OK, I'm a bozo. I saw a post showing how to get 9 or 10 tombstones from a single sheet of 4x8 foam a few weeks ago when I was concentrating on other stuff and I was too dumb to bookmark it. I don't remember anything about it except it had a sweet schematic on graph paper for laying out the stones to have the least possible waste while getting the most variety of shape. There were two different layouts shown. I can't seem to get the right search terms to bring it up. does anyone know what I'm talking about? If so, could you please direct me to it? Also, if you know of *other* places for me to find this kind of info, I'd really appreciate hearing about that, too. Geez it's hard being dim sometimes Thanks loads.

Here 'ya go:
Image of Each square is 1\".The black marks on the edge are every 3\".I can get either 9 or ten out of this depending on whether or not I use E as a his/hers or make it into two seperate.G will be glued together to make a stylized cross. - Photobucke

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How-to's for all kinds of props: http://www.halloweenforum.com/album.php?u=20959
Videos at my YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Scaryladyvideos

Here's some other neat templates:
Tombstone Templates

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How-to's for all kinds of props: http://www.halloweenforum.com/album.php?u=20959
Videos at my YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Scaryladyvideos

Way cool Thanks!

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Darius: Dark Overlord of my front yard
Olde Oaks Manor
http://the-darius.blogspot.com/

Terra's the tombstone Queen!!

Anyone know where to get some templates in a vector format so they are scaleable. like adobe corel autocad etc.

I have a 24" Inkjet and would like to print them 1:1 and then transfer to styro.

Anyone have any thought on best way to transfer them? glue the paper to the styro? tape it? then use a pattern transfer wheel?

Thanks
Mike

I love your idea of the pattern transfer wheel. That would be a perfect tool for foam. For small detail work (including epitaphs), I traced over the pattern hard with a pen and that leaves an impression as well. You then remove the pattern and you can see the impression when you tilt the foam to the light. Then I just re-traced the impression with a pen.

Here's a tracing wheel if no one has ever seen one before:


Here's another tool I used, a Flexicurve. You bend it into the curve you like. Then mark your start and end points on the tombstone and draw your line. Then flip it over and repeat the line on the other side:



I also used French curves to get a good arc going. They can be tricky to use but those curves are great!



I didn't use that template for the overall shape of the tombstone so I don't know how I would scale it other than the old squared method. If you are a bit handy with drawing, I would just use the template as a framework for how much of the foam sheet you can use for one tombstone and design your own. I think it would be easier in the long run.

DarkStar: Thanks . To be honest, before I started my tombstones I looked all over the net and looked what other people did and took the best ideas and added some of my own. I do that sort of thing for every project I take on. You can call me The Improver That's how I roll....

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How-to's for all kinds of props: http://www.halloweenforum.com/album.php?u=20959
Videos at my YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/Scaryladyvideos

Cool.

I guess I could use corel and draw a pattern out and them print and transfer. If one does not have a large format printer one could tile print it, tape it together for the same effect.

I will give it a try. Thanks

If you've got access to any sort of projector (even the little $15 craft projectors you see at your local craft store), you could easily scale any image. I used my home theater projector and made super quick work of it.

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Recipe for haunting success-

Artist's eyes, surgeon's hands, and the heart of a child.

Ditto, I do the same...