# New Spider Prop



## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

My son came to me the other day and said he had made a sketch of something cool I could do for Halloween. Well, I was delighted, to say the least. He's getting older now, and though he still likes getting dressed up and going Trick or Treating with his friends, he's never been the Halloween enthusiast his old man is. He did this:










It's not just a skull with spider legs sticking out of it. He described it as more of a Hermit Crab sort of thing. Where the spider has invaded the cemetery and is using a skull for a shell.

I like it! It fits my theme, and has that extra bit of thought that makes it different.

So I immediately went downstairs and made this:










I think it turned out well, and will be a great addition to the haunt this year!

There are a couple more pictures on the blog, but this is the best one.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:You gotta be proud Dr.M! And this is a very cool concept...a "hermit crab" spider using a skull as a home...creepy and creative! My two favorite things!


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

You have no idea how proud that boy makes me every day.


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

Must be proud. Very clever using the hermit crab for inspiration.


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

neat concept!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

What a Unique idea!! You did a great job putting it together!!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

What a novel idea he came up with! I hope you keep that sketch, too, because he did a great job on that as well.


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

RoxyBlue said:


> What a novel idea he came up with! I hope you keep that sketch, too, because he did a great job on that as well.


(Don't tell him, but his mother and I have kept every little drawing he's ever done. We have bins of them!) :googly:


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I really like the idea of a hermit-skull-spider. The SyFy channel would base a movie on that.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Dr. M, your son sounds like a chip off the ol' block. You must be so proud! He has a nice concept.


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

Ok ... I agree with everyone that mentioned that the spider looks ... well, store-bought. The pipecleaner-esque legs bugged me from the very beginning. But I'll confess something to you guys that I don't tell people. I'm a crappy paper mache-er. I can draw, and paint ... oils, acrylic, pencils, pens ... you name it. But people that can sculpt and paper mache have my admiration.

So I thought long and hard how to fix this, and came up with this. Liquid Plastic. It's used to coat tool handles for grip. I painted some onto a leg, and (using rubber gloves, of course) smoothed down the "fuzzy." And here's the great part: as you smooth it down, it sets pretty quick so stays smooth, but where you hold the leg puffs up when you let go because your fingers are sticky. So I held the joints so they would be less slick. Here's the result:

From this









to this


















I like this much better, and it was quick, easy, and I didn't have to sculpt.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Clever! Looks even better!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Definite improvement - more spidery


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## CrazedHaunter (Nov 18, 2012)

III Like it! Great Idea ,take the kid to Disneyland!!


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

Necessity is now the mother AND father of invention. I like the shapely new legs!


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

Yes ... necessity is a mother- ... uh, what you said.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

What a fantastic idea...great concept and great prop. Frame that picture...it's a keeper..


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Very nice. And a new material to play with too. I wonder what else it can do?


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## Nutz (Feb 19, 2013)

Very nice idea. Looks good!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jolr.M, that is just great! (is that what you did to the spider hat too?) Love the idea...and if you don't tell anyone..they won't know it wasn't paper mache....Shhhhhhhhhh.......


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

Wow what an improvement the plastic dip make to the legs.


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