# Columns...you gotta have 'em!



## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

A while back I constructed the framework for what will eventually become the two main pillars at the entrance to my front porch (they won't be over-large, only about five feet or so tall). They have remained sticks now for a while, as I have been going back and forth over how I want them to look; brick and mortar, cement, cobblestones, etc.










That said, I finally have my back story down (I would not have believed how much this helps focus your efforts on an integrated look), and I have decided upon a very rustic and slightly pagan look for my columns. So today over lunch I did some work in PhotoShop to roughly illustrate a go-by for my next build. The view is head-on and pretty stylized for now, but what I'm imagining is a foundation of cobblestones topped with a pillar made from old rough cut boards (these will be made out of foam). The top is very jagged and inside the column tops will be small flames (fabric flames, so they will not be as flame-like as the pics!). Not sure if that Sawtooth logo will be on the finals, but maybe!










Anyway, I'm putting this out here as I mean to put pressure on myself to actually get these done in the next month or so time permitting. More (real) pics as this evolves, but I promise this will be a slow one! :jol:


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## angelor (Jun 21, 2011)

Very nice design! As a newbie I can't post pics yet, but I'm working on a flame column design as well. I intend to put a 13" tv facing up at the top with a sheet of plex at a 45 degree angle to reflect a flame video. Balancing the weight is my last thing to work out.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

angelor said:


> Very nice design! As a newbie I can't post pics yet, but I'm working on a flame column design as well. I intend to put a 13" tv facing up at the top with a sheet of plex at a 45 degree angle to reflect a flame video. Balancing the weight is my last thing to work out.


Thanks A.

You should be able to post pics as long as they are hosted someplace like Flickr. Get a thread going with some pics, I'd like to see your take on a flame column. A monitor with actual flame imagery would be terrific!


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## angelor (Jun 21, 2011)

Thanks Sawtooth, just learning the ins and outs of the site. will set that up asap. As a quick example, go to www.atmosfearfx.com and watch the Flame of Hell vid. It shows the monitor mounted from above, I'll just flip it with the plex extending out the top.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

angelor said:


> Very nice design! As a newbie I can't post pics yet, but I'm working on a flame column design as well. I intend to put a 13" tv facing up at the top with a sheet of plex at a 45 degree angle to reflect a flame video. Balancing the weight is my last thing to work out.


Be cautious putting a tv or monitor on it's side. Most are made to vent hot air out the top. Laying one on it's side for any length of time will often burn it out.

Interesting idea Jack. Post lots of progress photos. I hope to soon see more than sticks.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

Also there are weather conditions to contend with...


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## angelor (Jun 21, 2011)

Sorry, should have said, mine is not a yard haunt. I have a 5,000 sq. foot warehouse for a charity haunt. as to the heat issue, a small cpu fan will be built in and the tv is 1 of 20 I got at Goodwill for 6.00 each. 1 goes out, swap it in 5 mins.


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

Sawtooth Jack- I love the uniqueness of your column... looking forward to progress pics of your build.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

^what Cathy said - it's a unique approach to columns

As long as you're using Photoshop, you might play around with the proportions of wood to stone in your column design. In the picture posted, it almost seems as if there isn't enough stone base compared to the amount of wood, visually speaking.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

RoxyBlue said:


> you might play around with the proportions of wood to stone in your column design. In the picture posted, it almost seems as if there isn't enough stone base compared to the amount of wood, visually speaking.


LOL, you caught me! I'm thinking wood planks are much easier and quicker to make than a bunch of cobblestones!  Seriously though, I'll probably play around with the _Rule of Thirds _as I build them, which would enlarge the stone section a touch. Initially the whole post was going to be made of cobblestone_s_, but I really want to achieve an old rotting wood post with a hollow on top for the flame, and I thought a (very) small foundation of stone might be a good thing to anchor it.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Progress on my pillars finally. The are wider than I had planned for-who needs a measuring tape anyway-but should work out alright in the end. The textured boards pictured in the center will become the rock-like base at the the bottom. I decided against the cobblestones in order to save time during construction, these boards will become flat rocks with a grout-line between. I did end up purchasing two Chauvet BOB LEDs for the flame effects and may end up buying a third if I have Halloween budget left over. Hopefully I can get more done this weekend if the weather holds out.


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## pensivepumpkin (Mar 27, 2011)

I love how these are coming together!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Added some decayed wood grain today. Hopefully more this evening.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

...and another portion completed.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Wow! These are looking great. And you are right, I gotta have em. I'll PM you my adress. You're such a sweetheart.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

WOW they are looking fantastic Sawtooth. Putting my poor old refrigerator boxes to shame but I guess I have to start somewhere!!!!!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

H, sometimes you just gotta use what you have on hand! Looks like that cardboard is working out fine.

Only three sides of wood grain completed today...can we turn back the clock to get a little more time out of the summer?


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

scareme said:


> Wow! These are looking great. And you are right, I gotta have em. I'll PM you my adress. You're such a sweetheart.


LOL, I was just thinking that these were taking way longer than I expected and already I'm giving them away!


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## randyjb77 (Sep 18, 2010)

They look great, love the wood look


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Thanks R! Fourth side done this evening. I'm planning on adding faux metal ties, like on an old wooden door, or thin (faux) wood strips to go around the top and middle of the post to look like they are holding it together. Two more pillars-eight more sides-and then on to the bases!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

That is looking so good.


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## GhoulishCop (Sep 25, 2009)

Sawtooth,

...can we turn back the clock to get a little more time out of the summer?

Haha! I've finally been bitten by the bug again after several months of slothfulness and now I want that time back again to get my projects done.

But your wood grain is really very good. What did you use to cut the "rotted" broken portions at the top? And maybe I missed it in a post somewhere (I did say I've been a sloth), but do we get to see/read your back story? I'm always interested in how other people's haunts come together.

Rich


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Thanks GC. 
For the broken bits at the top, I used a utility knife to cut the basic wedge shapes into the foam, which I then melted with my soldering iron. I also tried to keep the cracks in line with the wood-grain, which is exaggerated and pretty deep to hopefully add to the decayed effect.

Experimented some more with the rock look some more for the base pieces this evening as well.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

I didn't like the way the rock base was working out, so I decided to cut the rocks out individually and go with the original cobblestone look. Did a test section and was much more pleased with the outcome. The cement mortar area might need some attention next though. I saw someone here using spray foam for that I think, so I may give it a try.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Nice graining on that foam!


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Exemplary foam carving skills here - I am adoring watching this all come together.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Thanks Roxy, thanks Dixie!

One completed and ready for paint-well, except for a few gaps to fill and some sanding here and there. Two more to go.










*EDIT:* Just to explain these a bit. My rationale behind the final look, was to make them look almost like an old cabin in the woods or an early colonist settlement might have been built; low stone foundation with rough-cut wood on top. A little lip of wood under the planks might have seated it better, but what are you going to do?!


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

I love it when other people agonize over the fine details like I do. I will paint or detail the back of things, even if no one might ever see it. But, if they do, it will be detailed...
Great job, SJ.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Wyatt Furr said:


> I love it when other people agonize over the fine details like I do. I will paint or detail the back of things, even if no one might ever see it. But, if they do, it will be detailed...
> Great job, SJ.


Thanks WF! ...Although you're reminding me that I still need to add wood-grain to the inside of the pillar tops where the flame will go! :jol:


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## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

Wow these r really great..I really like them..my hat off to u..Great Work!


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## easycraig (Aug 30, 2011)

fantastic work on these.... would love a pair.... unfortunately, storage would be a serious problem...


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## psyko99 (Jan 11, 2008)

Those are coming along great. Nice job.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

easycraig said:


> fantastic work on these.... would love a pair.... unfortunately, storage would be a serious problem...


I have the perfect storage spot in the basement for these, and they are sized to fit perfectly-absolutely unplanned on my part though!

The second of three pillars is about complete. I did notice I neglected the end-grains on the first pillar, so I made sure to carve a bit more accurately on this one.










I also did a test run on the flame, and though it's not nearly as glorious as the concept illustration depicts-which was expected-I think it will look fairly wicked in the October darkness!










Only the tallest one left to build, although I'll be happy if I finish the first two in time!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

What a coincidence - I was looking at our newest toe pincher made from foam and was thinking carving some end grain would have really added to the look Nice detail!


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Work has kept me busy for the past few weeks, but I did manage to finish two of my three columns along with a few other props-I'll save the tall one for a winter project. Anyway, they came out pretty good for trying to be different with them, and I'll post some pics in the showroom with the flame effect going once I take them.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Awesome. I love props where the person hasn't just duplicated someone else's project, but actually adds something.

Your wood-look is great.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Fantabulous!


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## SpankyBaby (Oct 6, 2011)

Totally awesome, reminds me of something you would see during witch trials in Salem!!!


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## pagan (Sep 9, 2009)

They look great! I used plywood skins for my first pillar build and I'm already planning on how to skin them in foam for next year!


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## dubbax3 (Jan 22, 2008)

Aaaaaaannnnnnndddd another one of your works I love!


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