[kculbert]

I apologize for the wordiness but I have a vision and am having a hard time seeing the forest through the trees.

I am planning on turning my long and narrow hallway into the Paris Catacombs (with a little bit of the Sicilian ones thrown in for good measure). I have cut foam insulation panels to fit the walls and have been busy making half skulls using Great Stuff and hollow plastic skulls cut in half as molds. I totally have this part down. The problem is that I want my catacombs to have other bones mixed in with the skulls to add texture and interest.

Like this:

http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/homepage-catacombs-official-website

I am wondering how I can mass produce additional bones to get the look I want? The bones need to be VERY light weight and cheap to make. I have some femurs and a bag of bones but they are resin and very heavy. Plus I will need a ton of them to finish the project and they are too expensive. I thought about papier mache but it would be very time consuming and not sure I could make them look real.

I have watched videos but just can't seem to wrap my mind around mold making. What is the EASIEST way to make a mold that I can then cast using Great Stuff or something else light weight? I assume I need a hard mold to keep the Great Stuff in check. I tried using a brush on latex (which took forever) and then setting it in plaster so it would keep its shape. Nope. Also tried the latex and then plaster wrap. Nope. Can I just use releasing agent and set the bones directly in the plaster to make a mold? I only need half femurs so two part mold isn't necessary. Still doesn't solve the problem of making pelvic bones or vertebrae.

Any ideas or suggestions that aren't too complicated? At this point, I would be happy just buying some semi-realistic foam or plastic bones if anyone knows where I can get them in bulk and cheap. The need for accuracy and perfection is starting to wear off and I just want to get this done so I can move on to another Halloween project. Feeling burned out

 

[UnOrthodOx]

I've written a few tutorials on the latex molds, and have failed miserably trying to use greatstuff in them as well. You COULD make plaster bones out of the latex molds, though.

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutorials-and-step-by-step/141380-latex-mold-making-skulls-cheap.html

Thus far I've had bad luck with a straight plaster mold as well.


If you're set on casting with great stuff, and you only need the front part, you're going to want to do a green sand cast, I think.

There was a tutorial how to do it with cat sand, let me see if I can find it.


Here it is:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutorials-and-step-by-step/113831-sand-casting.html

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Might also consider bulk purchases of dog bones. I can find reasonable looking ones for under $1 on a cursory search. Each would net you 2 bones if you can cut them.

http://www.entirelypets.com/bonies-...109033716767&gclid=COqrqNmSzcoCFQYbaQodPzoCHw

 

[doto]

How about purchasing a blucky and cutting up its bones to use as molds with great stuff?

 

[Gym Whourlfeld]

I once made a mold from a plastic skull . The mold was made using Bondo. I then coated the Bondo with liquid latex, poured Bondo into the mold. The two Bondos separated fairly well all because of the latex between them.
Bondo is pretty tough. I made a complete skull mold by diving the skull into sections, casting them indivualy, reassembling the parts with more Bondo, which always sticks well to itself. Grind or sand any seams, you can always touch up any problems with.. more Bondo!
Oh, the latex has to be totally dry and set up before adding Bondo.

 

[ooojen]

Believe me, I understand burnout (and I'm still on skulls.)

Vacuum-formed panels are another option, though shipping can be high.
http://www.nightscreamstudios.com/vacuform-panels.htm
That's just one of many sources-- a little cheaper than some, especially for unpainted.

 

[punkineater]

Combining thoughts of the haunters above ^^...what about making your own vacu-form(tuts on here and youtube),
forming your own plastic bone molds, then use Great Stuff? The vacu-form would have many applications for later use, as well.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Combining thoughts of the haunters above ^^...what about making your own vacu-form(tuts on here and youtube),
forming your own plastic bone molds, then use Great Stuff? The vacu-form would have many applications for later use, as well.

This is on my wish list, for sure.

 

[kculbert]

LOL UnOrthodOx! I thought you meant REAL dog bones! As in the bones of an actual dog. I thought that was a little weird but this is a Halloween forum afterall, so who knows.

 

[ThatMOM]

I use this a lot for my smaller items that I want a reusable mold for...great stuff should release off of it...plaster works really well in it as well, I've made plenty of fingers this way

http://www.michaels.com/amazing-mold-putty-kit/10410575.html#q=molding+kits&start=1

I use the 50% off coupon as well!

 

[kculbert]

Great ideas from everyone! I think that sand casting might be the way to go for me. Seems really easy and cheap. Plus I could make a whole bunch of bones at once. I followed UnOrthodOx's link and loved what the original poster did with sandcasting his own hands and arms using Great Stuff. So many possibilities!

I am now obsessed with the vacu-forms! I never knew there was such a thing and that it was possible to make them yourself! Now I have a bad case of the "I wants." I'm already having a problem with storage but my I see many more props in my future.

Thanks for all the help. I am going to experiment and will let you all know how it turns out.

 

[ooojen]

LOL UnOrthodOx! I thought you meant REAL dog bones! As in the bones of an actual dog.

I did too! I had to click to see what sort of source there would be for dog bones, and then the light came on. OHHHH! Dog bones!

 

[UnOrthodOx]

LOL UnOrthodOx! I thought you meant REAL dog bones! As in the bones of an actual dog. I thought that was a little weird but this is a Halloween forum afterall, so who knows.

I can link you to that, too, if you're interested.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

I did too! I had to click to see what sort of source there would be for dog bones, and then the light came on. OHHHH! Dog bones!

They're a little more pricey,

http://www.skullsunlimited.com/record_variant.php?id=9370

 

[Vandalay Industries]

What about making either a latex or silicone mold of the femur bone you have and using Stika foam from home depot to make copies. I believe stiltbeast studios on youtube has some videos about foam filling a mask with this stuff and possibly one on molding (not sure as I can't get onto Youtube right now). Not sure if that would work but maybe worth a try.

 

[kculbert]

I think I'll pass on the real dog bones. I guess I'm still traumatized from my childhood when one of our dogs dug up our dead cat and brought the skull into the house through the doggie door.

I do have some turkey bones and chicken bones that I've cleaned and bleached to use for my backyard Voodoo on the Bayou theme. I have pet chickens but my bones came from the rotisserie version at Kroger.

I am keeping my eye out for a cheap cow skull though. One can never have too many bones.

 

[ooojen]

They're a little more pricey

Indeed! I love browsing skullsunlimited, but I can't even afford their reproductions.

 

[TheHalloweenGuru]

Bruh fake bones could be a lot less expensive... and a lot less creepy...

 

[Beaver State Rich]

Speaking of stillbeast, look at his tut on silicone molds using all home depot parts, it worked great and for a bone would work for production of quantity.

The vacuformer could make a mold....or make a set of bone bucks and pull sheets of bones all at once that are super lifht, cheep and quick.

 

[Beaver State Rich]

Speaking of stillbeast, look at his tut on silicone molds using all home depot parts, it worked great and for a bone would work for production of quantity.

The vacuformer could make a mold....or make a set of bone bucks and pull sheets of bones all at once that are super lifht, cheep and quick.