# Anyone own a REAL casket?



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

I have a chance to buy a REAL casket that is totally flipping sweet for $130. This includes delivery and a pretty decent dummy too. I have been getting into Halloween deeper and deeper over the last few years. I have a few reservations about something this big hogging up space in my garage, but I think I will be able to store it vertically against a wall, making the footprint fairly reasonable. It is currently white with some DIY aging paint effects, but I can picture sanding it down and doing a coat of John Deere Blitz Black to compliment the chrome handles.
I think I am going to go for it... :googly:


----------



## BillyVanpire (Apr 22, 2015)

i would..i made a toe kicker that turned out ok, for my first try. 
having a real one would be sweet.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

Some pics!

































Yes, I MUST buy this...


----------



## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Nice score! If I had the space, no way would I pass that up. You have a whole new way of haunting with a real casket. I find myself being a little jealous.


----------



## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1587&pictureid=20384

Tried to just post the picture but I guess I'm too clueless. Anyway I obtained a real casket from a funeral home for free actually. The storage isn't the problem but the weight of setting it up for display if you're doing your haunt by yourself is the biggest hassle.

Had a neat experience with the casket this past winter. As mentioned above since its got some weight to it I didn't get it put in the garage right away. I left it where it's sitting in the above picture on the two sawhorses until mid January. I live out in the country and during this time our Electric company (Duke) left a note on our door that tree trimmers would be in the neighbor hood to clear out overhanging tree limbs near power lines and such.

Came home from work one afternoon to find three gentlemen working in my backyard (the wooded area) across from the back deck (where the casket was in full view). Also I had made some plaster of paris skulls that I left outside in the yard to age that they had to walk past.

Two guys are up in a tree and one on the ground. I ask if they saw my casket? The fellow on the ground nervously says " yeah, uh that's something we don't see everyday". I crack up and start laughing and explain I'm just a Halloween nut and not to worry. They seemed relieved and then thought it was pretty cool. They also admitted at first they were a little concerned seeing the real casket and then didn't know what to make of the skulls (they look pretty real when left out) half buried in the yard. You see some pretty strange news stories any more and the idea they may have stumbled upon some serial killer passed their minds for a second.


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

LOL @ your story, RWB

That casket looks very comfy.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

RWB said:


> http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1587&pictureid=20384
> 
> Had a neat experience with the casket this past winter...


Hehe! That is EXACTLY why this is the place I posted  Thanks for sharing!


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

RoxyBlue said:


> That casket looks very comfy.


Yep- I could nap in that thing forever!


----------



## CrazedHaunter (Nov 18, 2012)

Yup! Got mine from the National cemetery a few miles away. It was the Militarys practice coffin. They got a new one so they didn't need it anymore. I got the call when I was at work not far away. My Supervisor told me to take the service truck and go get it. You should have seen the looks I got from people as I was driving around with it in the back of a county vehicle. One of best things I got plus I store a lot of skull and small stuff in it so it doesn't really take up anymore space then before.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

Wow, I hadn't considered the extra storage perspective- add one more to the justification list!


----------



## Lizzyborden (Sep 7, 2012)

Cool! About ten years ago one of the regular customers where I worked told me about his wooden casket and I was skeptical. A co-worker assured me that he indeed did have a coffin and a few days later, the man brought in pictures of it. It was absolutely beautiful! Alas, the man passed away a few years ago and was buried in it.

Although I'd love to have one, I don't know where I'd put it.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

*I Got It!*

Well, the casket is home sweet home!
As soon as I got it in the garage, one of my skellies jumped in and started making those pretend car "vroom vroom" sounds.









I shooed him out and started to dismantle the interior padding, etc...
The plan is to weld in some reinforcements and beef up the main lid hinge in order to support opening via pneumatic cylinder.
Anyway, when I moved some things aside, I uncovered evidence of mysterious haunting activity- The previous occupant must have had a real sweet tooth









Time to tinker!


----------



## BillyVanpire (Apr 22, 2015)

that's a great looking prop, much better than the one i made last year










re: opening your lid with a piston..

i'm searching ways to counter balance a heavy lid on a prop in the same manner.
i reversed the springs on a set of self opening hinges but it's just not enough lift.

mounted on the back of the box/back edge of the lid, the spring wanting to close almost counter balanced.









an old chest freezer hinge is probably my solution and i thought it might help here as well. 









it would take less psi/strain to lift the lid on your coffin possibly, although i'm not sure you'd want to modify the outside of that awesome coffin you have there.

there are other styles of hinges, self closing, self balancing, counter balancing, adjustable tension etc.
i'd prefer a hidden hinge, mounted inside the box ..maybe a commercial door closer?

hrmm..food for thought anyhoo


----------



## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

The hinges becoming bad must be a common problem with these. I've got a bad hinge for the upper lid. Never had the inclination or need to remove the padding. Mine has this kind of funky chemical smell so I would hate to see what's really in there. 

I was promised it was only an old display model (non body used).


----------



## dommyboy (Oct 15, 2011)

My buddy was able to pick one up a few years ago for our haunt. Apparently there is not a huge market for scratch and dent caskets - $100 from a shady back alley deal by the docks. You just can't make this stuff up. 

Oddly enough, it came with the new purchase paperwork; that particular model had a lifetime warranty! Anybody know how to cash that in?!


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas guys- yes, the hinge project will be interesting. I have many typical door hinges, but will need to play with the orientation to see if I can get them to physically work.

I am not "too" overly concerned with making them visible on the outside since they will technically be on the back (non-presentation) side. I am also a little surprised how flat out cheap these things are, but then again, not really. I can see why they are not built to last- I mean, they get used for 3 days or so then are tossed in a hole and buried forever! For example, the bunting & "upholstery" in the lid is made out of cardboard. I just pictured myself attending a funeral, pretending to kneel and weep by the casket, in order to secretly analyze its construction... 

The stock hinges are lucky the lid is so very light. They are an interesting cheap little internal curved bolt type thing. I'll have to take a picture before I rip them out of there. The whole thing is VERY light duty as it is. My main thoughts regarding replacement hinges are strength and maintaining lid alignment when closed. The casket has a neat locking mechanism that holds the lid closed by inserting a little handle into the end and cranking it closed. That would be a great feature for storage so I am going to try and retain it if at all possible.

Thanks, Mike


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

dommyboy said:


> $100 from a shady back alley deal by the docks. You just can't make this stuff up.


Too funny! I forgot to mention one thing about the trip to my house with this thing- It was only about 2 miles away from me, so I told the guy where I lived and followed him out of his neighborhood (he had the casket in the back of his truck). We hadn't made it halfway home and I saw a young girl falling all over to take pictures of the truck beside her with a casket in it. I think a few dirty shovels in the bed & some dirt would have made a nice touch... 

-Mike


----------



## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

http://www.hauntforum.com/album.php?albumid=1587&pictureid=19718

Yeah some really funny looks you get when carting home a casket. I had a line of cars that would not pass me either out of respect or just freaking out with what I was carrying.


----------



## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

Sorry folks, trying to get back into the swing of posting pictures. 

Edit: Thank you Roxy!!


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

RWB said:


> Sorry folks, trying to get back into the swing of posting pictures.


Try copying and pasting the BB code instead of the URL. That should embed it properly.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

*Vertical Storage*

I had to try it- fits like a glove! I flipped the casket vertically onto a creeper  This allowed rolling it into place along the wall. I then used a bungee to secure to the wall towards the top in order to prevent tipping.








The actual footprint is 29" x 23". It looks like a fridge at first glance this way- I'll bust it back out when I finish the other couple props I have spread all over the garage/basement.
-Mike


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

mikkojay said:


> I had to try it- fits like a glove!


And you didn't take a selfie?:googly:


----------



## Palmdale Haunter (Mar 3, 2012)

We have a real casket too...
The previous owner actually rusted it, so it looks like it has been dug up.
You should have seen the guy's face in the next storage unit when we rolled it out for last season.
I thought he was going to fall over.


----------



## willow39 (May 5, 2015)

wow... it's really cool..
how you can get it?


----------



## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

My sister and I were talking and it turns out we both want to be buried in a wooden coffin like the Monks by Dubuque, Ia make. Well one day sweetie comes home and says he needs help getting something in the house. Seems he was talking about it with one of his Mennonite friends who is a cabinet builder. He said you get me some plans and buy the wood and I will do the labor for free because I would like to make them for my community and you can be the trial. So for about the last year this has been in my dining room corner. I think I have to be buried in it.

Front view:









Side view where if you look close you can see how a long board lengthwise is over shorter boards the other way. This is where the Pallbearers would hold on.


----------



## mikkojay (Sep 15, 2014)

Looks nice HairRazor! Me, I hope I am cremated. That would eliminate any possibility of coming back as a zombie and I consider that a public service :0


----------



## VeronikaTheWitch (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm cracking up with this casket story. Priceless!!!


----------



## Beach Zombie (Jul 19, 2015)

got a real coffin a few years back worked amazing for scares every time i used it mine didn't have the interior to it but mocked one up and the price was right FREE lol i made a couple of filler pieces with cushion to fit inside with the lids open and the same for the back for a make shift bench seat when not using it for Halloween, worked out great. congrats on the find you'll love it


----------

