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....