High voltage is not something you want to be messing around with unless you really know what you’re doing.  Luckily, Terra from HalloweenForum really knows what she’s doing, and she’s created a video tutorial on how to make authentic looking electrical transformers.  They’re created with trash cans, pool noodles, pvc and rope, but you can make them as intricate as you’d like.  When you put a strobe light under the trash can it really gives the appearance that the transformer is arcing, which, coupled with some high intensity audio will scare the heck out of anybody!     Items needed to complete this include: Two trash cans in a good transformer shape One pool noodle 14″ thick manila twisted rope Four 18″ lengths of 3/4″ PVC pipe Two 12″ lengths of 1/2″ PVC pipe Two 1/2″ PVC elbow connectors Two 19″ lengths of plastic plumber’s tape Two scraps of 1 1/2″ foam (6 1/2″ long, 3″ wide) Two 12″ metal strappings Four car model wheels or something similar 220 volt sticker Bullet hole stickers Portable strobe light Hot glue sticks Gray latex Drylok...

A styrofoam tombstone is about the simplest prop you can make for your haunt assuming you don’t make it overly intricate, but sometimes even the simplest of props can take on a whole new life by adding a motor. Just ask Christoper, of Chris’ Crypt who has a really simple tutorial on how to turn your Styrofoam tombstone into a rocking tombstone.  You’ll need to build a wooden base to hold the tombstone on one end (pivot point) and the motor on the opposite side.  When you connect the cam to the tombstone the slow rotation of the motor will get your tombstone rocking back and forth.   Items needed to complete this include: Styrofoam tombstone Motor Wood for base 1/2″ piece pvc 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 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 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...

When the guys over at the Kingwood Asylum set out to build some scarecrows they had two real objectives in mind.  The first was to make something wickedly evil looking, while the second was not to spend a lot of money completing objective number one.  I would say their objectives were met with success.  These scarecrows are amazing looking, and judging from their parts list, didn’t cost too much per unit.  As creepy as it looks in the photos below, just imagine how amazing they’ll look at night with a little bit of creative lighting.   Items needed to complete this include: Elmers Wood Glue (1 large bucket) 10 metal coat hangers 2 rolls masking tape 1 marker Oodles of newspaper 2 pieces of pvc pipe 1 metal rod to go in the pvc pipe Wig Spray paint Shop These Materials on Amazon Instant Paper Mache Powder Mix 3.3 lbs Assorted 12" Latex Balloons 120-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...

In New Orleans the dead are buried above ground to avoid the graves filling with water and forcing the coffins floating to the surface, but did you know that heavy rains will still occasionally dislodge coffins in areas well above the water table?  And if you have any carpentry skills then DaveintheGrave’s tutorial on building a slim-line groundbreaker coffin will help you create this effect. This prop gives the freshly dislodged coffin look without having to build or bury a full coffin to get the effect (not to mention saving the storage space).   Items needed to complete this include: 1/2 or 1/4″ Plywood (About 4 square ft.) 1 X 2″ wood (About 5 ft.) 1″ Wood Screws (2) “L” Brackets Small wood screws Decorative Moulding (Optional) Flat Moulding (Optional) Stain or...

On Thursday August 22nd, ScaryVisions & HaunTopic Radio will be hosting the sixth in it’s Haunt Start-up 101 series of online seminars.  The sixth installment, Cheap Thrills: Marketing Wizardry for Your Haunt with Low (or No) Dough focuses on how to market your haunt cost effectively and get more people to your attraction.  Gail Strumberger who has been working in the the haunted attraction industry for over a decade will share her experience in launching and effectively marketing haunted attractions. The twenty dollar fee covers the hour and a half seminar, access to view the video recording forever, an mp3 download of the audio recording of the seminar as well as all downloads and material discussed in the seminar.  You’ll have to register to view the live event or recording.  After registration and purchase you’ll be given the instructions on how to attend the live event or the recording.     Gail Strumberger is President and Creative Director of Art Dogs, Inc., a Wisconsin entertainment corporation specializing in Halloween entertainment and education, publishing, music, and business consulting.  She launched 1031 Comics in 2012, which, among other things uses comic design as a promotional tool for Haunted Attractions.      ...

Thadeus Krane his wasted his life and fortune working on ways to beat death, and despite his many failed experiments, he’s still trying.  He’s even enlisted the help of his “failed” experiments, or “Defex”, to lure live specimens to “The Pit” to await their chance to help him in his quest.  Now it’s your turn to join the experiment as you descend 26 stories underground, where NO ONE can hear you scream! The Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern located in Chattanooga Tennessee is one of the most interesting haunted attractions you’ll come across.  You’ll actually head 260 feet below ground into Lookout Mountain and enter Thadeus Krane’s twisted world.  If you can survive the infected survivors of Krane’s experimentation while you’re in “The Pit”, you’ll be transported back to the surface for decontamination.  This is an intense haunt that starts the minute you get there, with actors roaming the parking lots to set the right tone.  And because it takes place both above and below ground it’s one of only a few haunts that can actually boast an experience in the “underworld”....

If terror ever needed a manufacturing plant wouldn’t Canton, Ohio be the logical place to put it?  And at the Factory of Terror, screaming is only the beginning.  This haunt resides in a 150,000 square foot abandoned aluminum foundry with the haunt occupying approximately 55,000 square feet of it.  For the second consecutive year, the 3,796 feet of terror-filled hallways that make up the Factory of Terror has been recognized as the “Longest Walk-Through Horror House” on the planet according to Guinness Book of World Records. This is a state of the art haunt, with four individual attractions offering intense audio and visual stimuli to send you over the edge.   This is the first mirror maze constructed strictly for the Halloween season in the U.S.  And will test your grip on reality.    The Factory itself tests your will to survive this ambitiously phrenetic audio visual treat.   Former Factory founder Mr. Terinz built a house in the middle of the production line.  When his unstable mind became too fragile for the demanding long hours the killing spree that followed gave birth to the Massacre on Mahoning.    Successful completion of the first three shows are rewarded with a 3-D experience that breaks the mold of clowns and silly...

Depending on who you ask, Erebus is either the son of Chaos and the brother of Nye (Night) in Greek mythology, or the darkness beneath the Earth that the dead must pass to reach Hades.  If you ask the people of Pontiac Michigan about Erebus, though, you’ll get the real answer: four stories of fear.  This massive haunted attraction is the former Guinness Book of World Records holder for the world’s largest walk through haunted house.   Inside Erebus you’ll get to see the world’s first fully functioning time machine, which was constructed by Dr. J. Colbert.  The time machine is largely considered a failure since, though it did transport test subjects through time, the time period they arrived in reacted to them as a virus and attacked.  And now it’s your turn to test the limits of the space time continuum as you work your way through time in what is an incredible feast for the eyes.  This is a high intensity haunt, and you will be dazzled by incredible effects and props, all of which are created in house.  You’ll encounter a tilting vortex tunnel, huge tarantula’s, werewolves that attack and even an enormous dinosaur head busting out of the wall.  No matter what definition you choose, Erebus is truly a one of a kind interactive experience that you do not want to miss....

Located in a 100 year old building the 15,000 square foot Baxter Avenue Morgue in Louisville, Kentucky has earned a reputation as one of the most realistically scary haunts around.  And well it should, the creepy location it resides in is thought by many of the haunt’s actors to be actually haunted.   The incredible backstory that accompanies this historic morgue will creep you out before you even set foot in the haunt, and once you do, prepare to see some gore.  The Baxter Avenue Morgue doesn’t rely on high end animatronics, choosing to focus instead on the location’s history as a former mortuary, which allows for some gruesome and disturbing scenes.  This, coupled with actors that are not afraid to reach right out and grab you leads to a high intensity haunt, one that you will not soon forget.  ...

“Laugh Cry Scream Or Die you will never forget your experience of the Corpse Barn Shock Haunt!” Oh Corpse Barn, you had me at Scream… Located in Jackson, Michigan the Corpse Barn is a high intensity haunt that will send you into sensory overload.  This haunt is an indoor walking haunt that is geared toward a more mature audience with an emphasis on “human?” interaction.  All ages are welcome, however, on the two special R Rated nights of September 28th and October 26th you must be 18 or older with an ID due to adult content and language....

Back for another season, the Chamber of Horrors haunt crew dares you to “Do something that scares you and enter the Chamber of Horrors“. This immersive haunted attraction will unnerve and captivate you as you come face to face with Porky the Butcher while trying to escape the men with chainsaws.   If you survive the horror that lies within the Chamber of Horrors you can relieve some of the anxiety by blasting some Zombies at the Chamber of Horrors Zombie Hunt. The only Haunted attraction in Wisconsin to provide the opportunity for all ages to enjoy paintball with out the return fire.     Located in Fall River, Wisconsin, the Chamber of Horrors haunt is a fundraiser for the Fall River Chamber of Commerce. The Fall River Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of businesses whose goal is to advance the commercial, industrial and civic interests in Fall River. The proceeds from the event go back into the...

Odyssey Fun World in Naperville, Illinois is home to paint ball, bumper cars, and some sort of gopher named Chipper.  And then October rolls around and there’s a good dose of terror added to the mix as The Massacre Haunted House opens it’s doors.     This haunted attraction offers 15,000 square feet of thrills as you make your way through over 35 rooms featuring more than 40 actors trying to “fear” you to your knees.  Fear Factory 3-D is a creeped out three dimensional adventure filled with intense colors and effects....

DarkSyde Acres Haunted House is 70,000 square feet of insanity brought to you by the creative forces at Bodybag Entertainment.  This 38 acre haunt extravaganza in Jonesville, Michigan is one of the largest Haunted houses in the Midwest and offers 7 incredible attractions. The Rusthole – Michigan’s Largest and Darkest Black Maze.  Terrorizing Scares await you around every corner, every Twist,  EVERYWHERE! The Catacombs – Buried deep beneath DarkSyde Acres, be prepared to be assaulted by the Zombie Hordes within the walls of The Catacombs. The Dark Abyss – Michigan’s Only Haunted Pirate ship has been Unearthed at Darksyde Acres Haunted house. Zombie Massacre Paintball – Michigan’s one and only Zombie Paintball Challenge where you can shoot live action Zombies with real Paintball guns. The Labyrinth – A family friendly outdoor maze for those too scared to enter the indoor haunted houses. Hayride at the DarkSyde – a family friendly hayride that is over 1 mile Long and full of Halloween fun! Death Race 2012 – Race your friends and family through an old graveyard driving one of our modified casket...

If you’ve constructed a mausoleum for your haunt or are just looking for something different for your cemetery you might want to give a look at the Spyderwood Crypt tutorial.   It’s a little bit more detailed of a build than the coffin that Spyderwood created, but it doesn’t seem significantly more difficult to build and shouldn’t prove to be much heavier than the coffin.     Items needed to create this include: 3 sheets of pink insulation foam 8 to 10 – 1 x 2″ lumber staples hotglue paint decorations hinges finishing...

The monster in a box prop has been done a million times, and it seems like each one is done just a little bit differently than the last one.  That’s ok, though, because they all operate using the same principle in which a spinning motor pushes a rod up forcing the top of the box to pop up and down creating the unsettling and startling effect.  Add a couple of eerie lights inside the box and possibly some fog and you’ve got a winner, and that’s exactly what CycloneJackHH did when he made his monster in a box tutorial.   http://youtu.be/IB9ewgh7Ads 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 no extra cost to...

If you’re a fan of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, and quite frankly, who isn’t, then you’re going to love the tutorial that KAM3152 penned for her blog DIY Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween Props.  The prop seems pretty simple to build, although I’m not sure I could successfully clothe a full size Jack Skellington quite as well as KAM3152 did.     Jack’s body is built using 1/2″ PVC frame while his head is crafted out of a foam floral ball.  The arms are a pair of prop skeleton arms from a party supply store, but if you don’t feel like purchasing hands for this build you can create your own Clay Skeletal Hands.  This prop ultimately comes down to the clothing, and if you can give Jack a proper looking suit, you’re going to have a great looking prop on your hands.   Items needed to complete this include but are not limited to: 18′ – 1/2″ PVC (approximately) 1 PVC T joint 1 PVC Cross Joint 2 – 45 degree or 90 degree PVC joints for shoulders/elbows Skeletal Hands Round floral ball Material for clothing 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...

The Breathing Grave tutorial we posted a while back is a favorite of many home haunters that visit us here at Haunters List, so the opportunity to post a video tutorial on this prop is not going to be missed.  The HollywoodHaunter made the aforementioned video tutorial for his incredible looking breathing grave prop (seriously, forget about the breathing part, I’d be happy if I could make a grave look as good as his).   The footage of this breathing grave in action is spectacular and should be considered a staple in any home haunters yard.   http://youtu.be/_FZNRxugm9Y 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 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...

About five years ago Mr. Chicken created a Madame Leota prop for his yard haunt.  It turned out fantastic and I’ve wanted to build my own ever since (yeah, I know, I’m a procrastinator).  Well, things have just gotten a little bit easier for me because Mr. Chicken has just taken care of a big portion of it for me, and boy does it look good.     Sybil the Clairvoyant is a new video projection effect kit offered by Mr. Chicken that includes the video as well as the head form you’ll need to get started.  The dvd includes two versions of the video projection, one which is just the head, the other includes the head and some eerie ghosts floating above Sybil for added effect.  The kits cost $55.00 plus $10.00 for shipping. I must admit, when I checked it out I figured I wouldn’t like it because, let’s face it, Madame Leota is a pretty tough benchmark to beat, but boy was I wrong.  Mr. Chicken has done a great job here, this video looks and sounds great, but what really makes it work is that it’s completely fresh content. Nobody’s ever seen Sybil before and I can guarantee you it’ll be more than just a head turner at your haunt.  Don’t get me wrong, I still plan on making a Madame Leota (one of these days), but until then, it’s really nice to have Sybil the Clairvoyant as an...