Thread: First Halloween prop plans

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This project is a big one. I have decided my theme this year will be nightmare before christmas! I want a big Christmas tree for the front yard myabe about 12 ft. The question is how to make it? I have and idea that the trunk can be a thick thing of pvc pipe but than how do I create the branches. The Idea of the tree is for it to be very spacey and dead alot like the on in Ball Room during Haunted Mansion Holiday at the HM. this is a pic of it. Although, I would want it to look a little more like a christmas tree.

Any ideas are welcome!!

PVC, chicken wire, monster mud, paint!!!!!!

or go out to the landfill and see if there are still some big christmas trees there haul it home.let it dry out in that good ole texas sun for a couple months then trim it as you see fit. Or cut off branches on some trees and do the same thing then make a suitable trunk for it.

well Big Lots went 75% off here and still has some trees left....

Go get the tallest tree there. Then go to Lowes and get a top rail for a chain link fence and a "sleeve". Hopefully the artificial tree will fit into the sleeve and then can get raised on top of the top rail. That'll put you at about 16 - 17 ft.

you could always shorten that top rail and drill holes in it, then take the artificial tree branches and insert them into the holes to space things out.

Oh yeah, get one of those green fence posts to ddrive into the ground and make sure the fence rail slides over it...that should keep it steady...

everything I mentioned would probably cost you $25

Thanks guys. I thought about the monster mud but I think it may be alittle difficult to store when I need it to. I was outside last night when I noticed we have about 8 trees that need to be cut really bad so I'm thinking I might be able to use the branches from that. I'm thinking I just kind of taper the branches as the go up? Anybody know the best way to insert the branches? I was just thinking to drill some holes and than shove in the branches. I'm also hoping that the PVC wil bend at thop or middles so that the tree will kind of twisted and leaning.

The one down side of using parts of a real tree I think would the longevity of the prop. If you only want it for the one year then no prob. As for the PVC portion, if you want it a bit crooked, think about getting some of those angle connections. I believe you can get 45 degree angles.

You could make it out of doll rods, coat hangers, broom handle and paper mache. Not to say that this is going to be easy but it could work.

Use the Broom handle or even 1" PVC for the main structure of the tree. Then drill holes all around the PVC for the doll rods which will act as the braches of the tree. Then using the coat hagers (cut them to different sizes and either hot glue them to the doll rods or wrap the coat hanger around the doll rod. Once the tree is done, cover it in Paper Mache and paint it black. If you have never worked with paper mache before try and find some websites that show you tricks and tips for using paper mache. Chances are they will teach you how to make your paper mache look like bark on a tree.

Hope this helps, if you need more help or don't understand something just let me know.

if it were me.. id use my actual fake christmas tree but leave big soaces out in between to make it look like the movie's.