# building a prop using chicken wire



## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I have to start my scarecrow body soon and i am totally lost about what i should do. I have some plastic coated chicken wire (4'x8') and i am not sure what else i need. I want to reuse this prop year after year. So how do i construct the body so i can attach it to branches during halloween but still store the body in my crawl space the rest of the time. I also just want to add that this is only a torso prop. There are no legs for it. 

Can anyone provide me some links to people that have built props out of chicken wire.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I guess i'm gonna wing it and hope it turns out okay.


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## MotelSixx (Sep 27, 2008)

I've used chickenwire for a few static dummies I've made. but i changed it up from how others do it. I actually trace the shape i want onto osb, then cut out the shape.i use the chickenwire to give the body its curves. I staple the chickenwire to the back, wrap around the front to the shape i need, then staple other side to the back. I start at lower leg, then upper leg, torso, arms, shoulders, etc. The trick to my technique is using small pieces and it takes a little time to perfect it, but once you get the hang of it, it goes quick.
The only downfall is the way i do it, the back is flat, but in theory you could the same to the back.
For a scarecrow i would do the same just filling the chickenwire with straw. Get the shape you want, add the curves, and stuff and dress.
Hope this helps.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Its a start. For some reason i thought this was going to be easy but now i am clueless about what to do.


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## MotelSixx (Sep 27, 2008)

Its all good man
A trick to remember is that its halloween, so no matter what you do, you cant f#@k it up. and trial and error is your friend. Alot of excellent ideas start off as mistakes and you would never think they would work. our craft is based on illusion. I have faith in you. :jol:


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Hahaha Thanks. I am gonna need it. 

I just decided 2 weeks ago that i wanted to go all out for Halloween this year and i have thre myself into a grinder here. I hope it all looks good in the end.


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## ruafraid (Jan 3, 2006)

Well get ready for some PAIN chicken wire hurts and its a pain to work with but the results are good. If you google chicken wire frame props and then click images you will see some pics. Most people build some sort of wood frame. I made mine by making tubes about 42" round and then bending here and there to get the look I wanted. Same for arms and legs but smaller tubes. I just wrapped it around my leg to get an idea of the size then connect them all together. Use your own chest as a guide. Steve Hickman that runs the methodzofmadness.org has build a lot of his stuff from Chicken Wire Frames that is what he has in I think his first book he sells.


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## ScreamingScarecrow (Oct 1, 2008)

You can use chicken wire, but for extra strength we like to use stucco wire for the main body parts of the armature.
Here's a pretty in-depth FREE how to article on making creatures of the night. Hope you find something useful in it.
http://halloweenalliance.com/howto/were-building-a-monster.htm.
(I co wrote and submitted it before I was a member here).


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## freakywoman (Oct 8, 2008)

MotelSixx said:


> Its all good man
> A trick to remember is that its halloween, so no matter what you do, you cant f#@k it up. and trial and error is your friend. Alot of excellent ideas start off as mistakes and you would never think they would work. our craft is based on illusion. :


MotelSixx is right. 
Although I agree, working with chicken wire ( aka to me razor wire.) is a little tricky not to get scratched up. wear some long sleeves might help.
also get the 1 inch chicken wire. Will hold its shape better. But its pretty much bent, and shape. You will be surprised that you can form up something realtivly easy. Like MS said: trail and error. Its only chicken wire, you can wrestle it ! Are you using a PVC frame for your scarecrow?


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

you can use 1x1's (bean poles) for the frame and then use the thin chicken wire to shape the body and staple to the frame--just to add bulk //// or you can use couch foam for bulk to the frame--check out some other links on builing here-- http://www.hauntershangout.com/home/default.asp


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Well my game plan was to only build a torso of a scarecrow (similar to Kevin242's scarecorw). I figured i would use a piece of PVC for the spine and then a four way coonector at one end to connect the head and arms.

I attached a file of how i want to do the main structure of the scarecrow. I just don't know how to connect the chicken wire to it all.


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## ScreamingScarecrow (Oct 1, 2008)

We use screws to screw the wire to the frame - Seriously go check out this article is shows alot and reads alot -Good luck.


ScreamingScarecrow said:


> You can use chicken wire, but for extra strength we like to use stucco wire for the main body parts of the armature.
> Here's a pretty in-depth FREE how to article on making creatures of the night. Hope you find something useful in it.
> http://halloweenalliance.com/howto/were-building-a-monster.htm.
> (I co wrote and submitted it before I was a member here).


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## MotelSixx (Sep 27, 2008)

Cable Ties are your friend!


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Well if you were going to make a torso only scarecrow how would you guys go about it? Keep in mind i would like to do mine similar to Kevin242s Scarecrow. I was thinking about just basically making a rib cage sort of shape out of chicken wire.


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## MotelSixx (Sep 27, 2008)

The one really good thing about chicken wire is that you can make EVERY cut to help you. Whereever you want two pieces to join, cut one side of the 'diamond' so you have two individual wires which can be wrapped around the part you want to connect it to.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I am not using average chicken wire. The stuff i am using is Rubber Coated. Does that matter when it comes to constructing?


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