Thread: Quick Mausoleum Breakdown

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Because I cannot leave my props out overnight on Halloween, or they will likely get stolen (it's happened already), I need some advice on making my crypt/mausoleum quick and easy to dismantle. I'm building mine using Nephilim's great Crypt of the Phantasm plans...however, instead of screwing the walls together, I'd like to attach everything in a way that's quicker to dismantle...has anyone designed theirs in this fashion?
If you did, what kind of hardware did you use to connect the walls?

ive heard that magnetic locks can work....just wave a magnet over the area adn it unlocks.....

Ruggerz

It depends on what you consider quick and easy...I built a floor and used large bolts to thread through the floor into the 2X4 flame and then tightened the nuts on the bolts. It was totally solid (withstood the crazy Kansas windstorms that other props could not) and there is no WAY someone is walking off with that thing.

To disassemble, simply remove the nuts and tap the bolts through the wall frame. I also used small 'L' brackets in the top corners of the frame for extra stability, but I only needed small 1" screws to hold those.

If you build the four walls as seperate units, you can join the corners with door hinges on the inside. At the end of the night, you just go in, pull the hinge pins, and "presto" you can carry and stack your four wall segments.



The roof is just one more piece, like a pillar cap, that fits on top and comes right off. The roof doubles as a true form, helping to keep the four walls oriented at right angles.

I second TK421's suggestion...they're good solid connections, and it will take minutes to pull the whole thing apart.

hinges are what we used while building props at a party rental palace in San diego, makes folding em up real quick.

That sux someone would steal your props, I got nervous last year but no problems.

I like the hinge idea.. I used carriage bolts with nuts on my crypt.. And like eandersol said.. Mine being made completely out of wood made it very solid and stood up to very high winds and there is no way someone is going to easily walk off with something like that .

I think total mine probably tips the scales at 4-500 lbs

4x8 wall panels on both sides framed with 2x4s covered in OSB with a 8x8 front and then capped with roofing.. Takes about 30 mins to assemble / disassemble with a socket set.

another option could be bed rail connections. They simply hook together.

On the other hand. If you make it out of 2x4's it is going to be rather heavy. Are you sure someone is going to walk off with it?