[SaltwaterServr]

I'm on this plastic corpsing kick. A thought just occurred to me for a different way to build a fairly lightweight giant spider.

Why not make your giant spider thorax (butt) out of chicken wire and Great Stuff with a corpsing technique like I did on my spider legs?

Once you form the chicken wire orb/sphere/whatever shape then heat gun a single or double layer of .7 mil plastic to it. After that, spray your layer of Great Stuff on it. Let that cure a few hours, and then corpse it again with the plastic drop cloth. You'll get some really funky bumpy textures and it should be exceptionally light. Best of all, automatically water proof. That plastic will let you get all kinds of creative with stains and/or painting techniques.

If you burn through the plastic, so what? Now you've got a decaying skin spider.

The only draw back is that the outside paint will need touch up every year as it'll flake right off the plastic.

Anyway, it's an idea for people wanting a lightweight big old spider. I'm for sure going this direction next time rather than a 12-15 day form building/paper mache construction. You could knock one of these out, minus legs and cephalothorax, in a day.

 

[Shadow Panther]

I may have to give that a try. As I am the one doing all the making and setting up each year lightweight works for me. My "to do" list will never be done at this rate, but I love this forum and hope to NEVER finish that list

 

[thenightmarefamily]

That kind of technique does work. I use bubble wrap and shrink wrap because that's whats available but plastic will always cut down on weight and it can take a hell of a beating before repairs have to be done.

 

[FearingtonHouse]

Great idea, SaltwaterServr. I bookmarked this for future use. Thanks!

 

[Oak Lane Cemetery]

Try spray paint formulated for plastics and it might not flake off.

 

[Rania]

I made my giant spider similarly, using chicken wire, great stuff and burlap. I cut strips of the burlap, roughed the edges to make the fabric hairy. Then wrapped the burlap loosely, sprayed great stuff underneath so it would cure coming out of the burlap. Was a super rad effect. I did that technique on the legs the first year and then made a new body this year with the same concept, except i used a 2 part spray tank system.

Here are some pics:

 

[FearingtonHouse]

Oh, yeah, Rania...that is killer. I remember when you first posted that and I was soooo impressed. This has been a mental bookmark of mine for a while. In our town, we have an annual Handmade Parade and I've been fantasizing about making a spider stalk-about using this technique.

Say, which type of great stuff did you use?...gaps & crack, big gap or window/door?

 

[Rania]

I always go for the big gap

 

[Dachs]

Absolutely awesome spider...how did you make the body?

 

[WOLFPACK7483]

Great Job ! Same question, what is the body made from?

 

[Zombastic]

I was gonna post this idea. Glad someone already has.
I've been wanting to make another giant pvc spider....an even bigger one than the one I have that's made with lots of Great Stuff foam.
I've been plastic corpsing skeletons and would love to use that method on a giant spider.
Better for the weather, lighter and will look better imo.
The problem I've had with foam is that it cracks. The body of my spider, I mean.
I also have used so much foam that my spider is heavy.
I'll keep y'all posted.
Here's my current spider

 

[lawrie]

To keep the weight down, other people have made bodies from inflatable gym balls. Although I guess this is not any lighter than chicken wire. I am going to see what the inflatable Shamu I have is like soon, but I am just covering with black plastic as I dont have the storage. I wont be inflating the tail and side fins, and will have it upside down and back to front so the dorsel fin pushes the body up from underneath and the nose makes a pointed tail for the spider.

 

[Zombastic]

With my spider, I used a big exercise ball. I paper mached it and then layered it with Great Stuff foam.
Only problem was, once it was out in the heat, within 30 minutes the ball inflated and made a huge crack in the mache and foam.
I ended up stabbing a whole in the ball and filling up the entire body with foam.
It's a bit heavy as a result though.

 

[stuffyteddybare]

what about if you made a chicken wire body..wrapped it in burlap..and the sprayed the burlap outside and some inside? if you mount the legs in the chicken body the great stuff should mold tight around it..hmm..damn I hate thinking of stuff like this because now I have to try it..lol

 

[Lynn]

Something to keep in mind... If you aren't worried about the weather, use fiberglass insulation on the legs and body. I found some that was tans and browns. I then used black spray paint to give it stripes. It looks hairy! I used spray adhesive to attach it. I then sprayed the whole thing with spray acylic. Helped to seal it up. Just an idea to store away for future.