Making a skeleton stand on its own

Рет қаралды 69,140

5 жыл бұрын

This video shows an easy way to lock the joints and affix a skeleton to a spot without any visible support. I have been using this method for a 4 or 5 years. I have several zombies I made in 2015 that I will still be using this halloween with the method in the video. Please read the tips in the next paragraph before starting this tutorial.
1. Near the end you see me putting rebar into the feet. The first time I left the pin connecting the foot to the skeleton in. It was easier on the 2nd foot when I took the pin out first. Start drilling where you want the rebar to go through the foot. Just to make a mark. Take the foot off and finish the hole. Then drill into the leg bone.
2. The skeleton you use does matter. There are different quality skeletons that you can buy. Some are solid, some have a lot of flex in them. The more solid the better. I have skeletons that I got from Walgreens last year that are very solid. I was looking at the skeletons from Costco the other day and they seem solid. I have a video here on what to look for in a skeleton. • Are all store bought s...
Materials
1. Deckmate Deck screws. I mostly use 3 inch. I sometimes use shorter ones but if you don’t want to spend the money you can Dremel off the end of the 3 inch screws if part is sticking out of a joint.
2. Rebar. I normally get a 4 foot piece and cut to size. Be careful with rebar. It can be razor sharp.
Tools
1. Battery powered drill
2. Bit for the deckmate screws. The screws come with a bit
3. A small drill bit to make pilot holes
4. 1/2 inch drill bit. (I use a spade drill bit)
5. Hammer
6. Sawzall or some way to cut rebar

Пікірлер: 61

@internettroll7604 4 жыл бұрын

Going through some tutorials with some observations now that time has passed since making the props. I’ve built a bunch of standing skeletons in the past and for my haunt this year using the method above. Observations: 1. This does work well but I did run into a problem that I have not had in the past. 2. We had some horrible weather this October with intense rain and very heavy winds. I only had my props up for about 18 days this year and the weather was the worst I can remember. the winds culminated with a tornado about a mile away late Halloween night. We did not get hit by the tornado but the winds were insane. 3. About 4 days after putting my display up we had a crazy storm with over 24 hours of heavy winds and a lot of rain. Two of the 7 skeletons that I put up using the method in the video above were bent over like they were doing the limbo after that storm. A large part of my haunt was screwed up and I spent about 5 hours the next day rebuilding/repairing because I was having a party that night. I was able to fix the two skeletons that bent over and got them looking good, but I did need to use 100 lb fishing line to help anchor them. 4. Then we had another insane storm with more heavy winds. The same two that bent over like they were doing the limbo had their spines broken by the heavy winds. I can repair them but that is going to happen next year. I wound up draping those two skeletons on some demonic trees like they were attacking them. It did the job for this year. 5. The other skeletons held up fine. If you do use the method in this video you want to make sure that you get really good connections with the deckmate screws. Especially if you get really bad weather. I try to make my props so that they can endure bad weather but this year was like nothing I’ve seen before in October. 6. I was able to use the method in the video to create some really cool poses and effects.

@reefcrazed2070 Жыл бұрын

I use something like this to secure my tombstones. Last year we had severe weather and the gravestones bent over, the rebar just shook loose because the soil was so wet. I am going to use your method this weekend but I am likely going to rebar the back or maybe aluminum rods since that would be lighter. I am also going to cut the rebar long, maybe add another foot in the ground. What kind of bar is that you were using the make the holes in the ground? One addition I am going to make is running two conductor wire through all the skeletons, I make metal LED bullseye lanterns and I am going to have each skeleton hold a lantern. The plus to this is that the lantern will illuminate each corpsed skeleton.

@internettroll7604 Жыл бұрын

@@reefcrazed2070 The bar was either a horseshoe game stake (what you try to get the horseshoe on, or a leftover concrete retaining pin left over from some concrete work I did years ago)

@reefcrazed2070 Жыл бұрын

@@internettroll7604 thanks. I will see if I can find something equivalent at the hardware store. I guess if nothing else I can use another piece of rebar and wet the ground heavily the day before.

@reefcrazed2070 Жыл бұрын

One thing I am going to try in addition to the screws is the adhesive Loctite 8x. I am going to run the screws through but also loctite between the joints. Since they will be corpsed anyway you will not notice the loctite. I am going to put dowels in bones to reinforce and the thinner rebar in the bottoms of the legs. I just got two of the 7 footers from Lowes and will be tearing those down tonight.

@internettroll7604 5 жыл бұрын

Hi, I hope this tutorial helps people who want to do something different with their skeletons for halloween. Please read these two tips to help the final product. 1. Near the end you see me putting rebar into the feet. The first time I left the pin connecting the foot to the skeleton in. It was easier on the 2nd foot when I took the pin out first. Start drilling where you want the rebar to go through the foot. Just to make a mark. Take the foot off and finish the hole. Then drill into the leg bone. 2. The skeleton you use does matter. There are different quality skeletons that you can buy. Some are solid, some have a lot of flex in them. The more solid the better. I have skeletons that I got from Walgreens last year that are very solid. I was looking at the skeletons from Costco the other day and they seem solid.

@wolfman75 5 жыл бұрын

🤣👏👍😎😁❤💀👻

@simplysherry5863 3 жыл бұрын

I LOVE it! My favorite holiday is Halloween and I have always wanted to go beyond the "normal " decorations. This was so helpful. Thanks for sharing.

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, I hope it helps!

@JamesCreations64 10 ай бұрын

Great way and best I have seen. Thanks.

@b-dub6865 2 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial! I found myself yelling at the video a few times cuz it kept moving out of shot, but I figured it out. Ha. Thx!

@internettroll7604 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, My wife and I definitely are not professionals. :)

@b-dub6865 2 жыл бұрын

@@internettroll7604 Ha, are any of us? It was just one particular spot where I wanted to see where you secured the hip joints together. I bought a sturdy, poseable skelly from Spirit & realized one of the hip joints was broken. When I found your video, I saw my solution. Thank you! You seem to know a lot about securing decorations & making your display look professional. I bought Grim from Spirit this year & he’s already attached to a stand. They basically use your concept to make him stand, except they welded the steel poles into a typical animatronic base unit instead of hammering them into the ground. It’s pretty secure, but I want to stake the base unit into the ground as well as attach fishing line from the skelly to stakes in the ground surrounding Grim. I’m not a fan of the plastic stakes & wish there was a rebar stake that’s curved at the top to secure around the base unit. (Hope that makes sense) Unfortunately, I can’t find anything like this. Do you know if someone makes this kind of stake, or is there a heavy-duty stake you recommend? Thanks! I look forward to watching more of your videos!! ☺️

@internettroll7604 2 жыл бұрын

@@b-dub6865 thanks. There are various stakes that might fit your needs. Here are a couple to check out or that might get you looking in the right direction. www.amazon.com/NHZ-Anchors-Support-Through-Camping/dp/B07YZ16FPQ/ref=psdc_3742371_t1_B086SC2XTW www.amazon.com/Yard-Tuff-YTF-3818RS-12PK-Rebar-Stakes/dp/B00DZ2BZA4/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B00DZ2BZA4&psc=1 www.amazon.com/RIY-Stakes-Camping-Unbreakable-Inflexible/dp/B07M9F27Q5/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Heavy+duty+metal+tent+stakes&qid=1635247297&sr=8-3

@anthonywheelus4845 2 жыл бұрын

Very cleaver. I'll be adding a couple of these to the display this year and appreciated the instructional video.

@internettroll7604 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, i hope it works well for you and adds to your display!

@rattroll4803 10 ай бұрын

Awesome, thank you for the post...I'll be doing that this year!! Very nice!!!

@nsvaluto48328 Жыл бұрын

good idea thank you

@stebstebanesier6205 3 жыл бұрын

I think those were the exact same deck screws that the Orthopedic surgeon used on my hips. Great video, thanks for posting.

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I use those screws for tons of different things. They are fast and useful.

@shockeronmainstreet 3 жыл бұрын

@@internettroll7604 13:05

@2blazedinfl 9 ай бұрын

to make my skeletons stand, i use 5 ft rebar. drive it in the ground about 18" (call 811 so you don't hit a gas line). ziptie skeleton on above the knee and to the spine at the ribcage.

@bridget22868 2 жыл бұрын

love it. Thanks for sharing. I just found you here and Im a new subbie.

@lennyofoz Жыл бұрын

Thanks Troll 💀very helpful💯

@tzabel2 Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Super helpful!

@The_Gremlin 2 жыл бұрын

i recently bought a 3ft skeleton and plan to sculpt a predator from the movies completely over it and watching this video has helped me a bit in keeping the skeleton standing but I may have to have a piece of pipe or wooden rod to help with the weight that'll be placed onto the skeletal frame

@internettroll7604 2 жыл бұрын

Glad the video was a help

@doreenthompson5146 Жыл бұрын

Great video except for the loud background noise

@c.s.6653 3 жыл бұрын

This was super helpful and exactly what I was looking for. You explain things really well, too. Thank you for posting this!

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it helped

@jessicafiles2386 Жыл бұрын

thank you so much! I hope I can pull this off with my eight foot skeleton!

@internettroll7604 Жыл бұрын

Hi, with an 8 foot skeleton the leg bones are going to be larger and there will be a lot more slop/movement in the leg that might make it hard to do with 1/2 inch rebar. I would consider using zip ties to attach 3/4 in pvc to the back of the legs and running the rebar through there so that you don’t get that slop. I have a link to pictures of what I am talking about. I did it for a mannequin. You could attach the pvc to the leg bones the same way. www.halloweenforum.com/threads/finally-got-off-my-lazy-butt-and-started-making-new-props.148097/post-2636019 I would also reinforce all the connections between joints as much as you can. An 8 foot skeleton is going to have more weight and want to bend a lot more. It might even be worth running a longer pieced of pvc up both the back parts of the the legs to get the extra stability. Good luck, I would love to know if it works or not.

@jessicafiles2386 Жыл бұрын

@@internettroll7604 Thank you so much!! Halloween is my favorite time of year and I always go all out! I wish I could get the 12 foot skeleton but he's always sold out. Thanks again for your help

@robertneudecker1919 5 жыл бұрын

Love the video but aluminum foil instead of clay and either paper mache or just hot glue over it would help with the weight issue if you still wanted to sculpt the face of it

@internettroll7604 5 жыл бұрын

Good point. I also sometimes use plastic tarp strips rolled up with adhesive. I did not think about aluminum foil. I will give it a try in the future.

@plasticcup795 3 жыл бұрын

Really cool! problem is, I cant find a skeleton, I don't mind the prize but i gotta use a good one like the one that you made stand.

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Skeletons should be coming into store over the next two weeks. It seems that some stores get different types of skeletons in every year. Costco has been consistent with good ones. They normally have them online and in stores. Walgreens has had good ones in the past. Michael also has them. You can normally get 40 or 50 percent off of Michaels within a couple of weeks which brings the price of theirs down to the Costco/Walgreens skeletons Home Depot should have skeletons in the next 2 weeks but I don’t like them for these type of project though you might have more luck.

@LittleJoeTheMoonlightCat 10 ай бұрын

And the Knees are Fused in Place. gotta get the guy a Pair of Braces for his Legs, Forrest Gump Style.

@sreiniche35 3 жыл бұрын

So if you did something like having them on a bike would you pre pose them and then put in the screws?

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Yes. If you have help, you can have the person hold the bike while you pop in the screws. If not, you can still do it but I may take a little more finesse

@sreiniche35 3 жыл бұрын

@@internettroll7604 Thank you!

@mholden74 2 жыл бұрын

Do you have any other tips besides using rebar? I live in AZ and don’t think I could get that into the ground here. Thx

@internettroll7604 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry, just saw this. Rebar is the only way I can think of where the system is hidden. Would it be possible to drill 1/2 holes in the ground? This auger bit is 3/4 wide and might work. www.amazon.com/Eagle-Tool-ETD75072-Auger-included/dp/B07QPVXGHZ/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=Dirt+Auger+half+inch&qid=1633945800&sr=8-10 You might be able to use a long drill bit but that might quickly dull.

@reefcrazed2070 Жыл бұрын

Wet the ground, slowly. Use a yard sprinkler.

@williamhowson5455 11 ай бұрын

Easy just put a 4ft rebar in ground and tied with cable ties simples

@cocoa3393 Жыл бұрын

What thickness rebar did you use and how long?

@internettroll7604 Жыл бұрын

1/2 inch rebar. You can make do with shorter rebar but I normally use 8 to 10 inches in the leg and about 6 to 8 in the ground.

@williamdonovan1593 Жыл бұрын

what was the name of the place that you learned how to do plastic corpsing ? i couldnt make out the name of the studio on the video. Can u send me the name of that studio ? You also mentioned that you have a video of doing plastic corpsing. can u send me the link for that video. Thanks alot

@internettroll7604 Жыл бұрын

Search for stiltbeast studios plastic corpsing. Well worth the 20 minutes. My video is here. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m59ihJeJlsq0pGg.html

@shockeronmainstreet 3 жыл бұрын

What’s the 4 legged creature in the back?!

@catubz 3 жыл бұрын

Where?

@Nanachi0000 3 жыл бұрын

I think he called that the the creeper in a different video

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, just saw this, I call them creepers, as Something Green said, I have a video on how to make them on the channel.

@bjw4562 Жыл бұрын

Cool 😎 skeleton's

@internettroll7604 Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@laurahamilton5671 Жыл бұрын

Can I have your skeleton.🦎🐉🐈

@L8RAlligator 11 ай бұрын

Nice work. Please train your camera person - that was painful to watch while the camera is bouncing around the whole time

@belindaclark5111 Жыл бұрын

Not loud enough

@kimvanslembrouck2248 3 жыл бұрын

So do you take screws out to store? I put a rod in mine and still fall over lol

@internettroll7604 3 жыл бұрын

No, I keep the screws in year round. Every year I break them out and set up. One of the things that makes a big difference in how they last is the quality/type of skeleton you use. The more rigid the plastic the better.