[Hawks Hill Haunter]

I'm hoping someone might have some suggestions for a dilemma I've found myself in.

I want to make a "ghostly" figure that looks like she's floating (it'll be a static type prop). What's the best way to get her at least 8-10 feet in the air, look as though she's hovering or floating while being stable enough so she doesn't fall over during the night?

 

[Sickie Ickie]

Do you want the prop to move?

How heavy?

Full bodied?

For light figures such as a styro head and cheesecloth body, you can use fishing line to hang it from something. That also allows movement with the wind.

For non-movement, anchor the line through the head into the ground.

For full bodies or heavier props, try black pvc or conduit. If you have bushes, you can angle the piping 45 deg through the bush to hide the anchor and have the prop appear to be floating stationary.

 

[GraveDiggerGreg]

8 feet at the top of body or 8 off the ground, such as floating above one story building?

 

[Sickie Ickie]

Maybe she's an octopus with at least 8 feet?

 

[Haunted Bayou]

You can look at the plans for the "floating reaper" to see if that is what you are trying to accomplish. (Can't locate the link)

I thought of doing something similar with a ghost hovering near a tombstone with the stand behind the tombstone to conceal it but I wasn't figuring on 8 feet off the ground.

I will post the link if I can find it. I don't know why I keep losing the plans for that one.

 

[skullboy]

It depends on what you need .If you have something to hang it from you can use fishing line,strong and hard to see.Like this

Or a pvc framed body with conduit beat into ground and the pvc "legs" slid over conduit and screwed at desired height,like this guy.

I painted supports black and with bushes they hard to see at day time and very hard from a distance at night.Might not work if people are very close tho.Sorry not a great picture.:googly:

 

[Hawks Hill Haunter]

Well, here's a big part of my problem with a lot of my props...I don't have any trees and no bushes in my yard. I have limited overhang around my house as well. So I'm very restricted when it comes to suspending things.

Sickie & GD Greg - I'm thinking 8ft at the top of the body. I was planning on building her (head, arms & torso only) mostly of pvc, chicken wire and cheesecloth so she should be fairly lightweight. She will be wearing a shroud-like costume which will flow down past the torso.

Haunted Bayou - I would love to see that prop if you do happen to come across the link.

I had thought of attaching her to a pvc pipe and run it into the ground but I wasn't sure how well that would hold up...would she cause it to lean to close to the ground? Or pull it out of the ground completely?

Skullboy - I'm thinking the 2nd version may be the way to go. But there again, I don't have a whole lot to camouflage the poles with.

 

[Hellspawn]

I have a pvc framed ghost that I put in my graveyard every year, I use a full length of rebar that has been spraypainted black inserted into a 18'' or so deep hole in the ground (using a smaller piece of rebar pounded into the ground with a large hammer) the pvc frame of the ghost allows me to slide him right onto the rebar, the bottom of the ghost is alittle over 8' in the air.

I uplight the ghost and place a tombstone near him, he floats with wind (up, down, side to side) but does not get pulled down with even the heaviest of wind

Looks really good, I also am plageued with no trees.

 

[Vlad]

An easy way to support a free-floater from behind is with pvc pipe sticking thru a hedge, as shown here with my floating greeter>>>>>>>>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/TerrorOnBeechwood1/Linked/974992640106_0_ALB.jpg?t=1178141525 or here in action>>>>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/TerrorOnBeechwood1/Linked/20058a.jpg?t=1178235140
Since you don't have any shrubs, you could do the same thing with a home built fake facade or wall.

Another method I've used, was to support this reaper fountain from behind on a 21' length of steel pipe set at ground level at one end, and going up at a 45 degree angle. At night the black pipe couldn't be seen, and the fountain appeared to be floating about 8' off the ground. >>>>>>>>>>>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/TerrorOnBeechwood1/Linked/200526a.jpg?t=1178235318

 

[skullboy]

Hey Vlad,the last two links no worky.

 

[Beepem]

yeah its forbidden on your server to direct link to images i believe, vlad

 

[Haunted Bayou]

Finally found the link.
It is on the monster list using the name "death"

http://www.chaos-enterprises.com/syn/Halloween/2003/Death/index.html

You just need to hide the bulk of the stand behind a tombstone. I wanted to do this one either with a reaper or a ghost.

 

[Hellspawn]

Thats pretty sweet, I love the water.
if you didnt want your ghost to be holding a sickle, incorporate a large dead tree into the scene to help distract from the armature if you feel its too obvious.

 

[Vlad]

Sorry about the bad links, I went in and fixed them.

 

[Haunted Bayou]

I like the fountain also. Looks really good.

 

[Sickie Ickie]

Like the links, Vlad.

 

[Hawks Hill Haunter]

Thanks All for your suggestions...I think the rebar stuck into the ground might be my best bet.

Hellspawn - got any pics?

Vlad - I'm a little confused, you had the pipe at one end "set at ground level"...what exactly do you mean by this? Was it set into the ground and bent in a 45 degree angle at the ground? Picture is awesome by the way - love it!