I’ve always wanted my very own stalkaround costume.  I’ve never wanted to pay $1500 for my very own stalkaround costume.  Those two statements have always been synonymous until I found Rottincorps‘ video tutorial over at HauntForum, Stalkaround No Backpack.  I’m not saying that I could make one as nice as Rottincorps’ myself, but I certainly feel empowered enough in the simplicity of this costume that I would be willing to give it a try.   His costume turned out really nice and the motion appears as smooth as silk as he’s walking around in it.    ...

Like a giant sentry standing guard against the legions of masked marauders that descend upon our fair homestead, the pumpkin king provides tasty treats to the interlopers in exchange for their deference.  Ok, that may be waxing poetic a bit, but I’ve always wanted to build a giant Pumpkin King prop to mount to the side of our garage to welcome the neighborhood kids to our house on Halloween. Most of the ones that I’ve seen involve using vines to create the body, and while I think that those tend to look more realistic, there’s just no way that I see myself gathering all of the vine necessary to pull it off.  That’s why the DemonWare Scarecrow tutorial appeals to me, because with a pvc frame, I could actually see myself getting this one done.  You can still use vines to fill in the gaps, but it’s not the major component here.  The best part is you can make this prop as tall as your house if you want (although the size of the pumpkin may make it look a bit disproportionate if you do).     Items needed to complete this include: 20 feet of PVC pipe PVC Fittings: (2) tees, (2) 45° Angle, 2 straight 2 Yards of crinkled cotton (or other cheap material) Fake Pumpkin Sticks- 6 long ones for fingers, 6-8 short ones for ribs Screws Paint (to cover PVC) Raffia (found at local craft store) Wire RIT Dye, 2 boxes of purple or black 5 Gallon Plastic Bucket Optional Materials: Large cardboard box Leaves 50 lbs of sand Eye hooks 5ft 1/2 – 3/4 in metal pipe PVC and connectors for...

If you’ve ever had a cemetery in your haunt or yard you already know the pain of having to purchase tombstones for it.  The pain revolves around having to pay for a foam product that you could easily produce yourself.  Moreover, yours will certainly look better because you can put as much detail as you desire into it, and personalize it to your hearts content.  Personally, I can’t stand working with styrofoam, but for those that don’t have a problem with it, you’re going to want to take a look at Keeba’s Tombstones.     Not only is Keeba’s tutorial nicely laid out from the start of the project to completion, but offers some really good examples of detailing techniques like dry and wet warping that you just don’t find in most tombstone tutorials.  After undergoing some simple painting and aging, the finished products look fantastic.  These will take a  while to make, and you’re going to have to factor your time into these when deciding whether or not it’s worth your while, but you certainly don’t find tombstones this nice for sale.       Shop These Materials on Amazon 5-Pack Foam RIP Tombstone Blanks for Carving Decorative Cemetery Fence Sections Rust-Oleum Flat Black Spray Paint 12oz XPS Foam Board 1" Thick Craft Sheets 4-Pack 4-in-1 Hot Wire Foam Cutter Kit 15W Loctite Power Grab Foam-Safe Construction Adhesive Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

If you’ve ever needed to purchase a cauldron for a haunt you’ve probably been disappointed with your purchasing options.  They’re tiny.  I mean, so tiny that a baby witch would feel uncomfortable using them.  So your best option is to craft your own cauldron.  I’ve seen several really good tutorials on how to build your own cauldron, and Old Man Bakke has a pretty good one posted over at HalloweenForum.  I must admit that when I first saw the cardboard, hot glue gun, and duct tape I was reluctant to continue, but by the time I reached the finished product images on page 7, I was sold.  The size is what I would expect that a couple of old hags would use, and it looks completely realistic.     What I like best about this tutorial is that it was a completely fluid tutorial.  If you follow the posts you’ll see that during the creation of this tutorial a user posted a link to some photos from Dave The Dead’s aging technique tutorial that really helped make this into the finished product that it became.  Most of the time tutorials don’t get better on the fly like this one did.   Items needed to complete this prop include: Large rope handled bin (rope removed) Heavy duty cardboard Duct tape Hot glue gun Paper Mache Spar Varnish Round towel rings Oatmeal & sand / water & glue...

Ulcerative has posted a great video of  the perfect frame for a hangman prop.  When the attached wiper motor is turned on the flailing effect is supreme, and even though it’s just a PVC frame in the tutorial, you can more than visualize the awesome effect you’ll get when you clothe the frame and light it for effect.  If you don’t want to get into pneumatics, but still want a great visual, this is definitely one you’re going to want to try.   http://youtu.be/ENJVcyWUU7w Shop These Materials on Amazon 1" Schedule 40 PVC Pipe 6-Pack Ratcheting PVC Pipe Cutter (up to 1-1/4") 1" PVC Furniture Fittings Assortment 12-Pack Oatey PVC Clear Cement + Primer Handy Pack Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

If the end justifies the means then this prop is going to be worth everybody’s time and effort.  This cool floating grim reaper made mostly out of black iron piping could be one of the coolest additions to any haunter’s graveyard.  Floating close to 10′ off the ground, the only trick is to shield the base from view as illustrated in this photo.  Dating back to 2003 this prop tutorial comes to us by the Evil Geniuses Howard I. Scott, III and his partner in crime Ron.       Items needed for this prop include: Torso, Arms, and Skull Scythe blade (plastic) 1/2″ Black Iron Threaded Pipe in the following lengths: One 48″ Two 36″ Three 24 Four 12″ One 6″ (unused) One 5″ Seven T connectors Three connecting nipples One 90 degree elbow Two 45 degree...

Every haunt needs a toe pincher coffin.  It’s a fact.  Ok, well, it’s not a hard and fast rule, but if you’re looking for a good tutorial on how to build your own full sized toe-pincher coffin, look no further.  Woody over at ScareFX has a great tutorial on how to build one and here’s the best part, his build should only cost around $25.00!  You’ll need a modicum of skill with a circular or table saw to get this done, but the rest is just piecing it together and gluing / screwing the pieces in place.   The thing I like best about this tutorial (besides the fact that it doesn’t involve any miter cuts) is that it looks just rough enough to be completely realistic looking.  There are 100’s of tutorials on how to build a toe pincher coffin, but this is the one for me.   Items needed to complete this include (ScareFX pricing included): $15 for 15 Fence Pickets $5 for drywall screws $4 for wood...

If you’re looking to make a creepy entrance to your haunt you may want to take a look at the Skeletal Sonotube Columns tutorial that Effie posted at HalloweenForum.     These columns are really simple to make and would easily make an eerie entrance to a cemetery, dungeon, or mausoleum.  All of the pieces of this puzzle are easily obtained and the best part is that Effie actually planned to use the empty sonotubes for storage at the end of the season!     Items needed to create this include: Sonotube 10″ x 4′ (Sonotube comes in many diameters and heights, 4′ being the most easily obtainable at Home Depot, but you can get 6′, 8′ and 10′ heights as well) Century Novelty Plastic Skeleton Heavy pressboard Foam pipe insulation Spray...

Ok, so we all know there are about 1,000 tutorials on the web about how to build a fence for a graveyard.  Most of them use the typical 1 x 2″ furring strips at the top and bottom with PVC creating the bars of the fence.  Well, Scott A. Stoll has definitely taken it up a notch, and if I was going to pick a tutorial to follow to make my own cemetery fence, I would choose his method.  His tutorial on how to build his fencing is incredibly detailed, and the resulting product is well worth the time spent because it is remarkably realistic looking.  This could pass for a real fence.  The finials and curved iron is also incredibly easy to implement and adds so much to this fence.  The best part is that you won’t have to worry about running out of finials, or heating up the PVC to accomplish this because it’s done using craft foam!  If you are thinking of making some cemetery fence, you would be well served to check out this tutorial, it is the real deal.   Items used to create fencing include: 1×2″ lumber 1/2″ PVC Craft Foam Drywall screws Hot glue Shop These Materials on Amazon 5-Pack Foam RIP Tombstone Blanks for Carving Decorative Cemetery Fence Sections Rust-Oleum Flat Black Spray Paint 12oz Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Ok, I’ve seen a couple of animated Ouija boards on the net, but DaveintheGrave from the HalloweenForum has the most detailed tutorial on how to make this prop I’ve ever seen.  It’s broken down into two parts, with Part 1 focusing on how to prep the box that will house the guts of the Ouija board prop, while Part 2 details the mechanics of the prop.  DaveintheGrave utilizes a small vent motor for this prop, and breaks down the motor instructions into two additional tutorials for further clarity (Motor Part1, Motor Part2).     There is a link to the video of this prop in action at the beginning of Part 1 of the tutorial, and as you will see, this prop is worth the time spent making it, it looks...

As soon as I had finished my first motorized prop using a wiper motor I immediately started wondering how I could slow down the speed of my motor.  Sure, the motor had a low speed and a high speed setting, and I could control the direction of rotation depending on how it was wired up, but I wanted to go beyond those settings.  What if I wanted to bring my motor to an almost standstill speed?  And what if I wanted to reverse the rotation mid sequence without having to change the wiring?   OUT OF LUCK… Without a Pico Volt prop controller from FrightProps that is….  This thing is great, it allows you to change speed and rotation all from a simple speed dial, and record up to 60 seconds of a sequence, which will loop indefinitely.  If you switch the rotation of the speed dial it will start to go in reverse, if you slow it down and hold steady, so will the routine.  Perfection in a small form factor.   Oh, and if you’re like me, you’ve already started wondering if you can control lights with this tiny piece of magic, and the answer, of course, is yes.  You can use it to dim your LED lights, or program and repeat any lighting effect you want.     If you need full control of your wiper motors, then by all means, pick this tiny device up, you will not be disappointed. Shop These Materials on Amazon 12V Wiper Motor 2.5" Shaft 110 Degree (prop building) PWM DC Motor Speed Controller 9-70V 35A 45Kg High-Torque Waterproof Digital Servo Motor Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at...

Ok, so maybe you’ve tried corpsing a bucky skeleton, but now you want to try something different, perhaps something a little grimmer.  Well here’s a tutorial that may give you what you’re looking for…   That is, if you’re looking for a Charred Corpse tutorial.  That’s right, if you want the end result without the flames, check out Don P’s tutorial over at I Make Projects.  It may not look like much when you start, but as it progresses it really starts to take a gruesome turn.       Items needed to create this include: A skeleton A can of expanding foam insulation (“Great Stuff” is one of the many brand names.) A tin of liquid latex (I couldn’t find the good paint-on stuff all the prop houses seem to use, so I just used Contact Cement.) Flat black spray paint Glossy bright red spray paint Small amount of acrylic black paint (it’s water based and will clean up with water and soap as long as it’s wet.)  Small amount of acrylic brown paint Small amount of clear gloss finish Some old paintbrushes, rubber gloves, and a well-ventiliated area       By the time you’re finished, this thing is just as good, if not better looking than a “standard” corpsed Bucky, and you certainly don’t see these nearly as often!  ...

Ok, so you’ve picked up a nice Bucky skeleton and you’re done admiring it in all it’s boney glory, but what next?  Well, if you don’t mind taking that pristine looking skeleton and making it look a little bit more goreified then you might want to take a look at this excellent corpsing tutorial from My Ghoul Friday.  I’ve seen a lot of corpsing tutorials on the web, many of which utilize the same techniques that My Ghoul Friday uses, but none are laid out quite as nicely as hers is.  And let’s be honest, that is one awesome looking skeleton.       The tutorial is divided into two parts, with Part 1 detailing the plastic wrapping and the staining, while Part 2 details the finer dry bushing and hairing of the corpse.     Items needed to create this include: Skeleton Wood Stain Paint Brush Rag Heavy Duty/Protective Latex Gloves Heat Gun Thin, clear plastic tarp paints Spray Glue hot glue gun white glue or “Sculpt or Coat” styrofoam ball acrylic paint wig scissors epoxy Shop These Materials on Amazon Realistic Replica Human Skull Statue 6.5" 5.4ft Full Size Halloween Foam Skeleton Creature Liquid Latex 16oz Clear Special Effects Cheesecloth Unbleached (for draping and corpsing) Polyester Fiberfill Stuffing 30 LB Bag Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Ok, it’s two for Tuesday, and today we’re going to look at burning things.  I like both of these tutorials, and since they’re both so similar I’ve decided that they should both be featured in the same post simply because they’re meant to create the same effect in different environments.  These props are not to be confused with the very popular hot burning coals tutorial (ok, maybe they are since they’re nearly identical).   The first tutorial is provided from thxboy and is really centered around burning timber.  The effect is actually really gorgeous because it really conveys the feeling that the building is on fire, but is much more intricate since it involves using a styrofoam frame.       Materials needed to create this include: 2″ thick pink foam board Great Stuff (small cracks or large gap version, I can’t tell the difference) Red christmas tree lights. I used a 100 light strand that could be either steady or flickering Hot glue gun Black Primer paint Light grey primer paint Krylon-Make it Stone! (Black with white speckles) Chicken wire paint brushes, drywall saw     The second tutorial is provided by OctART, and is slightly easier, but just as good looking.     Materials needed to create this include: chicken wire plastic Great Stuff christmas tree lights...

LED lights are like potato chips, you can never have enough of them.  So why would you ever want to buy LED spotlights if you could make them yourself?  Not only that, but I’d be willing to wager that you’re not going to find LED spotlights as slick as the ones Jason over at the Haunt The Yard blog makes.  You’ll need a little bit of talent to get these made, but not a ton, and think of how good your haunt will look at night when every tombstone in your graveyard is lit up with it’s own LED spot.     Items needed to create this include: 1/2 inch PVC 45 degree 3/4 to 1/2 inch reducers 1/2 inch PVC caps 470 ohm 1/2 watt resistors LEDs light bulbs 18 gauge wire   He’s even included a link to an LED calculator in case you’re planning on deviating from his...

If you’re a fan of the Hot Burning Coals Prop then you’re going to love Goldie’s Bubbling Halloween Cauldron, because it’s essentially the same.  The difference is in the details, however, and Woodhegm has built his to fit around a person (or prop) sitting in a large cauldron making them look as if they are cooking in bubbling hot liquid.  You’ll need to find a cauldron large enough (and strong enough) to support someone, but one completed this prop will add a neat effect to any live scene in a haunt.  Add a fog machine under the person and you’ll really be cooking!     Items needed to complete this include: Cardboard Aluminum foil Whiffle balls 1 set orange lights (solid) 1 set orange lights (flashing) Great stuff Paint A...

Terra from HalloweenForum has posted a great video tutorial on how to achieve an incredibly realistic wood grain look that can easily be applied to your styrofoam projects. I’m blown away at how realistic it looks and how simple it is.   http://youtu.be/0Oe2HdxiolM Shop These Materials on Amazon XPS Foam Board 1" Thick Craft Sheets 4-Pack 4-in-1 Hot Wire Foam Cutter Kit 15W Loctite Power Grab Foam-Safe Construction Adhesive Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Madmax at HalloweenForum has a great tutorial on how to make a Breathing Grave prop that you’re really going to dig (ridiculous pun intended) .  The effect is subtle, looks great, and when viewed at night with proper lighting, is sufficiently creepy.  When you see just how easy this prop is to craft, and how inexpensive it is, you’ll want to put them in front of all your tombstones!   Items needed to create this include: Vent Motor 11′ – 1×4 power supply 12VDC 300mA 1 Yard Burlap paint, 1 spray can or latex house paint 22″ threaded rod (1/4″) 6 nuts 6 lock washers 12 screws 2 Cams (1/2″ PVC with a cap)...

What’s more creepy than those two little girls from The Shining?  How about imagining the creepy dolls those girls would play with!  I expect that they would look something like the zombie dolls that Cyclonejack from HauntForum creates, and he’s been nice enough to create a video detailing exactly how to make them.  They look amazingly creepy and the only real cost involved is the doll and some paint!  If you have a creepy little girl in your haunt, be sure to make one of these for her, because nothing says “abnormal” quite like a little girl that would play with one of these!...

Allen Hopps of Stiltbeast Studios has a fantastic tutorial on how to make some really realistic looking meat hooks out of plastic hangers.  You’ll absolutely love how easy they are to make and the cost for a dozen is next to nothing.  All that’s left to do after this tutorial is attach your favorite gored up body parts and hang them from the ceiling....

I’m not sure who to credit this tutorial with but I suspect it goes to Jeff Davis.  Regardless, the Demon Skeleton tutorial from the Davis Graveyard site sure looks incredible.  I don’t think I could make this look as good as Jeff did, but it really makes me want to buy a budget Bart and give it a shot because the finished product is really cool looking.  I can just imagine how it would look at night lit up!  The first line of the tutorial sums it up, though, “This is NOT an easy project”.   Shop These Materials on Amazon Realistic Replica Human Skull Statue 6.5" 5.4ft Full Size Halloween Foam Skeleton Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

“Calm? Calm? Do murder and calm go together? Calm and murder? Murder?” -Luther Heggs   In 1966 Don Knotts posed that question, and fans of the Ghost and Mr. Chicken have been laughing at his classic portrayal of Luther Heggs, intrepid reporter ever since.  If you’re at all familiar with the film you’ll recall the classic scene where Luther comes across the portrait of old Mrs. Simmons that he had just seen intact five minutes earlier has been pierced with a pruning shears and is dripping blood, the exact way she was murdered 20 years prior.  Luther’s conniption fit upon seeing this is pure comedic gold, and he drops like a leaf, out cold.  I’ve always wanted a house like the old Simmons Mansion, and with Chris’ tutorial of the Bleeding Portrait, I’ll be one step closer.     It looks to be a little bit of a tricky build, but would definitely be a crowd pleaser in any haunt. Items used to create this include: Picture frame Portrait (one that you can cut up) Small water pump Flexible tubing Tray for blood Blood Varnish        ...

If you’ve ever used the stretchable spider webs that everyone sells you know that they sometimes don’t stay stretched quite as nicely as you’d like them to.  Well the tutorial below from the Dapper Cadaver might be just the solution you’re looking for.  I originally found this video in a post on HauntForum, and I strongly urge you to read the posts associated with it.  The Dapper Cadaver uses 3M 90 spray adhesive to get the webbing super tacky, which results in a highly flammable finished product.   The group over at HauntForum have weighed in on some suggestions to combat the flammability, but do use extra caution if you are going to attempt this.  Despite the fact that this is a pretty permanent and highly flammable solution, I have to admit, it does provide some quality looking cobwebs....

Every now and then someone builds a prop that you look at and immediately wish you had the talent to pull off the same build.  That’s exactly how I felt when I saw TwistedUK’s Circus Freak Puppeteer tutorial.  It’s not that the frame and motors are overly intricate, but the clay work that went into the crafting of both clowns (and shoes) is what really tells me I’ve no chance of building something nearly as nice as his.  Of course, if you can find some premade items that would work you could always eliminate the clay, but you might not get as good looking of a finished product.  I’m filing this under Motorized Props, but I really feel like there should be a Prop Showcase category because this one definitely deserves more than just a cursory glance.     Items needed to complete this include: Child Mannequin Hair dressing practice head Wiper motor Large piece of chip board 1’thick One pack of DAS clay 3/4′ plastic tubing Sea fishing line 3 blue LEDs 1 1/2′ length of wood 1 sheet of plywood More patience than I...

Think you’ve got what it takes to survive a 5k zombie infested obstacle course?  You know, we’re all going to have to answer this call eventually, but for now, we’ll just consider the Wisconsin Zombie Mud Run proactive training.   Held at the Waukesha County Expo Center Grounds on May 18th, 2013 the goal of this event is to successfully navigate the 5k course and the 13 obstacles of Pandemic, all while avoiding the zombie horde that is unleashed upon you. Pandemic consists of the following obstacles: The Dark Abyss Labyrinth Bedlam The Beast The Dirty Name Green HELL Havoc Unstable Torment Chaos Crawl Tough Nut Carnage Slide For Your Life Those that don’t feel comfortable running alongside the living can choose to participate as one of the Zombie horde.  There are two types of Zombies, Chaser Zombies, who start 5 minutes after the humans, and Roaming Zombies who will be assigned a specific location and will prey upon the runners that enter the zone.     All race entries include: A Wisconsin Zombie Mud Run t-shirt Racing bib complete with number A survival medal One free beverage (soda/beer) Admittance to the Survivors Party! 1st 1,000 runners registered will receive a FREE ticket to Morgan Manor Haunted House (valued at $15) located at the Waukesha Expo Center in October, 2013   Runner Registration Fees: $75 if registered by May 12, 2013 $85 if registered after May 13, 2013 Register Now   A portion of all registration fees from the Wisconsin Zombie Mud Run are donated to the This Time Tomorrow Foundation, providing financial support to individual families and organizations focused on cancer research, education or advocacy. Their goal is to help those affected today reach the tomorrow they deserve.  The Wisconsin Zombie Mud Run...

If you were lucky enough to attend Transworld’s 2013 Halloween and Attractions show in St. Louis last month you are no doubt familiar with Chromonite, producers of the Rorschach Inkblot Morphing Mask.  Made using thermochromic paint the pattern actually changes shape as your breath heats the spandex up.  The ink used is 100% non toxic and the effect is quite breath taking!...

Spectral Illusions offers some really great looking digital downloads that would look great in any haunt.  These great videos can be used with a flat panel monitor and a frame for a picture effect, or with a scrim or reflective surface for a great Pepper’s Ghost effect.  The videos loop seamlessly so you don’t have to worry about gaps in playback.  With four resolutions available for download at an affordable price of between $20-$25 each, you cannot go wrong with these effects.            ...

Serialc0d3 over at HalloweenForum.com has a great tutorial on how to build your own Vortex Fog Chiller for very little cash.  Now, there are many containers you can use when building your own vortex fog chiller, but reusing a Tidy Cat Litter pail is the ultimate “green” project.  Additionally, the finished product looks remarkably familiar.       To complete this prop you’ll need the following:   Tidy Cat Litter Pail Few ft of 2 in. PVC 2 in. PVC Elbow Few ft of 1/2 in. PVC pipe Some sort of metal mesh or chicken wire to hold ice Epoxy of your choice (I used Oatey Epoxy Putty) Krylon Fusion Paint (optional) Nozzle for Drain Hose (optional) Drain Hose (optional) Tools for cutting the materials And of course, you’ll need a fog machine. Shop These Materials on Amazon 400W Fog Machine with Wireless & Wired Remote FogWorx Extreme High Density Fog Juice Gallon Copper Coil Refrigeration Tubing 1/8" OD x 6.5ft (fog chiller) Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Interested in donating to help a fellow home haunter get their 2013 haunt off the ground?  The owners of The Dread Keep in Hillsboro, Oregon sure hope you do, in fact, they’ve launched an Indiegogo funding campaign just in case you do.  Their haunt is free for the local residents to attend and anyone that contributes at least $10 to their campaign will receive something as a thank you, ranging from a personalized thank you card, some hand painted Halloween decor stones, or some hand decorated votive candle holders depending on how much you’ve pledged.     I’m not sure if I’m fully on board with using an Indiegogo campaign to fund personal events, but that’s irrelevant, because this group has already received commitments in the amount of $135 as of this posting.  I will say that it is a rather entrepreneurial move on their part to try to get their funding this way, and again, their haunt is free to the public.  This is a flexible funding campaign, which means that if they do not reach their goal of $800, they will still receive any funds pledged to their campaign by Tuesday May 21st, 2013 at 11:59pm (PT)....

The 2013 National Haunters Convention will be held May 3rd through the 5th at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, Pennsylvania.  Featuring a tradeshow with over 65 vendors, haunt seminars, haunt tours, not to mention the Miss Halloween Beauty Pageant and a Saturday evening costume ball.     There are 12 premium seminars that will cost additional to attend, with topics including: FX-Makeup on a budget $10.00 Applying Silicone Appliances $10.00 Want to be a stilt walker? $25.00 Haunted Faux painting with Jenniferx $50.00 And that’s only scratching the surface as there are an additional 13 seminars that are free of charge.     Some really cool news about this event is that the S & C Scare Factory will be operating a haunt right on the showroom floor.  These former home haunters will put their talent on display for convention visitors as they make the transition to the professional haunt level. There are many ticket options available (including one that includes a case of Great Stuff) and seminars can be added a la...

Rchassel over at HalloweenForum.com has a good tutorial on how to use styrofoam boards to board-up your windows.  They’re inexpensive, look great and are lightweight enough that they can be held in place over your windows using very thin straps!     Items used to create this effect include: 1” thick extruded polystyrene foam insulatio Gorilla Glue Straps to anchor the board system into your windows Paint Behr Faux Glaze Shop These Materials on Amazon XPS Foam Board 1" Thick Craft Sheets 4-Pack 4-in-1 Hot Wire Foam Cutter Kit 15W Loctite Power Grab Foam-Safe Construction Adhesive Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

  I gotta admit, when I first watched Casa Fear’s tutorial on how to build a simple pneumatic ground breaker at HauntForum, I didn’t think the finished product was going to be worth the effort.  The frame of this prop doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that it’s going to stay in one piece, let alone be creepy looking.  Boy was I wrong.  And that’s what’s so great about this prop.  It’s simple to build, won’t break the bank, and really results in a great prop.   The quick jerking of the cylinders creates a nice startling effect that you just don’t get from a standard ground breaker.  So if you’ve got your head wrapped around the pneumatics, the rest of this prop should be smooth sailing for you.     Items needed for this prop include: 6′ of 2×4 2 pneumatic cylinders 2 foot brackets 2 rod clevis 2 clevis mounting brackets 2 – 4 way solenoid valves 1 prop controller 4 – 3″ hinges (wrist/elbow) 2 – 2.8″ hinges (shoulders) 12 carriage bolts (attaching cylinders) 10 flat phillips bolts (hinges) 2 hex bolts (shoulders) Locking nuts/washers for all bolts Plywood for base  ...

If you’ve ever wanted to build your very own grave grabber but didn’t think you had the skill to get it done right, take a look at this tutorial posted by Kevin Kennedy on the Haunt101 website.  This prop is simple to create and looks awesome in any graveyard environment.  Unfortunately, some of the links in the tutorial are dead, but they’re relatively insignificant to the tutorial and the mechanism should be enough to inspire your creativity.       Items needed to build this include: 9’ of 1” x 1/8” aluminium flat stock 36” wooden dowl 8 – 8/32” x 5/8” machine screws 24 #8 SAE washers (you could use nylon washers) 8 – 8/32” nuts with nylon threads a low speed high torque motor 1 spooky head 1 pair of spooky hands along w/ coat hanger and spray foam Some of the assorted lumber every haunter has lying in the back of their...

After 10 years of scaring the heck out of folks in Stoughton, Wisconsin, the Haunted Barn will be closing it’s doors after this year’s haunt season.  Not ones to go out quietly, though, they’re going to be throwing a “sneak peak haunt” dubbed the Monsters in May that promises to “blast you with a little of 2012 and thrill you with a peek into 2013!”  This event will run Friday May 17th and Saturday May 18th from 7:00pm until 11:00pm with special 10th anniversary admission pricing of $10.00 per person.  And don’t worry, they’re going to be saving some of their best surprises for the October haunt!   Haunt: The Haunted Barn 755 Hwy 51 Stoughton, WI 53589 Dates: May 17 – 18th, 2013 Hours: 7:00pm – 11:00pm Admission: $10.00 Tickets: CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS   755 U.S. Hwy 51Stoughton, WI...

Discozombie over at HalloweenForum.com has come up with a great way to give your PVC creations moveable joints.  This technique is so simple to do, but really gives your creations an added level of realism.     Items needed to create this include: PVC Heat gun clamp sander or grinder drill Bolts Locking Nuts Washers Shop These Materials on Amazon 1" Schedule 40 PVC Pipe 6-Pack Ratcheting PVC Pipe Cutter (up to 1-1/4") 1" PVC Furniture Fittings Assortment 12-Pack Oatey PVC Clear Cement + Primer Handy Pack Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Darklight manufactures the world’s smallest LED spotlights.  At least that’s what their website says, and while I’ve never measured to verify this claim, they do offer a wide assortment of micro LED spotlights and floodlights that are very tiny.  The Precision DMX, on the other hand, I have no doubt is the smallest LED DMX controllable fixture, because I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.  This tiny little unit packs quite a punch offering RGB color changing and color mixing as well as flicker, strobe, blink, and fade-in/fade-out.  It’s important to note that you will need a Darkbox Programmer to configure the Precision DMX’s address from the default of 1, or to store settings for standalone use.  Simply put, with the Darkbox you can set the output settings, they’re stored in the Precision DMX’s EEPROM, and then you can unplug the Darkbox and the Precision DMX can simply be powered on and will output the stored settings.  The recommended power supply for the Precision DMX is the PowerPak 5000, which is a 12 volt/5 amp power supply that can handle up to 16 Precision DMX fixtures at full power.  Both the Darkbox Programmer and the PowerPak 5000 are sold separately....

Every now and then you come across something that is too good to sit on and you’ve got to share it with as many people as possible.  That’s exactly how I feel about this cool piece of tech that Bigant from HalloweenForum posted about.  If you’re looking for an inexpensive media playback device for your props that’s capable of auto playback/looping and has an incredibly small form factor, then look no further, the Micca Speck is everything you’re looking for.  Its capable of outputting 1080p video and supports MKV, AVI, MOV, M2TS, MPG, and MPEG file formats (just to name a few).  Just plug your USB hard drive or SD card in and select the video or image you want to output.  It comes with an IR remote control, a USB cable, and a 3.5mm to RCA cable for video output (you’ll have to provide an HDMI cable if you need to output via HDMI).  The best part, it’s only $39.95 at Amazon, and anybody that’s ever looked into media streaming devices for their props knows what a great deal that is....

Created by Jeff, aka Noah Fentz, of thecreepyhousenextdoor.com this tar pit monster tutorial could prove to be a very difficult and noxious project, but it sure is a cool idea.  All you need are a “duct taped” body cast, a styrofoam head and some roof tar. If you’ve never used roof tar, a word of warning, it’s very sticky and is not easily if ever removed (also see the disclaimer on the bottom that was pulled from Noah’s tutorial for extra emphasis).     *DISCLAIMER- Flashing cement is flammable and highly combustible . All tar props are for outdoor use...

Jimmyzdc over at HalloweenForum has posted an awesome tutorial on how to make your own PVC candles.  It’s super simple, and when you pop some battery powered tealight candles on top of them you’ll be free to create and put out as many candles as you want without having to worry about setting your haunt on fire.       Items used to create these include: 1 1/2″ PVC Pipe – Full length 8-10 ft pipes Great Stuff Insulation LED Tea Lights Hot Glue Gun 1 1/2″ Forstner Drill Bit Rustoleum Spray...

Instant Monsters over at HalloweenForum has posted a great tutorial on how to make your own Web Spinner using some easily obtainable items and a drill.  The cobwebs that this thing puts out look amazing and would make most spiders jealous.  They’ll require some serious cleanup, but if you’re looking for a realistic web, look no further.    ...

This prop tutorial is an oldie but a goodie.  I first saw Mr. Chicken’s Madame Leota tutorial when it appeared on HauntForum.  He moved it to the Mr. Chicken’s Yard Haunt blog quite a while ago and it deserves to be featured because of the great job he did on it.  Positioning of the projector on this prop is just as essential and tricky as creating the form inside the globe and will make or break this effect....

The Devil’s Workshop blog has posted an awesome tutorial on how to build what is possibly one of the best looking Cauldron Creeps I’ve ever seen.  Seriously, I wouldn’t have a problem paying them to make this for me because it deserves to be in every haunter’s yard.  This tutorial was for the original Cauldron Creep, constructed in 2009.  The videos are spectacular.     Items needed to create this prop include: 20 ft 1/2″ PVC 8 1/2″ PVC “T”s 4 1/2″ PVC 90° 1 5rpm motor (for head action) 1 Monsterguts Wiper motor 2 ultrabright LEDs Red and Black electrical wire small gauge 2 monsterguts eyball blanks 1 foam skull 1 large “bag of Bones” from biglots Creepy Cloth 1 can Greatstuff 1 can Black spray paint 1″ drywall screws 5′ 2×4 plumbers tape ATX power supply...

Fans of the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion are no doubt familiar with the ghostly footprints effect that is projected early on in the ride in the M.C. Escher style room with the upside down stairways.  Since approximately 2010 I’ve seen the good folks over at HalloweenForum.com hashing out various ways to achieve this effect, but it appears that VexFX have actually made it a reality.  With the Ghost Steps routine it is now possible for home haunters to project a set of ghostly footprints in a pre-programmed path of their choice that actually dissolve after a few seconds.  You can download the flash based app for offline use, or navigate to their site and create your Ghost Steps on the fly.  You can change the size, color, rotation and style of footprint as well as move and rotate the projection surface to get it completely accurate to the surface you’re projecting onto.  This software is too cool to pass up, and is a visual delight....

The most important part of any Halloween display (and quite frequently the most often overlooked) is the proper lighting of it.    If you’re looking for just the right way to highlight your prop or display you’re going to want to give MiniSpotlight.com a look.  Their Mini Barrel LED Spotlights give just the right amount of light without being a distraction.  They measure in at just about two inches and contain a 5mm ultra bright LED.  They come with 5′ of 24 gauge wire with bare wire leads (power blocks and power supplies are sold separately).  They come in a variety of colors including Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Aqua, Warm White, Cool White, Natural White, Deep Red, Orange, and of course, Ultra Violet.  They are priced at $12.50 each, but if you purchase 10 or more they drop to $12.00 and if your order totals 25 or more they are further discounted to $11.50 each....

  Last week I was reminded of an album that I overlooked last year, Fairvale Funeral Parlor by Shadow’s Symphony, and the timing of this could not have been any better.  It’s now going on seven days straight with overcast skies and rain where I live, and there’s seven more in the forecast.  I cannot think of a better soundtrack to accompany this miserable stretch than Fairvale Funeral Parlor.  With 21 tracks of ominous and creepy melodies that tell the tale of a deserted funeral parlor, this album is everything you could ever want if you find beauty in the darker side of things.  This eerie offering could easily be incorporated into any home haunt. It’s available via digital download from Amazon and the iTunes store as well as direct from the Shadow’s Symphony Facebook store.  Whether you plan on using this in your haunt, or just listening to it while you sit on the couch watching the rain come down, this album is the perfect soundtrack for any haunter’s life.   [adrotate...

The Midwest Haunters Convention (MHC) is the largest Halloween show of its kind and will be held in Columbus, Ohio on June 7-9th, 2013 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for its 10th year.  Featuring 60,000 square feet of exhibit space and over 100 vendors, this convention is packed with seminars, workshops and products for the professional and home haunter alike.     Pricing for the event: Pre-Con Bus Tour – $269 – $329 (prices vary by the number of people staying in a hotel room) Workshops – prices vary by class.  See individual workshop pages for pricing Friday Day Tour – $79 Friday Evening Events and Tour – $59 Weekend Seminars – $85, $99 onsite Masquerade Party – $40, $50 onsite Trade Show – $5 Weekend Pass – Includes Friday Evening Events, Seminars, Party, and Trade Show – $179 ($203 on site) – Save...

The 2012 Home Haunter DVD Collection is available for pre-order.  This year’s set offers 4 DVD’s filled with 61 haunts.  The DVD set is priced at $20 if you pre-order now (not sure when this deal will end), and if you were a contributor to the DVD this year you’ll get an additional 25% discount making it just $15.00 (An additional $4.00 will be added to help cover Postage and PayPal costs. International orders are listed at $10 more to cover the higher shipping). Appearing on the 2012 DVD’s: DISK #1 Name Haunt Location Heidi & Donnie Rauber Jr. 2nd Street Cemetery Covington, LA Joe Belinksky 67 Scary Springs Drive Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada Matthew Allen Allen Asylum Florida Greg & Jamie Larkin Ashburn Haunt Ashburn, VA Dave Bates Bates Haunt Utah LadyDracul AKA Corinne BS Crypt Kamloops B.C. Canada Brad Goodspeed The Butcher of Prvincetown Haunted House Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Melissa Watts Camp Slaughter Pensacola, FL Jim Slanker Canyon Trail Cemetery Carol Stream, IL Tamara Gogin CarnEvil Spencer & Debra Carter Casa Fear Broomfield, CO Thomas Chance Chance Haunted Ride Lafayette, LA Robert Gannon Cirque de Samhain Columbia Manor Castro Valley, CA “Creepy” Chris Bartram Creepy Nights on Calamo Sprinfield, VA DISK #2 Name Haunt Location Mike Yazumbek Dark Shadows Orland Hills, IL im and Tina Reuwsaat Darkwing Manor and Morguetorium Medford, OR Jeff & Chris Davis Davis Graveyard Milwaukie, OR Michael Braun Deadwood Cemetery Gurnee, IL P.J. Kerti DemBones Cemetery Hollywood, FL Wayne M LaQuet Diggers Haunted Yard Mascoutah, IL Chris Arnott Dunnett’s Dark Lair Barrie, Ontario Canada Dan Blume Evil On Everest Lombard, IL Gregory Wallace Fear on Firm Stance Loveland, OH David Hurst Grimm-Hurst Manor East Point, GA Halloween Haunt Brampton Ontario Canada Robyn Balabanov Halloween Horror Delta Delta, Canada...

  ImaginEERIEing offers some really cool digital puppetry software that, when done correctly, can add tons of fun to your haunt.  The original iteration of this was the “Mirror” routine was developed in 2004 and they have since increased their lineup of puppets.   The puppets are simply computer programs which display spooky characters on the screen and allow the user to control them with a keyboard, a microphone, or a prerecorded audio routine.  When the the monitor is placed behind the facade of a mirror it allows for quite an impressive illusion.  Add some real time interaction with the crowd and it’s even better!  The original Mirror routine is free to download, while the others are priced at a modest $15 per routine.       – Free       – $15       – $15       – $15       – $15    ...

  Fog machines operate by moving fog juice into a temperature controlled heat exchanger that vaporizes the fluid and produces the fog.  Since heat rises, the fog that is produced usually ends up hanging anywhere from the top of the fog machine to the top of the ceiling.  I’m convinced that anyone who’s ever purchased a fog machine had dreams of an entirely different effect with the fog hanging low to the ground creating that creepy looking mist that Hollywood has spoiled us with. The solution of course (short of utilizing dry ice) is to chill the fog before it is emitted, and Froggy’s Fog has just the solution with their Cold Fusion Vortex Fog Chiller.  This beauty stands just 19″ off the ground and is capable of holding up to 20 pounds of ice.  You WILL need to provide your own fog machine for this to work, then just set it so that the fog emitted enters the opening on the Cold Fusion unit.  The fog will be cooled as it passes through the Cold Fusion unit until it is emitted as chilled fog!  Simple and effective.       Shop These Materials on Amazon 400W Fog Machine with Wireless & Wired Remote FogWorx Extreme High Density Fog Juice Gallon Copper Coil Refrigeration Tubing 1/8" OD x 6.5ft (fog chiller) Affiliate Disclosure: HauntersList.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to...

Shawn and Lynne Mitchell have teamed up to produce one of the most beautiful series of books on how to create wonder Halloween props and decorations for your haunt.  With breathtaking photos and detailed descriptions from start to finish they’ve made prop making easy.   Book One contains 26 haunting tutorials including: creating cemetery fence how to make moss, styrofoam techniques sand casting how to pull spider web Several examples of the Pepper’s Ghost effect And many more! Book Two contains 24 haunting tutorials including: making your own tombstones how to make a spooky chandelier styrofoam techniques part 2 how to make a free-standing wolf creating apothecary jars create your own bubbling cauldron And many more! Book Three contains 27 haunting tutorials including: making the brain bubbler how to make a spooky chandelier styrofoam techniques part 2 how to make a free-standing wolf creating apothecary jars create your own bubbling cauldron And many more!...