Flying Ghosts

Originally created by Scott Axworthy in 1988, the Axworthy Flying Ghost prop is a great effect that is pretty easy to understand conceptually, but always seems to elicit some really hard to follow tutorials.   The prop features ghosts that zip along on a tie line along the path of your choosing.  It’s proven to be a time consuming prop that is prone to bogging down if things don’t go just right, but when it’s working and the ghosts are chugging around your line, it looks awesome.  The Haunted Driveway has done a great job of putting this prop into an easy to understand tutorial that just might inspire someone to give this prop a shot this year.     Items needed to complete this include: Gear motor around 1/8 hp and speed around 110 RPM Wheels made for V-belts, 5 inch diameter Threaded metal rod that will fit the wheels Locking nuts that fit the threaded rod Wood or angled steel to attach the threaded rod Black tie line Fishing line to hang the ghosts Hot glue gun Ghosts...

Wheel of Death

Have you ever seen the knife throwers that tie a person to a spinning wheel and then proceed to throw knives at them as they’re spinning around?  Ever wonder what happens when they’re not very accurate throwers? The Wheel of Death prop created for The Haunted Driveway is a six foot diameter wheel that spins around with a skeleton, or whatever else you decide to tie to it.  If you make it heavy duty enough you can even strap an actor to it (warning: DO NOT throw knives at people!).  It’s an eye catching prop that will take a little bit of effort to create, but it has a gruesome potential that is limited only by your imagination.     Items needed to complete this include: Two full size sheets of 1/2 inch plywood (6) 2 X 4 boards that are eight feet long (1) 8 X 6 board that is 8 feet long (6) 3/8 X 4 inch Carriage bolts (6) 3/8 inch nuts to fit the Carriage bolts 6 inch lazy susan (2) Ball bearings that fit a 5/8 inch rod and they should have tabs so you can attach them to the  face of the wood 5/8 inch rod 16 inches long (1) 6 inch diameter V-belt wheel that fits a 5/8 shaft (1) 2 inch diameter V-belt wheel that fits a 5/8 shaft (this will fit on to the motor if the motor has a 5/8 shaft, if not get a different size that will fit) V-belt around a foot long (4) 1/4 inch bolts that are 2 inches long and washer and locking nuts for the blots A gear motor around 35 RPM and 1/8 hp will do the trick    ...