Post some pics! We luvz pix. Sure, I THINK I got some old photos of my reaper and such I built. Then again, if not I am PLANNING on building another stand up prop out of pvc. I can see if I can get enough info together to help.

You can always use the search bar at the top right of the page. "PVC frame" or "PVC prop" etc. may get you going in the right direction. Look in the OLD threads as well, never know what you may see, especially if it's old news.

~{Autopsy}~

 

I've been making these pvc figures all summer long. I think I have about 10 now.

 

I've got one here. Hope it helps.

 

Yep, it's pretty much like making a stick figure with pvc pipe - super easy. That's how I made my three witches and my graveyard caretaker. Also pretty much the same technique for posing a blucky to stand on its own.

 

The first few props I made were from metal coat hangers, and tones of newspaper and duct tape. Long process. I remember putting the call out to all my friends for metal coat hangers, and now I have a box full up in the attic. But I basically had the same reaction when I first discovered people were using PVC tubing for making props. Too funny!

Post the pics!!

 

http://www.zombietronix.com/calculator_biped.php
This site will give you the dimensions (hip pelvis ration etc), joints needed and approx. cost of the pvc pipe, depending on the size you want your character and diameter pvc.

 

Thats a cool site.

 

Just my dos pesos... I use 3'' ABS pipe for my armatures. It bulks them out without having to use padding for the arms and legs. Little bulky to store compared to PVC, but if you have a bigger prop (Frankenstein, werewolf, etc) it looks great.

 

All my props are PVC. I actually downsized from the 3" because they were too heavy, too hard to store, too expensive, and harder to keep standing up. Just my opinion. You will find your own method that works best for you. If you search this forum you will find hundreds of posts on building PVC props. Lots of great ideas to find.

 

I found that the spirit ground stake hands (http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/zombie-arm-lawn-stakes-2pc/) are perfect for 3/4 inch PVC. You just pull the stake out & use glue & pop them into the arm sockets, a perfect fit!

 

uummm, because you never asked? Just kidding. I use the PVC Method on mine. Here is a lnik you might find useful

http://www.hauntproject.com/projdetail.asp?category=Dummies

 

I like Osenator's caretaker that he posted a while back on making. Here's the link:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/89536-my-first-cemetary-caretaker-pvc-pipes-prop.html

 

You can use wood too.

Wooden Armatures

 

Rich, you can use wood screws on the joints of PVC to lock a pose in place(outstretches arms) , otherwise sometimes the weight of what you put on them can cause them to move. Its fun when you figure out the ease some stuff can be made huh Good luck on your creations

 

This information will come in handy-I am married to a plumber.... I see his PVC supply going down and our supply house bill going up!!

 

If you need a good solid anchor for a prop base, consider those patio umbrella stands if you have one. Ours is made of heavy iron and the umbrella pole hole works great for a prop support pole. Usually you can get creative with the base of your prop with clothing, ground cover and such and cover it so it's not that noticeable. The ground out our way is so solid come October that it's almost impossible to even hammer rebar into the ground, so the umbrella base isn't a bad alternative. And since a lot of people have patio umbrellas frequently it's something that you already have so just a matter of repurposing for halloween.


BTW TIKI brand has a new Tiki Square Metal Torch Stand that is being sold by Kmart this year (listed as new, $9.99, Kmart Item# 043W074416110001 | Model# 1308482) that might work on some light weight props as a support. It looks like it could be cast iron like a number of the patio umbrella stands but the Kmart site didn't say what kind of metal (in fact the stand looks like a smaller version of a patio umbrella stand). I know Home Depot sells TIKI brand products so they might be another potential source for this item; didn't see it yet on their website though.

Note: Apparently the Tiki stand is cast iron. I found the same product on a Ace website. Weighs 5 lbs.

 

PVC is definitely the way to go. If you could get some pictures, we'd love to see em.

 

I built my zombies using 1 " thick wall PVC, carpet padding and lots and lots of duct tape. The stuff works great! For joints I used 3/4 inch alum strips cut and screwed to each side of the arms. This allowed the arms and legs to bend.

Eventually everyone takes a turn in the box.

 

Here's one I just made. He's supposed to keep people OFF my bridge. He's made from 1" PVC, pool noodles, chicken wire and of course, duck tape.

Very easy to build. I put screws in each PVC elbow so I can take it apart and store it.

 

My husband ran for state representative this year so we have tons of PVC pipe left over from his campaign signs that I'm using to make dummies (dummies...politics...sorry that made me giggle)

I'm also using damaged campaign signs to make tombstones, cemetery gate columns, etc. it's pretty easy to cut and if you call your local sign printer they will sometimes have signs that were printed wrong or weren't picked up that they well sell for cheap or even give away.

 

I made my first PVC character this year, mostly figured it out myself and it turned out pretty well, but I'm going to mark this thread cause there's some great tips for next year, thanks everyone!
The link to pvc proportions is killer (I just kind of guessed,) and using the Spirit hands is especially helpful - hands are hard!!

Here's this year's effort: View attachment 14229