The Mad Lab

This is a new version, I guess you could say my version of someone else's idea.

I would like to thank Terry Young and Dave The Dead, there combined ideas inspired this prop

It's fairly simple, just a bit time consuming..

Above are pics of a pattern that starts this prop. As you can see I

Glued the pattern on a piece of plywood. I did this so I could use

the pattern over and over without using up my printer ink and paper.

If you only want to make one print it out and tape the sections to the

foam insulation board and cut it out from there.

You can get the pattern here:

Skeleton Pattern

I cut out all the pieces. I seriously doubt I will ever

use all of them, however I cut all pieces out anyway

because other ideas are swimming around in my head.

You never know when your going to need a femur

or ribcage lying around somewhere!

This is 3/4 inch insulation foam board. One 4x8 sheet

will give you 3 sets of bones to make the Rising Spirit.

If you want to make that many.

Here I have already traced one set of bones, about

to start tracing a 2nd and I have already cut out a

3rd set.

Note: For the arm bones, both right and left forearm(#44, #47)

and upper arm bones(#43, #46) you need to make 2 of

each.

I guess I should mention all bones are numbered

on the pattern.

I point these 2 pieces out because you will also

need extra of them as well.

#13, you will need 4 more.

#27, I used this one as a spacer between the ribs,

so you will need 11 more.

Also 1/4" to 1/2" from the back of #27, I cut a hole

with a 7/8 wood boring bit. This will be used as a

template so all of the ribcage aligns on the pvc.

Ok, all bones are cut out. next step,

drilling and sanding, sanding,

sanding........did I mention

sanding!

First thing, cut the palms off the Forearms.

On the pattern they show thumbs, don't worry

about them at all. Save the palms for later.

Next I made a trench down all 8

arm bone pieces just big enough to

fit a piece of polyethylene tubing.

Pictured is the upperarm pieces, you will need to do

it to the forearm pieces as well.

I ran the tubing down the trench. Using Gorilla glue, I brushed it

on and put the sections together.

Set them in an out of the way place with a few weights

on them for better contact and moved

on to the ribs.

Here's where the sanding starts. I used a Dremel sanding drum

to knock the edges off, then ran them over a palm

sander on the outside and hand sanded the inside.

The amount of sanding is up to you, you might get away

without sanding the inside if no one will be

close enough to notice.

Just a quick note, there are 2

tabs of sorts on rib 20, they are

not neccsary for this prop, so

just cut them off before sanding.

Time to use that template you made.

Set the template on the ribs and spacers

one at a time and drill a hole in each one.

Align the backs, don't worry about

the front, yet.

To the right is the stand I used, it's a 2x4 with a piece of

dowel stuck in it. You put the 31" piece of thin walled pvc on it.

Also I set a toilet paper roll over that to rest the

rib cage on, so I had a section of pvc at the bottom.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ok, the spacers you will notice become bigger and bigger

as you go up the ribcage. You need to trim down each

spacer to match the rib above it. I also sanded them

to become smooth and match the ribs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I suggest you keep the numbers on the pieces

till the very end. Some are similar in size which you could

get them mixed up.

The hands I did a couple different ways. I sadly do not have

pics of the process. I started to do them a few different ways

stopping and starting to go in other directions.

I ended up cutting out the fingers in the pattern,

it has straight and curved, I sanded them down and

rounded them off. Taking the palms I cut a patten in them

looking a little like bones then glued the fingers on

using toothpicks as support. Then trimming down

the wire coming out of the forearm and gluing it onn there.

I also used a plastic anchor at this intersection to help

protect the foam a bit.

Now for the easy part!

Take a piece of 3/4" gray pvc, the length will vary.

The flared end at the top.

If you want to bend it, nows the time.

Using zipties attach the thin walled black garden tubing.

I also added after that a bunch of twine, gluing it

in place as I went along.

Do this the entire length of the pvc.

Note: you will need a reducer that goes from 1/2" pvc

to 3/4" pvc. This piece will be glued to the spirit half.

Do Not glue on till the end!

Next Step:

Great Stuff Foam

Cover the pvc, tubing and twine.

I tried to make it bigger at the top and

tapper off at the bottom. In case your wondering,

The tall one 10' took 3 cans to get a look I liked.

The other 2 I split 3 cans between them.

When putting foam near the top try to go

flush or as close as you can with the top.

I hope I explain this right. As you see in the picture

to the right the pvc has disappeared from the middle.

I did this by trimming down the pvc to where there

was only a couple inches sticking up after connecting it.

Here is where you need to glue the reducer.

Once the step above was completed I took one of

those plastic grocery bags and put it over the pvc/Great Stuff,

taking the skeleton half and inserting it into the

pvc WITHOUT ripping the bag. Next I took some

Great stuff foam and sprayed it on top of the bag and up

the spine a short way. I let this set over night then

removed the bag.

Final step, paint and dress how you wish!

The one to the left has a simple foam skull. I glued in a

1/2" cap so I can turn the head left and right.

Bottom left I had a small pumpkin I glued the cap

in as well and put a skull mask on it. Draping cheese cloth

and there ya go.

The one below is a wig head with the eyes and mouth

cut in deeper then a stocking coated with laytex and

the eyes and mouth cut in a zigzag pattern. A piece of

sheer fabric thrown over her and add a wig!

You will want to run them all up the pvc without

gluing them.

BTW, the numbers are 13 - 29 you will need for the ribcage.

Right above rib 18 I drilled a hole for a piece of

1/2" SDR 11 CPVC 4120 Pipe, 15" long.

I also put a slight bend in it at the 5 and 10" mark.

I made sure it fits snug. This pvc is not much

wider then a dime.

Ok, now you can glue it all together. I

brushed on Gorilla glue then set a rib, brushed glue

set a spacer, brushed glue, rib and so on, till I

hit rib 18, there I glued in the pipe then

continued on. Below is the spacer where the

pipe is. I cut it like below and only used the front and

back sections gluing to the front and back

of the pipe.

Ok, now for the arms. I started with a piece of wire 6ft long. I used

two sizes of wire, I used a 14 gauge on one of them and a 10 gauge

on the other two. Both worked just fine. I kinked/bent the wire in

the middle(as in pic A). Next I drilled a small hole in the pipe(as in

pic B). Next I ran the wire through the pipe as in the pic above, making

sure the kinked section was in the middle of the pipe where I drilled

the hole. Now I took my hotglue gun and pumped almost a full

stick (large) into the hole (as in pic C). Next I took 2 pieces of

dowel(1/2") and drilled a hole in the center and sanded them down

so they would fit in the pipe (as in pic D). I then hotglued them in.

The reason I did this was so the arms will move independently.

I made one of them without doing this and I move one arm,

they both move.

More sanding!!

In pic A the top bone is what it looks like

when I cut it out, the bottom one is what it looks

like when I was done sanding. It is the small bone

attached to the forearm. Be sure to sand larger bone

before ataching the smaller one.

I cut off the ribbed part of these plastic anchors, I only need

the top half. I used 2 on each arm bone for a total of 8.

I put one anchor in one end(pic A) then ran the bone onto the

wire, then running another anchor onto the wire

and pushing it into the other end of the bone(pic B).

This takes a bit of patience but in the end it was worth it to me.

To allow me to adjust the bones a little bit.

Next step is to do....more sanding!

The sternum, shoulder blades and the collar bones all

need sanding and shaping.

My pics show these bones in different stages

thought it might help.

Once there sanded and shaped all you do is glue them on.

Please tell you didn't type al that outfrom my tutorial on my website!!

Copy and paste my friend. Copy and paste

Bumping.... Don't mind me just bumping stuff somewhat back into order after the spam idiot came through.

For those watching - Jim is on the job and has been keeping a watchful eye on things. Thanks Jim!!