# Need help with pumpkin thief using a real pumpkin.



## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

Hey guys, 

Needing a bit of help here.

Every year the place my wife and I work at has a pumpkin carving contest. What I generally do is try to build something very different that uses the real pumpkin they furnish. Then when Halloween is over I throw away the real pumpkin and rebuild the prop using a foam pumpkin so I can have it to use later on.

I now have a pumpkin choir that has a dozen pumpkins in it along with a really great centerpiece for the dinning room table.

But this year I want to build a copy of the awesome pumpkin thief I have seen here. What I am thinking is to build the body with a foam skull for the head. Then when I get the real pumpkin I have to use for the contest, I’ll simply knock out the bottom and place it over the skull like a helmet.

I figured to use a foam skull to keep weight down. For the armature I plan on using ¾” pvc.

But I have 2 concerns:

1. weight. The real pumpkin is going to be a bit heavy. Do you think that ¾ pvc is going to be ridged enough?

2. The foam skull. I think I need to cover the skull someway to keep the moisture from the pumpkin from getting into the foam and rotting the skull. Fake rotting is great, but the real stuff stinks! Is there a clear coating that I can use on the foam? Should I just cover it with latex and them repaint it?

Any advice?


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

3/4" will almost certainly not be strong enough to hold a pumpkin. Do 1" at least.


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## scarynoyes (Sep 6, 2011)

*Pumpkin Theif Help*

I would either use Dri-Lok paint to seak the foam skull and repaint it or get a plastic skull. Target usually carries inexpensive ones that would work and then you wouldn't have to worry about rot. The other option is a Bucky skull. I agree with Mr. Chicken go with 1" PVC.


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

1" sounds fine. I was thinking about 3/4 inch because I had it on hand. Same with the foam skull. 

The fact is that I have never done anything with a foam skull in the past and I wanted to try doing something with it. I also have some plastic skulls on hand and they are about one and a half pounds heaver than the foam.

I bought 3 foam skulls, 3 plastic skulls, a bunch of foam bones and a light plastic pumpkin for $12 at an estate sale.

Hopefully I will get a chance to get started on this project in a couple of weeks.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You can use other materials than PVC for this one section, or you might consider reinforcing the piece of PVC with a smaller piece of pipe or metal conduit placed inside of it.
You might consider putting some plastic wrap over the pipe before it goes into either the pumpkin or the skull, That would allow you to avoid the issue of contamination of the skull, but also keep you from having muck and moisture get into the supporting pipe too. You might also consider putting a cap on the end of the pipe too. That would help keep the pipe from cutting further into the pumpkin or the foam skull.
Can you add a link to the original piece that's inspired your setup? That way we can all be on the same page.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

fontgeek said:


> Can you add a link to the original piece that's inspired your setup? That way we can all be on the same page.


Here you go - Denhaunt's Pumpkin Thief:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=20368

And more thieves:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=21165

And his how-to:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=21224


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Mold, rust and decayed foam aside, my main concern would be the weight of the real pumpkin head vs. the foam/latex version. Just watch your center of gravity, or give it one heck of a base to support the weight of the actual pumpkin once it is stuck on there.


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

I figured that the center of gravity would be a big issue. One thing I have considered is to place one of the hands on top of a smashed pumpkin that actually has a solid rod going to the base to provide a third point of support.

Now that I think about it I believe that I still have a 3/4 EMT bender. That would be pretty stiff.

A cap is a good idea that I did not think of.


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