Encouragement!
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7,208 Posts
And remember:"There is more than one way to skin a cat!"
(If you don't know? ask the DOG! )
Don't have the funds to do what you really want to do? Think outside the tool box! Nails are cheaper than screws.
Nothing wrong with second-hand lumber that a saw or a sander can't fix.
i have built many things with second-hand lumber all because I know how to pull nails out and saw off the rotted ends of the boards!
Never prize a really old taxidermied Critter because bugs will have infested it unless whoever previously had it had it Quick-Freezed at least once every two years.
Before you load up an old rug someone else put out at the curb, roll it out and check for holes, stains and a midget's dead bodies!
(If you don't know? ask the DOG! )
Don't have the funds to do what you really want to do? Think outside the tool box! Nails are cheaper than screws.
Nothing wrong with second-hand lumber that a saw or a sander can't fix.
i have built many things with second-hand lumber all because I know how to pull nails out and saw off the rotted ends of the boards!
Never prize a really old taxidermied Critter because bugs will have infested it unless whoever previously had it had it Quick-Freezed at least once every two years.
Before you load up an old rug someone else put out at the curb, roll it out and check for holes, stains and a midget's dead bodies!
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1,848 Posts
Greenwick, I thought I was crazy for doing projects right now. This year I put together a "junk" list. All the goofy parts and things I can use for my prop building. Sent it out to all my friends. Some of them have come through for me with items. Perfect time to ask with Spring cleaning coming up. You never know what's lying around in someone's basement or garage that they would be glad to get rid of. Nothing better to jump start your project than freebies from friends.
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7,208 Posts
This town i live in has always had a population heavy with the elderly and I discovered many of them would have some sort of an exercise bike/machine covered with dust. I made one such pedaling machine into my full-house doorbell. A small electric motor made the "Handle bars move back and forth, beating on a large old steel fuel oil drum in my basement. (Like a huge Indian "Tom-tom" )
Of course this product was made from weak steel and everything on it I was reusing all eventually fell apart.
then I mounted a1/2 HP electric motor swinging a short but thick chain against the old oil barrel! Now we had LOUD! and SCARY!
I made a heavy duty shield to contain any parts breaking or loosening from this device , and the shield was needed a few times.
Now that big barrel gets filled with living bodies called "My Patrons!" insert evil laugh here ~~~~
Of course this product was made from weak steel and everything on it I was reusing all eventually fell apart.
then I mounted a1/2 HP electric motor swinging a short but thick chain against the old oil barrel! Now we had LOUD! and SCARY!
I made a heavy duty shield to contain any parts breaking or loosening from this device , and the shield was needed a few times.
Now that big barrel gets filled with living bodies called "My Patrons!" insert evil laugh here ~~~~
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1,240 Posts
This is all you need...
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4,484 Posts
Not worried about motivation.....worried about weather, So I am finding other projects to do that aren't Halloween related so that when the weather gets nice I can do Halloween stuff and will have the other projects done and more importantly, out of my head
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764 Posts
I started working on props in November, still going, slowed down a bit due to the weather, I have a shop set up in the basement
where im working on stuff. I have completed 8 cemetary pillars and im painting them now. I have all the wood for the cemetary
fencing and will start putting them together soon. I just keep telling myself to make it happen, no excuses like I did the last 2 years
of planning props and never following through. This time im going to succeed!
where im working on stuff. I have completed 8 cemetary pillars and im painting them now. I have all the wood for the cemetary
fencing and will start putting them together soon. I just keep telling myself to make it happen, no excuses like I did the last 2 years
of planning props and never following through. This time im going to succeed!
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343 Posts
Matrixmom has the right idea - take action when you're in the mood. We're still far enough out to still have fun with planning and wild ideas. For encouragement look back at some older photos or videos of your haunt. I had my uplifting moment last week when some kids were biking by and said to each other "that's the Halloween house." Still got a smile on my face for that one 
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396 Posts
Hell, I'm still trying to figure out what and how I'm adding for this years. Only major idea so far is to use my green laser sky maker as a false floor about foot high then have a skeleton or something pop up out of the false floor look. Other than that no other ideas right now.
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7,208 Posts
I have a small open area where people leave the house, then walk back into it just 10 feet away, BUT this route is for Winter when the backyard has to be ignored, I began thinking of the work i could save if i just built a roof over this gap. snow, ice, mud would be eliminated all things i have to handle in bad weather.
Then I think some more:"If I build just a roof, it will create a haven, Birds nesting and bats and possibly even Raccoons because up under that roof would be a nice place to be.dammitt!
Sometimes when i walk into the local lumber store the first thing i as them is:"Where might I find some ambition?"
"Sorry, this Real lazy guy just came in and bought it all, for his Wife."
Then I think some more:"If I build just a roof, it will create a haven, Birds nesting and bats and possibly even Raccoons because up under that roof would be a nice place to be.dammitt!
Sometimes when i walk into the local lumber store the first thing i as them is:"Where might I find some ambition?"
"Sorry, this Real lazy guy just came in and bought it all, for his Wife."
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1,953 Posts
I always put things off, so this year, I CAN'T do that.
We are losing our wheelchair ramp, so I'm not positive that the ToTs will still want to walk the length of the porch for the parlor scene, but I'm going to decorate it anyway, just in case (and because I like it, darn it!).
We are losing our wheelchair ramp, so I'm not positive that the ToTs will still want to walk the length of the porch for the parlor scene, but I'm going to decorate it anyway, just in case (and because I like it, darn it!).
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2,939 Posts
I have finally come to the conclusion that if I start anything Halloween related this early I will be completely over it before October even arrives. I think my best projects have been the ones that I come up with at the last minute anyway, so I am done with forcing myself to work on Halloween out of season or when I just don't feel like it. Just thought I'd throw this out there as I imagine I'm not the only one with this mind set.
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210 Posts
Up until recently I've been SO ignorant of the haunt community and ALL the ideas and techniques.
It's been sensory/information overload- SO MANY options have fed into indecisiveness.
SO - I've been working on computer models of potential mechanical workings, and slowly building an inventory of tools/materials to test out.
Can't wait for the weather to break - I'm feeling a bit like this guy:
![leash.jpg]()
It's been sensory/information overload- SO MANY options have fed into indecisiveness.
SO - I've been working on computer models of potential mechanical workings, and slowly building an inventory of tools/materials to test out.
Can't wait for the weather to break - I'm feeling a bit like this guy:
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4,484 Posts
Although my goal is to lean waaaaaaay forward this year...I can relate to your conclusion. Last year I added a drop panel to my haunt on October 31st. Remember, Hallloween was on a Saturday and I built it while watching the Huskers game. I barely had it in place when the ToTs starting showing up and it was quite effective.
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121 Posts
We try to start smaller projects for our party in the colder month, that way when the weather breaks we can work on larger items in the garage. Well this year I have our invited done and nothing else. Right after I got the invites done Me and the party crew got into a funk and I really didn't want to work on anything else. It was almost to the point of cancelling the party (even though I spent all that time on the invites already). Me and the party crew and back on the up and up, but I can't get my motivation back. Any Encouragement would be great.
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12 Posts
After years of procrastination, I'm finally going to finish my Slenderman prop!
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