# "un-Dead Meadow" My first yard haunt



## Darkwalker

So I'm working on my yard haunt for 2010 my first go at it but I've wanted to do it for many years. So as you could imagine. Ideas are just pouring out of my brain. I already have plans for 2011. I just thought I'd start a thread so I could show my progress and maybe get some feedback.
No pics yet but they're coming. 
I'm doing a cemetery themed haunt. So right now I'm working on the location part. Tombstones, fences, and a entry/sign type thing. Hopefully by August I'll be working on the inhabitants.
I hope to have at least one pneumatic prop but I'm lost on that stuff right now. I know I'm going to have some ground breakers and an 8' tall grim reaper with lighted eyes and fog boiling out of his face as he greats the visitors.
Anyway. When I get some photos worth showing, I'll post them. Right now it's just 40' of un painted fence, pink tombstones and column frames with plywood.


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## shar

All the best!!! Can't wait to see the progress, and maybe learn a few things!!


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## nixie

Sounds like you're off to a great start! Have fun and keep up posted!


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## Haunted Hot Sauce

*un-Dead Meadow*

I'm excited for you! Can't wait to see some shots...especially the in-progress ones. I love watching a haunt come together! I for one have never dabbled in pneumatics so you're way braver than me!


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## Dark Angel 27

un dead meadow....some how in my head, i picture a grassy field with a few tombstones scattered hap hazardly all over the place and maybe a small pond with fog and body parts floating in it....oh and some zombies would be awesome too! Yes, we defintely want some progress pics and vids!


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## Darkwalker

Dark Angel 27 said:


> un dead meadow....some how in my head, i picture a grassy field with a few tombstones scattered hap hazardly all over the place and maybe a small pond with fog and body parts floating in it....oh and some zombies would be awesome too! Yes, we defintely want some progress pics and vids!


Well. It used to be a meadow but now its a subdivsion 
I like your version better though. I got a few days before I start carving the name into the sign maybe I can come up with something more fitting.


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## Just Whisper

Good luck. I wish I had known about this site when I did my first yard haunt. I know what you mean about having so many ideas running through your head. When I first came on here I wanted to build EVERYthing I saw. LOL Now I try to be more realistic. Oh hell, it never works, but I try.  Looking forward to seeing your progress.


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## Dark Angel 27

Darkwalker said:


> Well. It used to be a meadow but now its a subdivsion
> I like your version better though. I got a few days before I start carving the name into the sign maybe I can come up with something more fitting.


glad i could help. remember, lots of progress pics!


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## madmomma

Best of luck with your haunt Darkwalker. With all the ideas in my my head, I had to start a little earlier. Do what you can and check out all the cool stuff here in the forum for next year. I'm addicted!


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## shar

Dark Angel 27 said:


> un dead meadow....some how in my head, i picture a grassy field with a few tombstones scattered hap hazardly all over the place and maybe a small pond with fog and body parts floating in it....oh and some zombies would be awesome too! Yes, we defintely want some progress pics and vids!


Ohhh what about Un-Chained MeadowLea ?? Just a thought


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## Darkwalker

Here are a few pics to start. The entry sign is much farther along than what this picture shows. I'll be at it all day tomorrow and I'll put up more pics tomorrow evening.


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## Darkwalker

Actually. Heres what it looks like right now. Sorry I had to throw some green light on it. I needed a little atmosphere.


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## Dark Angel 27

Everything is awesome! looking forward to more!


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## morbidmike

very nice I would distress those fence panels though take a torch of heat gun and bend them around make it look like things are trying to get in or out


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## Darkwalker

Here's a progress pic of a small coffin I'm making.
I intend to be a pneumatic prop with a little corpse kid popping up.


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## Dark Angel 27

awesome coffin. i love the way your twisted mind works! :lolkin


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## Darkwalker

Dark Angel 27 said:


> awesome coffin. i love the way your twisted mind works! :lolkin


What a wonderful compliment. Thank you Dark Angel 27.


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## Just Whisper

It's coming along really well. I am impressed with your skills.


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## madmomma

Looking great! Nice detail.


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## Darkwalker

Thanks everybody. I'm sure the true test will come when I start making the inhabitants of the cemetery.


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## Darkwalker

Okay I got one more progress pic of the lil coffin.
I've been sanding all day so most everything is ready for paint. Except my tombstones. I'm having a hard time deciding what to write on them.


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## Just Whisper

Darkwalker said:


> Okay I got one more progress pic of the lil coffin.
> I've been sanding all day so most everything is ready for paint. Except my tombstones. I'm having a hard time deciding what to write on them.


That is always the hardest part for me also. Sometimes it takes me days to come up with the right words or name. Anyway, the coffin is looking great.


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## shar

Wow you have been so busy! It is all looking fantastic!!


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## RoxyBlue

I like that cross you have on the tombstone.


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## Dark Angel 27

it's already looking awesome! love the cross too!


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## scareme

Darkwalker said:


> Thanks everybody. I'm sure the true test will come when I start making the inhabitants of the cemetery.


"Making" the inhabitants of your cemetery? I've never thought about that. I've always just dug mine up. And the cops really frown on that.


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## Darkwalker

scareme said:


> "Making" the inhabitants of your cemetery? I've never thought about that. I've always just dug mine up. And the cops really frown on that.


Yeah. I live in a fairly small town too. So if I'd run the risk of my visitors recognizing deceased family members if I did that.
It sure would make things easier though :cheeseton:

Oh well. Back to carving tombstones.


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## Terminal_Margaret

This is great...thanks for posting pictures. I too, am just starting my yard haunt so I understand how you feel about all the ideas running through your head. You are doing a great job! My problem is I don't know how to make half the stuff I wish I could make, lol...I plan on having a gravestone making party soon with the family soon so I can get some help (all yard haunters). It looks like you are amazingly good at building things! It's very inspirational to see your pics.


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## Darkwalker

Terminal_Margaret said:


> This is great...thanks for posting pictures. I too, am just starting my yard haunt so I understand how you feel about all the ideas running through your head. You are doing a great job! My problem is I don't know how to make half the stuff I wish I could make, lol...I plan on having a gravestone making party soon with the family soon so I can get some help (all yard haunters). It looks like you are amazingly good at building things! It's very inspirational to see your pics.


Thank you so much. Your in the right place here. Everyone here is very willing to lend advice. And very welcoming to us noob haunters. 
Getting the fam involved is great. The kids and I just wrapped up painting all the stuff I've posted pics of. 
Let us know when you got some pictures.


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## Darkwalker

Just Whisper said:


> That is always the hardest part for me also. Sometimes it takes me days to come up with the right words or name. Anyway, the coffin is looking great.


Thanks Just Whisper. Thanks to everyone for your kind comments. 
It's tremendously helpful.
These tombstones almost got the better of me. But I've got plans for them!
I just don't have the patience for carving them with a Xacto knife. I tried and I just cannot sit still that long. So I got a attachment for my dremel that I hope will make it easier. It's funny. I started on them first but they may be the last thing finished.


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## fick209

I know all about the patience thing of carving tombstones, I started a few new ones back in march and they still aren't ready for paint. Like you, I just can't sit still that long. All of your progress looks great so far, I'm really liking the coffin. Looking forward to your next update pics.


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## Darkwalker

I'm glad everyone likes the coffin. I have a new pic I'd really like some feedback on.
Yesterday I put a coat of black on it and today I was gonna put on a coat of gray.
But then I started messing around with it and this is what I did.










I want it to look like it was "dug up". I have some moss colored paint to ad a little nasty to it but was wondering if I should continue in this direction.


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## madmomma

Hey DW, the coffin is looking great! Try gluing bits of moss (from a craft store) over the moss-colored paint to enhance the "dug up" look you're going for.


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## shar

Very nice!! What about also throwing dirt and sand on the paint while it is still wet, around the bottome and edges?


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## Darkwalker

Don't know why this posted twice!

Both awesome ideas! Thanks ladies. 
Too hot today to get out in the garage and do anything. But I'll get on with it this weekend.
I did have a pretty big mishap yesterday. Seems my big "your name here" tombstone was a little warped so I tried to pull it out the base to try and flatten it out a bit. But as I was pulling on it, it broke in half. My heart sunk a little. But I think I can fix it.


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## debbie5

U need handles on that sucka before you continue painting.


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## kprimm

Glad to see you are so hard at work building. I have been working hard since january. No matter how early you start, there just isn't enough time. Everything is looking great so far. Check out 2 scary guys and thier dvd on pneumatics. I swear that was the best $20 i ever spent. After that dvd there was no stopping me. Good luck to you, will be watching for more pictures.


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## Ryan Wern

I agree with kprimm. Never enough time! I started my first walk through last year at the end of July and literally finished it about an hour before I opened on Halloween night. This year won't be as bad because I have 14 wall panels left over from last year and came up on about 20 sheets of 1/4'' plywood someone was throwing out. 
I REALLY like your coffin by the way. I built a toe-pincher for 2010 out of old fence boards. It came out good, but not nearly as good as yours did. Great work and best of luck to ya. Keep the pics coming.


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## Darkwalker

Been too dang hot to get out in the garage but I have managed to work a little bit this week. I"ve noticed several "grave diggers" in peoples haunts so I decided I'll do a "grave robber" instead. I've made a fellow but I don't have the right head on him yet so I'll have to hold off on a pic. He's pretty cool though. I have him standing out in the garage and for two days in a row he's scared my wife when she goes out to leave in the morning.
I'm working on some ground breakers and just found out a friend of mine has a couple cylinders I can have for my pneumatic stuff.
Now if the heat would subside I could really get to work.
Thanks again for all the comments it means a lot. I can't wait to share more pics.
Oh! I almost forgot. I'm working on a 8' tall Grim Reaper. 
I got the design from http://www.scarefx.com
I may add LED eyes and some other f/x to really bring it to life.


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## Darkwalker

how do you delete posts?
This was a double post again and it wont let me delete it.


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## Hauntiholik

Darkwalker said:


> how do you delete posts?
> This was a double post again and it wont let me delete it.


You can't. Only mods can delete posts.


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## jaz86

We Built a Reapper similar to this one last year only real difference is instead of a mask Micheal's last year had oversized foam skulls which worked geat also ours was holding a rope with three shrunken heads on it made for a cool effect


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## ScreamingScarecrow

Darkwalker said:


> I'm glad everyone likes the coffin. I have a new pic I'd really like some feedback on.
> Yesterday I put a coat of black on it and today I was gonna put on a coat of gray.
> But then I started messing around with it and this is what I did.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want it to look like it was "dug up". I have some moss colored paint to ad a little nasty to it but was wondering if I should continue in this direction.


Excellent paint job!
Too many home haunters go straight for the black paint and leave it like that!
Lots of gray and white highligths are the best way to go - so that your props show really well under halloween lighting!
Looking good! Can't wait to see the finished pictures of your home haunt!


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## Ripper

What a great thread!

Really enjoying your pics and progress! (GREAT ideas!)


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## Darkwalker

jaz86 said:


> We Built a Reapper similar to this one last year only real difference is instead of a mask Micheal's last year had oversized foam skulls which worked geat also ours was holding a rope with three shrunken heads on it made for a cool effect


I like that.
I plan to have an audio track welcoming visitors. And (if I can make it work) I want to have a fog machine inside it piped up to the mouth and LED eyes.
So when people walk by the eyes light up fog begins to spew from it's mouth and it delivers a creepy welcome message.
I don't know bout the fog though. Don't know if it will travel upward through a hose and still deliver the volume I'd like. I'll have to test it out and see.


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## Darkwalker

Ripper said:


> What a great thread!
> 
> Really enjoying your pics and progress! (GREAT ideas!)


Thanks Ripper.
There's tons of great threads around here. More info than I can handle.
Glad you like the pics. I've slacked off a little. Afraid I might start boring my new friends here.


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## Darkwalker

Something great has happened!
My front yard is kinda small. And my layout was going to be set up on one side. But as I started looking at it on paper it just didn't work.
The right side of my yard is much bigger than the left and their separated by my driveway. My concern, was that with everything set up on one side, it wouldn't have the same effect. Cause if people only have to look in one direction it could be harder to "get'em" so to speak. 
My wife and I were talking about it and she thought I should build a walk through "haunted house" in the driveway. I wanted to shriek "Hell yeah!" but we were in the middle of dinner at our favorite mexican restaurant.
She believes, and I agree. This would create a much fuller atmosphere and get a better reaction to the cemetery itself.
This was actually planned for Halloween 2011. But I'll gladly take on the extra work and expense to avoid a lame experience on Halloween.
Now if I can just pull it off.


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## Hauntiholik

That very exciting Darkwalker! You have 450 days till next Halloween 2011. Get to it man!


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## Darkwalker

Things are really starting to take shape here.
Got a vacation coming up in a few weeks so I expect to get a lot of work done during that time. Here's a little peek at what I've been working on.


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## printersdevil

Awesome!


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## Dark Angel 27

hehehehehe! love it!


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## ghoulieghoul

Hi Darkwalker. I too am new to this. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, but gave up for a bit after I had all of my (not very much but enough of a start) decorations stolen! Now I am back, and have been haunting my yard for 3 years now!! I am so excited. I am absolutely crazy about Halloween and am adamant about receiving
Halloween stuff for my b-day which is in November...early of course! Good luck with your haunt. I will maybe finally take some pics this year too.


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## Darkwalker

I don't know what I'd do if someone stole my stuff. If I caught them they'd probably end up on display the next halloween.
Glad your back at it. I think I've taken on a bit more than I can handle for my first year.
But I'm working on it as often as time and my budget will allow. But I love halloween so much I think it will be well worth it.
I'd love to see some pics!


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## lisa48317

Darkwalker said:


> I did have a pretty big mishap yesterday. Seems my big "your name here" tombstone was a little warped so I tried to pull it out the base to try and flatten it out a bit. But as I was pulling on it, it broke in half. My heart sunk a little. But I think I can fix it.


That's OK! Walk thru any old cemetery & you'll see some stones that have been broken. Maybe glue the pieces together but leave the obvious break. That's a cool look, I think.

Love the coffin! The cross is awesome.


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## Darkwalker

Your right lisa48317. I've caught myself checking out every cemetery I drive by.
Unfortunately my tombstone didn't break in a "cool" fashion. It snapped at one of the pre manufactured seams. But it's repaired now so were back on track.

Haven't taken any pictures lately but I've been very busy. I'm hoping for a very productive vacation after labor day. I've got a ton of work to do.
I've decided to build two facades to cover my garage doors which will help transition from one side of my yard to the other.
Facade #1 is what I call the "Caretakers Shack" Already well under construction and looking sweet! Built from old dirty lumber and pallets. 
Facade #2 is gonna be a tomb or crypt type structure. I have some ideas for inside but it's not nearly as developed as the "Caretakers Shack"

I'll try and get some updated pics this week.
Oh. I almost forgot. I changed the name of my haunt to "Deadsville Cemetery"
The more I thought about it the less "un Dead Meadow" seemed to fit.


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## Darkwalker

Heres the caretakers shack so far. About 85% with the exterior. 
Should get started on the crypt facade in the next day or so.


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## Howlinmadjack

I'm not exactly sure how I missed this thread, but I'm glad I found it now!!! You're making great progress, and I love the way the coffin came out!! The caretakers shack is coming along nicely, great work so far!!


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## Darkwalker

howlin mad jack said:


> I'm not exactly sure how I missed this thread, but I'm glad I found it now!!! You're making great progress, and I love the way the coffin came out!! The caretakers shack is coming along nicely, great work so far!!


Thanks. I gotta say though. I'm very tired. I've been working all week on various projects for my yard haunt. I'm supposed to be on vacation but I think I'm working harder on this than I do at my real job.
Seems like the more I do the more I see that still needs to be done.
I still need to order my pneumatic stuff and a whole laundry list of other things as well.
If this keeps up I can just put myself out in the yard as a corpse.:biggrineton:


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## Regions Beyond

Very cool so far and I like seeing the progress...excellent stuff and thank you for sharing, that shack looks very nice so far!


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## Darkwalker

Man! I've really been cooking the last few days. Got so much done.
I'm just about ready to put up a slew of pics and some videos. Maybe a week or so.
I've got one more big four day weekend coming up. So I've gotta make it count.
My wiper motors are on the way and it looks like a shiatsu warehouse in my garage.
I'm so freakin excited!!


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## Darkwalker

Okay. So I guess these will be the last photos I post in this thread. Since I've already started setting up. I suppose I need to move over to the photo and video thread.









I decided (for various reasons) to keep everything to one side of the yard this year. So the Caretaker facade is now a freestanding structure.









I believe I mentioned a name change as well. Right? Here's my entry sign about 98% complete.
See ya in the Photo and Video thread!


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