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I just aged a bucky and Lindberg skull using my new favorite aging medium: Minwax Gel Stain in Aged Oak (602).



I applied a very light coat of stain with a rag and quickly brushed it off to create an antique look to the skulls. I used a brush to apply the stain into crevices, around the teeth, and hard to reach areas and quickly wiped away any excess. To create a light dirty look to...

One element that had been missing from my pirate-themed yard haunt was a skeletal helmsman, as seen in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. I had extra bluckies (blow-molded skeletons) lying around, but I didn't have a nautical wheel, a motor, or the expertise on how to animate this prop.

After scouring HalloweenForum.com, I came across several home-fashioned helmsman props and ideas on how to incorporate a windshield wiper motor to animate this prop.

I started...

Once the fabric is attached to the board and trimmed, you can mount the swords. Push the wire from the bottom through the hole and the fabric, wrap it around the sword, and push it down through the fabric

and the next hole. Wrap the wire tightly to secure the swords.

A trick for hiding one of the wires is to position the bottom wire for the bottom sword at the spot where the top sword overlaps the bottom sword.
...

Next, lay out where on the board you would like to position the swords and your Gemmy skull, and mark the positions of (a) where you want to mount the swords (ideally two locations for each sword), (b)

where the round protrusions on the bottom of your skull come in contact with the board (for mounting the skull on the board), and (c) four points adjacent to the loops also on the bottom of the skull (for

securing the skull with wire). I suggest using wire to secure...

So you've got a Gemmy skull and you're feeling bored. Well, put it to good use and create your very own talking pirate skull plaque--you know, like the one in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.


First, you'll need some materials. More specifically, you'll need a wooden...