Grim Reaper with Fading Eyes

[Fright Zone]

Here's a LINK (http://home.earthlink.net/~bpesti/h/reaper/pages/grimreaper_001.html) to some in progress photos of my grim reaper prop for my 2006 Halloween Yard Haunt. Following most of the instructions from ScareFX (http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/project_reaper_reaper.html) (it made creating it a lot easier!) but smaller because I used an off-the-shelf costume. It'll be 5ft 7in tall with a 7ft 7in tall scythe. I used the $5 Xmas tree stands from Target to prop it up so I could work on it (they have them out already compared to $10 at Meijer for the same thing). I bought 2ft rebar for 87-cents at Home Depot to hold it up in the yard. The 1" PVC will slip over it. I used a Fading Ghoul costume & a separate cape from the 2005 post-Halloween sales. (3) AA batteries make the glasses fade in and out behind the mask from a Fading Ghoul costume. The mask is the Spirit Halloween one I also got on sale. The gloves & sword I bought this year. Yes, a reaper technically doesn't use a sword nor a cape, but it looks good to me LOL. I may buy a Grave Reaper costume after Halloween on sale just to get the classic reaper robe that comes with it. But for this year, this'll do. The styrofoam wig head was $4 at Halloween Express (compared to $6 at Halloween USA). The hardware mesh torso was left over from the fog chiller ice tray I made. Black duct tape is on the edges. The plastic blade is from a 4ft scythe put into 7ft 1/2" PVC that I'll paint black. The only thing that didn't work out was the coat hanger fingers, but I don't really think he'll need them. The shoulders are a little too square even though they're the correct measurement. But for the first one I ever made in progress, I'm happy with it. I'll improve upon it next year. Thanx to ScareFX for the instruction page! I shared that link with the guy who sold me the PVC at Home Depot. He said he's convinced people use PVC for more things than plumbing ; )

[Moon Dog]

Thanks for the link... quick and easy... looks good... easy to store... I like! :D

[Fright Zone]

Yeah those are good instructions. The hardware mesh is difficult to work with but forms good once you get it together. I also updated my series of photos to show the Unkown Phantom costume I used for the glowing eye unit. I also taped the Scary Sound F/X speaker to the insides by the chest. It's remote controlled by a clicker and worked really well last year. Kmart had the best sounding one. It's not exactly a Gemmy animated butler but it's close LOL

[IshWitch]

You guys all need to learn to frequent your local beauty supply store!

Wig heads there generally run $2 and change!

AND
You can get hair pieces for cheap during sales!

[NickG]

Wig heads there generally run $2 and change! AND You can get hair pieces for cheap during sales!

no kidding! last year while driving around I found this place called "lee's hair and dollar" which was a hair/wig shop and dollar store run by some asian lady. She thought it was sooo funny I was using the wig forms for halloween, and I even picked up a couple bags of hair for $1 each. iirc the wig forms were $2.60 each... I don't think she'd seen anyone buy 6 at one time before.

[IshWitch]

YES!
Confirmation!
WooHoo!
LOL
I use a lot of masks for my props because of storage issues as well. So when I do, I use a gallon milk jug under it. This fits most adult size masks. And you can stick a glow stick or some form of lighting in it and get a glow thru' the eye holes (tape any other holes over on the inside of the mask, like for ears and nose).

For smaller masks I use juice bottles like half gallon apple juice. I stuff a grocery bag or two in the top if the mask wants to sink onto the flat bottom of the bottle.

If I have a partial mask, like just face w/out hood or hair attached, I put it under a hooded shirt, fashion a hood out of scrap material, or make yarn hair pieces that I pin on.

The best part is I can store all my masks in one bin and throw away the bottles and jugs!

[Fright Zone]

The glasses that came with the post-Halloween 2005 sale costume fade in and out. But the glow stick idea is neat.

Fwiw, I got two styrofoam wig heads on "sale" at Sally Beauty Supply for $2.59 regular $3.59. I didn't have time to check any others in the phone book and the store was close and I know where it's at, but according to everyone else they should be about $1.99.