Thread: Need help with pumpkin thrower from the grave

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I'm trying to figure out an effective way to realize an idea I have, hence the call for help.

My cemetery is dedicated to the Headless Horseman. I'd like to have him reaching out from the grave preparing to throw a pumpkin at the passers-by. I was looking today at various props at the stores like Halloween Express, etc. for something strong enough to adapt, but didn't come up with a good idea. One of the grave hands seems sturdy enough, but I don't think it'll bend w/o breaking. The groundbreakers, skeletal (which would be okay) or otherwise are no where near sturdy enough.

I could probably get away with a long horseman's glove that I could light with an LED, but I'd need a good way to support the pumpkin unobtrusively. Coat hangers ain't going to cut it, and I'd want the fingers to curve around the pumpkin. It'd still be a bit short, however, as a glove doesn't go quite far enough.

Any ideas, O warlocks and witches of the haunt?

Are you talking a real pumpkin?

Lightweight plastic fake ones shouldn't be a problem. I'm having trouble picturing what you have in mind.

Yup - a real one. The idea is the Horseman is reaching out of his grave to throw the pumpkin at passersby, as is his wont.

To that end, I need a hand/arm cocked in a throwing position (hand cupping pumpkin, arm slightly bent) strong enough to support a real pumpkin. The pumpkin itself doesn't have to be a 25 pounder, but something slightly smaller than head size - say 7-9 inches in diameter. Estimating about 10-14 lbs in weight to be on the safe side.

Once I have the arm/stand, I'll put my pumpkin on it with a suitably sinister face and install my green flame pumpkin burner in the jack

Thanks for any help!

could you use a long glove with rebar inside of it?

Why not just carve a foam pumpkin and put a green LED in it. It would be much more lightweight.

I'd say just have arm stuck out, palm flat enough for the pumpkin to rest comfortably (even using an invisible piece of board or something to balance if necessary, and the fingers over the pumpkin. Make it like an armature with a glove over it, using a stake to keep the hand from toppling provided you could figure out a way to hide it. I'd also make some kind of chest and shoulders part sticking up so one can tell what it's suppose to be.

So a gravestone with the Headless Horseman's arm and hand being ready to throw a small pumpkin. I agree with a "fake" foamular pumpkin. It would be much more light weight. As for the arm, maybe PVC? The Hand is where I'm stumped. If I think of something I'll get back to the thread.

That seems to be the common theme - interesting to know I'm not the only one that can't quite see how to make it happen.

I'm stuck on a real one - a green led doesn't have the same effect as real green flame burning out the top of a pumpkin. For now, I think I'll just suspend it a bit over the grave to get the point across.

I can see the rebar idea, but I don't have the tools to bend or otherwise manipulate rebar.