My Hearse

**dalgar** · 08-19-2009,02:58 PM

OK Folks. I have been working on this for a month now and it is almost finished.
OK so I can't seem to get photobucket to work, so try this: Pictures by damonhaunt - Photobucket

I am going to install coach lanterns I got at homedepot for 14.00 ea this weekend with a flicker circuit.
Left to do
Final coat of High Gloss black finish
Add "brass" decorations on sides.

Not in the pic are the back door and plexiglass windows. The plexi costs more than glass, but is a lot lighter.

This is designed so that four bolts hold the sides together along with the bottom/top of carriage. The front seat area is bolted to the front of the box.

This way I can take it down after halloween for easy storage. More pics to come.
Can't wait for the 31st. I have a lot of people stopping by every weekend to watch the progress.

**Finn** · 08-19-2009,03:51 PM

Looks good so far. Keep up with the play by play.

**Sychoclown** · 08-19-2009,08:34 PM

Nice job, by the way I add my pics to a album in the user/cp on this site and link from that.

**litemareb4xmas** · 08-19-2009,08:54 PM

Nice, I like what you did with the seating on the front, that's my project for tomorrow, wish I had your wheels.

**TheGraveyardCareTaker** · 08-20-2009,10:30 AM

Looks really good. I myself am going to give a hearse prop a shot, so seeing your pictures will help in my project.

**dalgar** · 08-20-2009,03:14 PM

I got the wheels from Harbor Freight. They only had 36" wheels so I got 4, otherwise I would have gotten 2 42" and 2 36"

Materials so far:
5 4x8 sheets of 3/8ths plywood... lighter this way.
2 2x4x8
several 1/2x1x8 bundled at home depot about 15.00 per bundle for 15
4 36" wheels at harbor freight
4 casters so I can roll it around. The wheels are not load bearing
2 36"x 6' sheets plexiglass (expensive 45.00 per sheet at home depot but much lighter than glass)
4 Finials
2 Coach Lanterns at Home Depot for 14.99 Both brass

2 gallons flat black
1 gallon gloss (these come in quarts only. I used rustoleum)
2 cans brass spray paint
2 9' dark brown extension cords for lanterns.
2 FS-2 for flicker circuit (see other post in tutorials)
decorative molding (pictures to come) can be found at home depot and lowes.

I cut the bed and top of the box at 6'1". framed the top and bottom outsides with 1/2x1. This provides the bottom and top "slot" for the sides.

The walls are 4'. Made less cutting that way. I only needed to cut for width this way.

Cut the front and back walls first. Make sure they fit between the rails of the bottom of the bed.

Next measure very carefully. I took a piece of scrap ply and drew a line at the front and back where the panels would go. Then measure between those two lines.

Cut both long sides to that measurement.

I can't describe the next step without getting you very confused so I will post pictures this weekend of all the pieces laid out. This step will allow you to but all the panels together and use the bolts.

Windows.
I measured one foot from each side of the long panel. Then drew a center line on the height side. Layed out the plexiglass on the center line and drew a line around that. I then measured 1" inside that all around and that was my cut line. This allows for a 1" overlap inside the box so I could attach the plexiglass.

Legs. The legs are all 34 1/2" high. This allows for the 2 1/2" casters. This makes the legs stand 37" high. I did this so I could ensure a 1" clearance between the bottom of the wheels and the ground. It should give it the illusion of rolling. Next year I will attach a motor and pully system to make the wheel rotate.

Coach Seat

I took the cut out pieces of the window panels and clamped them together. I then drew the pattern for the sides of the seat and cut them out at the same time with a jigsaw. This ensured they had the same flaws

Then it was a matter of using all the scraps the build the floors.

This means everything you see is done with 5 sheets of plywood. Very little waste. I have plenty of ply left over for smaller projects. I hate waste.

It took 2 gallons of flat black to paint the entire thing.

So this weekend I will be mounting the brass lanterns and decorative molding. Should basically be done. I still need to find the cloth for the inside. Wife is working that.

I will be posting more pics this weekend. This has been one long but fun project.

**Scatterbrains** · 08-20-2009,05:22 PM

Nice start...keep the pics coming.

You should move this over to the Hearse Tutorial..they're looking for someone to lead it and you're well on the way.

**dalgar** · 08-24-2009,11:22 AM

OK folks. I've added two more pics.
This weekend I applied two coats of Gloss Black. Took one quart of Rust-oleum Gloss black.

Added the decorative "brass" molding. These were obtained from Home Depot and spray painted with brass. Came out great.

Added the Coach Lanterens, again from Home Depot. 14.99 ea.

Added the casters on the legs.

Left to do:
Add wheels.
Add interior bedding and curtains.

After that disassemble and put away until haunt day. Next year I will add much more.

This has been one fun project.

Please note that anyone doing this that wants a real smooth finish will need to use finished ply. This is much more expensive than rough cut ply. But if you have the funds it will vastly improve the finish.

Halloween Forum - dalgar's Album: Hearse - 2009 - Picture