[icetross911]

While I am struggling to come up with new ideas for 2012, see my post "Need Ideas for 2012 Haunt", one idea that I wanted to pursue was an alien scene. I have 3-four foot tall latex aliens and 3-twelve inch tall posable latex aliens that I would like to incorporate into an alien type scene for this year. I would like to build an inexpensive spaceship – does any have directions or “how-to” advice? I was thinking of trying to build a spaceship out of PVC pipe which I believe is doable, but I am lost on how to cover the skeleton PVC frame to make this look somewhat realistic. I am planning on adding lights and even a door that is open.

Any links on “how-to” build an alien spaceship? Any additional suggestions?

Thank you

 

[Saruman of Many Colours]

One way to cover the PVC structure might be with stretch- or shrink-wrap, which can be purchased in large rolls from Home Depot or Lowes. I suppose that you could then paint over the plastic wrap with white primer and whatever color you want the spaceship to be. With a light source inside, it might even glow somewhat, depending on the paint color.

 

[BeaconSamurai]

Check out Dave Lowes site, here made a great crashed UFO.

 

[Terror Tom]

You could cover the frame with some chicken wire and then cover the chicken wire with a silver tarp. Silver tarps and chicken wire aren't too terribly expensive.

 

[-neXus-]

As Tom said... cover it with chicken wire but instead of a silver tarp you can get the survival silver mylar blankets for cheap (12 for less than $20) and they are extremely reflective.

http://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Mylar-Blanket-Blankets-EB-12/dp/B000FWAX00

 

[Dminor]

Duct Tape. It takes to bends and odd shapes, is relatively inexpensive and super durable. If for anything you can use it to create your curves around the PVC frame and then use 1" foam on top to get that smooth alien spacecraft look.

Here's a link to the Dave Lowe build: http://davelowe.blogspot.com/2011/09/32-days-til-halloween-rooftop-ufo-team.html

 

[icetross911]

Here is my attempt and building an alien spaceship to hold a 4-foot high alien I bought this year. This is the skeleton of the ship which I plan to wrap in chicken wire and some sort of silver cover. I will post more as I progress.

 

[clu]

Old aluminum satellite dishes work great if you can find one. I used two 7 footers sandwiched together.

 

[chef]

Greetings haunters. I just launched an AREA 51 group to help share ideas and inspire others out there in the universe. Check it out, post some photos and share your thoughts. Love to see some more photos of the UFO build. Not too much it out there in the way of "full-scale" UFO's.

http://www.halloweenforum.com/groups/area-51.html

The truth is out there....

 

[Hilda]

I'll be watching!! I need an alien ship... but on a kiddie level. My haunt is for toddlers. It has to be cartoonish ~ Don't want them soiling their diapers.

I looked at the Dave Lowe roof crash spaceship and that is awesome! EXCEPT I can't seem to locate a finished pic. Bummer.

 

[i-Zombie]

If I can get this to work, I just uploaded some pics of our 34 foot diameter flying saucer taken during the build process. It holds about 6-8 people, has two scenes and a star wall. We use it to provide "alien ale" at our parties. To see the finished ship go to this link to see a VR movie with sound of the ship in our Halloween Barn www.unique-perspectives.biz/Hyde/H/BF/Tour.html

 

[Hilda]

HOLY (blank)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Growler]

I have to agree. HOLY () !!!!! I just don't want your ufo, I also want the barn! That thing is great and I mean both of them.

 

[chef]

I said to my friend <mouth gapping open>, "WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BARN!"

 

[Gym Whourlfeld]

I built my UFO last summer it takes off from my backyard with the push of a button. It is a metal mesh satellite dish, cut in half, put back together again so as you see it you only see one side, the backside is flat and open(because nobody sees this)
I covered the mesh with spray glue to hold the aluminum foil on to the steel mesh.
I built a superstructure for the top from conduit, bent rounded, filled in with sheet metal using pop rivets then some Bondo to smooth the edges.
I used some brassy lamp parts from a dumpster to effect some brilliant metallic look to this. They were cut in half length-wise and are numerous in number bridging the space from the sheet metal dome to the main body.
I used silver metal tape to hold a 1 1/2 diameter flexible plastic corrugated hose (for a sump pump)along the edge where the saucer halves meet.
Yes it does "Fly", it's in my backyard at The Ravens Grin Inn in Mount Carrol, Ill.
I am working on a second one made from a fiberglass satellite dish, much heavier, requiring more metal and drilling and welding brackets to hold it together, ex cetra.

 

[ITSINMYBLOOD]

We did our dry fit for our two UFO's today...finally picked up the last of our satellite dishes a few days ago, so thought we'd better make sure they were going to work according to plan. They are all in fairly rough shape so are in need of some patching/ painting/ accessories, then the fog and lighting effects of course. We scored a 40 foot radio/ tv tower (in 8 ft sections) so we have drilled holes in the two smaller dishes to attach the tower pole thru the dishes and they (our smaller 6 ft ufo) will be suspended 12 to 16 feet in the air, while our 12 foot ufo has landed in the middle of the crater in our back yard (our sunken firepit). I have attached a couple of pics, please excuse the junk around the yard (everything will be put away prior to the big reveal)...normally it is actualy quite pristine. Our neighbors are used to seeing what is normally one of the nicest yards in town transform into the local junkyard this time of year, but hey it's Halloween. Please remember these are the raw goods, I will be sure to post more pics as the build progresses.

This (first pic) was a five minute job for hubby and I...two 12' mesh satellite dishes, base from our fire pit, and a truck ramp. Lots of painting and patching to do on this one to repair tears in the mesh. Once we add the lighting , accessories and the fog effects she'll be good as new.

The next pics are of the small ufo that will be seemingly "suspended" in mid air. The radio tower will be painted matte black and the ufo silver, then just the lights and accessories to add before we stand her up (we stood her up today when we did the dry fit, and even with only one 8ft section, it looks great, but the hubby thinks we need to up at least another four feet, but we'll see

 

[ITSINMYBLOOD]

We did our dry fit for our two UFO's today...finally picked up the last of our satellite dishes a few days ago, so thought we'd better make sure they were going to work according to plan. They are all in fairly rough shape so are in need of some patching/ painting/ accessories, then the fog and lighting effects of course. We scored a 40 foot radio/ tv tower (in 8 ft sections) so we have drilled holes in the two smaller dishes to attach the tower pole thru the dishes and they (our smaller 6 ft ufo) will be suspended 12 to 16 feet in the air, while our 12 foot ufo has landed in the middle of the crater in our back yard (our sunken firepit). I have attached a couple of pics, please excuse the junk around the yard (everything will be put away prior to the big reveal)...normally it is actualy quite pristine. Our neighbors are used to seeing what is normally one of the nicest yards in town transform into the local junkyard this time of year, but hey it's Halloween. Please remember these are the raw goods, I will be sure to post more pics as the build progresses.

This (first pic) was a five minute job for hubby and I...two 12' mesh satellite dishes, base from our fire pit, and a truck ramp. Lots of painting and patching to do on this one to repair tears in the mesh. Once we add the lighting , accessories and the fog effects she'll be good as new.


View attachment 128260

The next pics are of the small ufo that will be seemingly "suspended" in mid air. The radio tower will be painted matte black and the ufo silver, then just the lights and accessories to add before we stand her up (we stood her up today when we did the dry fit, and even with only one 8ft section, it looks great, but the hubby thinks we need to up at least another four feet, but we'll see

View attachment 128261 View attachment 128262

We added the paint onto our two smaller dishes today...amazing what a coat of paint can do.

 

[Julian]

Attached is a photo of a flying saucer prop. It uses a PVC geodesic dome as the turrent, and a trampoline for the disc.