard will look great!!! No need to do it all in one year. What would you have to add next year? Haunting is an ongoing process.


----------



## spinachetr

Thanks, I don't want to know what I've spent so far. My wife and I keep seperate accounts. I pay the mortgage, she pays the other bills and we pay for our own credit cards. As long as the bills are paid all is ok. I did buy 2 cd's from Poison Props. I didn't really like the graveyard wind one. It was ok until some girls started chanting 1, 2 Freddy's coming for you. I ended up using Audacity and clips from sounddogs.com and made my own wind and graveyard sound effects. Also seperate sounds for individual props.

As far as an update on my haunt projects: I started an obelisk (built but needs patched, sanded and painted) and tombstones. The Christmas holiday and a very very messy and cluttered (and unheated) garage delayed my start. I also started the pvc pipe flickering candles. I hope to continue making tombstones and hope to have 15 to 20 done within the next few months.


----------



## spinachetr

spinachetr said:


> My wife told me right after Halloween that I could "decorate" the yard for Halloween 2010. We have a total blank slate of a yard. These are words I'm sure she will live to regret. I immediately had visions of bodies ripped apart all over my yard (as a kid I had saved up money to go to Tom Savini's FX School, but bought a car instead), but she said spooky not gorey. So being the over ambitious person I am I have come up with my wish list to build over the next 347 days:
> 
> 2 Fog Chillers
> FCG
> Axworthy
> Fence (update 11/28/09, everything purchased and 95% wired, then assemble & paint)
> Gate columns
> Spider victim (shiatsu massager)
> MIB
> Ground breaker (shiatsu massager)
> Bound/asylum person (shiatsu massager)
> 15-20ish tombstones
> Zombie grave escape grabber (shiatsu massager)
> Werewolf (oscillating fan or shiastsu)
> Tombstone leer
> Coffin popper
> Glue gun spider web shooter
> A few corpsed buckys
> Laser Vortex (Updated- Tripod mounted Laser Vortex completed 11/28/09)
> LED spots
> Lights and sound/music
> Find someone to be the headless horseman to ride around our neighborhood.
> ..and a few pumpkins ala Stollo (which are freakin awesome!)
> 
> I got the tools, I got the ambition, I got credit cards, and thanks to you wonderful people who have dedicated a hell of a lot of time and effort with the how to's, I have the knowledge. I hope I have the time. Will I succeed and have the best yard in the neighborhood or will I fail and hang my head in shame as I'm setting up my store bought tombstones and plugging in the inflatables? Check back on my progress.


Still plugging away, but foot surgery laid me up for about a month. I've abandoned my original fence idea and built 80ft (ten 8 ft sections) of the traditional wood and pvc pipe fencing. I still may use the original fence, but it is not a priority.

Also abandoned (at least for this year):
FCG
Axworthy ghost
Spider victim (shiatsu massager)
Ground breaker (shiatsu massager)
Bound/asylum person (shiatsu massager) may never do since I'm staying with graveyard theme.
Werewolf (oscillating fan or shiastsu) may never do.
A few corpsed buckys
Stolloweenesk pumpkins

New Props Added:
10 to 15 more tombstones: (I'm up to 30 tombstones cut, all but 8 have epitaphs on them, all remain unpainted).

Made about 20 pvc / hot glue drip candles

Got the Grims Grinning Ghost pumpkins projection dvd ready to go, and will house the projector and dvd player in one of the columns.

Completed:
New 80 feet of wood/pcv fence 
laser vortex
light and sound 
30 cut tombstones

Still on the MUST GET DONE list:

Finish 8 tombstone epitaphs and paint all 30
Finish columns and paint
Coffin MIB
At least 1 fog chiller (going to use french drain for the other)
Tombstone grave peeker/leer
Zombie grave escape grabber (shiatsu massager)
black tarp/curtin to hide the mess in the garage since I will be projecting the laser vortex from the back to front of the garage (and down driveway).

Only 145 days left...what in the heck happened to the last 200 days?


----------



## pagan

spinachetr said:


> Only 145 days left...what in the heck happened to the last 200 days?


Dude.. I ask myself that every year!


----------



## waldiddy

I get a kick out of folks describing this hobby as an obsession, being addictive, too expensive, etc. Yeah, BUT ... it's a great way to engage your creative side as well as to expand your skills when it comes to carpentry, pneumatics, electronics, etc. I'm learning tons by doing all this stuff, but it pales next to the biggest benefit, IMO.

All this prep takes me away from the computer! I'm wasting much less time browsing the internet and spending much more time outside. And, that's a very very good thing!


----------



## niblique71

I really enjoyed reading this post. Like many of you, my list for "next year" started 11/1. I am always dissapointed at what I didn't get done... BUT when I look back afterwards at what I did accomplish I am blown away. The hours and hours... everyone always suggests keeping a financial log. With me (being self employed) its usually more about time than money, although money is always a factor. I agree that you should complete one project at a time except when "Drying time" is a factor. Truely complete it... then move on... Another suggestion would be to pick one LARGE project and then do 2-3 other small projects in between to keep the momentum going. Storage is always an issue...IF you build entry columns, try to build most of your tombstones so they will fit inside of the columns for storage... that kind of thinking will really help as your garage, shed, home, swimming pool, saturn5 rocket, superdome, and brain get too full...


----------



## NickG

no kidding... it's all fun and games until you've got to store the stuff! I don't mind pulling halloween stuff out, I like to build it, I don't mind setting it up or even tearing it down, but I HATE putting it away!


----------



## shar

I feel your pain, pain is good


----------



## Dark Angel 27

spinachetr said:


> I can't wait to go to Home Depot, get some 2" foam and start making tombstones.
> 
> Since this looks like it is going to be bad....is there rehab for haunters?


No, sadly their isn't. now that you've been bitten by the haunting bug, there is no known cure for it.


Jaybo said:


> You'll find yourself looking at all kinds of new things at Haunter's Delight (Home Depot) once the fever really sets in. Oh, and "normal" people will start looking at you funny.


aint that the truth!
this is the norm...get used to it! :googly:

anyway, good luck on your prop list!


----------



## spinachetr

This is my first attempt at corpsing using the cotton ball and latex method. Still needs some paint, but I think it turned out ok. My 4 1/2 year old daughter loved him pre-paint and is now afraid of him.










These are the columns I'm working on. I already have the plaques to go on them done.










And even though I wanted to stay away from store bought props, this guy was a $25 yard sale find so I couldn't pass him up. My daughter loves this guy too. I am making sure she sees eveything now so hopefully it won't scare her on Halloween.










I'm still plugging away and still very motivated.


----------



## shar

Love your corpsing!! Those pillars will be nice! How tall? You have to love great yard sale buys lol.


----------



## pagan

Absolutely great! Love the pillars.. Your own design (in which case you are obligated to do a show and tell on the build ) or did you find inspiration elsewhere? The cotton ball and latex corpsing looks very nice as well.


----------



## fick209

Glad you are still motivated and plugging along. Awesome so far, the cotton latex corpsing is great and those pillars are looking fantastic. Excellent work!


----------



## Dark Angel 27

great job on everything. and that's a great score by the way!


----------



## spinachetr

shar said:


> Love your corpsing!! Those pillars will be nice! How tall? You have to love great yard sale buys lol.


Thanks! The pillars are a tad over 6' and about 20" wide I'm still debating about what to top them with. I have gargoyles with light up eyes, or skull busts, but I'm thinking about lamp post lights that are about 18" tall because the skull busts and gargoyles look too small.


----------



## spinachetr

pagan said:


> Absolutely great! Love the pillars.. Your own design (in which case you are obligated to do a show and tell on the build ) or did you find inspiration elsewhere? The cotton ball and latex corpsing looks very nice as well.


I forgot to give credit where credit is due. Pillar idea came from here http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home/halloween/juggernaut/projects.html


----------



## Joiseygal

Great job on your corpsing! It looks really cool. The pillars are great also and nice find on the gemmy.


----------



## ELH Erin Loves Halloween

That gemmy brand new was easy 99 bucks or more so great score! and the only advice I can give is every year your haunt will get better. My first year my haunt looked like a 3 year old did it but I was so proud!!! LOL, but as the years have gone on it has progressed. Also I agree that this "hobby" is really a very creative outlet. People have golfing or fishing as their hobbies. But they don't get to create something like Haunters do. I think most haunters are very artistic or creative and just let it shine when doing something they love..like Halloween.
Ok enough preaching your yard will rock!


----------



## Rich_K

Yes, the old Coachmen, I paid about $90 for mine, good find! My monster building skills are not very good yet, so I build the Architectural stuff and buy the creatures that roam the grounds of MELVINIA MANOR. Your corps head turned out great! Build some, buy some. Like KY has stated, each year, your haunt gets better and the crowds get bigger!


----------



## DarkLore

It's great to read this thread 1/2 year later. I feel like Marty McFly seeing himself outside the Deloreon.

You've accomplished a lot! 

I think we forgot to mention...building props when it's 100 degrees outside isn't as productive or fun as it is in the spring. We're still cheering you on. I can't wait to read your impressions the day after.


----------



## spinachetr

DarkLore said:


> I can't wait to read your impressions the day after.


Hopefully it's not "Complete haunted yard for sale.....CHEAP!"


----------



## spinachetr

Bricks painted on my columns. I decided to go with large plastic globes on the top and they should be delivered this week. I was looking all over the place for empty Coors beer party ball kegs, but couldn't find any. I guess I could have purchased full ones and done the emptying myself.


----------



## DarkLore

spinachetr said:


> Bricks painted on my columns. I decided to go with large plastic globes on the top and they should be delivered this week. I was looking all over the place for empty Coors beer party ball kegs, but couldn't find any. I guess I could have purchased full ones and done the emptying myself.


Or invited your haunt forum friends over to help with the emptying. Where is the love?


----------



## spinachetr

Mother-in-law staying for the weekend = lots of time spent in the garage working on props


----------



## spinachetr

*Gettin closer to being done*

The picture doesn't do the columns justice. Need to do some more painting and aging. I also think I need to run a 2 to 3 inch band of foam around the top to make it look more like a capstone. But I'm getting much closer to putting this project to bed. Ohh, they ended up being 8 feet tall to the top of the globe....lol, about 2 more feet than what I had in mind when I started.


----------



## shar

They are looking great!!


----------



## pagan

I think they look marvelous! Probably shouldn't let your mother in law catch you carving a tombstone with her birthday on it.


----------



## spinachetr

Columns are done (but still may touch up some paint)

















8 feet tall and 22 inches wide. Now where to store them? The top caps come off. I have a12' ceiling in garage so I'll put up a 2'x4'x8' shelf and lay them down on that and bungee then to the wall. Now on to a little 2'x2'4 corner column to house my projector in. Gotta slow that clock down.


----------



## DarkLore

They look great. The globe tops worked well. What happened that made them taller than you anticipated?


----------



## spinachetr

DarkLore said:


> They look great. The globe tops worked well. What happened that made them taller than you anticipated?


It's the male traits of over exaggerating things or underestimating things. I guess I didn't really figure in the stepped cap stone. Just putting the globe on the top of the columns didn't look right. The globe looked too small. So the stepped cap stone added 6 inches and the globe adds over 13" (there is a lip on the bottom of the globe). I was originally going to add a skull bust or gargoyle to the top that were only about 8 to 10" tall.


----------



## spinachetr

Over the weekend I built a column to house my projector and computer in that I will be using for the Grims singing pumpkins. Also built a small crypt for the pumpkins to sit on, and installed speakers inside the pumpkins (purchased at Michael's). In between all of that, I found time to make a tombstone countdown clock.


----------



## RoxyBlue

I like that, Spin! And I see the guy on top has that hands flung wide, "OMG, I had no IDEA there were less than three months left to get all my props done" look to him


----------



## fick209

Your columns came out great!!! Love the countdown clock


----------



## spinachetr

RoxyBlue said:


> I like that, Spin! And I see the guy on top has that hands flung wide, "OMG, I had no IDEA there were less than three months left to get all my props done" look to him


Thanks, the more I looked at him the more I like his arms down...almost hugging the tombstone. 83 days, is actually only about 50 some days because I want to get the tombstones out and set up the second weekend in October. I gotta get those 30 tombstones painted! Unless pink and blue ones are in style now.


----------



## spinachetr

I never realized it was going to take so long to paint in the routed out letters of 25 tombstones. My God! My fingers are cramped. I hope to have all 32 stones (some are going to be blank or just have skulls or crosses on them) completely painted by next Saturday.

The FCG is back on the to-do list. I had purchased a 22 foot tall telescoping flag pole and will mount the FCG on top of that. I've never seen anyone do a pole mounted FCG in any of the forums. The flag pole (which I just painted black tonight) will be mounted on the corner post of my back yard fence. I cheated and bought a FCG from ebay (for some reason I didn't think I could build one, I couldn't grasp how the motor and washer and arm thing mounted or how the frame needed to be built to be mounted on a pole instead of on a ceiling)..then when I got it I had a huge "DOH" moment. I had also previously purchased black light LEDs and will use those in little clip on lights (that I did the tutorial on) attached up near the top of the flag pole to light the thing. I'll post pics as I dive into the build.

Also completed a trash can & dryer duct fog chiller.

As soon as the tombstones are painted I can move onto the action props: Tombstone lear; MIB; coffin popper; and ground breaker...if I have time I might toy with a not yet dead burial victim wrapped with a burlap bag and chains like the one in Casa Fears 2009 video. My thought is to use 2 shiatzu massagers. On for the legs and one for the upper body. I have all of the pieces parts for all of these props, it's just a matter of getting them all together (and working). Lots of time....lots of time.


----------



## spinachetr

While my tombstones are drying, I continued work on the FCG mounted on top of a 22 foot telescoping flag pole. I got the flag pole off ebay several months ago for a steal ($30 shipped). I attached angle iron to the wood frame of the FCG with wood screws. This one had a little gold ball that screwed down into the top. I used this hole to mount the angle iron onto the flag pole. I then drilled a hole through the flag pole, ran a bolt through it to help secure another piece of metal to brace to top angle iron. The flag pole which is aluminum came with a larger 16" piece of PVC pipe. This PVC pipe is supposed to be cemented into the ground and then the flag pole fits down into it. I will attach this pipe to the corner post for my fence using pipe clamps and it will sit on the metal electrical box which will be attached to the fence post. I will probably be able to mount the pipe 3 to 4 feet off the ground which should put the top of the FCG about 24 to 25 feet off the ground. I have to work on mounting the black light, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. I have to paint it yet and get the ghost on it. I'll post more pics when it's done and will post video of it up in the air and in action.


----------



## Psyc0 Walrus

Oh wow... Welcome to the forum but uhhh I have NO idea how your gonna be able to make all that or where your gonna come up with the money haha I hope you got a very flexible budget! Good luck! Post pics of progress on your props, yes?


----------



## spinachetr

Psyc0 Walrus said:


> Oh wow... Welcome to the forum but uhhh I have NO idea how your gonna be able to make all that or where your gonna come up with the money haha I hope you got a very flexible budget! Good luck! Post pics of progress on your props, yes?


It's been a long process and I have put in many hours. I have 1 tombstone (out of 32) left to finish, I just have to dremel out one word then paint it. My columns are done, the fence is done, the FCG just needs the blacklight attached and the metal braces painted black. I have the corner column for my projector and the crypt the pumpkins will sit on (for grim's grinning pumpkin projection) done. I have probably spent between $1,500 to $1,800 for everything I've made. I just found out yesterday that I received a very nice sized cash bonus at work which will pay for almost everything I've spent.

I have the box (actually a large trunk), the speakers, lights, controller, chains, pneumatics and trigger ready and tested for the MIB and I just have to get it all together. I didn't know how a MIB would fit with a graveyard theme, but I will paint on the box "Deliver to Bedrock Cemetery for IMMEDIATE Cremation!! (or Burial)" and put it at the edge of my driveway where the columns are (make it look like it was just delivered/dropped off at the cemetery).

I have yet to build the coffin popper (but have everything) and the tombstone leer. The shiatzu grave grabber is still up in the air and I may do something different with the shiatzu massagers.

I finished painting the tombstones last night which is a big relief so I can start work on the action props. Hopefully I'll post photos this week end of all tombstones and the corner column & crypt.


----------



## RoxyBlue

Sounds like you've got things under control and well planned, Spin


----------



## spinachetr

Pictures of the tombstones I've worked on over the past 10 months. I am aging them today.










































The P Kaboo one will be for my leer.


----------



## spinachetr

and some more, I may leave these as is.


----------



## RoxyBlue

I love punny tombstones


----------



## Spooky1

You've been a busy man. It's all looking great. Looking forward to seeing a video of your sky high FCG. 

We may have to come up to see your setup, since you're only a half hour or so away from us.


----------



## spinachetr

Spooky1 said:


> You've been a busy man. It's all looking great. Looking forward to seeing a video of your sky high FCG.
> 
> We may have to come up to see your setup, since you're only a half hour or so away from us.


Thank you. I don't have video of the FCG, but I have a picture. 
















It was too windy today....any wind on Halloween and I'm hosed with this. I won't have stuff out in the yard until about 2 weeks before Halloween and nothing animated or real big until the morning of, but you are welcome anytime.


----------



## DeathTouch

You have been busy!


----------



## jackielantern

Holy crap! No easing into it for you huh? lol Good job! Good luck with the wind...we battle that beast every year. 

I also love punny tombstones.


----------



## Psyc0 Walrus

Oh wow! Haha nice nice nice nice nice! Hope everything works out for you haha and its coming down to deadline soon :O only about 2 months and a few days!!! AHHHHH MUST WORK WORK WORK WORK WORK!


----------



## Resurrected

And I thought I was and over ambitious noob...man you got a lot of work to do...love all the work...congrats can't wait to see it all setup.


----------



## spinachetr

Video update of some of the things I've been working on. Please forgive my mess of a garage. I have a really bad habit of not cleaning up after myself when I get done with a project before moving onto another project. In the video when I say that my countdown clock isn't working, it just wasn't plugged in. I kept blowing the breaker when I had my air compressor and hot glue gun plugged in along with everything else, so I had to unplug it to lighten the load on the circuit. Any suggestions on improving my peeper action would be appreciated.


----------



## dynoflyer

Welcome to the forum! Personally, I save a few days vacation for the week before Halloween to get everything finished and set up. It's AFTER Halloween that I need a vacation LOL


----------



## Lunatic

Lovin the laser effect spichetr!


----------



## Professor Vlad

LOL Welcome to the Darkness, Join us and scare the rest of Society. LOL:laughvil:


----------



## spinachetr

I was in my garage last night working on props and some people walking down the sidewalk said "hi" and then "looks like you are going to be the Halloween House this year." I can't wait....nothing like what I am putting together has been or is done in my neighborhood. My countdown tombstone goes out in another week. I really only have 2 props left that I MUST get done.


----------



## spinachetr

Here is my MIB that was delivered to my Cemetery. I need to bump up the sound of the monster. I have a guitar amp AND a 30w speaker hooked up to the Picaboo 104. I am controlling it with a 12v DC remote used on motorcycles/autos.


----------



## DeathTouch

Holly cow you did alot. You need a hauters intervention. LOL


----------



## spinachetr

DeathTouch said:


> Holly cow you did alot. You need a hauters intervention. LOL


I have. Wait for the before (Halloween 2009 with absolutely nothing in the yard) and after pictures. I knew back in December this was going to be an addiction. My wife has been supportive, but I did hear her say last week that she can't wait for Halloween to be over. Me neither.....so I can start working on next years props


----------



## spinachetr

So I decided to build a 6 foot by 8 foot movie screen to hang in my open garage door. For the few days before the big night I'm going to do some rear projection on it. I got it done yesterday. I took great care in stretching the cheap shower curtains from the Dollar Store and stapling them to the frame and then using spray adhesive to join the two together on the frame since one wasn't big enough to cover the whole thing. Still had some wrinkles, but not too bad for 2 thin pieces of plastic. 

I set it aside and decided to sweep up a little bit.....promptly dropped the push broom and the handle sliced through about a foot of the shower curtain. F$&K!!!!!! LOL, at least it is down in one of the corners. I'll probably just patch it with another piece of shower curtain and spray adhesive. Thankfully, I knew the shower curtains were going to be taken off every year and the frame broken down for storage, but still....that sucked.


----------



## spinachetr

Was in my garage last around 10 pm working on getting my motion lights and camera together. Heard kids coming down the street as they came to my house they made a beeline to my yard where I had 11 of my 32 tombstones up. I grabbed a 6 iron from my golf bag and made it to the front yard just in time to watch them kick my countdown clock tombstone in half. F'ers broke it in two. I screamed at them and chased them about a half a block, but my fat ass couldn't catch them. Ran back to the house, jumped in my car but couldn't find them. Little bastards could run. Found two state troopers about 3 blocks away and they went looking for them, but couldn't find them either. The 5 girls these boys were with were found in my sub division but of course "had just met the boys that night and didn't know who they were."

Totally pissed right now. This is my first year doing this. I am glad I didn't catch them cause I probably would have put one in the hospital. Not worth me going to jail and losing my job over. The troopers took a report. I'm probably going to get something out to the schools and offer a reward for info leading to arrest.

It's now broken in two right at the 3 holes for hours/mins/secs I can probably fix it, at least the clock part still works. This is what my countdown clock looks like now. 









On the positive side my tombstone anchoring worked very well, the bottom part of the stone stayed firm to the ground as the top half went flying.

I couldn't sleep last night worry about the remaining tombstones, so at 2am I brought them all into the garage and will now not set anything up until Friday, the 29th.


----------



## hpropman

Those little SOBs, I hope they get what is coming to them. Do not let let this get you down on Halloween night when you see the smiles and laughs from the tots you will know why we do this every year.


----------



## RoxyBlue

I'm so sorry to hear this, Spin.


----------



## wanaquehaunts

I feel your pain. Don't get discouraged. Same thing happened to me but worse a few years back. I had everything stolen from me- strobe lights, black lights, props, fog machine 2 nights before Halloween. That sucked.


----------



## Kaoru

Oh I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your stuff! Just keep on going with your plans and I hope those stupid kids get whats coming to them and get found out. Don't blame you for being hesitant at putting anything out. After some of our Christmas decorations got messed with a few years back my husband Terrormaster doesn't put any of his major displays out till Halloween night. Good luck and hope all's well with you.


----------



## jdsteel82

Spider wire your lawn... you know its there, but any would be punks will get tangled in a heart beat....then they are fair game to scare the crap out of!


----------



## Sblanck

Sorry to hear that. I always put up my cemetery fence first. I know many of the folks with the inflatable haunt decorations suffered big time due to vandals slicing them up.


----------



## Plastic Ninja

Dang. That would get me POed as too. I'm sorry for you and I hope the little idiots get caught. That can be hard though, if they don't have them in there possession. I hate that for you dude. 

@jdsteel82
Totally doing that this year. Stay out of my yard kids!!!


----------



## halloween71

spinachetr said:


> Was in my garage last around 10 pm working on getting my motion lights and camera together. Heard kids coming down the street as they came to my house they made a beeline to my yard where I had 11 of my 32 tombstones up. I grabbed a 6 iron from my golf bag and made it to the front yard just in time to watch them kick my countdown clock tombstone in half. F'ers broke it in two. I screamed at them and chased them about a half a block, but my fat ass couldn't catch them. Ran back to the house, jumped in my car but couldn't find them. Little bastards could run. Found two state troopers about 3 blocks away and they went looking for them, but couldn't find them either. The 5 girls these boys were with were found in my sub division but of course "had just met the boys that night and didn't know who they were."
> 
> Totally pissed right now. This is my first year doing this. I am glad I didn't catch them cause I probably would have put one in the hospital. Not worth me going to jail and losing my job over. The troopers took a report. I'm probably going to get something out to the schools and offer a reward for info leading to arrest.
> 
> It's now broken in two right at the 3 holes for hours/mins/secs I can probably fix it, at least the clock part still works. This is what my countdown clock looks like now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the positive side my tombstone anchoring worked very well, the bottom part of the stone stayed firm to the ground as the top half went flying.
> 
> I couldn't sleep last night worry about the remaining tombstones, so at 2am I brought them all into the garage and will now not set anything up until Friday, the 29th.


So sorry!!!


----------



## azscoob

I feel your pain, a few years back I had similar issues with my decorations, and just this summer, worthless bastards ripped the fascia board off my house by yanking down my American flag and mount, the flag was found torn in strips a block away along with the destroyed mount and broken pole. The entire fascia board was in the street in front of my house. It is for these reasons that starting 2 years ago I put up all my decorations Halloween morning, and put EVERYTHING away at midnight on the 31st, it sucks but unless I just shoot the little hoodlums, I feel this is the best solution at the moment.

Now if I catch the flag stealing kids I WILL run their entrails up my shiny new flagpole.


----------



## halstaff

This thread has been inspiring as I too am a Type A haunter with a long to do list for my first year. As the big day approaches and I look around at all the things I've built this year, I thank everyone here for their ideas and enthusiasm. This has become my stress reliever and I look forward to many more years of haunting.


----------



## spinachetr

After the first start was ruined a few weeks ago by teenage punks, I started again this weekend. Just got the fence and the 32 tombstones out, some lights (which need adjusted), security cameras and motion detectors. The cemetery columns and everything else will go out Friday night. These are two night shots of my first ever attempt at setting up a yard haunt.


----------



## Spooky1

You've been a busy man. Your yard looks great, I'd never think it was your first year. Sorry to hear about the kids breaking your countdown tombstone.


----------



## RoxyBlue

Wow, 32 tombstones! You're putting us to shame

The setup looks great!


----------



## hpropman

hey the yard looks great! Did they ever find out who those kids were?


----------



## DeathTouch

I just couldn't build that many this year. I had to rebuild the deck and it took too much of my time. Good thing is I have lumber now. LOL. Awesome Job on your tombstones and such.


----------



## spinachetr

hpropman said:


> hey the yard looks great! Did they ever find out who those kids were?


Thanks and nope, never found them. Over the past couple of weekends there have been 8 or 9 neighborhood guys doing night "patrols." We called the state police on some curfew breakers that don't live in our neighborhood this past Saturday. Two were members of the local high school football team and the guys I was patroling with knew their parents, so their parents got calls the next day. Hopefully word is getting out not to be in our subdivision if you don't live here.


----------



## ShadowGyrlBrice

I've never had a big problem with vandals, but then I also put all my stuff up Halloween morning and bring it down after trick-or-treat ends. It does make for a lot of work, but I find that the tots like it even better because it makes for more mystery. "Oh, I wonder how they did that really scary effect. Nuts. They didn't leave it up for me to see in the daylight."


----------



## spinachetr

Busted my butt for 11 plus months, survived teenage punks, rain and wind, now running a 102 degree fever....damnit!


----------



## jdubbya

spinachetr said:


> Busted my butt for 11 plus months, survived teenage punks, rain and wind, now running a 102 degree fever....damnit!


Rest and Tylenol! It may be one of those 24 hour things and you'll be fine in the morning. Be sure to rest though and not let it run you down. Your house is stunning btw! The graveyard and lighting are perfect! Now get well so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. And even if your fever spikes to 104, suck it up and go out and scare some kids!!! j/k
Get well!!


----------



## spinachetr

My awesome first yard haunt and night of failures

Well I made it. It was an awesome night, even though it was full of failures. To recap I went from a total blank slate of a yard to a full yard display and built a complete haunt over the past year.

I was sick from Thursday through Sunday so I didn't get much of a chance to do a dry run. I tested everything to make sure it worked, but never tried everything at the same time. I kept blowing breakers and didn't have enough time or extension cords to spread the power consumption around. So I had to ditch more than half of my spot lights in the graveyard. I also had to scrap the thunder/lightning set up and only ran 1 fogger in my yard. The tombstone peeper worked for about 10 minutes then the motor screw stripped and he just became a static prop. The Grim's signing pumpkins weren't set up until about 1/2 hour after TOTs starting arriving and then they were not quite lined up right (people still thought they were awesome though). The FCG on the 22' flag pole was only about 10 feet in the air. Thank God for my brother and sister-in-law who helped out, I would have never survived the night without them. My brother loved hitting the button on the MIB remote control.

The MIB, Laser Vortex, FCG, Grims Pumpkins all got rave reviews, as did the overall appearance of my yard. I had many people ask how much it all cost and where I bought everything. They were dumbfounded when I told them I built everything. They couldn't believe that my columns were made out of rigid styrofoam.

The biggest failure of the night was underestimating the number of TOTs. I thought maybe 200.....we got well over 400 and probably pushing 500. I have no idea where all of the kids came from. I would like to think that they had seen my graveyard that had been set up for a week and word got around. I had 240 packs of Silly Bands from Eyegore's group buy and they were gone in about 40 minutes. They were a huge hit and the kids were screaming and going nuts over them. We went through almost 500 pieces of candy and I was giving out the LED fiber optic finger lights and only have a handful left. During the last 45 minutes kids were given a choice of candy or finger lights, I was giving them the lights and the candy earlier.

The second biggest failure was not taking a lot of good pictures. I was too busy before and during the TOT hours. At the end I was so sick that I just wanted everything taken down and packed into the garage. The video turned out too dark too. All in all it was totally awesome!! Lots of people said I had the best yard they had every seen and the kids really enjoyed it. Even my Halloween Widow said it beat all other Halloween's hands down.

First pics were taken a few days after Halloween 2009 and is how our yard looked on Halloween 2009.

















On Saturday I did Hallowindow projections onto a 6'x8' screen in my garage door opening:


----------



## spinachetr

Rest of the yard for Halloween:


----------



## spinachetr




----------



## spinachetr




----------



## RoxyBlue

I tell you what, that's an amazing change from 2009 to 2010. I can only imagine what your yard will look like in 2011

Ya done good


----------



## JasonXIII

very impressive for a first haunt, i did a similar thing my first year, got the ideas and went big, now you just have to one up yourself, good luck, again, looks great


----------



## Spooky1

You did an incredible job putting together a full haunt in one year. Rest and I hope you're feeling better soon. You deserve it.


----------



## randomr8

Sweet. just remember that your ToTers are never aware of the problems with props. i had a skull get thrown off one of my props and peeps thought that's what was suppose to happen.


----------



## madmomma

Sorry you were so sick and hope you feel better. You did a fantastic job with all the decorations even though some didn't work as expected. You still have at least 360 days to work out the kinks for next year!!!


----------



## spinachetr

ughh......I gotta get motivated. I haven't done much of anything over the past 5 months. I got the pneumatics and prop controller and sound worked out for a coffin MIB shaker, but that is it. So, my year two list is:

Six 8' fence sections
coffin MIB shaker 
Grave grabber (either shiatzu or using wiper motor)
LED lighting (had way too many floodlights sucking too much juice last year)

Plus fixing my tombstone leer that stopped working last year and some other smaller issues.


----------



## madmomma

Hey Spinachetr, the NJ/PA Make & Take group just did a grave grabber prop using a deer motor. Check out the posts on their group thread. I don't think too many photos have been posted yet but they all were able to make working props in one meeting. Might be worth looking at if you're interested in making the grabber. I couldn't make it to that meeting so I'll be making a grabber on my own too.


----------



## HauntCast

I find myself rebuilding many props that a made a few years ago when I had a wish list like yours. Quality is better than quantity. If you make a few signature pieces each year plus, some tombstones etc... you can fill out your yard in a few years.


----------



## spinachetr

Finally got started for year 2. I fixed my tombstone leer. I replaced the deer motor with a 4rpm gear motor. Works great and it is a very smooth, no jerky movement.

I also started a new tombstone. It's going to read something along the lines of:

"B. Good

My cameras are 
recording you."

or the standard epitaph about cameras and alarms on the props, mess with my stuff and I'll summon the cops.


----------



## RoxyBlue

I like the idea and look of the skellie pointing an accusing finger


----------



## pensivepumpkin

I second Blue's approval of the accusatory skellie!


----------



## spinachetr

Built this coffin today and put the pneumatics and lights in it. I had a monsterguts nerve center controller for it, but it had some wiring issues so it's heading back to them for a replacement. The prop will be triggered with a PIR.


----------



## Sawtooth Jack

Maybe you're not so over-ambitious after all...very nice work and quick too! Liking that pine box a whole lot as well, nicely put together.


----------



## spinachetr

My coffin popper. Will probably change the trigger from a PIR to beam break (if the darn things ever get delivered). It uses a Nerve Center from Monster Guts. Has 6 tracks/routines of various people screaming to be let out of the coffin. The sound is only in one channel so I need to redo that and split it into 2 channels in Audacity. Other than that and the beam break I just have to secure the amp and speakers inside so they don't move around and then it is done.


----------



## RoxyBlue

Nice, especially with having a variety of screamers in there

Will you be adding some chains to the coffin?


----------



## spinachetr

RoxyBlue said:


> Nice, especially with having a variety of screamers in there
> 
> Will you be adding some chains to the coffin?


Totally forgot about the chains! Without chains they could just get out. Doh!! So yes I will be adding chains. Thanks!!!


----------



## spinachetr

Can't believe this is my third Halloween doing a display. How time has flown since I started this thread. I've added more pneumatic props (up to 3 now) and am getting into projections (will have 4 projectors going this year). I'm still a NooB in many regards when compared to some of the Master Prop Builders on here, but I've come a long way baby. Had about 450 TOTs last year and am expecting around 500 this year if that *&#^$ Sandy clears out in time.


----------

