Absolutely fantastic job! Your patience alone etching all the Latin is impressive. And using a dremel… your hands must still be feeling phantom vibrations. Don’t knock yourself too hard for not being perfect, as soon as I saw it I knew exactly what it was.
Thanks, Dave.. means a lot coming from someone with your talent!! Yeah the etching was tedious and my hands did start to ache, but I’m glad it was Styrofoam because it is a little easier to work with!
I’ve been wanting to learn how to make a mold to duplicate items and since I haven’t molded anything yet, I’m gearing my next project to something that will need a duplicate copy. I think I’m going to make a Grail Knight shield (in the Last Crusade in the grail cup room there is a large shield in the corner of the room for about three seconds ) and it has the full grail tablet on two parts.. I think I’m going to try and carve a closer master tablet into some wood and then use that to make the mold.
After I carve it into wood, I don’t think I’d ever want to carve all those letters again!!
There’s a great book published in 1994 called From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: The Best of Lucasfilm Archives. It has terrific large and clear pictures of many of the props, including measurements.
I forgot I had it making my Sankara Stones. There’s a great picture of the grail tablet. Try and find a copy, a must have for any prop reference library.
Oh awesome! Thanks for the tip! I’m getting tired looking for screen accurate measurements or guesstimating! I may as well try and do it as close as possible on a movie prop like that because it takes an insane amount of time to do!
Damn, my family would love this – we’re all HUGE Harry Potter geeks!
Hehe, Thanks for the kind words 🙂 Slow going on the Harry Potter stuff due to other projects, but I can’t wait to get started again. So much inspiration and ideas from the novels and films.. 🙂
Definitely want to source out some cheap movable picture frames and make it look like a live action book cover!
Man, sounds like a good time at Disney. Good luck on your pirate props!
Word Verification: “Pirab” – is that an Arabian pirate?
Thanks HalloweeNut! Disneyland is always a great time! 🙂 Pirab may very well be an Arabian pirate! 😛
Thanks for taking a moment to leave a comment.. I didn’t think anyone read this besides me! haha 🙂
It’s much better than anything I’ve ever built. Good luck staining the bucky – I just got my first bucky for my birthday!
Oh, man, that’s sweet! I’d KILL for something like that! Good job on the prop, and I hope your friend likes it.
Really great! Love the secret compartment.
Thanks, HalloweeNut! I brought it over when he had his Pirate marathon and he loved it!
Thanks Dave! Sadly, I don’t have finished pictures because I doctored up the bottles using some sand paper and added some tags all using some of your methods 🙂
Damn man you’re prolific. Seems you have a great creation once a month (and always different).
What did you use to line the coffin with?
Oh and to just use these boxes as storage is a shame.
Thanks, Dave! I’m always looking to try something new, or making it a little different each time 🙂 I wish I had something cool once a month I feel like I hardly get anything done! I’m sure you know how it is a million things you want to make and money, time, etc gets in the way! 🙂
I used crushed velvet fabric I got at Joanne’s to line the coffin with.I love going there because all the lovely elderly ladies that work there use to be very inquisitive, but stopped asking questions last time I bought the purple fabric because I said I was going to be lining a coffin. – End of story and inquisitive questions.. haha. I use inserts (whatever I have laying around, heavy cardboard, paper, sometimes balsa wood I get at Michael’s) and the inserts allow the fabric to be streched over the front and the overlap on the back side gets glued without making the front all crusty.
I haven’t made a single tutorial yet to give back, so I think you’ve just inspired me to get one done. I got several questions on Halloween Forum about lining the box (I’m sure you know how to already :p)so I think it’s time for a tutorial! I’m so grateful for all the stuff you have shared because I’ve used a ton of your ideas/methods/inspiration on stuff I have made.
The boxes won’t just be used for storage! They will be part of any Nightmare themed event and used for the better part of November and December for Christmas decorations too 🙂 I just figured I had to find a “functional” use for them the rest of the year, and they work perfect in storing my Christmas decorations in 🙂 I want to have an entire set under my tree this year, but we will see how that goes!
Thanks for the kinds words,
Michael
NICE! This should be a fun series of props to see expanded on. You’re off to good start.
Cool start, man! Maybe the pirate stone could be tied to Walt Whitman’s “Oh Captain, My Captain”. Just a thought. Good Luck!
Thanks, Dave! Hopefully I stay on top of them because I’ve found out carving styrofoam is friggin’ tedious! I should have learned after the grail tablet, but nope! haha.. I did buy some foamcoat, so I am really curious to see if it makes the foam hold up as well as they advertised it would!
HalloweeNut, I’m familiar with Whitman’s piece of work and that is a good idea! Thanks for the input! =)
What fun! Can’t wait to seem them cannons.
Word Verification: “Docked” – how appropriate for a pirate post.
Haha, I always get the most random word verifications! Yeah I really want to get the cannons started! Still scouring halloweenforum for some insight!
Awesome new digs, man! I’m planning on redoing mt room as a Halloween room right now, too! Hope your doin’ alright. Can’t wait or SAMHAIN!!!!
I can’t wait either! We had a freak lightning storm and rain and it was like 90 degrees today! But now it smells like HALLOWEEN! There is two aromas I love in the world and it is the scent you smell right before entering the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland and fresh rain because it reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean, lol! Hope you are doing well too!
Man, sounds like your working towards a great display. Looks like only part of my haunt will be pirate themed, instead of all, but it still should be really fun. Good luck, mate!
Thanks, HalloweeNut! I read about your dilemma, but having a haunt and not one central theme is not going to be a big deal! 🙂 I’d actually find that liberating because you can do whatever you like! I’ve been on a Pirate kick as of late, but these props hopefully are going to be hanging around all year in my corner dedicated to all things maritime!! 🙂
I hope your party turns out fun! Good Luck on your props too!!
Dude, I’m serious when I say this: you are among the best of prop builders! I honestly can’t wait to see what your haunt video will look like!
Oh, I want that kit, AIW is one of my favorite stories of all time.
Thank you! Made this for my Fiancee who was my girlfriend at the time I made it! I’ve attempted to make some more Card Guards, but I’ve stopped because they don’t come out as good.. haha!
Looks fantastic. Love the wheel pirate too! you’ve inspired me to get busy and finish my forgotten prisoner this weekend and planned zombie pirate makeover.
The Forgotten Prisoner is one of my favorites from your Zombie a Month brainstorms! 🙂 I love your drawing you nailed the image of what a Forgotten Prisoner would look like.. The stance and beard are awesome!
Glad I’ve been of some inspiration because normally it’s vice versa! Can’t wait to see your prisoner after seeing how the Cauldron Zombie turned out!1
Dude, that is awesome! You should TOTALLY hand out candy in the smaller bags, it would sure make an impression on the young ToTs.
I may 🙂 I bought so many of them, but I also don’t want to run out, so I may have a couple for people with exceptionally well costumes, or Pirate attire! 🙂
The day is coming way too quick!
Thanks HalloweeNut, I still have a way to go, but thankfully there is always a lot of inspiration and tutorials to help out.. I’m always amazed what I will find on HalloweenForum and from Dave Lowe! So many awesome and talented people out there!
AMAZING!!!! You did an incredible pirate haunt! Well done! Will there be video?
I did take some video, but my camera sucks at night time images/video! The video is really bad, lol. I pulled everything back in for fear of theft after everyone saw the skulls talking!
Lucky they were out for 2 weeks and not a single thing was missing! Not even one of the 2,313 pieces of fake gold coins aimlessly thrown about around the porch and among each pirate!
I’ll upload video later, but it’s terrible! Next year I want to invest in something that takes better night time video!
I had a lot of fun this year! Got to carve pumpkins with family and that was a blast! Seems like I haven’t carved pumpkins in a few years!
Looks good 🙂
Congrationals to you, my Fiend! And to your lady, as well! May the Great Pumpkin smile upon your marriage.
Thank you Anonymous!
Thanks, HalloweeNut! 🙂 Should be an exciting adventure! Looking forward to using my hobby to help make some decorations!
The table looks fantastic.
Your post brings back a few memories. I owned a ’67 VW Bug for years and often took the passenger seat out to make room for hauling props and stuff in. I really miss that car.
Thanks, Dave! 🙂
I’ve owned several cars over the years, but the VW is the only one I am unwilling to part with! They truly are great cars! I wasn’t really into the car scene while growing up, but my Grandparents bought me a 1973 vw bug for my first car, and I have been wrenching on them ever since! I have hauled an obscene amount of oddities over the years in my bug! A lot of people only use the roof rack for looks, but mine gets a ton of wear and tear! Glad I could bring back a few memories! 🙂 I certainly know my VW has led to its fair share of adventures!
I wish I added a roof rack to mine back then. I once tried to tie down 4x 8 sheets of thin luan bending to the curve of the roof. A half block block away they became a sail and snapped the ropes. There’s nothing more surreal then seeing a storm of luan boards flying away behind you in the rear view mirror.
Hahahahaha, Funny you should mention 4X8 sheets of lumber because that is the ONLY thing I will never attempt to do, AGAIN! 😉 My next project is actually making a roof rack that is flat along the top, so I can carry 4X8 sheets of wood around! That has been on the make me list for some time.. I really want to get around to it because the coffin almost didn’t make it home in one piece either!
The racks come in super duper handy! It has been the most versatile car I’ve owned and it’s the reason I’m a VW nut now. I want a VW truck so bad! The single cabs look like a bus up front and the sides of the truck fold down making a flat bed.. One of these days!!
Damn it, why can’t *I* have magic brooms that clean for me? 😉
Glad things are going well on the Wedding Front!
Haha, I didn’t think my brooms would work, but they both did! Just takes a bit of balance!
Making stuff is going well, but time feels like it is slipping away!
Gotta love a pirate room … looking good so far.
Thanks, IMU! =)
You may want to look for the little vent motors (similar to the deer motors). They are about $7.00 if you can find them.
I’ve been looking at those too! Thanks!
These decorations are looking better and better.
BTW, years ago I was on the Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland when it broke down. We had to walk through the ride to get out with full house lights up. Guess what? Most of the characters and set pieces were good old fashioned painted plywood.
Thank you, Dave!!
Is it weird that I thought of you once I safely arrived at home with my full 4X8 sheets safe and sound and am glad they did not take flight off my roof rack, haha!!
Oh man, I’d give my right eye to walk through the ride with the lights on!! I got stuck on Roger Rabbit and everyone around me was so upset and I was ecstatic because we got to walk out with house lights on as well! It is not often you get to see the inner workings of a ride and see how some of them were created! Still waiting for the lucky day I get to walk through Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, heck.. any ride, lol.
Painted plywood definitely has its uses! I’ve seen someone paint Alice figures on cardboard because he didn’t have funds to get something that would hold up better and it broke my heart to see that they ended up in the garbage after all the time it took to paint them, so even if I don’t keep them someone will get to cherish these for a while, hopefully!
Looking good. Terrific work!
Thank you! =)
I love this… doing the mad hatters tea party as my 21st!
@Anonymous Awesome idea for a 21st birthday! So many cool ideas to take from Alice in Wonderland to make it that much better!
Coming along nicely! Way to go!
I used to watch “The Wonderful World of Disney” every Sunday night with the whole family. It’s great to see and hear Walt again.
Keep us posted!
Thanks, Jim!
I love hearing Walt’s voice as well! Very distinct! I’ve been finding a lot of cool Disneyland episodes on YouTube believe it or not… very cool to be able to find stuff that you can’t just turn the TV on and catch every day!
You mention that you’re using After Effects to edit your footage, but AE is more of a special effects program, albeit a fantastic one. If you’re looking to do straight editing, Adobe Premiere is the program to use (if you have the entire Adobe Creative Suite). You’ll also find Media Encoder which will compress your video and Encore which builds and burns your DVD. Yet, in a pinch, I know lots of people who have used Movie Maker. And it’s free.
Thanks for the tips! 🙂
I ended up using After Effects because I found a cool template for an animated book of sorts that I thought I could add pictures to and go from there! I ended up remembering the Disney intro that Walt did in December for Alice in Wonderland, and I decided to work that into the slideshow! I found out the hard way After Effects is a superb special effects program, but not very friendly in regards to editing footage!!
I didn’t have access to Premiere, so I found a free program called Avidemux which is archaic at best, but finally got the job done!
I was trying to use Windows Movie Maker, but a lot of the videos from Youtube which I found the Walt Clip are in a format Movie Maker doesn’t like for whatever reason, so after spending an hour figuring out what I had to encode it into I remember I had a copy of Nero studio I had laying around that came with my computer, but had never used! That solved a lot of the problems in regards to encoding, etc!
I should have stuck with a Power Point presentation! haha!
Awesomeness, as always. Are you going to keep/store all of this, or are some lucky guests going to get to keep some of it?
(Just between you and me, that Alice ride at Disneyland always scared the begeebers out of me when I was kid.)
Thanks, Jim! I don’t know yet! Haha!! I’ve already made a Cheshire cat for our friends and some other people have been asking the same thing! I may try and sell them for some extra honeymoon funds, but I wouldn’t mind holding onto the bulk of it although storage is running tight! If I can only keep one or two it will be the Broom Dog and the Mad Hatter because they move!
I don’t remember the Alice ride when I was little, but Pirates and the Matterhorn scared me so bad and I wouldn’t get on Splash Mountain! Boy did I miss out!!
Witches Mystics and Frauds
FANTASTIC! And fog too! Well done. Now all you need is a Pirates of the Caribbean mural on the wall behind him and the diorama is complete. 🙂
Thanks! 🙂 One of these days I hope to have the entire living room decked out, haha! I’ve had my eye on making a bookshelf shaped like a dinghy!
Awesome … I’ve never done any motorized stuff until this year, and I’m keeping it simple with just a rocking chair. But you seem to have it all down-pat. Nice job.
Thanks! The Captain Jack was my first motorized prop! HalloweenForum.com helps a bit being able to see how other people did it! The wiper motor was inexpensive enough and has worked for over two years now, or close to! I’m still an amateur when it comes to animatronics, but your imagination is the limit! I’m always impressed with everything I see people make!
Captain Jack was just a wiper motor and scary terry skull at first, but the wheel going in a circular motion over and over was too distracting to me, so the picovolt lets you record a sequence and it also allows the wheel to go in reverse to break up the monotony! Money well spent!
Wow. Lots of time and effort, but it looks great. You must have a very good band saw, or a laser cutter! The letters look fantastic, especially the “M”. Get some sleep, dude. Well done.
Thanks, Jim! I Wish!! A laser cutter would have been a lifesaver!! I have access to my Grandpa’s wood shop and he has both a band saw and a scroll saw and the letters were all cut with the scroll saw! The band saw is a lot faster and smoother, but the blade we have is too big for such intricate letters! The font is one of my favorites and I do like the “M’s” too!
What made it more workable is the MDF wood I bought.. never used the stuff, but I only broke *ONE* super fine blade all day on the scroll saw! I was impressed! Scroll saw blades are super inexpensive because they normally break a lot, but the material cuts really nice.
I’m sure your fiance appreciates the (temporary) shift in priorities. The sign turned out great! I especially like the mouse …
Thanks, Jim!
She does!! We are all set to go all out for Halloween and Christmas next year though! hehe! I like the mouse too.. He is a bit out of scale in comparison to the Hatter and March Hare, so I think he will stay on the sign!
Fantastic! Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
Thanks, Dave!!
Thank you for all your awesome pictures and stories too. They keep me sane when I am not able to make it out to Disneyland ,and I am always learning something new!
You did a great job!
Thanks, Dave!
You had a hand in the inspiration of this piece because I had remembered seeing it on your site and they were about the only good reference photos I could find!! Your the first site I check for Disney related references because you capture a lot of overlooked or missed details.. To be honest I dont ever remember seeing this sign at the park, but only by going through all your pictures!
Another fantastic project. I can’t wait to see everything together on the big day!
How clever! You have some real skills there. That chair looks simply terrific!
Thank you! 🙂 I was hoping on making a “real” piece of furniture, but time and money did not prevail! I think one of these days I will try and make version 2.0 and make an upholstered version instead of painted plywood! For $30 a chair in wood + the cost of paint these will serve their purpose and they are not half bad to sit in either!
Fit for a queen!
Thanks, Jim!
Starting a new one…? Did you even get YOUR chair done? Oh well. You can sleep on your honeymoon. Oh wait… 😉
Haha, yeah always starting a new one before finishing the other ten projects I have going! Hahaha.. I’m not going to sleep between ten days at Disneyland and other things! haha!
MOST excellent! But are you sure you’re not doing all this so you don’t have to think about what’s REALLY happening? 😉
Haha! No cold feet here! Just bags under my eyes trying to get everything done betweeen 45-50 hours at work and projects everynight is getting taking its toll.. haha! I look like an extra from the Walking Dead 🙂 I always dream too big for Halloween and feel disappointed when I don’t get everything done, but again I’m usually the only one who is disappointed because no one else really knows how much I didn’t finish.. Starting to feel that way about the wedding because I have a lot more I want to make, but it probably isn’t all going to happen.
Cool… I haven’t done any motorized or electronified gizmos before. (Say like Uncle Jed from Beverly Hillbillies)
But this year I AM going to make the rocking chair on the front porch move. Hooray for windshield wiper motors!
This was actually my first when I built it a few years ago! Captain Jack was my second.. Wipe motors do come in very handy!
I’m going to try and automate a lot more things over the next few years and get them working together. I want to make cannons that shoot fog, light up and make a noise! Too many things not enough time or money!
Dude! You’ve been busy! Everything looks great!
I heard that a lot of people this year were disappointed with their pumpkins … they just aren’t lasting more than a day or two.
Everything went well at my house this Halloween. I’m going to try to get pictures posted this weekend.
Thanks, Jim! Your haunt turned out fantastic!!
Yeah.. I was a bit bitter over the pumpkins. We ended up buying six and saved three to carve the next day, but we did not end up carving them due to the first three already starting to mold! After seeing some foam carved pumpkins I may do that next year and spend the time carving them once, but using them over and over!
Easy part was cutting the cards out of wood! Hard part is painting them! BLEHH!!!!
Awesome! I can tell you’re working hard … Cheerios and Grey Goose: Breakfast of Champions!
Haha, Indeed.. Breakfast of champions!! 🙂 SO many individual pieces to paint drives anyone to drinking!
Wow! Everything looks great, man! Have a wonderful time, best of luck to you both, and TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES!!
Thanks, Jim! I did have a blast and I did take a lot of pictures! I’m going to need a vacation for my vacation! haha!!
Absolutely brilliant! I’m very happy for you both, and look forward to seeing some great things this year!
I’ve been a bit lazy this last month, but I’ve already started thinking about themes for this year’s Halloween. And I’m stumped. When it comes to me I’ll know, but so far, just a jumble. Later!!
Thanks, Jim!!
I’ve been lazy too! Halloween wasn’t as big as I wanted it this year, but it was a good size because I had so much on my plate! I feel you on the theme! I really want to do a Haunted Mansion theme and follow up for Christmas using a majority of the props for A Nightmare Before Christmas theme, but I may hold off until I have enough time to dedicate to something so colossal!
I’ve been pondering a Snow White theme, haha! A Disney haunt would be cool and Grimhilde the evil queen has always scared me! Plus the facade of the ride at Disneyland would be neat to re create possibly with her stirring her poison apple recipe! A mine shaft in the driveway with the dwarfs would be fun also!! Haha! Playing around the idea 🙂 We shall so!! Good luck.. I’m sure whatever you choose will be awesome. Loved the details in your haunt last year.. very nicely done.
That’s going to be awesome!Keep posting progress reports! I’m still undecided for a theme, but thought I’d do something to get the juices flowing, so I made a Vampire Hunting Kit (as a prize of some sort) and I bought a gas mask … I know, but it’s creepy looking, and I’m sure I can do something wicked with it. And I’ve started an eight foot reaper.
Cool! I love my vampire kit although it is still unfinished! Still need to go back and decorate the vials I have! and a gas mask?! Can’t wait to see what you come up with! Gas mask and your faux rust painting is screaming for some steam punk vampire related goodness!!
You need to post pictures! Can’t wait to see what you do! The detail in your stuff last year was amazing!!
Next time use an oil based paint to mix with your resin and you won’t have any issues. I cast over 200 pirate coins with resin and found the oil paint works great!
The chair turned out great, nice job.
Thanks!
I did read about using oil based paint, but the only oil based anything I had was oil pastels which the article said would work, but I tempted the water based acrylic! Where I messed up big time was not using enough catalyst! It was supposed to be 4 drops per ounce, but the directions were so bad.. I think I used 6 or 7 drops for around 4 ounces! BLEH! I will try oil based next time and more catalyst!
So THAT’S what you’ve been up to lately. Nice job! And a great cause, too. I love the way it’s pegged together like that. Very clever.
Haha, yeah!
Thanks, Jim! I wish I could take credit for that, but interestingly enough the website I found the plans on spoke of viking/medieval furniture that had to be portable and break down easily even if it meant moving a chair/table to another side of the room where the sun was shinning in! Not that we have to worry about poor sunlight because we have electricity, but definitely a clever solution!
What a great idea! And they look awesome! Make sure you send me a link to the Etsy sight.
Well, I’ve made up my mind (for now) that the theme for my Halloween this year will take from the office haunt last year, and be “Spider Hole.” I need to start sketching..!
Thanks, I will! 🙂
Awesome Idea! This year is the first year I’m going to sketch everything out too.. I was happy with how the Beauty and the Beast chair went from start to finish and it was all planned out before instead of doing it on a whim.. I”ll be drawing as much of my haunt out as I can and then try and be organized and make a timeline haha! We shall see! Pick up a pen or pencil, now!! 😉
These really are awesome! Terrific design.
Thank you! 🙂 I was having a hard time making something I was happy with. The one with the Mad Hatter was the first color scheme which I felt was missing something! I found a slimier green color and I’m glad I went with the second color! I also found a glow in the dark slime green to put on as a top coat!
Don’t be so hard on yourself. It looks great, and you’re doing things I can’t even begin to fathom a thought of an idea to contemplate a notion of doing. Besides, it adds to a hand-hewn, authentic look. Seriously, it looks good, and I can’t wait to see the entire place when it’s done. Have you sketched anything out? Would love to see.
Thanks, Jim! I always over analyze stuff.. I’m sure Halloween night people are not going to be commenting on how one corner is not the same.. oh well haha! I finished sketching a magic mirror prop.. I really want to take a scary terry talking skeleton servo and adapt that to a wood mask cutout I make where either the bottom jaw is seperate and moves, or I make the mask one piece and the lips move up and down on the front.. I need to work on sketching the outside!!!
I’m going to use the huge D-Rings I used on the photo booth I made that hangs a full sheet of plywood.. I may do this to hang plywood off the front of the house to make it look like a castle exterior.. I hope so!! Haha!
Once again, Great Job!
Dude, she’s HUGE! It’s gonna be a fun Halloween at your place, that’s for sure. (And Bedknobs & Broomsticks is one of my all time favorites!)
Thanks! 🙂
I’ll post some drawings early next week! Not many more done, but been working on the facade! Bedknobs & Broomsticks is fantastic. I’ve been on a huge Disney kick lately! Basically all I watch while I craft. Haha!
This is fantastic! I really enjoy your creative ideas and seeing them come to fruition.
Thanks! Keeps me out of trouble! Haha! =)
Woo-hooo! Awesome!
Thank you! 🙂
Ambitious! Lots of pix and video, please. Would love to see this come together like you planned. (And will the missus be playing Snow White?)
I’ll try! 🙂 I want to see it all come together too. Lately life keeps getting in the way! Haha! We were planning on her being Snow White and me being the Huntsman, but not sure at this point! So much to do. Haha! We’ve been lucky in the fact that we have been going to Disneyland almost once a month! Living six hours away that adds up quick in gas/hotels, but it is worth it.
I wondered where you’ve been … now I know. BUSY! Everything looks great!
Haha.. Thanks, Jim!!
I’ve been neglecting my blogging! 🙁 Definitely need to make it a point to blog more! Your stuff is looking awesome! Still have so much I want to do and not a lot has been accomplished.. I really wanted to make a killer facade, but not sure that is going to happen! Just gonna do my best and maybe make this a two year affair.. haha!
Brilliant!
Thank You! 🙂 Thanks for your awesome compendium of all things Snow White. If I need any references, images, info, or inspiration your blog is the first place I’ve been going! Hats of for your love of Snow White!
i really enjoy and appreciate all your Disney props. Your work inspires me.
Thanks! 🙂 Your work is amazing too! Just signed up to follow you! Can’t go wrong with Disney, or Nightmare Before Christmas!
what do you use to cut out the letters in the foam?
I use a Dremel with a plunge router attachment! Works decent in foam, but the tips always get clogged on the dremel with the foam that melts and gets bigger and bigger and bigger until it needs to be removed because it is taking out huge chunks at a time!
Still looking for something to work better with the foam, but it works decent if you have patience!
this came out so beautiful, i cant even believe it. i LOVE the bouquet, its gorgeous
Thanks! My Wife had that made by one of her friends on Instagram.. Came out pretty rad!!
this is freaken fantastic!
Thank you! 🙂 Still need to add a lot more to the front of the mirror to make it look like the one from the film, but the harder part is done!
You inspire me to do better work! That’s one of the “clearer” two-way mirrors I’ve seen. When the light inside comes on, is it on a dimmer so it comes up slowly? (Is that even possible?)
Great work! And I’ve never heard that much noise from someone making BOWS! Satin is usually pretty quiet. 😉
Hahaha! The plastic containers that hold all the fabric, etc can be quite noisy when one can’t find something!! haha!
It could be possible, but not with what I have available! Technically I have the audio board which will activate the servo which makes the mouth go up and down or it will turn on a light when it hears noise and off when there is no sound, but I don’t want the light inside flashing on and off with the voice.. I want it to stay constant for a period of time, then dim to the inside light and turn the front one back on! A dimmer would be a good thing to look into in my next controller as well though! I’ll let you know what I come up with!!
Haven’t heard from you in a while … how’s the mirror (and other projects) going?
Haha!Saw this after my post, lol. Everything is going well except my Halloween props!! AHHHHH. Almost in full panic mode, but due to money/time I’m going to have to scale back. Still going to do Snow White, but I may just focus it all around the mirror!!
How are you doing? 🙂
He’s baaaack! Great to see you’ve been busy … even it wasn’t for Halloween. Great looking table! And I love the shelves with castors… I’m going to have to do that after the season. The basement is getting a little disheveled. The Spider Hole is coming along. I finished the second piece of the arch. Now I need to create my HUGE spider.
Are you a member of any of the forums? I’m in HauntForum.com. (I’m Dr. Maniaco there) There are quite a few Disney fans there, too. I’m sure they’d love to see your stuff. Don’t make me wait so long between blogs next time!!
Thanks! Yeah it feels good, but coming down to the wire! lol.. Oh well there is always next year! 🙂
I would cherish them i live in the orange county CA. i wish i could have ur alice work its amazing !!!!!!!!
Thank you! Wish I lived as close to the real thing as you! 🙂
how do u pain them so spot on ???? on such a large scale ?
You can draw them in smaller scale and scan them into the computer and use a program like Adobe Illustrator to enlage the image and scale it out over a ton of pages! Then you can trace it and then it is basically paint by numbers!
I think it’s turning out great! Can’t wait to see the whole scene finished.
Love that movie! How are you, dude? It’s been a while, but I see you’ve kept busy! I think that movie, and Jules Verne in particular, kindled the “Steampunk” lover in me since I was a kid. Thanks for sharing!
I’m doing well!!
Works been keeping me off the blogging front which sucks, but I try and squeeze something artistic in most days! I agree 100%! I didn’t even know steampunk was a thing up until a few years ago, but I feel Verne would feel at home! Disney’s version nailed the set design and feel of a Verne novel. If I had space I’d love to have a Nautilus themed living room or something of that nature, but I guess I’ll save that for when I win the lottery! Haha!
I see you are going to do Halloween next year and re purpose a lot of your stuff and not buy anything new! That is awesome. I need to do that as well. I have way too many things piling up at my house and I feel like I am going to be airing the next episode of hoarders in my living room! Haha! Been going to Disneyland a lot more and living in Northern California money isn’t as free as it use to be!!
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Hello…I was looking at your magic mirror and wanted some pointer on putting one together for this Halloween. Do you still have yours and, if so, would you consider selling it?
Thanks,
Kindest regards,
Wallace
Hi…
Am interested in a magic mirror, even if it can’t be done until next year. Is that possible to pay you to make one for me?
Wallace
Hello Wallace!
I posted a tutorial on halloweenforum about each step! Achievable by anyone! Search the dismaltrader! Cost to manufacture something like this and the time to make it is more of a labor of love! Not sure it would be cost effective for either of us to reproduce another!
Cheers,
Michael
PS -Sorry I didn’t see this earlier. I get so many spam e-mails it is almost not worth checking for actual users! 🙁
Absolutely fantastic job! Your patience alone etching all the Latin is impressive. And using a dremel… your hands must still be feeling phantom vibrations. Don’t knock yourself too hard for not being perfect, as soon as I saw it I knew exactly what it was.
Thanks, Dave.. means a lot coming from someone with your talent!! Yeah the etching was tedious and my hands did start to ache, but I’m glad it was Styrofoam because it is a little easier to work with!
I’ve been wanting to learn how to make a mold to duplicate items and since I haven’t molded anything yet, I’m gearing my next project to something that will need a duplicate copy. I think I’m going to make a Grail Knight shield (in the Last Crusade in the grail cup room there is a large shield in the corner of the room for about three seconds ) and it has the full grail tablet on two parts.. I think I’m going to try and carve a closer master tablet into some wood and then use that to make the mold.
After I carve it into wood, I don’t think I’d ever want to carve all those letters again!!
There’s a great book published in 1994 called From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: The Best of Lucasfilm Archives. It has terrific large and clear pictures of many of the props, including measurements.
I forgot I had it making my Sankara Stones. There’s a great picture of the grail tablet. Try and find a copy, a must have for any prop reference library.
Oh awesome! Thanks for the tip! I’m getting tired looking for screen accurate measurements or guesstimating! I may as well try and do it as close as possible on a movie prop like that because it takes an insane amount of time to do!
Damn, my family would love this – we’re all HUGE Harry Potter geeks!
Hehe, Thanks for the kind words 🙂 Slow going on the Harry Potter stuff due to other projects, but I can’t wait to get started again. So much inspiration and ideas from the novels and films.. 🙂
Definitely want to source out some cheap movable picture frames and make it look like a live action book cover!
Man, sounds like a good time at Disney. Good luck on your pirate props!
Word Verification: “Pirab” – is that an Arabian pirate?
Thanks HalloweeNut! Disneyland is always a great time! 🙂 Pirab may very well be an Arabian pirate! 😛
Thanks for taking a moment to leave a comment.. I didn’t think anyone read this besides me! haha 🙂
It’s much better than anything I’ve ever built. Good luck staining the bucky – I just got my first bucky for my birthday!
Oh, man, that’s sweet! I’d KILL for something like that! Good job on the prop, and I hope your friend likes it.
Really great! Love the secret compartment.
Thanks, HalloweeNut! I brought it over when he had his Pirate marathon and he loved it!
Thanks Dave! Sadly, I don’t have finished pictures because I doctored up the bottles using some sand paper and added some tags all using some of your methods 🙂
Damn man you’re prolific. Seems you have a great creation once a month (and always different).
What did you use to line the coffin with?
Oh and to just use these boxes as storage is a shame.
Thanks, Dave! I’m always looking to try something new, or making it a little different each time 🙂 I wish I had something cool once a month I feel like I hardly get anything done! I’m sure you know how it is a million things you want to make and money, time, etc gets in the way! 🙂
I used crushed velvet fabric I got at Joanne’s to line the coffin with.I love going there because all the lovely elderly ladies that work there use to be very inquisitive, but stopped asking questions last time I bought the purple fabric because I said I was going to be lining a coffin. – End of story and inquisitive questions.. haha. I use inserts (whatever I have laying around, heavy cardboard, paper, sometimes balsa wood I get at Michael’s) and the inserts allow the fabric to be streched over the front and the overlap on the back side gets glued without making the front all crusty.
I haven’t made a single tutorial yet to give back, so I think you’ve just inspired me to get one done. I got several questions on Halloween Forum about lining the box (I’m sure you know how to already :p)so I think it’s time for a tutorial! I’m so grateful for all the stuff you have shared because I’ve used a ton of your ideas/methods/inspiration on stuff I have made.
The boxes won’t just be used for storage! They will be part of any Nightmare themed event and used for the better part of November and December for Christmas decorations too 🙂 I just figured I had to find a “functional” use for them the rest of the year, and they work perfect in storing my Christmas decorations in 🙂 I want to have an entire set under my tree this year, but we will see how that goes!
Thanks for the kinds words,
Michael
NICE! This should be a fun series of props to see expanded on. You’re off to good start.
Cool start, man! Maybe the pirate stone could be tied to Walt Whitman’s “Oh Captain, My Captain”. Just a thought. Good Luck!
Thanks, Dave! Hopefully I stay on top of them because I’ve found out carving styrofoam is friggin’ tedious! I should have learned after the grail tablet, but nope! haha.. I did buy some foamcoat, so I am really curious to see if it makes the foam hold up as well as they advertised it would!
HalloweeNut, I’m familiar with Whitman’s piece of work and that is a good idea! Thanks for the input! =)
What fun! Can’t wait to seem them cannons.
Word Verification: “Docked” – how appropriate for a pirate post.
Haha, I always get the most random word verifications! Yeah I really want to get the cannons started! Still scouring halloweenforum for some insight!
Awesome new digs, man! I’m planning on redoing mt room as a Halloween room right now, too! Hope your doin’ alright. Can’t wait or SAMHAIN!!!!
I can’t wait either! We had a freak lightning storm and rain and it was like 90 degrees today! But now it smells like HALLOWEEN! There is two aromas I love in the world and it is the scent you smell right before entering the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland and fresh rain because it reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean, lol! Hope you are doing well too!
Man, sounds like your working towards a great display. Looks like only part of my haunt will be pirate themed, instead of all, but it still should be really fun. Good luck, mate!
Thanks, HalloweeNut! I read about your dilemma, but having a haunt and not one central theme is not going to be a big deal! 🙂 I’d actually find that liberating because you can do whatever you like! I’ve been on a Pirate kick as of late, but these props hopefully are going to be hanging around all year in my corner dedicated to all things maritime!! 🙂
I hope your party turns out fun! Good Luck on your props too!!
Dude, I’m serious when I say this: you are among the best of prop builders! I honestly can’t wait to see what your haunt video will look like!
Oh, I want that kit, AIW is one of my favorite stories of all time.
Thank you! Made this for my Fiancee who was my girlfriend at the time I made it! I’ve attempted to make some more Card Guards, but I’ve stopped because they don’t come out as good.. haha!
Looks fantastic. Love the wheel pirate too! you’ve inspired me to get busy and finish my forgotten prisoner this weekend and planned zombie pirate makeover.
The Forgotten Prisoner is one of my favorites from your Zombie a Month brainstorms! 🙂 I love your drawing you nailed the image of what a Forgotten Prisoner would look like.. The stance and beard are awesome!
Glad I’ve been of some inspiration because normally it’s vice versa! Can’t wait to see your prisoner after seeing how the Cauldron Zombie turned out!1
Dude, that is awesome! You should TOTALLY hand out candy in the smaller bags, it would sure make an impression on the young ToTs.
I may 🙂 I bought so many of them, but I also don’t want to run out, so I may have a couple for people with exceptionally well costumes, or Pirate attire! 🙂
The day is coming way too quick!
Thanks HalloweeNut, I still have a way to go, but thankfully there is always a lot of inspiration and tutorials to help out.. I’m always amazed what I will find on HalloweenForum and from Dave Lowe! So many awesome and talented people out there!
AMAZING!!!! You did an incredible pirate haunt! Well done! Will there be video?
I did take some video, but my camera sucks at night time images/video! The video is really bad, lol. I pulled everything back in for fear of theft after everyone saw the skulls talking!
Lucky they were out for 2 weeks and not a single thing was missing! Not even one of the 2,313 pieces of fake gold coins aimlessly thrown about around the porch and among each pirate!
I’ll upload video later, but it’s terrible! Next year I want to invest in something that takes better night time video!
I had a lot of fun this year! Got to carve pumpkins with family and that was a blast! Seems like I haven’t carved pumpkins in a few years!
Looks good 🙂
Congrationals to you, my Fiend! And to your lady, as well! May the Great Pumpkin smile upon your marriage.
Thank you Anonymous!
Thanks, HalloweeNut! 🙂 Should be an exciting adventure! Looking forward to using my hobby to help make some decorations!
The table looks fantastic.
Your post brings back a few memories. I owned a ’67 VW Bug for years and often took the passenger seat out to make room for hauling props and stuff in. I really miss that car.
Thanks, Dave! 🙂
I’ve owned several cars over the years, but the VW is the only one I am unwilling to part with! They truly are great cars! I wasn’t really into the car scene while growing up, but my Grandparents bought me a 1973 vw bug for my first car, and I have been wrenching on them ever since! I have hauled an obscene amount of oddities over the years in my bug! A lot of people only use the roof rack for looks, but mine gets a ton of wear and tear! Glad I could bring back a few memories! 🙂 I certainly know my VW has led to its fair share of adventures!
I wish I added a roof rack to mine back then. I once tried to tie down 4x 8 sheets of thin luan bending to the curve of the roof. A half block block away they became a sail and snapped the ropes. There’s nothing more surreal then seeing a storm of luan boards flying away behind you in the rear view mirror.
Hahahahaha, Funny you should mention 4X8 sheets of lumber because that is the ONLY thing I will never attempt to do, AGAIN! 😉 My next project is actually making a roof rack that is flat along the top, so I can carry 4X8 sheets of wood around! That has been on the make me list for some time.. I really want to get around to it because the coffin almost didn’t make it home in one piece either!
The racks come in super duper handy! It has been the most versatile car I’ve owned and it’s the reason I’m a VW nut now. I want a VW truck so bad! The single cabs look like a bus up front and the sides of the truck fold down making a flat bed.. One of these days!!
Damn it, why can’t *I* have magic brooms that clean for me? 😉
Glad things are going well on the Wedding Front!
Haha, I didn’t think my brooms would work, but they both did! Just takes a bit of balance!
Making stuff is going well, but time feels like it is slipping away!
Gotta love a pirate room … looking good so far.
Thanks, IMU! =)
You may want to look for the little vent motors (similar to the deer motors). They are about $7.00 if you can find them.
I’ve been looking at those too! Thanks!
These decorations are looking better and better.
BTW, years ago I was on the Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland when it broke down. We had to walk through the ride to get out with full house lights up. Guess what? Most of the characters and set pieces were good old fashioned painted plywood.
Thank you, Dave!!
Is it weird that I thought of you once I safely arrived at home with my full 4X8 sheets safe and sound and am glad they did not take flight off my roof rack, haha!!
Oh man, I’d give my right eye to walk through the ride with the lights on!! I got stuck on Roger Rabbit and everyone around me was so upset and I was ecstatic because we got to walk out with house lights on as well! It is not often you get to see the inner workings of a ride and see how some of them were created! Still waiting for the lucky day I get to walk through Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, heck.. any ride, lol.
Painted plywood definitely has its uses! I’ve seen someone paint Alice figures on cardboard because he didn’t have funds to get something that would hold up better and it broke my heart to see that they ended up in the garbage after all the time it took to paint them, so even if I don’t keep them someone will get to cherish these for a while, hopefully!
Looking good. Terrific work!
Thank you! =)
I love this… doing the mad hatters tea party as my 21st!
@Anonymous Awesome idea for a 21st birthday! So many cool ideas to take from Alice in Wonderland to make it that much better!
Coming along nicely! Way to go!
I used to watch “The Wonderful World of Disney” every Sunday night with the whole family. It’s great to see and hear Walt again.
Keep us posted!
Thanks, Jim!
I love hearing Walt’s voice as well! Very distinct! I’ve been finding a lot of cool Disneyland episodes on YouTube believe it or not… very cool to be able to find stuff that you can’t just turn the TV on and catch every day!
You mention that you’re using After Effects to edit your footage, but AE is more of a special effects program, albeit a fantastic one. If you’re looking to do straight editing, Adobe Premiere is the program to use (if you have the entire Adobe Creative Suite). You’ll also find Media Encoder which will compress your video and Encore which builds and burns your DVD. Yet, in a pinch, I know lots of people who have used Movie Maker. And it’s free.
Thanks for the tips! 🙂
I ended up using After Effects because I found a cool template for an animated book of sorts that I thought I could add pictures to and go from there! I ended up remembering the Disney intro that Walt did in December for Alice in Wonderland, and I decided to work that into the slideshow! I found out the hard way After Effects is a superb special effects program, but not very friendly in regards to editing footage!!
I didn’t have access to Premiere, so I found a free program called Avidemux which is archaic at best, but finally got the job done!
I was trying to use Windows Movie Maker, but a lot of the videos from Youtube which I found the Walt Clip are in a format Movie Maker doesn’t like for whatever reason, so after spending an hour figuring out what I had to encode it into I remember I had a copy of Nero studio I had laying around that came with my computer, but had never used! That solved a lot of the problems in regards to encoding, etc!
I should have stuck with a Power Point presentation! haha!
Awesomeness, as always. Are you going to keep/store all of this, or are some lucky guests going to get to keep some of it?
(Just between you and me, that Alice ride at Disneyland always scared the begeebers out of me when I was kid.)
Thanks, Jim! I don’t know yet! Haha!! I’ve already made a Cheshire cat for our friends and some other people have been asking the same thing! I may try and sell them for some extra honeymoon funds, but I wouldn’t mind holding onto the bulk of it although storage is running tight! If I can only keep one or two it will be the Broom Dog and the Mad Hatter because they move!
I don’t remember the Alice ride when I was little, but Pirates and the Matterhorn scared me so bad and I wouldn’t get on Splash Mountain! Boy did I miss out!!
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FANTASTIC! And fog too! Well done. Now all you need is a Pirates of the Caribbean mural on the wall behind him and the diorama is complete. 🙂
Thanks! 🙂 One of these days I hope to have the entire living room decked out, haha! I’ve had my eye on making a bookshelf shaped like a dinghy!
Awesome … I’ve never done any motorized stuff until this year, and I’m keeping it simple with just a rocking chair. But you seem to have it all down-pat. Nice job.
Thanks! The Captain Jack was my first motorized prop! HalloweenForum.com helps a bit being able to see how other people did it! The wiper motor was inexpensive enough and has worked for over two years now, or close to! I’m still an amateur when it comes to animatronics, but your imagination is the limit! I’m always impressed with everything I see people make!
Captain Jack was just a wiper motor and scary terry skull at first, but the wheel going in a circular motion over and over was too distracting to me, so the picovolt lets you record a sequence and it also allows the wheel to go in reverse to break up the monotony! Money well spent!
Wow. Lots of time and effort, but it looks great. You must have a very good band saw, or a laser cutter! The letters look fantastic, especially the “M”. Get some sleep, dude. Well done.
Thanks, Jim! I Wish!! A laser cutter would have been a lifesaver!! I have access to my Grandpa’s wood shop and he has both a band saw and a scroll saw and the letters were all cut with the scroll saw! The band saw is a lot faster and smoother, but the blade we have is too big for such intricate letters! The font is one of my favorites and I do like the “M’s” too!
What made it more workable is the MDF wood I bought.. never used the stuff, but I only broke *ONE* super fine blade all day on the scroll saw! I was impressed! Scroll saw blades are super inexpensive because they normally break a lot, but the material cuts really nice.
I’m sure your fiance appreciates the (temporary) shift in priorities. The sign turned out great! I especially like the mouse …
Thanks, Jim!
She does!! We are all set to go all out for Halloween and Christmas next year though! hehe! I like the mouse too.. He is a bit out of scale in comparison to the Hatter and March Hare, so I think he will stay on the sign!
Fantastic! Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
Thanks, Dave!!
Thank you for all your awesome pictures and stories too. They keep me sane when I am not able to make it out to Disneyland ,and I am always learning something new!
You did a great job!
Thanks, Dave!
You had a hand in the inspiration of this piece because I had remembered seeing it on your site and they were about the only good reference photos I could find!! Your the first site I check for Disney related references because you capture a lot of overlooked or missed details.. To be honest I dont ever remember seeing this sign at the park, but only by going through all your pictures!
Another fantastic project. I can’t wait to see everything together on the big day!
How clever! You have some real skills there. That chair looks simply terrific!
Thank you! 🙂 I was hoping on making a “real” piece of furniture, but time and money did not prevail! I think one of these days I will try and make version 2.0 and make an upholstered version instead of painted plywood! For $30 a chair in wood + the cost of paint these will serve their purpose and they are not half bad to sit in either!
Fit for a queen!
Thanks, Jim!
Starting a new one…? Did you even get YOUR chair done? Oh well. You can sleep on your honeymoon. Oh wait… 😉
Haha, yeah always starting a new one before finishing the other ten projects I have going! Hahaha.. I’m not going to sleep between ten days at Disneyland and other things! haha!
MOST excellent! But are you sure you’re not doing all this so you don’t have to think about what’s REALLY happening? 😉
Haha! No cold feet here! Just bags under my eyes trying to get everything done betweeen 45-50 hours at work and projects everynight is getting taking its toll.. haha! I look like an extra from the Walking Dead 🙂 I always dream too big for Halloween and feel disappointed when I don’t get everything done, but again I’m usually the only one who is disappointed because no one else really knows how much I didn’t finish.. Starting to feel that way about the wedding because I have a lot more I want to make, but it probably isn’t all going to happen.
Cool… I haven’t done any motorized or electronified gizmos before. (Say like Uncle Jed from Beverly Hillbillies)
But this year I AM going to make the rocking chair on the front porch move. Hooray for windshield wiper motors!
This was actually my first when I built it a few years ago! Captain Jack was my second.. Wipe motors do come in very handy!
http://www.scary-terry.com/wipmtr/wipmtr.htm <- Was the authority on wiper motors when I needed help! haha! I’m sure you’ve stumbled across that site by now!
I’m going to try and automate a lot more things over the next few years and get them working together. I want to make cannons that shoot fog, light up and make a noise! Too many things not enough time or money!
Dude! You’ve been busy! Everything looks great!
I heard that a lot of people this year were disappointed with their pumpkins … they just aren’t lasting more than a day or two.
Everything went well at my house this Halloween. I’m going to try to get pictures posted this weekend.
Thanks, Jim! Your haunt turned out fantastic!!
Yeah.. I was a bit bitter over the pumpkins. We ended up buying six and saved three to carve the next day, but we did not end up carving them due to the first three already starting to mold! After seeing some foam carved pumpkins I may do that next year and spend the time carving them once, but using them over and over!
Easy part was cutting the cards out of wood! Hard part is painting them! BLEHH!!!!
Awesome! I can tell you’re working hard … Cheerios and Grey Goose: Breakfast of Champions!
Haha, Indeed.. Breakfast of champions!! 🙂 SO many individual pieces to paint drives anyone to drinking!
Wow! Everything looks great, man! Have a wonderful time, best of luck to you both, and TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES!!
Thanks, Jim! I did have a blast and I did take a lot of pictures! I’m going to need a vacation for my vacation! haha!!
Absolutely brilliant! I’m very happy for you both, and look forward to seeing some great things this year!
I’ve been a bit lazy this last month, but I’ve already started thinking about themes for this year’s Halloween. And I’m stumped. When it comes to me I’ll know, but so far, just a jumble. Later!!
Thanks, Jim!!
I’ve been lazy too! Halloween wasn’t as big as I wanted it this year, but it was a good size because I had so much on my plate! I feel you on the theme! I really want to do a Haunted Mansion theme and follow up for Christmas using a majority of the props for A Nightmare Before Christmas theme, but I may hold off until I have enough time to dedicate to something so colossal!
I’ve been pondering a Snow White theme, haha! A Disney haunt would be cool and Grimhilde the evil queen has always scared me! Plus the facade of the ride at Disneyland would be neat to re create possibly with her stirring her poison apple recipe! A mine shaft in the driveway with the dwarfs would be fun also!! Haha! Playing around the idea 🙂 We shall so!! Good luck.. I’m sure whatever you choose will be awesome. Loved the details in your haunt last year.. very nicely done.
That’s going to be awesome!Keep posting progress reports! I’m still undecided for a theme, but thought I’d do something to get the juices flowing, so I made a Vampire Hunting Kit (as a prize of some sort) and I bought a gas mask … I know, but it’s creepy looking, and I’m sure I can do something wicked with it. And I’ve started an eight foot reaper.
Cool! I love my vampire kit although it is still unfinished! Still need to go back and decorate the vials I have! and a gas mask?! Can’t wait to see what you come up with! Gas mask and your faux rust painting is screaming for some steam punk vampire related goodness!!
You need to post pictures! Can’t wait to see what you do! The detail in your stuff last year was amazing!!
Next time use an oil based paint to mix with your resin and you won’t have any issues. I cast over 200 pirate coins with resin and found the oil paint works great!
The chair turned out great, nice job.
Thanks!
I did read about using oil based paint, but the only oil based anything I had was oil pastels which the article said would work, but I tempted the water based acrylic! Where I messed up big time was not using enough catalyst! It was supposed to be 4 drops per ounce, but the directions were so bad.. I think I used 6 or 7 drops for around 4 ounces! BLEH! I will try oil based next time and more catalyst!
So THAT’S what you’ve been up to lately. Nice job! And a great cause, too. I love the way it’s pegged together like that. Very clever.
Haha, yeah!
Thanks, Jim! I wish I could take credit for that, but interestingly enough the website I found the plans on spoke of viking/medieval furniture that had to be portable and break down easily even if it meant moving a chair/table to another side of the room where the sun was shinning in! Not that we have to worry about poor sunlight because we have electricity, but definitely a clever solution!
What a great idea! And they look awesome! Make sure you send me a link to the Etsy sight.
Well, I’ve made up my mind (for now) that the theme for my Halloween this year will take from the office haunt last year, and be “Spider Hole.” I need to start sketching..!
Thanks, I will! 🙂
Awesome Idea! This year is the first year I’m going to sketch everything out too.. I was happy with how the Beauty and the Beast chair went from start to finish and it was all planned out before instead of doing it on a whim.. I”ll be drawing as much of my haunt out as I can and then try and be organized and make a timeline haha! We shall see! Pick up a pen or pencil, now!! 😉
These really are awesome! Terrific design.
Thank you! 🙂 I was having a hard time making something I was happy with. The one with the Mad Hatter was the first color scheme which I felt was missing something! I found a slimier green color and I’m glad I went with the second color! I also found a glow in the dark slime green to put on as a top coat!
Don’t be so hard on yourself. It looks great, and you’re doing things I can’t even begin to fathom a thought of an idea to contemplate a notion of doing. Besides, it adds to a hand-hewn, authentic look. Seriously, it looks good, and I can’t wait to see the entire place when it’s done. Have you sketched anything out? Would love to see.
Thanks, Jim! I always over analyze stuff.. I’m sure Halloween night people are not going to be commenting on how one corner is not the same.. oh well haha! I finished sketching a magic mirror prop.. I really want to take a scary terry talking skeleton servo and adapt that to a wood mask cutout I make where either the bottom jaw is seperate and moves, or I make the mask one piece and the lips move up and down on the front.. I need to work on sketching the outside!!!
I’m going to use the huge D-Rings I used on the photo booth I made that hangs a full sheet of plywood.. I may do this to hang plywood off the front of the house to make it look like a castle exterior.. I hope so!! Haha!
Once again, Great Job!
Dude, she’s HUGE! It’s gonna be a fun Halloween at your place, that’s for sure. (And Bedknobs & Broomsticks is one of my all time favorites!)
Thanks! 🙂
I’ll post some drawings early next week! Not many more done, but been working on the facade! Bedknobs & Broomsticks is fantastic. I’ve been on a huge Disney kick lately! Basically all I watch while I craft. Haha!
This is fantastic! I really enjoy your creative ideas and seeing them come to fruition.
Thanks! Keeps me out of trouble! Haha! =)
Woo-hooo! Awesome!
Thank you! 🙂
Ambitious! Lots of pix and video, please. Would love to see this come together like you planned. (And will the missus be playing Snow White?)
I’ll try! 🙂 I want to see it all come together too. Lately life keeps getting in the way! Haha! We were planning on her being Snow White and me being the Huntsman, but not sure at this point! So much to do. Haha! We’ve been lucky in the fact that we have been going to Disneyland almost once a month! Living six hours away that adds up quick in gas/hotels, but it is worth it.
I wondered where you’ve been … now I know. BUSY! Everything looks great!
Haha.. Thanks, Jim!!
I’ve been neglecting my blogging! 🙁 Definitely need to make it a point to blog more! Your stuff is looking awesome! Still have so much I want to do and not a lot has been accomplished.. I really wanted to make a killer facade, but not sure that is going to happen! Just gonna do my best and maybe make this a two year affair.. haha!
Brilliant!
Thank You! 🙂 Thanks for your awesome compendium of all things Snow White. If I need any references, images, info, or inspiration your blog is the first place I’ve been going! Hats of for your love of Snow White!
i really enjoy and appreciate all your Disney props. Your work inspires me.
Thanks! 🙂 Your work is amazing too! Just signed up to follow you! Can’t go wrong with Disney, or Nightmare Before Christmas!
what do you use to cut out the letters in the foam?
I use a Dremel with a plunge router attachment! Works decent in foam, but the tips always get clogged on the dremel with the foam that melts and gets bigger and bigger and bigger until it needs to be removed because it is taking out huge chunks at a time!
Still looking for something to work better with the foam, but it works decent if you have patience!
this came out so beautiful, i cant even believe it. i LOVE the bouquet, its gorgeous
Thanks! My Wife had that made by one of her friends on Instagram.. Came out pretty rad!!
this is freaken fantastic!
Thank you! 🙂 Still need to add a lot more to the front of the mirror to make it look like the one from the film, but the harder part is done!
You inspire me to do better work! That’s one of the “clearer” two-way mirrors I’ve seen. When the light inside comes on, is it on a dimmer so it comes up slowly? (Is that even possible?)
Great work! And I’ve never heard that much noise from someone making BOWS! Satin is usually pretty quiet. 😉
Hahaha! The plastic containers that hold all the fabric, etc can be quite noisy when one can’t find something!! haha!
It could be possible, but not with what I have available! Technically I have the audio board which will activate the servo which makes the mouth go up and down or it will turn on a light when it hears noise and off when there is no sound, but I don’t want the light inside flashing on and off with the voice.. I want it to stay constant for a period of time, then dim to the inside light and turn the front one back on! A dimmer would be a good thing to look into in my next controller as well though! I’ll let you know what I come up with!!
Haven’t heard from you in a while … how’s the mirror (and other projects) going?
Haha!Saw this after my post, lol. Everything is going well except my Halloween props!! AHHHHH. Almost in full panic mode, but due to money/time I’m going to have to scale back. Still going to do Snow White, but I may just focus it all around the mirror!!
How are you doing? 🙂
He’s baaaack! Great to see you’ve been busy … even it wasn’t for Halloween. Great looking table! And I love the shelves with castors… I’m going to have to do that after the season. The basement is getting a little disheveled. The Spider Hole is coming along. I finished the second piece of the arch. Now I need to create my HUGE spider.
Are you a member of any of the forums? I’m in HauntForum.com. (I’m Dr. Maniaco there) There are quite a few Disney fans there, too. I’m sure they’d love to see your stuff. Don’t make me wait so long between blogs next time!!
Ahhh … progress! Feels good, doesn’t it? Lookin’ good, too!
Thanks! Yeah it feels good, but coming down to the wire! lol.. Oh well there is always next year! 🙂
I would cherish them i live in the orange county CA. i wish i could have ur alice work its amazing !!!!!!!!
Thank you! Wish I lived as close to the real thing as you! 🙂
how do u pain them so spot on ???? on such a large scale ?
You can draw them in smaller scale and scan them into the computer and use a program like Adobe Illustrator to enlage the image and scale it out over a ton of pages! Then you can trace it and then it is basically paint by numbers!
I think it’s turning out great! Can’t wait to see the whole scene finished.
Love that movie!
How are you, dude? It’s been a while, but I see you’ve kept busy!
I think that movie, and Jules Verne in particular, kindled the “Steampunk” lover in me since I was a kid. Thanks for sharing!
I’m doing well!!
Works been keeping me off the blogging front which sucks, but I try and squeeze something artistic in most days! I agree 100%! I didn’t even know steampunk was a thing up until a few years ago, but I feel Verne would feel at home! Disney’s version nailed the set design and feel of a Verne novel. If I had space I’d love to have a Nautilus themed living room or something of that nature, but I guess I’ll save that for when I win the lottery! Haha!
I see you are going to do Halloween next year and re purpose a lot of your stuff and not buy anything new! That is awesome. I need to do that as well. I have way too many things piling up at my house and I feel like I am going to be airing the next episode of hoarders in my living room! Haha! Been going to Disneyland a lot more and living in Northern California money isn’t as free as it use to be!!
Hope all is well!!
Pretty Neat.
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Hello…I was looking at your magic mirror and wanted some pointer on putting one together for this Halloween. Do you still have yours and, if so, would you consider selling it?
Thanks,
Kindest regards,
Wallace
Hi…
Am interested in a magic mirror, even if it can’t be done until next year. Is that possible to pay you to make one for me?
Wallace
Hello Wallace!
I posted a tutorial on halloweenforum about each step! Achievable by anyone! Search the dismaltrader! Cost to manufacture something like this and the time to make it is more of a labor of love! Not sure it would be cost effective for either of us to reproduce another!
Cheers,
Michael
PS -Sorry I didn’t see this earlier. I get so many spam e-mails it is almost not worth checking for actual users! 🙁
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