Thread: 13 foot Grim Reaper - 3 days before!

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Am I crazy to try and come up with a 13' grim reaper 3 days before the big day? I told myself that I was done with all off my props last night but I saw my basketball hoop just standing there, daring me to use it as a prop.

At the last minute (4:00 this afternoon), I decided to see what I could come up with. I ran out to Menards and picked up a couple rolls of landscape fabric for $5.98 each. These were able to cover most of the reaper but I need one more roll to finish off the hood.

Before: 5:30pm


After I finished the body... around 7:30pm. The top of the backboard (base of it's neck) is 10' high and I figure I may need another 3 foot for the top of the hood.



Obviously I don't have the head finished yet and I plan to do that tomorrow (weather permitting). I think I'm just going to do a large hood with no face. I may paint a face if I don't like the black void but I'll have to see when it's all finished.

We have a very long driveway so I went out to the front sidewalk and it's very noticable, even from across the street so this should assure some traffic to the Gruesome Garage.

The night pictures are pretty dark so I'll be sure and post some from the day when it's finished.

Sometimes, last minute decisions are the best. That looks great even without the head. Can't wait to see it finished!

looking good ready to see it finished

Great idea with the basketball hoop. What a good use of something that is just sitting there. I bet nobody will even know what that is under the reaper. Menards is a lifesaver!!!!

Just took these at lunch and I'll need to wait and finish the head when it quits raining.

Anyway, the lighting was a bit better and you get a better representation of what it will look like.



This one is a little more than 1/2 way down my driveway toward the sidewalk. I can't wait to see what the head will look like!

Lookin' good! Are you going to beef up the hands with more twigs/branches and paint them white as well? I'll bet he looks great with a slight breeze moving his robes! Maybe get a couple "taplights" for his eyes? Very impressed with the use of items already found around the house. Can't wait to see it complete!

Looks fantastic, but I think you're selling the prop short. If it's a standard basketball hoop, it's 13' to the top of the backboard. So once it has a head on it, it should stand closer to 16'. Great work!

Looks really menacing, being that large!
Great idea!

Thanks everyone and I'm glad now that I tackled the project so late.

Yes I was just thinking about hands as a matter of fact and I have a bunch of 1/2" PVC insulation left so I'm sure I can make some bones out of those and maybe slide them on wire coat hangers so I can bend them anyway I want. Then paint them white and that should do it...

Actually I lowered the hoop (kids liked it that way) and so the very top of the backboard is 10 foot right now so with the top of the head when it's finished, should be 12-13'. Does that sound right proportionately? I don't want it to be too big or small to throw it all off.

I'm still not sure if I'll include a face or not. I may just see what the darkness under the hood looks like and if it's missing something, I may paint a face to finish it off. The taplights are a good idea and maybe even stick a battery strobe under there?

This has been a fun prop to build and given more time, I think I could've really beefed it up. And you're right Boodini, when the wind blows, the flowing robe is pretty cool!

Great idea and it looks really good.

How about a big inflatable beach ball or a garbage bag filled with newspaper for the head? Just paint it grey or black and paint a face on it. Cheap, fast and simple.