Hi everyone! This year I volunteered to do the props for my daughter's marching band because the theme of the show is Toil and Trouble. I had the idea to make a giant witch cauldron and some spooky trees using mostly paper mache. The requirements are that the props are lightweight enough to move on and off the field quickly, easy to breakdown to fit in the band trailer, and won't kill me trying to get it all built. The cauldron has me stumped. We need it to be large enough to be seen from the stands so I'm thinking 6 feet tall/6 ft diameter with a rolling pallet platform underneath. I would like to put a fog machine and green string lights inside of it and run that with an inverter/ battery hookup. That's a lot of paper mache! Are there any other materials I could use to make it? Anything im missing? Thanks everyone!
Jlsdaisies
Ginormous witch cauldron
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I found a really old thread where someone else did this exact thing and was selling it! Very unlikely to still have it now, and they haven't been around since they posted it (back in 2016) but you can at least see an example of their HUGE car-sized cauldron looking at the pics:
www.halloweenforum.com
For a 6 foot prop, I'd likely not want to use paper mache just because it would be sooooo very very time consuming and unlikely to dry for weeks if you got the layers thick enough to withstand moving.
Does it have to be seen from all sides (so fully round) or would the seating be just in the front so it could it be a large cut out flat piece with lighting/fogger behind it? Because you could easily cut out a LARGE piece of foamcore (4 foot x 8 foot sheets available in places like Home Depot or Lowes) and painted (just don't use spray paints as they melt foam/styro). Glue down to lightweight plywood structure for more stability and able to rig up a folding footing/stand on the backside.
But if you are really wanting a fully rounded version... maybe pick up a couple of baby plastic wading pools and use one as the top/mouth of the cauldron (paint black obviously and it would be the perfect depth to hold a fogger/lights and also easy access), one as a base with some 1x1 or 2x2 wood posts attaching them together at top/bottom creating a cylinder base for the rounded structure, then create the rounded side ribs from cardboard (fridge/appliance boxes - ask at home improvement stores and might be able to score for free) and then skin the whole thing with black plastic table cloths (check out your local dollar store, but thicker would be better so maybe black landscaping fabric?). I'm picturing a lightweight structure, but should be pretty stable I would think. I'm basing the general build off a smaller version in this tutorial:
www.halloweenforum.com
I'd have a way to get to the inside or glue something on the inside bottom area that gives it a little bit of weight so it doesn't fall over/shift if the weather is windy, but you also could cut out a smaller diameter section from the top baby pool and have a REALLY deep cauldron for reals and just need a step ladder to drop things into it and remove them when it's ready to be put up.
Static: - Giant Witch's Cauldron
Used as a prop for last year's marching band show. Looking for best offer. Come and pick it up. We're located in Columbus, Indiana. Phone 812-322-9212 Photos attached.
www.halloweenforum.com
For a 6 foot prop, I'd likely not want to use paper mache just because it would be sooooo very very time consuming and unlikely to dry for weeks if you got the layers thick enough to withstand moving.
Does it have to be seen from all sides (so fully round) or would the seating be just in the front so it could it be a large cut out flat piece with lighting/fogger behind it? Because you could easily cut out a LARGE piece of foamcore (4 foot x 8 foot sheets available in places like Home Depot or Lowes) and painted (just don't use spray paints as they melt foam/styro). Glue down to lightweight plywood structure for more stability and able to rig up a folding footing/stand on the backside.
But if you are really wanting a fully rounded version... maybe pick up a couple of baby plastic wading pools and use one as the top/mouth of the cauldron (paint black obviously and it would be the perfect depth to hold a fogger/lights and also easy access), one as a base with some 1x1 or 2x2 wood posts attaching them together at top/bottom creating a cylinder base for the rounded structure, then create the rounded side ribs from cardboard (fridge/appliance boxes - ask at home improvement stores and might be able to score for free) and then skin the whole thing with black plastic table cloths (check out your local dollar store, but thicker would be better so maybe black landscaping fabric?). I'm picturing a lightweight structure, but should be pretty stable I would think. I'm basing the general build off a smaller version in this tutorial:
How to make a Large Cauldron.
So here is a project inspired (copied from) by SKAustin. It is essentially a large rope handled bin with the rope removed. I then needed to make a bunch of ribs to create the cauldron shape. Taking the time to make a great template was key! I then acquired some heavy duty / thick cardboard...
www.halloweenforum.com
I'd have a way to get to the inside or glue something on the inside bottom area that gives it a little bit of weight so it doesn't fall over/shift if the weather is windy, but you also could cut out a smaller diameter section from the top baby pool and have a REALLY deep cauldron for reals and just need a step ladder to drop things into it and remove them when it's ready to be put up.
Wow. 6' across AND tall is one big cauldron!
I looked at Tractor Supply, and they make very large stock tanks but they are hard to move (there is no way to break them down). Then I checked their hay feeders, and found this which is 54" diameter:
But it is still $500. How do you feel about making a frame from flexible PVC pipe? The black stuff that gets used for irrigation can bend and comes in large coils. Saddle Tees would let you have legs to support the top rim X" above the bottom rim. Chicken wire could support the 'skin' of the cauldron, and the skin would be heavy black plastic heat shrunk into place or paper mache like you mentioned or ... fiberglass.
Alternative idea to one giant cauldron ... something a little more Blue Man Group ... can you put cauldron shaped skins around some of the drums? They probably have their routine all set so it is probably a no-go but if there was a way to have the drummers hitting the cauldrons as they spewed colored smoke that would be awesome.
Definitely a tough challenge here.
I looked at Tractor Supply, and they make very large stock tanks but they are hard to move (there is no way to break them down). Then I checked their hay feeders, and found this which is 54" diameter:
But it is still $500. How do you feel about making a frame from flexible PVC pipe? The black stuff that gets used for irrigation can bend and comes in large coils. Saddle Tees would let you have legs to support the top rim X" above the bottom rim. Chicken wire could support the 'skin' of the cauldron, and the skin would be heavy black plastic heat shrunk into place or paper mache like you mentioned or ... fiberglass.
Alternative idea to one giant cauldron ... something a little more Blue Man Group ... can you put cauldron shaped skins around some of the drums? They probably have their routine all set so it is probably a no-go but if there was a way to have the drummers hitting the cauldrons as they spewed colored smoke that would be awesome.
Definitely a tough challenge here.
I have one that I am looking to sell. It is 36" in diameter, but it's a little more professional, since it's built out of fiberglass. It has LED lights, and foggers built in it also.
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