# Calling Fellow Lab Rats



## Paint It Black

I say, very cool!!  Your ideas for your lab sound wonderful, ooojen. I love the back stories you create. That makes your display really come to life. I may have a few ideas to contribute here. Also, there is a very simple tutorial made by GOS for waterless specimen jars that everyone should see.










The two fake-water jars I made, based on Ghost of Spookie's tut, are on the top shelf in the above photo.


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## ooojen

I would love to see some of your ideas, PiB! 
Good suggestion about GoS's jars! I picked up a couple magnifier sheets in antici-


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## Paint It Black

Another idea, which was originally a crate done by Dave Lowe (he is so funny). This is my take on his "Spare Parts" for the lab. Good for all those extra severed limbs you have lying around.


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## spookydave

you need something like these turn of the century surgeon instruments, kinda creepy especially the bone saw, lol


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## ooojen

...pation
Your pictures in the first post didn't show up for me the first time I looked. I wasn't ignoring! Very cool! The water effect is perfect, too! I'll probably try it with a printed out head-in-a-jar paper face (though that's a little more intense than my usual prop.)
The spare parts are great! I love humor in a display-- creepy on the surface, with a few little Halloween-style Easter Eggs here and there for those who look closely.

Below, one of several nods to Young Frankenstein (I have a 'How I Did It' book in the works). Pop can for perspective, but  if I'm going to use something as perspective, it should go *next to* the item I'm photographing, not in the foreground. Suffice it to say, the jar is very large.:








Of course, it will be empty, as the monster will be finished (more or less). I'm already enjoying the fact that the "brain" jar is about 1/4 this size.

Still thinking about the little oval-glass display case. Maybe this guy will go in there, with a bit of work to pretty things up.


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## ooojen

Wonderfully horrible, spookydave! Yeah, that saw looks like it has been used. *shudder*
I like the bag, too. Those aren't easy to find!


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## spookydave

hahaha I know , it has been used, i'm probably not going to use this this year , maybe we could start a new "loan" program here, lol


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## ooojen

That would be a great idea! Maybe a small deposit to be sure the prop isn't returned in any better shape than when it went out... I'm sure most of us have items that we don't use regularly, but others are looking for. I do multiple themes in different areas, but I still have things that go into rotation.


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## spookydave

yeah me too, i'd be in on that.


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## Hilda

ooojen said:


> i would love to see some of your ideas, pib!
> Good suggestion about gos's jars! I picked up a couple magnifier sheets in antici-


PATION!!!!!!
(Sorry. I couldn't help it. It's an involuntary reflex at this point.)


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## Hilda

I'm in! Love this and am looking forward to everyone's input!! 

ooojen, please tell us more about that claw photo in your first post!!


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## 3pinkpoodles

I also want to increase my lab this year and make it one of the biggest scenes. Here's a picture of last years' OOOPS wrong picture but cool idea!

HERE IS THE LINK to correct image
http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/3pinkpoodles-albums-2014-classic-halloween-vampires-witches-frankenstein-s-lab-picture231103-frankenstein-lab-jello-mold-painted-brain-colors-cheap-brains-thats-coral-painted-black-light-paint-looked-great.html

This day is seriously filled with technical difficulties. TRY THIS AGAIN:









http://www.halloweenforum.com/membe...l-painted-black-light-paint-looked-great.html


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## ooojen

That's a resin eagle talon that I picked up cheaply enough to make it not worth sculpting one. I have a little foam stressball brain that fits in it perfectly-- but I'm still deciding how I'll use it. 

Spookydave-- what's your theme going to be this year?

My surgical tools are way too new and shiny. I'll have to do something about that. I've been shopping for a stainless steel instruments pan, but haven't yet found one for a price I like. I'd also like to make a dissection pan with some wax poured in the bottom (nostalgic? for my college days, way back when dead things were still packed in formaldehyde-- Bio majors and nursing students roaming around campus with dead cats in plastic bags... nasty! Sharks were worse, but I digress.) I have one of those big stainless syringes, too. 
I also have access to 3 giant gun-style syringes. They're enough to make the average person cringe, but a good number of our friends and neighbors (the party guests) are, or come from, farms, where the giant syringes are just another mundane tool for keeping cattle healthy.


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## ooojen

Ooo, 3pinkpodls, love the sets! And you're LizEventPlanner? I've spent loads of time admiring your Pinterest boards! 

I've been downstairs digging thorough boxes. I found my fetal skeleton, some nice funky lights, more apothecary jars with ground glass stoppers, but my animal x-rays are MIA. Must keep looking!
Digging through stuff makes me anxious to decorate!


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## spookydave

we don't really do themes, we do the cemetery out front , and turn our home into a haunted house. we just keep adding to what we have to try to make it better , we'll let folks roam around the house on Halloween if they ask to , but the inside is mainly done for our Halloween party, which we usually have 80 - 125 people show up for.


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## Hilda

I've been collecting a variety of laboratory ideas that I fancy in the following Pinterest boards, if anyone is interested. 

https://www.pinterest.com/LightheartedHD/laboratory-ideas/
https://www.pinterest.com/LightheartedHD/laboratory-labels/

PS. I'm super excited you started this thread ooojen. Thank you.


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## ooojen

Sweet stuff on your Pinterest boards! I can waste So Much time on there! (But I guess if it's fun, it's not really time wasted, right?)

I'll throw in a couple pictures from Halloween Past, when my lab stuff was just a little extra decor to dress up a bit of counter and shelf space:


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## Hilda

OHHHHH I want that alien skull! LOLOL

Gorgeous photos ooojen. I can see this thread is going to cost my husband money. ROFL hahaha


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## Paint It Black

ooojen, you have lots of cool lab stuff on those counters. 

I remember 3pinkpoodles' project was made from a toy kitchen, and then some shelves added around. The paint job on the whole thing was wonderfully lab-like. 

If you or family members have had orthodontia work, you may have some of these dental forms around the house. I painted some of ours up as zombie teeth. I know Hilda made hers into vampire teeth. Both ideas make pretty disturbing specimens!


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## a_granger

Fantastic ideas in here, what a great threat!


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## Bethany

Love this!! Here's a bit of my lab. garage work bench & glass cabinets in garage.


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## spookydave

well we'll talk about this later in the season ok, we can figure something out, like i said i'm not gonna be using it anyway


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## Bethany

Kitchen


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## Ghost of Spookie

I bought two of these Can You Imagine "Stringin It" devices off of QVC a few years back for use in our lab. It's discontinued now so hard to find but thought I'd show it in case someone sees it and wonders whether it's worth picking up. I plan to place them in a "window" box as part of some mad lab equipment. I just love watching it. And when you move the arms the string pattern will change. Very captivating.








I'll come back and post a photo of the box so you can see what the device and packaging actually looks like. You position the "antenna" to alter the pattern of the string. It has a number of dials to control movement and light, etc.


OK here's what the box looks like for those looking for one:










Details on machine from back of box:










Uses 4AAs or an optional AC adapter (like the flexibility).


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## spookydave

wow gos, thats cool! i've never seen that before


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## spookydave

thats cool too bethany, you guys are so creative


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## ooojen

It's great to see so much variety! Bethany- your stuff under blacklights is awesomely eerie! 
GoS-- I'd never seen that prop/toy before. That's very cool, and would definitely be worth grabbing if one showed up.


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## Ghost of Spookie

ooojen said:


> It's great to see so much variety! Bethany- your stuff under blacklights is awesomely eerie!
> GoS-- I'd never seen that prop/toy before. That's very cool, and would definitely be worth grabbing if one showed up.



I did manage to find one of Can You Imagine's plasma balls at a Goodwill off season so you never know where stuff like this can end up in resale.

I'm loving everyone's lab photos with all the cool lighting too.


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## Rustie

Great idea for a thread! One question for you fellow lab rats: where do you have luck finding larger plastic jars? I'm trying to find one that can fit a severed forearm into it and not having any luck. 

I'll have to post more as I complete items for the thread. Here are the customized CVS chattering teeth I made and posted in the props forum.


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## ooojen

That's excellent, Rustie! Your teeth display has exactly the feel I'm shooting for in my prop builds. I hope I can capture it at least a fraction as well as you did!

The largest wide-mouth jars I've seen have been at catering supply places or places that use or sell institutional food. I used to have a pickle jar that was between 2 and 3 gallons. It still would have been a bit small for forearm, though. It might be worth taking a look at a home-brewing/wine-making outlets. A 5-gal. plastic carboy would hold an arm easily, but you'd have to adapt the top, because of course they're narrow-mouthed.


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## Hilda

One of the members who always inspired me is a witch from Canada. A lovely person and such a creative eye for designing her Halloween themes each year.
I absolutely loved the Frankenstein's Laboratory scene she did in her garage a few years ago.

She has some photos in her albums on here and you can see some of the props she built on her pinterest board. 
Links provided below, if you would be interested in seeing more.









http://www.halloweenforum.com/membe...66418299-1451423207-2741172-1069082435-n.html

https://www.pinterest.com/lasorciere/my-halloween-displays-props-and-stuff/


Here's a video of the laboratory.


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## ooojen

Wow, that's fantastic! Thanks for sharing it, Hilda! I'll have to pore over the Pinterest boards when I have a few more minutes!
Those light-bulb-sized plasma balls on that one prop...love those... "Daddy, I want an Oompah-Lo..." I mean, those look really good!


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## Bethany

Rustie said:


> Great idea for a thread! One question for you fellow lab rats: where do you have luck finding larger plastic jars? I'm trying to find one that can fit a severed forearm into it and not having any luck.
> 
> I'll have to post more as I complete items for the thread. Here are the customized CVS chattering teeth I made and posted in the props forum.
> 
> View attachment 240559
> 
> 
> View attachment 240560


We have a place called Rural King (NOT just a farm store) and they sell large plastic "barrels" (Clear) of cheese balls.  
We don't buy them, but a friend does. It is not all smooth sides, but possibly would do. I look at everything in terms of Halloween & what I can use it for


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## ooojen

My Darling Daughter (the younger) is on a walk through the pasture and woods. She just texted me that she found animal bones if I want them. What a good kid! lol!
I have this idea of using a Bucky-type stand and having a lab skeleton that's part deer or cow, and part human. Off I go to scrounge!


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## spookydave

raised her right, ima thinkin, lol


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## Hilda

ooojen said:


> Those light-bulb-sized plasma balls on that one prop...love those... "Daddy, I want an Oompah-Lo..." I mean, those look really good!


ROFL I can so relate!! 



ooojen said:


> My Darling Daughter (the younger) is on a walk through the pasture and woods. She just texted me that she found animal bones if I want them. What a good kid! lol!
> I have this idea of using a Bucky-type stand and having a lab skeleton that's part deer or cow, and part human. Off I go to scrounge!


Oh wow. I am verklempt. That is a beautiful thing.


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## a_granger

Rustie said:


> Great idea for a thread! One question for you fellow lab rats: where do you have luck finding larger plastic jars? I'm trying to find one that can fit a severed forearm into it and not having any luck.
> 
> I'll have to post more as I complete items for the thread. Here are the customized CVS chattering teeth I made and posted in the props forum.
> 
> View attachment 240559
> 
> 
> View attachment 240560


This is awesome!!


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## ooojen

Hilda said:


> Oh wow. I am verklempt. That is a beautiful thing.


I know-- and it's not even Mothers' Day!
It turns out she had found me a skull with an intact jaw, plus an entire spinal column! Yay! I'm going to have to forgo the cervical vertebrae; I only have 8' ceilings in the laundry room. She helped me gather some misc. pieces, too.
A Bucky stand is over $50, so I'm going to look into making my own. Rebar might work, but the texture...looks like rebar. I shouldn't have any trouble with the base or casters, but if anyone has any good ideas for the shaft (stainless steel look...? ) I'd appreciate hearing them.

For the record, I don't kill things in order to decorate with their parts, and I don't buy wild animal parts, but I'll use (dry) stuff from domestic animals that are killed for food (like chicken bones or water buffalo horn), or bones from things that died of natural causes.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Ooojen I wonder if you can slip some pvc pipe or something like it over the rebar when you make your stand. It could be painted silver and made rusty. I find that the problem when doing some of these things is that the cost can start to climb to the point of "is it worth doing?". I know you need something to cover the rough rebar but as far as metalic coloring there's tin foil, ac/heating tape used for sealing ductwork joints (probably cut in half lengthwise and double it's application but unsure of the cost factor), maybe even duct tape in a silvery material...I know it comes in colors these days.


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## ChrisW

Here's a shot with one of my favorite props - A Gemmy growling moving brain in a glass jar. Sound/light activated, it first hums a little ditty, then opens and closes a tooth-lined mouth as it snarls. Of course, it says "Abnormal Brain" on the jar label.


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## ChrisW

If you look on top of the monster's "experimentation table" you'll see my Stringing' It. That, with a battery operated strobe shining down on the monster, is very effective.


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## ChrisW

Cobwebbed Bucky on a real antique gurney (got it at an auction for 2 dollars!) .


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## ChrisW

I "borrow" our cat's travel kennel for this failed lab experiment.


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## ChrisW

The year Jumping Spiders came out I decorated the entrance to the lab with webs and spiders, and made a spinning spider sac of human forms, spiders and eggs. People would avoid the spinning sac and walk right in front of the jumping spider. Sweet.


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## spookydave

that's way cool Chris.


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## Hilda

That is far out Chris!!! What a beautiful set up!!
Tell us more about the brain prop!!


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## Ghost of Spookie

Great photos ChrisW of a superb lab. Just love looking around everything and how you tell your story with it. Always thought it would be cool to have Dr. Shivers for my lab set up but just missed out on buying the demo model of him one year at HD on after halloween clearance but someone else saw him first. I ended up settling for his head in the spirit ball instead. You have some great props there. 

So is your Gemmy brain the one that opens from the top? Like how you used the lighting to trigger him inside the glass jar. The set up of the guy in the cage and the spider leg parts below....Hehe....fun. He's a great little prop. 

oh yes! The Stringit in use!! Isn't that thing fun to watch? I found one of mine yesterday in storage so will be able to get a photo of it and post later. 

And is that a Big Lots surgeon you've got there?! I picked up two of them, a member from Ohio has one too but I didn't know anyone else that bought him. I always thought they were kind of grotesque or demented looking, definitely not someone you wanted operating on you! Very cheaply made though. That was probably my first halloween purchase from BL years ago. Got them on deep clearance (thinking $10 or $15 a piece) and until then had no idea BL was carrying some cool props--missed out on Boris though, but did get some kicking legs....ohhhh...miss those good ole days at BL. 

Can't believe you got your antique gurney for $2. That was such a steal! Someone on HF built a body lab table with pvc pipe painted metallic that looked really good and I'll probably go that route when I do my set up. I have bodies for my lab just no display tables yet. Want something I can take apart and store in a small space. If I relocate the member's table set up I'll come back to post a link for those also needing a table.

Chris I wanted to ask you about your stone facade. The big blocks look nice. Is that a corrogated paper background? I have those scene setter plastic lab walls (not Scene Setter but another company's I believe) and like the look of your background better. 

Nice control station build. Have to remember your use of the air register. Adds a nice sense or realism to it. Were those lava lamp bases on top of the control station? Also notice something at the station base. Did you have a laptop controlling things? If so, what kind of rountine where you running? Very nice set up. Thanks for sharing.


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## a_granger

You might try a piece of galvanized tubing just large enough diameter for the rebar to fit in. That would give extra strength and the silver color your looking for.


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## ooojen

Gah--Message lost. It's time for a new laptop! 

Ghost of Spookie and a_granger -- Thank you; that's exactly what I need! I was (w)racking my brain trying to think up an alternative to rebar, when all I really need is a way to dress it up! Thanks again- I'll look into something I can slide the rebar into.

ChrisW-- What a great setup! I love the mutant critter in the cage, and the gurney, and... too much to mention. It all looks great and works perfectly together. 

I have a talking brain prop, too. It shows a little in the picture with the alien skull. It's peeking out of the top of the skull that has the top of the cranium sawed off. DD used it for her Halloween parties years ago. The kids got a kick out of it. The last couple years I've only used it as a static prop, so it's time to let it perform this year, when no one is expecting it.

So I left most of the cow bones in the windbreak grove a little distance from the house. They're handy, but not taking up space inside. We'd gathered up a few extra vertebrae, and I bleached several then rinsed them in the bathroom sink, where I left them to drain. So of course, someone would stop by and have to use the bathroom (while I was outside) and Dave let them in. Nothing like looking like a complete freak with a sink full of bones. I wasn't even here to offer a lame excuse.

Aim and I went looking for a chunk of fossil-filled rock to send a fellow lab enthusiast. We didn't find much in that department, but just walking a short bit of roadside, DD found *two* animal skulls! One looks like a raccoon, and the other...not sure, maybe a woodchuck, or an ROUS. The kid's impressive!


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## ChrisW

Oojen - sink full of bones...your last name doesn't happen to be Gein, does it? 
The brain was sold maybe 8 years ago? When activated it hums and rolls across the floor. Then it stops, opens its mouth and snarls. In the jar it doesn't move, but the mouth and snarl are very effective. It is kind of wedged in the jar, the label hides the bottom. The light on either side are from goodwill.They are touch sensor for on/off and brightness...and lookpretty cool. Stndard bulb size.
Stringin It is way cool. I just set it on "auto" and it looks great.
Good eye - that is a Big Lots surgeon. Like you, got it on clearance. He used to assist Dr. Shivers, now he handles the "operation" all by himself!
I was very lucky to get the gurney.It was covered with items at the auction. Everyone thought it was the auctioneer's table. Once cleared, he started bidding on the gurney. He started high, and no one was bidding. Finally got down to 2 bucks, I raised my number and he said "sold"!

The walls are painted corrugated cardboard. I got 4x8 boxes from work - mounting board came in them. Got some cheap paint, rolled the medium grey then detailed with light grey and black.
A Friend gave me the plug-in board and I built the control panel around it out of masonite and metal corner beading. There is a red light inside that glows through the vent and holes in the board.
That's actually a portable DVD player behind the control board. Picked it up at a church rummage sale. I play accent lab noises on it - Jacobs Ladder sounds, etc.
The "experimentation table" the monster is standing in front of is a childs slat wood bed frame on end. Wood was painted silver with a black panel behind the slats.The straps around the monster is black plastic lawn edging.
Thank you for the nice comments. So much of it was picked up at yard sales, flea markets and thrift shops, or built out of scraps and cheap material.


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## ooojen

Not a Gein myself (just a selective cow-parts-eating omnivore and bone scavenger) but my mom was from the same home town, and after the excitement was over, my parents knew people who had known Ed Gein. It's definitely not what I'd call a brush with greatness! 
Anyway, I imagine our bathroom guest probably hurried and got the heck out of there!

My prop brain isn't as active. It doesn't roll around. The hemispheres open into a pointed-tooth mouth, and says a few [email protected]$$ phrases.

The walls look great-- lots of impressive creativity in there!


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## BlueFrog

May I play too? May I, may I, may I?  I see SO many wonderful props and ideas already, I'm going to have to wait to comment on all of them properly. This thread makes me very happy indeed!

There's an argument to be made that I've been preparing to create a mad lab display my entire life, but even with that much preparation, I'm still a few years off from being ready to create one of my two dream haunts, one of which is a very "punk" take on Frankenstein. I don't have the skill set or all the props I need but I'm making good progress toward getting there.... 

Anyway, I wanted to start off by mentioning a common scientific study item that doesn't seem to make its way into mad lab displays: study skins. The ones most commonly for sale are from birds, but almost any animal - including, of course, imaginary ones - can be presented in this fashion. (I used to own a white lab rat from Cambridge MA who had been used to scare kids since the 1960's). Typically these are dried skins stuffed with cotton to loosely preserve the skin's original shape. Typically the feet are tied together and a string tag hangs off a leg with identifying information. They aren't mounted on wire or foam, or given glass eyes, as would be the case with a taxidermy presentation (though if you have any taxidermy hanging around, I'm sure it would enjoy being displayed in a scientific setting just as museums around the world do).

Here's more than you probably want to know about real world bird skin preparation methods

I'm going to spare you all the discussion of legal issues surrounding acquiring skins of real animals and birds, including roadkill and salvaged remains, as I've droned on endlessly on these topics before. I will say that if you're in the U.S. and want a black-feathered bird skin to make a study specimen, go to eBay where dried skins of European starlings are readily available at very low prices. Because they are a non-native, invasive species, they're legal throughout the country. Some sellers even dye them so that the normally light highlights are vivid red, green, purple, etc. 

I also encourage anyone with a witch's kitchen to check those potion bottles for possible inclusion in the lab, depending on the look, feel, and age you're aiming for. Science, magic, medicine, alchemy and religion have a long history of being fused together and unless you're going for a very modern lab, there's no reason to exclude supernatural elements.


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## ChrisW

BTW Hilda, I have to give a big callout to Witch From Canada as well. Her props were the inspiration for some of the ones that I built. 
Oojen...wow. Wouldn't call it a "brush with greatness" either - maybe a brush with the devil?
Bluefrog - Dried skins would be a perfect compliment to a lab setting.


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## ChrisW

Oojen - I like the antique microscope you have with your props!

This was a "party mix" plastic jar, washed out and lid painted black. Stuff ano ld Frankenstein mask, place on a small wooden table, add some cobwebbing, and it become sa nice little accent.


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## ooojen

Chris- Brush with the devil sounds about right.
The microscope is extra special to me  It was one my dad bought when he was in college. He was the 7th of 8 kids, and the 6th to go to college-- quite a load for his folks to manage-- but he couldn't resist having his own, so he bought an old 'scope. It wasn't "antique" yet at that time, just old. I spent a bit of time as a kid checking out rotifers and Hydra and Daphnia. (but hey, I did normal kid stuff too! lol)
I love the head in the jar! That fits and works perfectly!

Blue Frog --- _Please_ do come and play, by all means!
Ah, study skins-- more nostalgia for me! Dad was a wildlife biologist and the freezer was always full of interesting things. He did a heap of study skins (from already-dead things) and a bit of taxidermy too, in his last few years (he died in his 50's). Mom wasn't a fan of his taxidermy, but tolerated it. At least he took the stuff to the office when he was done. Since he was a National Wildlife Refuge manager, and education was sometimes part of his job, he could use protected species. (The snowy owl some @$$#0!3 shot, the Bohemian Waxwing that got drunk on fermented berries and flew a suicide mission into the window...)

I don't ordinarily use deliberately killed stuff, as I mentioned...but Starlings are indeed messy, nasty, aggressive, non-native birds (running off Flickers and Kestrels from my nest boxes, killing nestlings and eating eggs  ) I might be tempted.

Editing in-- Yeah, I have all sorts of jars and bottles that I'll have to sort between Gypsy/Cunning Woman area, (light) Voodoo-influenced Swamp Shack, Curiosities, and official Lab. I think I'll let space of display area determine some of the sorting, but I'll try to use simpler, "scientific" jars and labels in the lab (though some may have curious contents.)


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## Paint It Black

I am really enjoying reading how everyone came up with their props and how they use them. Impressive set-ups here. Thanks for sharing all the details, everyone.


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## ooojen

Paint It Black said:


> I am really enjoying reading how everyone came up with their props and how they use them. Impressive set-ups here. Thanks for sharing all the details, everyone.


I agree, and I'll add my thanks. It's so much fun to see the variety of styles and ideas. 

I'm now thinking of creating some fake "study skins" and maybe a bird or two with foam cores and feathers from game birds or my chickens when they molt. Could be fun!


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## Ghost of Spookie

I went back to my original post on the Stringin It and added photos as promised. Felt it was best to keep the video and photos together. For convenience here's a link to that Post. To see it in use in ChrisW's mad lab, here's a link to his Photo (look for it above the Frankenstein prop).


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## ooojen

Thanks for that, GoS! That's really an excellent prop you and Chris have! I'll keep my eyes open, just in case one shows up somewhere.

I did a trial run today on an idea for the Cloning and Regeneration area. Remember, this was just a test run, so it's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy with the concept. I made unflavored gelatin in a "jigglers" style thickness, added a tiny bit of fluorescent food coloring, and poured some in a Petri dish. I added a little more food coloring and poured some more into a silicone face mold. Because I was impatient to unmold it, I put it in the freezer to set up firmly and quickly. For the real thing, I'll let it set up in the refrigerator, which should keep it from sweating as much condensation as it did once I take it out. That weakened the features' extremities a little (not badly, but it would be better to not freeze.) Also, doing it again, I'd go for a little less perfect transparency in the Petri dish-- more like the slightly cloudy translucence of nutrient agar. I think it would be better to match the base color with the face color. Like I said, this was just a trial run.
The gelatin does kind of meld together, and it has a wonderful texture if you jiggle the dish or gently touch it.
For the Lab, I'll probably make several dishes akin to this. I like the idea of a little pair of hands pushing the lid off one of the Petri dishes.

I bought the mold, and a few others from Art of Two M's (artoftwoms), and I told them I'd give them a shout out if I posted anything using their molds. They have a really wonderful range of face design molds on ebay and Etsy. I highly recommend them. (Yeah, I like to sculpt, but I think it's fun to step outside my own style, too!)
This was the mold with the least projecting features of those I have. I wanted to see how the gelatin unmolded before I tried a trickier one.


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## Ghost of Spookie

I really like the color of that face. And the detailing isn't bad at all, even freezer cooled. You know, I still haven't noticed the fluorescent food coloring as I walk thru my grocery store and I know it's been out there for a while now. Will have to check the baking area out again. Imagine it would keep for sometime in the pantry and would be good to have on hand for whenever the mad scientist mood overcomes one.

Your petri growth area is a cool idea, especially when it's growing body parts! I have a number of Jell-O's jiggler molds but never tried making them in anything else. It will be interesting to see results from other molds. Thanks for the suggestion of supplier.


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## Bethany

ooojen said:


> Thanks for that, GoS! That's really an excellent prop you and Chris have! I'll keep my eyes open, just in case one shows up somewhere.
> 
> I did a trial run today on an idea for the Cloning and Regeneration area. Remember, this was just a test run, so it's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy with the concept. I made unflavored gelatin in a "jigglers" style thickness, added a tiny bit of fluorescent food coloring, and poured some in a Petri dish. I added a little more food coloring and poured some more into a silicone face mold. Because I was impatient to unmold it, I put it in the freezer to set up firmly and quickly. For the real thing, I'll let it set up in the refrigerator, which should keep it from sweating as much condensation as it did once I take it out. That weakened the features' extremities a little (not badly, but it would be better to not freeze.) Also, doing it again, I'd go for a little less perfect transparency in the Petri dish-- more like the slightly cloudy translucence of nutrient agar. I think it would be better to match the base color with the face color. Like I said, this was just a trial run.
> The gelatin does kind of meld together, and it has a wonderful texture if you jiggle the dish or gently touch it.
> For the Lab, I'll probably make several dishes akin to this. I like the idea of a little pair of hands pushing the lid off one of the Petri dishes.
> 
> I bought the mold, and a few others from Art of Two M's (artoftwoms), and I told them I'd give them a shout out if I posted anything using their molds. They have a really wonderful range of face design molds on ebay and Etsy. I highly recommend them. (Yeah, I like to sculpt, but I think it's fun to step outside my own style, too!)
> This was the mold with the least projecting features of those I have. I wanted to see how the gelatin unmolded before I tried a trickier one.
> View attachment 240681
> 
> View attachment 240682


LOVE these! 
I bought petri dishes to make jello shots in. Thought it would be cool. The ones I got turned out to be rather flimsy. 
You could make your "test" subjects a dish you serve


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Ooojen, I checked out their molds on e bay and noticed that not all of them are made of "food grade silicon". Saw one auction they had that was. Very important if you intend to use them for an edible item or if there's a chance someone might accidentally pick up and eat.


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## ooojen

Yeah it would be fun to make them edible, Bethany! 
Yep that's true that they need to be food grade molds, GoS. You could request food-grade if there's a design you like, but you'd probably have to go through the Etsy store. I doubt anyone would try to eat them from my lab, but if a person wants to serve shots or desserts, then you're right. Both the molds and the petri dishes should be food grade. (My petri dishes are just plastic.)
I'm thinking of making some up with little brain candy molds I have, too. Lots of fun possibilities, I think.

I forgot to mention-- The fluorescent food colorings are Betty Crocker's Neon Gel food colors, four colors in squeeze tubes. The copyright date on the box is 2007, and that's probably when I got them. I've had them a long time, but kept them tightly capped and in a dark cupboard. There's no expiration date, and they still work just fine. I've used just a tiny bit in with water in lab glassware.


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## BlueFrog

Forum software ate my full reply, so here's my attempt at a more succinct version. (Cue laughter). I don't know that I've ever had so much to reply to in a thread this relatively brief so far. 

*oojen*, I loved your microscope even before you revealed its family ties. That's all kinds of fabulous. I paid a "HOW MUCH?!" price to acquire mine, which is extremely similar, and never regretted it for an instant.

It's also clear that the love and appreciation of nature has continued through the generations. Good job on raising that daughter of yours  

The ethical lines regarding animal remains presents a tricky challenge for many of us, and I think we all draw the line in a different place. Speaking for myself, find the perfect spot that balances legalities, societal mores, and personal beliefs is a bit like a cat chasing a laser spot on the floor. Just when I think I've nailed it, the darn thing moves and I wind up spinning in circles. That said, I'll mention that nutria are also invasive species that makes a great "giant rat" and those exotic pigs tearing up Texas have tasty meat and fantastic skulls  Mind you, the idea that won't leave my brain for a study skin is to make one of a pixie/fairy creature....

Also, don't forget to freeze or apply mite spray to any naturally shed feathers, lest the bugs that naturally occur on the living animal eat them up. Can we say $200 jade peacock tail gone in months? Lesson learned the hard way.

I love your petri dish idea. I have some but never really considered doing anything freaky with them. Great call. I have a child's "make your own slime" kit that has possibilities for dirtying up my dishes and flasks. 

You mentioned wanting a stainless steel instrument tray. Might I suggest an enamel one? Great vintage feel and often available at fairly decent prices, particularly the ones not in the greatest condition. It's also worth searching vintage dental equipment to find creepy-stabby-pokey instruments in disturbingly rundown condition.

I imagine anyone interested in a mad lab probably already knows about American Science & Surplus but I've linked to it just in case not. 

More later!


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## Rustie

BlueFrog said:


> I imagine anyone interested in a mad lab probably already knows about American Science & Surplus but I've linked to it just in case not.
> 
> More later!


I had not, thank you!


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## ooojen

I'm definitely not judging, as long as people aren't poaching protected species. I eat meat. I have leather upholstered furniture and leather shoes. I just cringe at the thought of killing wild native species just for decoration. As you say, we each have our own ethical lines.
Fairy study skin -- That's so amusingly horrible! lol!
Oh no on the peacock tail! I've had the experience with found feathers (and I'm sure they must have been game bird or non-protected species, right? lol) and that's a very good point.
Thanks for the suggestion of an enamel instrument tray (and old dental instruments). I like the idea! If there were chips and stains, enamel would have much more of a creepy look than shiny SS would. I checked ebay, and what's there at the moment is expensive, but I'll keep my eyes open! I saw a few trays on stands with casters. It makes me think of a good use for the base of the old desk chair we didn't get thrown away!


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## BlueFrog

oojen, I wasn't feeling judged, just taking the opportunity to expound that finding the ethical lines isn't anywhere near as easy as I expected it to be. I completely agree no animal should be killed for decoration, but it's rarely that simple. I try to stick to secondhand and vintage pelts when possible, but I admit some come from more ethically murky sources. Darn dot! 

I envision a line of dead fairies, demonstrating different hair and wing colors, all with an autopsy Y incision on their little torsos. I'm a bad person, aren't I? 

That entire peacock purchase was a nightmare. If you're ever inclined to read all about it, check my post in Find/Buy that includes the word "peacock" and cringe all about it. 

Keep at it on the enamel tray. They're out there, although eBay's price structure is such that I think a lot of pieces in less than collector condition don't get listed any more. I found some listed as darkroom trays that are identical or nearly so to a couple of trays from an LA coroner's estate that I purchased for stupid money. If all else fails, there are plenty of old enamel kitchenware pieces in that white with cobalt trim that are nearly identical. I think the white finish would really show off blood, hair, and tissue. After all, mad scientists are not known for keeping their labs spotlessly clean, now are they?


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## ooojen

I didn't even think about darkroom trays. My brother wound up with all Dad's photo equipment, and well-meaning though he may be, I imagine it's all trashed by now. Darn-- an enlarger would have made a good prop, too. 
Maybe I'll just wind up with heavy enamel paint on a small jelly roll pan. Whatever works 
I'll check out the peacock nightmare when I get a bit more spare time----


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## Hilda

ooojen ~ Your little face experiment is so unique!!! I LOVE IT!!!!


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## Hilda

My lab plans are for 2016, so I have just started making/accumulating things. This thread is already a treasure trove of fabulous ideas! Thank you!

So far, this may be my favorite item I put together. 
$1 yard sale fish tank turned into a Specimen Preservation Chamber.
Thank you to DEAD With Dave 'crappified tank' tutorial and TwistedUK for the label.


















The tutorial for the 'crappifying process' (LOL) is at the beginning of this episode of the Dead with Dave Show.


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## ChrisW

There are some great suggestions in the discussions on this thread.
I've used study skins for wildlife and waterfowl illustration assignments. If someone did have issues with using study skins, they could probably find fabric at Joanne's on online and make something with that. 
Does the fluorescent food coloring glow under black light? Man, what a cool effect for jello shots that would be! 
BlueFrog - I chuckled to my self thinking of a scientific label for one of your fairy skins - "tinkerbellius noclapium" - in other words, nobody clapped and poor tink croaked!

Edit - Wow! I must have been typing as you posted your preservation chamber Hilda - it looks great!
And coincidentally, we attended the NHC in Valley Forge last year as reviewed in the Dead with Dave podcast. It was small, but an ok show. I picked up a few bargains and found just the molding material I needed.


----------



## a_granger

ooojen said:


> Thanks for that, GoS! That's really an excellent prop you and Chris have! I'll keep my eyes open, just in case one shows up somewhere.
> 
> I did a trial run today on an idea for the Cloning and Regeneration area. Remember, this was just a test run, so it's not perfect, but I'm pretty happy with the concept. I made unflavored gelatin in a "jigglers" style thickness, added a tiny bit of fluorescent food coloring, and poured some in a Petri dish. I added a little more food coloring and poured some more into a silicone face mold. Because I was impatient to unmold it, I put it in the freezer to set up firmly and quickly. For the real thing, I'll let it set up in the refrigerator, which should keep it from sweating as much condensation as it did once I take it out. That weakened the features' extremities a little (not badly, but it would be better to not freeze.) Also, doing it again, I'd go for a little less perfect transparency in the Petri dish-- more like the slightly cloudy translucence of nutrient agar. I think it would be better to match the base color with the face color. Like I said, this was just a trial run.
> The gelatin does kind of meld together, and it has a wonderful texture if you jiggle the dish or gently touch it.
> For the Lab, I'll probably make several dishes akin to this. I like the idea of a little pair of hands pushing the lid off one of the Petri dishes.
> 
> I bought the mold, and a few others from Art of Two M's (artoftwoms), and I told them I'd give them a shout out if I posted anything using their molds. They have a really wonderful range of face design molds on ebay and Etsy. I highly recommend them. (Yeah, I like to sculpt, but I think it's fun to step outside my own style, too!)
> This was the mold with the least projecting features of those I have. I wanted to see how the gelatin unmolded before I tried a trickier one.
> View attachment 240681
> 
> View attachment 240682


Love this idea of the petri dishes oojen.


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## ooojen

I absolutely love the preservation chamber you did, Hilda. You got everything right, the grunge, the fog on the glass, the lighting, everything. Even the hand itself looks so much better in the setting you made for it! (I have one that has been reaching up from the heat register for a few Halloweens past. It looks so drab by comparison.)

ChrisW-- Yep, if a person looks around they might well find some good looking fake fur. I have some for my wolf pelt that I really need to get in gear and finish! I just got some very credible mini hedgehog fur to do some felting. But a baby hedgehog study skin...well that would just be wrong! Autopsied fairies I can see, but baby hedgehogs...too cute to mess with!
Yeah, the food coloring does glow in black light, which is why I liked it so much in the lab jars for the kids. I'll have to be sure to stage it so the little agar-peeps show off to their best advantage. 
Thanks, a_granger! It's just a start, but I think they should be able to work out well. Maybe a "bacteria" halo on some... misplaced feet, brains with faces... I'll have to see what their shelf-life is, too. Uncovered, this one dried out a lot overnight. It shrank and got a rather zombified look. There should probably be a chart, too, specifying where the culture cells came from and so on.


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## BlueFrog

3pinkpoodles, you're expanding your beautiful mad lab? Oh wow. I can hardly wait to see you top yourself.

Paint It Black, I knew there was a reason I was buying more plaster teeth than I strictly needed. Thanks for showing me why! Beautiful work. 

Ghost of Spookie, thanks for showing the Stringing It device. I'm intrigued. How does it look in daylight/bright lighting?

ChrisW, your lab is beautiful and my jealousy over the gurney knows no bounds! I was a few minutes too late to buy one at a local consignment shop for $150 and would have been happy to pay that much. I can't seem to find one at any price. 

Great use of an ordinary item for the "failed experiment"'s cage. I have that rat creature and just love love love it. Don't think it will really fit the look and feel I'm going for any more but it doesn't matter, it's staying.




ChrisW said:


> BlueFrog - I chuckled to my self thinking of a scientific label for one of your fairy skins - "tinkerbellius noclapium" - in other words, nobody clapped and poor tink croaked!


You're not the only one chuckling. That's terrific. I hadn't been thinking of Tinkerbell before but now I can't get the image out of my mind.

Hilda, great preservation chamber. Makes me wish I hadn't given away all my spare aquariums, even if they did go to good causes. I could definitely see myself making one of those down the line.


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## BlueFrog

A few ideas of things I _may_ be able to do for my fellow lab addicts down the road. Not guaranteeing anything except that they probably wouldn't occur any time soon except by chance:

(1) IRL I am a rat person, by which I mean I am a large scale domestic rat rescuer and small time breeder. On my project list is sculpting a rat body form and creating an army of rat replicas in both regular and various oversized scales. I've also collected some super close-up photos of various anatomical features in an effort to make them as realistic as possible without having to use real rat pelts. (I can't bear the idea of skinning animals, let alone ones I knew in life). If anyone would be interested in my turning that project into a mini-tutorial, or even just a discussion of rat anatomy with an eye toward making more plausible props, do let me know.

(2) I have an extensive "library" of antique and vintage prints of various poisonous and medicinal plants that I'd be happy to scan on request. I posted a thread here in general but didn't get a lot of interest so put the project on the back burner. Still happy to do so in response to specific requests. 

(3) If anyone in the Chicago area is doing a mad lab, is interested in purchasing dirt cheap real equipment (primarily chemistry glassware and Coors porcelain bowls, maaaaybe some medicine bottles too), and can be very patient, drop me a PM. I'm still doing a massive purge of all things oddity, collectible, and Halloween, and I'm going to have to massively downsize my scientific "stuff." More than likely it will be in piecemeal fashion and I hate shipping glassware, so best if it's a local who can run over more or less as I find stuff. That's not to say I absolutely wouldn't ship if there's no local interest, just that it would be a lot easier to sell locally. I do know where I can lay my hands on a "mad scientist" costume very like Dr. Shivers minus the glasses, and a nice looking metal microscope, if anyone's interested.


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## Hilda

ooojen said:


> I absolutely love the preservation chamber you did, Hilda. You got everything right, the grunge, the fog on the glass, the lighting, everything. Even the hand itself looks so much better in the setting you made for it!


You are very sweet!! Although, I do believe the glass should be a tad more dirty. LOL  

Notice I said that is my favorite prop that I made thus far... It is not my favorite that someone else made!

I believe ooojen may be too modest to toot her own horn, so I will do so for her. TOOOOT!! 
Check out this incredible specimen collection case with a mutant snake specimen inside she created for me in a SR exchange. Absolutely brilliant!! I am so in love with this!! There are even tiny bits of venom on the inside glass. The attention to detail is fantastic! There was a detailed backstory included with journal pages of an ill fated scientific expedition. I loved every minute of it.

So the snake apparently has a passive head which is diurnal, and the other head is evil and aggressive and nocturnal. It appears the aggressive side is making a break for it. 

I love this so much!! I am going to work the entire story into future props and details in my laboratory.


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## Rustie

Hilda said:


> My lab plans are for 2016, so I have just started making/accumulating things. This thread is already a treasure trove of fabulous ideas! Thank you!
> 
> So far, this may be my favorite item I put together.
> $1 yard sale fish tank turned into a Specimen Preservation Chamber.
> Thank you to DEAD With Dave 'crappified tank' tutorial and TwistedUK for the label.
> 
> View attachment 240730


So awesome! That looks really great.


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## im the goddess

spookydave said:


> we don't really do themes, we do the cemetery out front , and turn our home into a haunted house. we just keep adding to what we have to try to make it better , we'll let folks roam around the house on Halloween if they ask to , but the inside is mainly done for our Halloween party, which we usually have 80 - 125 people show up for.


 Funny, I'm sure I live close by. My invitations to this gala must be lost. Is one of your party guest usually dress like my mail man? LOL


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## Ghost of Spookie

I remember your hand/arm preservation box from an earlier thread Hilda and glad you added it to this thread because it deserves a lot of eyes on it. And your snake box from Ooojen is guaranteeing you some totally amazed ToTers when they see your mad lab oddiites collection. Wow both are so good. And yes, Toot away for Ooojen! The over all look is fabulous and I'd like to know how the broken glass panel was created. I'm assuming it's not glass and know that plexiglass doesn't really break like that from my experience. I've bought packages of those broken shards that they've sold at SH, DT etc and never got around to thinking about how to do the broken glass panel they might have come from. Trade secrets please! Thanks for sharing photos of both boxes.


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## spookydave

hahaha busted!! darn mailman


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## BlueFrog

Hilda said:


> I believe ooojen may be too modest to toot her own horn, so I will do so for her. TOOOOT!!


I love both the idea and the execution so much that for once I'm speechless. Terrific job, oojen - and lucky you, Hilda! What a great prop. 

Is the "glass" front panel made of plexi or ??


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## Bethany

Loving all these posts!!

I'd love to have a few vintage photos to add to my wall in the garage for the Mad Lab. 
Senders choice (Blue Frog) I''ve gotten a few off the internet.


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## Rustie

Thanks for the kind words on the chattering teeth guys!

This thread inspired me to finally put together a little project I've had in mind for awhile now: flickering coil tubes (I think? Still not sure exactly what to call these little guys). I don't know exactly what my lab layout will be, so I made these so they can just be placed wherever they look right. 









Video of them on in light/dark:






They're made with just a few easy to find materials, in total they cost less than $2 each to make.


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## Hilda

Oh WOW Rustie. Those are awesome!!!!!!
Do you have a how-to on those! Sweet!!!!


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## spookydave

those are cool!


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## TheMonsterSquad

Would love to see a tutorial on those Rustie.

Mad Lab is one of my favorite themes. So many of our halloween themes are drab and grim, in shades of black and grey. A lab theme lets you break out the color and so its a nice change of pace. I didn't do this theme last year, as I wanted to use my blacklights to create a clown room, so I'm looking forward to bringing it back.

Here's some photos from 2013:























































A few tips from previous years doing this:

-I use a combo of blacklights and items that are internally lighted (e.g. plasma balls).

-Look around the dollar store now. They carry a lot of bugs and snakes in the toy aisle that can be added to lab jars, and those items tend to be more picked over come halloween time. Also look for "grow and glow" items in the toy aisle, which grow in water and look perfect under blacklight

-Save every jar you use in your kitchen. For 6 months we washed, removed labels and set aside every spaghetti jar, pickle jar, and so on. We never had to buy a single extra jar for the display, just used repurposed stuff. After the party, the jars went in the recycling, saving quite a bit of storage space

-Spirit sells a set of six blacklight paints for not a lot of money (especially if you buy in the post-sale). In addition to painting things, you can mix a small amount of paint with water to create a jar filled with glowing liquid. This will give you a lot more variety in colors than simply using tonic water for everything

Finally here's an easy project for you mad labbers. Keep an eye out in the thrift stores for a product called the Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome. This is a plexiglass dome that looks like it came straight from a lab, and which has glowing purple lights in the base. You can repaint the base metallic, and then fill the dome with a wired-up heart or brain. Super easy and cheap project.

BEFORE









AFTER


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## Bethany

TMS, great set up!! I did a brain in one of those crayola things too, Forget what I did in the 2nd one I have. LOL

Great tips too. To add to the "glow" liquids, you can also use Highlighters. Break them open, soak the fiberous tube in water, squeeze with pliers or hands if you so choose, and you get a LOT from 1 highlighter. I use all colors. 

Also some laundry detergents glow under blacklights too!!


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## ChrisW

Great ideas, the colors are fantastic.


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## ooojen

I love all these posts and photos! Things have been busy here, and right now I'm so tired that I'm not sure I can string a coherent sentence dunebuggy orangepeels. *blink hard* *shake head* Off to bed early tonight, but I'll be back to pore over all these goodies tomorrow. It rained tonight, so that means less work outside tomorrow morning, and that equals more time here


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## ooojen

Ok, sleep had and brain functioning again, at least up to its usual level. 
I want to say how fantastic the contributions to this thread are! I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing the wonderful work people have done, and looking at all the different ways we express the same theme. There's a generous sharing of ideas, respectful (though not obsequious) feedback, and IMHO that makes for the epitome of helpful forum function! It's ok to skip the group hug if you're not comfortable with it, though 

PIB-- Your teeth are inspirational. I had a plaster set from an eons ago (before Crest White Strips) whitening tray, but it appears I tossed them out last time I organized the cupboard. Keep them for over a decade, and throw them out a couple years before a use presents itself. All is not lost though. DH hung onto a set.

Blue Frog- I'd love to see a rat army! I hope you'll keep us updated on your sculpts!
I love vintage botanical prints, and would be thrilled to have some scanned for me. That's a very generous offer! Should I just toss some possibilities out there in a pm and see which of them you have? lmk what I can give you to cover cost.

Hilda- I love sculpting. It's something I put on hold for a long time, and but I really enjoy doing it. When I make something for someone else, there's generally a little twinge, like I'm sending my baby out into the world. I have a certain anthropomorphic attachment to what I make. Will the recipent love it in spite of its imperfections? Will they be disappointed if it's not quite their style? Will it get tossed in a pile of unused stuff somewhere, or (gasp!) even thrown out a year or so down the line? You had so much enthusiasm right off the bat, that I worried much less than normal about whether you'd like my work. I'm genuinely thrilled that I could make something that pleased you. You were a wonderful reap victim 
I hope someone organizes another reap sometime with a low maximum input cost. That really challenged participants, but also made the exchange available to people whose finances might be tight at the time. 
...
The glass on the case was acrylic, and breaking it was dicey! You're absolutely right GoS-- the stuff isn't easy to break! First I used a hole saw and cut a circular piece out, but of course perfectly round wouldn't do. I used two pair of dikes to chip little bits off-- one to remove pieces, and the other to brace up and try to keep the break from going beyond where I wanted it. I had tried melting part way through with a heated cutter, but it left un-break-like margins-- no good. I put a few extra cracks in, spreading a little beyond the opening-- that was tense. I pictured myself breaking the entire thing in half, after I'd just gotten the hole the right size! For the bits of "broken glass" I gathered the better pieces of the chips, and I broke up the circle I had sawed out, again, with two pair of sidecutters.
I wanted the hole to be overall more smooth than jagged because I didn't want to introduce the thought of whether the snakes (snake?) would have cut themselves/itself pushing out. If you wanted jagged edges and if you have nearly infinite patience, my advice would be to cut a rough shape out with a Dremel cut off wheel (I've done that, and it's a very slow job!), then to break the cut out piece into triangles the way I described, and finally to carefully glue a few of the triangles back along the edges of your cut so they look like they're broken, but still hanging on. Does that make sense?

I've got some of the purchased shards, too! I used them this past year with a flat backed face piece, as though it had just broken in through the window. The shards are great, but kind of fragile. People love to play with them, and they break easily.

Rustie-- those lighted coils are wonderful! I'm with the others-- I hope you'll run through the process for us!

TheMonsterSquad-- Thanks for sharing both your lab, and excellent tips! I'll be on the lookout for the Crayola Glow Dome, for one! The colors and lighting on your lab look great. The stickers really add, too. That's an element I need to incorporate. (thanks again)


----------



## ooojen

Just a thought to throw out there for people who might be considering a lab theme-- The film 'Victor Frankenstein' is scheduled for release on October 2nd. Daniel Radcliffe is cast as Igor, and James McAvoy as the Dr., so it's bound to get some publicity. The anticipated popularity might even result in more available lab props for this Halloween. We can hope! 
While there also might be cheaper props to grab after Halloween for next year, it might be kind fun to hit the theme when people are already excited about it.


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## Hilda

Wow ooojen! That was an incredible post! LOL

Thanks for walking us through the 'broken glass' process. I have even MORE appreciation for the specimen case now. I didn't think I could love it any more than I already do! Perfecto!

I too am really enjoying this thread. I've already found a bunch of ideas and resources to help me put together my lab theme. Thank you to all who contribute.


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## TheMonsterSquad

Edit: sorry my phone posted from my pocket


----------



## Bethany

Monster Squad, I have some of your Mad Lab Pinned. Noticed because others are pinning it too 
I hope to build a box like you have your plasma ball on & putting lights like Rustie did would be an terrific addition!!!


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## dawnski

I am so glad you mentioned Victor Frankenstein! For my lab, I got a target practice sheet of a zombie doctor for $1 at letargets.com. Then I printed out a 8-1/2x11 of Victor Frankenstein's head (actor Clive Colin). You can see the before and after. In Halloween light, no one noticed that the two were separate. The lit up contraption are the fronts of two fans and a clear poster tube with string lights in it. Cheap and effective. Background was cardboard with spray paint.















You had mentioned using one of those plasma lights. One more cheap but dramatic idea is to build a base for it. This picture shows a plastic planter. I spray painted a vase silver and then glued it on top of that and then put the plasma light on it. I was trying to go for a Frankenstein movie Jacob's ladder look.









ooojen said:


> Just a thought to throw out there for people who might be considering a lab theme-- The film 'Victor Frankenstein' is scheduled for release on October 2nd. Daniel Radcliffe is cast as Igor, and James McAvoy as the Dr., so it's bound to get some publicity. The anticipated popularity might even result in more available lab props for this Halloween. We can hope!
> While there also might be cheaper props to grab after Halloween for next year, it might be kind fun to hit the theme when people are already excited about it.


----------



## Rustie

Thanks for the kind words on the flickering coils all! 

I just made a quick thread on them in the tutorial section for those who were asking for a how-to: 

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutor...-scientists-flickering-coils.html#post1747019

So many great ideas in this thread! I'm on the hunt for one of those Crayola glow domes for sure!


----------



## ooojen

Dawnski-- The stand for your plasma ball is great (the Doctor is, too)! It does a great job of making it part of the setting. I have one of the larger plasma balls and have been considering how to use it to its best advantage! (I still wouldn't mind adding a few light-bulb sized onto props, too.)

Rustie -- Thank you for taking the time to make and share your tutorial! That's very helpful!


----------



## BlueFrog

*Rustie*, thanks so much for the tutorial. I share the love others have expressed for them.



ooojen said:


> I want to say how fantastic the contributions to this thread are! I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing the wonderful work people have done, and looking at all the different ways we express the same theme. There's a generous sharing of ideas, respectful (though not obsequious) feedback, and IMHO that makes for the epitome of helpful forum function! It's ok to skip the group hug if you're not comfortable with it, though


I enthusiastically agree. I am not usually a hugger, but this is one instance where I'd definitely share in a group hug 



ooojen said:


> Blue Frog- I'd love to see a rat army! I hope you'll keep us updated on your sculpts!


Like I'd give you all the chance not to  My plan is to sculpt and cast a few different sizes with separate legs that can attach so as to make the largest variety of poses with the minimum number of molds (I. Hate. Making. Molds!). Then I would create patterns to fit each body size, and go to town with all the vintage fur garments I've accumulated over the years. They'll never be perfect representations of rats, especially since the classic Norway rat sports super short fur as befits its origin in tropical China, but I think they have the potential to be a lot better than what the industry serves up. 



ooojen said:


> I love vintage botanical prints, and would be thrilled to have some scanned for me. That's a very generous offer! Should I just toss some possibilities out there in a pm and see which of them you have? lmk what I can give you to cover cost.


Oh heavens, I wouldn't charge you anything! Please do send me a list of what you'd like, and I'll see if I have it. Patience will be required as I'm already dangerously behind schedule at the H2H mark, but so far I've been pretty pleased with the scan quality I've gotten out of a new-to-me machine. 

Off the top of my head:

* Lots of Deadly Nightshade and Monkshood
* Opium/Medicinal Poppy
* Henbane and one of the terrestrial Hemlocks
* Some Death's Head and Oleander moths
* Some Mandrakes, including anthropomorphic mandrakes
* Some late 18th C animal prints including bats and a wolf. These tend to be a little anatomically "off" but between their age and the wiggle room we have as haunters, they're really quite interesting. The wolf would make a very good werewolf, for example.
* Numerous deadly mushrooms, including Death's Cap and probably a few Fly Agarics, plus some just plain cool looking non-poisonous varieties
* A modern repro of a medieval woodcut showing a plague doctor. The reprint is in nice crisp black and white, should scan well

Apologies to all who've heard the following anecdote before but it always makes me giggle to recount it:

While discussing a print a friend wanted to purchase at a school rummage sale, one of the volunteers in charge of pricing mentioned that her day job was working for a dealer in antique prints. When she asked what kinds of prints I collected, I told her "Poisonous plants and deadly mushrooms." 

My friend and I still get a belly laugh out of the expression on her face!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

BTW, it's always worth scoping out the medical and botanical books at thrift stores and garage sales to find good prints for a lab. All kinds of interesting images can pop up in books that sell for next to nothing.


----------



## Hilda

I love this thread. Absolutely love it!

I thought of something else to contribute.
Here's one of my favorite prop builder's take on some Frankenstein's Laboratory equipment for any who are not familiar with TWISTEDUK's fantastic builds... 
Seriously awesome stuff!!

http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/twisteduk-albums-frankenstien-lab.html


----------



## ooojen

Excellent album-- thanks for the link, Hilda.


----------



## a_granger

Hilda said:


> I love this thread. Absolutely love it!
> 
> I thought of something else to contribute.
> Here's one of my favorite prop builder's take on some Frankenstein's Laboratory equipment for any who are not familiar with TWISTEDUK's fantastic builds...
> Seriously awesome stuff!!
> 
> http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/twisteduk-albums-frankenstien-lab.html


Oh YES!! TwistedUK has some awesome sutff. One great place for inspiration and ideas.


----------



## Trex

We are adding a new lab panel to the Haunt this year, I am going to start distressing it next week. Here are the first couple of pics. We will have gauges, lights, hospital monitor, bubbling water, etc.


----------



## Rustie

Hilda said:


> I love this thread. Absolutely love it!
> 
> I thought of something else to contribute.
> Here's one of my favorite prop builder's take on some Frankenstein's Laboratory equipment for any who are not familiar with TWISTEDUK's fantastic builds...
> Seriously awesome stuff!!
> 
> http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/twisteduk-albums-frankenstien-lab.html


Awesome! Thanks for sharing! I've seen several of these before but didn't know they were all by TWISTEDUK. Excellent work.


----------



## BlueFrog

Hilda said:


> I love this thread. Absolutely love it!


I second that emotion. I am digging the heck out of this.



Hilda said:


> I thought of something else to contribute.
> Here's one of my favorite prop builder's take on some Frankenstein's Laboratory equipment for any who are not familiar with TWISTEDUK's fantastic builds...
> Seriously awesome stuff!!


Now *Hilda*, how am I supposed to concentrate on my taxidermy when you show me things like those OMGWANTWANTDROOL props from Twisted UK? My wolves aren't going to mount themselves, you know! 

*Bethany* and *oojen*, here are the prints I've already scanned, just a smattering to give you an idea of what's here:

http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/BlueFrogCreations/library/Halloween Scans?sort=3&page=1


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## pcman312

Trex said:


> We are adding a new lab panel to the Haunt this year, I am going to start distressing it next week. Here are the first couple of pics. We will have gauges, lights, hospital monitor, bubbling water, etc.


Where did you find the knife switch? I've tried to find them before but without any luck (or really expensive). I've contemplated making my own, which is what I'll do this year if I can't find a good supply.


----------



## Bethany

BlueFrog said:


> I second that emotion. I am digging the heck out of this.
> 
> 
> 
> Now *Hilda*, how am I supposed to concentrate on my taxidermy when you show me things like those OMGWANTWANTDROOL props from Twisted UK? My wolves aren't going to mount themselves, you know!
> 
> *Bethany* and *oojen*, here are the prints I've already scanned, just a smattering to give you an idea of what's here:
> 
> http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/BlueFrogCreations/library/Halloween Scans?sort=3&page=1


Thank you ! Started a folder just for them.


----------



## im the goddess

BlueFrog said:


> I second that emotion. I am digging the heck out of this.
> 
> 
> 
> Now *Hilda*, how am I supposed to concentrate on my taxidermy when you show me things like those OMGWANTWANTDROOL props from Twisted UK? My wolves aren't going to mount themselves, you know!
> 
> *Bethany* and *oojen*, here are the prints I've already scanned, just a smattering to give you an idea of what's here:
> 
> http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/BlueFrogCreations/library/Halloween Scans?sort=3&page=1


Bluefrog, I took a brief look at your albums and I noticed one called Glenview. My in-laws live there. I really like that area.


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## dawnski

Here's a link if any of you are looking for 1800s era botany and anatomical science prints. Most of them have that yellowed, sepia looking background. Just scroll through the cabinet of curiosities stuff first. There are over 200 images. https://www.pinterest.com/zim2/halloween-cabinet-of-curiosities/


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## ooojen

Trex- The panels have great potential. The knife switch caught my eye immediately, too! Is it real porcelain? It looks like it. I have family members keeping their eyes open for such things (in particular, knife switches and needled meters). It's looking like I'll have to make my own. I have a few little shelving supports that should work for the contacts. I'm also debating whether to make some porcelain backs. They're expensive to fire, but it's hard to fake the look!
If a person is going for a little lighter style, there are some cute switchplate covers on Etsy that look like knife switches . Unless the light was pretty dim, one would probably want to touch them up a bit-- some metallic paint, some filler to hide plywood-- but they look fun!

"My wolves aren't going to mount themselves, you know!" -- lol, Bluefrog! The prints you've scanned are wonderful! That bat and castle one would look great framed upstairs in Dracula's suite! I'm also kind of thinking of doing small pressed specimens to accompany botanical prints, but I'll have to think about how I'd keep them secure. We've never had party guests drink themselves into a state where that would be a problem, but we did have a couple bring a very active small child they'd been watching, when the parents didn't pick him up at the appointed time. I was fully able to maintain gracious hostess demeanor through the multiple spilled cups of sticky punch, but if a kid sprinkled belladona leaves on his ice cream or something, it would really throw me off my game. Party over. So I'll have to give that some thought.

Sweet Pinterest board, Dawnski! I could spend some serious time there.


----------



## ChrisW

Dawnski - great use of a plasma ball! I had an extra I intended on selling in a yard sale, but now...

Hilda, thanks for posting the link, I hadn't seen those before.


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## disembodiedvoice

Hilda, I feel like I am becoming a groupie !! I have been in awe of everything you post. I love the preservation chamber. what did you use for lighting in it and is the arm one of the ones that move? and Ooojen might be the one to answer this but what is the snake made out of in that speciman container? is it clay or did she modify a rubber snake? I really can't tell. It all looks so freakin fabulous. now i really want to make each one of these. love em


----------



## Hilda

disembodiedvoice said:


> Hilda, I feel like I am becoming a groupie !! I have been in awe of everything you post. I love the preservation chamber. what did you use for lighting in it and is the arm one of the ones that move? and Ooojen might be the one to answer this but what is the snake made out of in that speciman container? is it clay or did she modify a rubber snake? I really can't tell. It all looks so freakin fabulous. now i really want to make each one of these. love em


Well thank you for that enthusiastic post! That really means a lot to me. 
I used the regular lid that came with the aquarium and it provides two edison base type light fixtures in it (for those elongated bulbs usually used with aquarium). I did not know what color I wanted, so I used one blue CFL (spiral type) and one green CFL on each side. Thinking I was going to chose one color or the other. Turns out that I liked them both. Yes. The hand moves when you tap on the glass, which I will encourage kids to do of course. LOL I bought it from Target last year. I believe it was $20.
Thank you again for your kind words. 

ooojen will have to answer you on her specific technique... but I do know she sculpted the snake onto a wire. Fantastic!!


----------



## ooojen

Thanks, disembodiedvoice! The snake (snakes?) is Apoxie Sculpt over a wire armature. I used a little foil to shape the heads, too. The heads don't fit through the hole they way they're posed (presumably they had put their heads together in order to get through) and I had to be careful to pose the body just right so it could fit in backwards-- twisted in. The tail that's wrapped around the branch was a second piece, attached when I did final placement.


----------



## printersdevil

I have been looking through lots of sale sites and found a few things that would be cool for all the labs. I love this elctro shock head band and they also have a head in a speciman jar.


Animated Electro Shock Headband


----------



## Bethany

printersdevil said:


> I have been looking through lots of sale sites and found a few things that would be cool for all the labs. I love this elctro shock head band and they also have a head in a speciman jar.
> 
> 
> Animated Electro Shock Headband


They had those at Walgreens & Target last year for the same price. Too bad each one had something broken off it. 
I really wanted one for my mad scientist costume


----------



## Rustie

printersdevil said:


> I have been looking through lots of sale sites and found a few things that would be cool for all the labs. I love this elctro shock head band and they also have a head in a speciman jar.
> 
> 
> Animated Electro Shock Headband


As Bethany pointed out they had these at Walgreens last year, I picked one up for 75% off so it was only $2 or so based on their price. As the site says, it plays buzzing sounds but is then followed by the song "I've Got The Power" blaring out. First thing I did was cut the audio wire.... Now I've dismantled it and am trying to figure out how to work the main piece into a project. The problem is that it will not stay on continuously, it turns on via a push button. Makes it tough to figure out what to do with it if anything.

But please do share any fun finds like this! The head in a jar looks like it could be very useful for a lab.


----------



## BlueFrog

I don't know what's gotten me on an ephemera kick lately but I can't seem to stop. Today, in one of my more ADHD moves, I decided to look at old press photos. I searched them occasionally when I was doing my Body Farm, but haven't gone back since. Based on what I discovered, it might be worth the time to search 'press photo' and words like scientist, laboratory, or rat.

Most of the resulting images would be on the expensive side for a display unless you had additional use for them - and who among us doesn't want to decorate like a mad lab year-round? - but they certainly sparked some ideas that might be incorporable in a lab. Or one could stage their own equivalents to a particularly appropriate scene, snap the picture, print it out and hang it on the wall as a kind of "brag photo" for your own personal mad scientist. For example, everyone thinks of a mad lab containing a microscope, but how about a scale? Or consider building a lab animal cage out of hardware cloth/chicken wire over a frame, which would be very similar to cages circa 1930's - 1950's.

Words of caution: you may see images that will disturb you, especially if lab animals are involved. I had a fellow animal rescuer in tears looking at just a few rat photos. Choose your search terms carefully if you're sensitive to those kinds of issues, as I am. Because these photos were intended for use in newspapers they're never outright gruesome, but standards for what is and isn't acceptable to show to the public have changed, as have (fortunately) some of the standards for care for lab animals. 

Although many photos are somewhat pricey for our purposes, that's not the case with all of them and you just might get lucky. Check out some of these, which are among the least expensive press photos I could find, and all would be great for a mad lab:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Schene...141?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51af1e8205

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1933-Westin...335?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51ae32abc7

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-Scient...576?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51b158d7a0

For a little bit of humor, why not have Bill Nye the Science Guy looking out over your lab?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BILL-NYE-19...433?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ffc48081

For that matter, no one says the photos have to be of real scientists. How about a mad lab scene from the movie "Hardware"?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARDWARE-19...735?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item235017ce1f

Not all the pictures of lab animals are horrifying. As soon as I mentioned rats, you all knew I'd succumb to at least one photo, right? Of course you were right. There are still some cute rat photos to be had on eBay, but these two are no longer among them  Fortunately for me, the seller had a sale of 35% off multiple purchases.


----------



## ooojen

Rustie-- My first thought on playing the demo video was also that someone needed to cut the audio wire! 
The electrical arc sound would be fine at a very low level, but the song, not so much. There do seem to be quite a few useful-looking parts there; thanks for the heads-up, Printersdevil.
BlueFrog-- I have the scale, and the hardware cloth cages, but I hadn't though of adding press photos! Brag photo and newspaper clippings would be a wonderful addition. Now I need to find out how to make decent-looking aged newsprint, so I can write my own articles.
Thanks for the warning. For me, browsing animal torture pictures would really take the fun out of shopping for lab shots. (I love the rat on the scale, by the way! That one is a real treasure!)
My project for today is adapting an LKB Wallac cell harvester. It's a very heavy piece of equipment for its size, so I want to start by gutting it. It needs some hoses replaced, and could do with a little aging. Fun


----------



## printersdevil

Ooojen, years before computers were available for projects, my English IV students made newspapers for Greek and English literature. They went to the local newspaper office and got some endrolls of paper so it was on newsprint and then wrote and added the stories and artwork with fine ink pens. Then they aged them with coffee or tea stains. They were really great looking and full size newspaper. I wish I would have kept some of them.


----------



## ooojen

Thanks, Printersdevil-- I didn't think about there being scrap end rolls. (I'm entirely ignorant of the process.) We do have a small town newspaper, though, and I know the person who does the editing. She might be able to get me some scrap paper. It wouldn't take much, because I'd probably do "clipped" articles. I bet if I left them out in the sun for a couple weeks they'd yellow, and then I could just touch them up with tea. Excellent source idea-- thanks again!


----------



## Bethany

ooojen said:


> Thanks, Printersdevil-- I didn't think about there being scrap end rolls. (I'm entirely ignorant of the process.) We do have a small town newspaper, though, and I know the person who does the editing. She might be able to get me some scrap paper. It wouldn't take much, because I'd probably do "clipped" articles. I bet if I left them out in the sun for a couple weeks they'd yellow, and then I could just touch them up with tea. Excellent source idea-- thanks again!


I think you can also get pads in the school supply isle of newsprint.


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## ooojen

I have to try a bigger office supply store I guess. I'll take a look; thanks!


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## Bethany

ooojen said:


> I have to try a bigger office supply store I guess. I'll take a look; thanks!


http://www.michaels.com/search?q=newsprint paper

knew I'd seen it. Michael's has it, if you use 40% off coupon not too bad.  Hobby Lobby has it too; cheaper & more selections.


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## ooojen

Excellent, thank you. I never even thought to check the craft stores.


----------



## BlueFrog

TheMonsterSquad said:


> A few tips from previous years doing this:
> 
> -Save every jar you use in your kitchen. For 6 months we washed, removed labels and set aside every spaghetti jar, pickle jar, and so on. We never had to buy a single extra jar for the display, just used repurposed stuff. After the party, the jars went in the recycling, saving quite a bit of storage space


Well, you could do it that way, if you wanted to be all effective, efficient, and economical - but where's the fun in that? 

For those of us who view Halloween as an excuse to purchase glassware, may I recommend the often-overlooked apothecary jar? You can spend a fortune on them at retail if you want to, or just scour the usual secondhand sources. These three are my most recent acquisitions, purchased for 25cents up to $2. Specimens, chemicals, ingredients, potions - they're versatile for a variety of themes. (I would explain the background, but I imagine we all keep dead fish hanging on the wall behind our washing machines, right? Right?)

Every now and again one can run across ceramic versions that closely replicate the even older apothecary jars. Most were made as barware and cost a fortune, but I ran across three of these Made in China versions intended for (I assume) pretentious tea drinkers at GW for $4 each. Although they contain text, one can easily turn them around or cover it with a sticker. I've enclosed a close-up for assistance in locating them online. 

Also, while watching the series finale of Forever this week, the tears in my eyes did not obscure my vision to the point that I missed out on seeing the old wood boxes full of wood excelsior for transporting fragile objects from the far corners of the Earth. I imagine our mad scientists all use some pretty exotic ingredients and might have a few of those transport boxes/crates hanging around the lab.



ooojen said:


> BlueFrog-- I have the scale, and the hardware cloth cages, but I hadn't though of adding press photos! Brag photo and newspaper clippings would be a wonderful addition. Now I need to find out how to make decent-looking aged newsprint, so I can write my own articles.
> Thanks for the warning. For me, browsing animal torture pictures would really take the fun out of shopping for lab shots. (I love the rat on the scale, by the way! That one is a real treasure!)


Thanks! The composition of that photo and the inquisitive expression on the rat's face struck me immediately. No matter how many pictures I scrolled through, the image stayed in my head. I just had to have it.

The mama rat photo is a lot funnier if you know that she's trying to stash her very young babies in the pharmacist's pocket, a behavior I recognized even before reading the caption on the back shown in the auction listing. That's a sign that she trusts him, and it's a scene that's been replicated here many times. I can only IMAGINE the scolding she gave him afterward for messing with her babies, however. Few if any animals can express indignation like a rat mom who has to move her offspring, set up a new nest, and give those little ones a thorough head to toe tongue bath to remove every trace of icky human scent.

The person in this video is not me, but it's too great and funny not to share:

https://www.facebook.com/philippaspage/videos/10206604022279631/


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## printersdevil

I am on the hunt for more of jars like this for my wizards this year.


----------



## Bethany

I just passed one up at the Goodwill last Thursday.


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## ooojen

I was going to buy a crockery jar for leeches, but then I got some great-looking fake leeches (fish bait) and decided to show them off in a glass jar, inauthentic though it may be. I found a nice little glass apothecary jar at the SA store last time I was there.


----------



## Hilda

ooojen said:


> I was going to buy a crockery jar for leeches, but then I got some great-looking fake leeches (fish bait) and decided to show them off in a glass jar, inauthentic though it may be. I found a nice little glass apothecary jar at the SA store last time I was there.


Oh no. Glass containers were very much authentic for holding leeches.










As were little pewter or tin portable leech containers. These are quite collectible.
(Sorry for the awful photos. I just grabbed them quickly.)










This is completely not realistic, but it only took a few minutes to convert a cookie jar to a leech container for laughs.
Now I need some of those rubber leeches you found ooojen to put on this as escapees. LOL


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## ooojen

Very cool! Love the little transport containers!
Good to know the glass was more than just decorative. I've mostly seen crockery, but never actually researched it.


----------



## Hilda

ooojen said:


> Very cool! Love the little transport containers!
> Good to know the glass was more than just decorative. I've mostly seen crockery, but never actually researched it.


Oh you should! Research it I mean... really cool containers. Some incredibly elaborate crocks. It's fascinating. In that creepy way we love.


----------



## BlueFrog

You just _had_ to start this thread, didn't you, oojen? As if it weren't bad enough that Saki.Girl has been dragging me toward witches, now you've gotten me started on doing a mad lab (that's in addition to the punk Frankenstein I already had in my head). I know my planned Four Funerals and a Wedding is a little overcooked, what with being four or five years in the planning at this point, but still, I did NOT need another theme title on which to cogitate. The rest of you, you're not off the hooks either, what with all these great ideas and props and suggestions and all. 

Once I have a theme title that I'm pretty sure I won't be able to shake, I start a draft email message on which I start brainstorming. Then I head over to Shindigz.com to check out their customizable banners so I can be fully prepared next time they hold a sale. Apparently they have added a bunch of designs since I last shopped there, so much so that I haven't finished browsing all the designs. Experience has taught me that although they have some fine banners in the Halloween category, it's often a good idea to shop outside that section and use your imagination. Here are a few that I uncovered that might be of use to fellow MadLabbers. Remember, the text and to some extent the graphics are customizable:

Biohazard

Science banners (pl)

Know the Symptoms

Heartbeat

Caution Banners (plural)

House of Horror (<-- one of my personal favorites, very versatile)

Skull banners (pl) 

Which will I select for "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World"? Stay tuned!


----------



## ooojen

Ah, but you know the theme suits you! Resistance is futile, methinks 
I'm partial to the Biohazard banner; there are lots of good ones.

My little project for today was a beehive skull. I used a rather poor quality (4th?) Bucky skull, and spent a bit of time de-burring along mold lines, trimming down where the inside mold didn't perfectly align with the outside, and painting just a bit to make the skull sutures stand out. I took off the springs to the jaw and glued it at the angle I wanted, but I'm going to have to add some small screws to make sure it holds. 
Honey comb is all pretty and golden colored, but used and re-used brood comb eventually gets nearly black. (Bees are very clean but little bits of dust build up and darken the wax after thousands of visits to feed and clean young.) It looks creepier, especially if you're not used to seeing it.It was a lucky coincidence there was a tongue shaped piece of burr comb.
I gathered up a few dead (from shipping stress and natural causes) bees from newly-installed packages, repositioned wings and legs to more naturally alive angles, and --Voilà! My simple beehive skull. (There's no picture, but I have a bee coming out of the top-of-skull hanger hole, too) I might add a few more bees before I quit. Also, Darling Daughter tells me it *must* be under glass in order to prevent grossing or creeping out guests. She's the one with the sense and sensibilities, I guess. If it's all enclosed, I might be inclined to get a dozen or so live bees to add, just for the evening, almost like a real observation colony.
Whoops, I still need to yellow up the teeth a little, and replace the bee with the squashed abdomen, too.


----------



## Paint It Black

Ooojen, I love the beehive skull - such an original project. Under glass would be great. What a wonderful specimen for your lab. Super creepy.


----------



## Hilda

HOLY BLEEP that beehive skull is spectacular!!!! What a fantastic concept! Oh mannnnnnnnnn I want one.
I can see this thread is going to be a problem. hahahahahahaha


----------



## Hilda

It's official. I'm on the dark side now. haha
I would say this is officially my first 'gory' prop purchase. ONLY it also falls under my 'no torture' rule. It's still fantasy Halloween. 
I got it for Mother's Day. haha Nothing says we love you mom like a brain-eating snail. Right?!?! 
Some kind of scary specimen Dr. Pettigrew found on his expedition? 
Now I need a large tank. This sucker is huge!!


----------



## spookydave

hahaha how big is that?


----------



## ooojen

I love the snail, Hilda! He's wonderful, and you know, he could have been eating roadkill...or even raspberries. Well, maybe not raspberries, but roadkill would work.


----------



## Hilda

LOL It is delightfully disgusting. Isn't it? LOL




spookydave said:


> hahaha how big is that?


It's 34 inches long and 12 inches tall. Very cool. I love it.
I ordered it from FrightProps and it came right away.




ooojen said:


> I love the snail, Hilda! He's wonderful, and you know, he could have been eating roadkill...or even raspberries. Well, maybe not raspberries, but roadkill would work.


YES! Raspberries. It was eating raspberries! hahahaha


----------



## Paint It Black

The snail is awesome, Hilda! And huge!! Love it.


----------



## pumpkinpie

He's absolutely beautiful Hilda


----------



## punkineater

ooojen~that skull beehive is FANTASTIC!!! 

Hilda~there's no turning back now. Nothing represents a mother's love better
than a cannibalistic, giant snail


----------



## printersdevil

Hilda you need this:








Her labels are wonderful and this one is perfect for a BIG jar or bottle for your new snail.


----------



## Si-cotik

there are a lot of wonderful things going on here


----------



## BlueFrog

Hilda, I forgot to mention earlier that I really like your cookie jar makeover into the leech jar. Very inventive! Clearly you have the touch for the slimy critters what with that terrific snail. I'd seen him on a web site somewhere before but didn't realize how BIG he is. Super, super cool. 

oojen, OMG, I couldn't love that beehive skull more if I'd made it myself. WOW! That is incredibly creepy and beautifully executed. I know a beekeeper and I think it's high time I asked him for a favor. Did you use any preservative on the bees, or are rotting bees an asset? Or do you plan to replace them if they start to degrade?


----------



## Bethany

oojen Your beehive skull is flippin' fantastic!! Love it!!

Hilda, that snail is fabulous!! I think I want one now. : Perfect for a year round porch decoration!!


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

@@BlueFrog, Thanks for the heads up on the new graphics at Shindigz. I'll have to check them out. Haven't been there in a while. It's really easy to do your own layout with their graphics to use. I ordered a few customized carnival signs from them in the past and they came out great.

BTW sounds like you have succumbed to the depths of the multiple haunt themes curse! Guaranteed to be fun searching for items but surefire storage hog...I know from "all" my in-progress themes! 

@@Ooojen, great bee skull! What a clever idea. That would look great with the stung beekeeper costume I bought a few years back! I would also recommend enclosing the skull and bees. People with bee sting allergies and those just afraid of bees would really freak out over the realism. BTW seeing as these are real dead bees won't they disintegrate before halloween due to natural decay? An audio track of bee noise would be great played in the background though.


----------



## ooojen

10 characters (what I need to post & eliminate my double-up)


----------



## ooojen

Thanks for the nice comments!
I do intend to put some more bees in and around the mouth once I get the jaw screwed into place and the teeth painted.

Bluefrog-- Bees (and most smaller insects) have such small bodies that they only contain a drop or so of actual water. It's little enough that they dry very quickly without rotting, and the chitin in their exoskeletons is firm enough to hold their shape as they dry. If it's humid when you get some, you could put them in a single layer in a little cardboard box (like a necklace box) and put them in the freezer. Then you could be sure they'd dry "clean" without mildewing. The only potential problem I can think of is Dermestids. Having pelts around, I'm sure you've already had to find ways of keeping them at bay. They're no problem for something out on a shelf, but if I'd stick this skull in the dark humid basement, they'd spontaneously generate before Halloween. 

DD pointed out that this violates my self-imposed No Actual Dead Things rule. I'll use bone or horn that's found, or that's from an animal already being used for meat, but that was my limit. I didn't think of bees even qualifying. They're like a fly you find dried up in the window when you vacuum, but there we go; the little ***** in the armor expands.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

ooojen, don't know how your bees died but I was reading a NYT article yesterday about 40% of the honeybees last year died and they still don't know why. They mentioned mites so you "mite" want to keep that in mind too LOL.

Love your snail BTW. Remember seeing it on a few websites but never saw a photo from someone who bought it. Looks great and it's huge. Can you imagine if it were real? Get out the supersized Sluggo container and start spreading it around!! Or drown it with a keg of beer!! That would make one mouthful of escargot too.


----------



## ooojen

GoS-- You make a good point. I wouldn't want to keep diseased bee corpses! These were from packages of brand new inspected bee colonies that I just installed in hives a couple weeks ago. There's always a certain amount of shipping loss-- both from stress (shipping from California to Minnesota) and from normal "timing out" (workers only live about 6 weeks during spring through fall). 
I'll creep a little off topic here but I'll keep it short. What they seem to be discovering now is that years of thoughtless breeding is responsible for a lot of honeybee losses. The gene pool is very limited, with only a few varieties making up a vast majority of honeybee colonies. The breeding emphasis has been on things like massive honey production, reduced swarming, low drone production, and low propolis production. (Propolis glues the hive bodies together, so it's a nuisance for pro beekeepers. It also has antibiotic properties, and hives with lots are healthier than hives with little.) All that has been at the expense of breeding for disease and pest resistance, chemical tolerance, and overall hardiness. The bees of 30 years ago were tolerating much more toxic pesticides and resisting diseases that wipe out today's colonies. Weak honeybees give newly-introduced pests (like Varroa mite) more of a toe-hold, and the pests spread to native bee colonies, too.

I'm just a hobbyist, but I try to learn what I can  

Hah! Escargot of brain-eating-snail -- lol!


----------



## Hilda

Thank you. I am laughing at BOTH all the snail comments and creepy bee facts.


----------



## talkingcatblues

Hilda said:


> Now I need a large tank. This sucker is huge!!


I don't know - I think the snail looks great down on the carpet. People may notice it just as it's about to bite their ankle... 

Coooool cool cool beehive skull ooojen! What a completely great idea.


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## ooojen

I'm so happy, and I want to give a huge shout out to my wonderful older daughter! She keeps me in mind when she sees things I might want, and she has run across some beauties! The latest was giant bell jars-- genuine laboratory create-a-vacuum-in-'em lab-glass bell jars. They have hardware cloth around them (I suppose for safety in case they imploded) but I can remove that... or I could buy a vacuum pump and look for cool demonstrations to do.
I don't have my hands on them yet; I'll get them next time I visit DD. I do have the pictures she sent, of the jars in her car. The "little" one:









The big one:









I just thought of what to do with the hardware cloth cages if I can get them removed intact. More on that later


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## BlueFrog

ooojen said:


> The latest was giant bell jars-- genuine laboratory create-a-vacuum-in-'em lab-glass bell jars.


:falls over ded from jealousy:


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Ooojen, cool find by daughter! At first I didn't notice the bell jars. Hope you can successfully separate them from the cages. When I was looking at the cages my mind immediately went to setting them up horizontally on some type of stand or rollers on the bottom so the cages can rotate and the equip them with a _team_ of mice inside to power your mad lab.


----------



## ooojen

That would look great, GoS! I have a hand-crank magneto that could possibly be rigged to look like it was being mouse-driven. I'm envisioning some kind of tempting treats suspended above to keep them going in the same direction. I just don't know what I'd do with the mice after Halloween. Maybe I could present them to my daughter as a thank-you gift. (Bad mommy!)


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## Hilda

BlueFrog said:


> :falls over ded from jealousy:


Falls over unconscious with jealousy on top of BlueFrog.


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## Ghost of Spookie

ooojen said:


> That would look great, GoS! I have a hand-crank magneto that could possibly be rigged to look like it was being mouse-driven. I'm envisioning some kind of tempting treats suspended above to keep them going in the same direction. I just don't know what I'd do with the mice after Halloween. Maybe I could present them to my daughter as a thank-you gift. (Bad mommy!)



Real mice! 

Here I was thinking of skewering some fake mice together, suspending them very slightly above the "track" (you'd have to use the side opening to make the support attachment so that the cage can still turn), and using a little wheel setup that runs on a motor, spin the cage...and hopefully from a slight distance making it look like they are all running in the cage and powering some piece of lab equipment.


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## Hilda

Just for fun. I was window shopping at Dapper Cadaver's site... A girl can dream.

http://www.dappercadaver.com/categories/science-medical/

http://www.creaturesandcultures.com/categories/vintage-science-equipment/?sort=featured&page=1


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## a_granger

Great links Hilda, I Love the straight jacket at dapper cadaver. May have to make one when I do a lab theme!


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## Ghost of Spookie

I get newsletters from Dapper Cadaver and I just posted under "Haunts, Gatherings etc." about a recent email I received involving a tour of their facilities in conjunction with the Los Angeles Obscura Society. Never heard of Obscura before and LA is part of a larger organization that explores obscure locations around the world. Given the topic here and knowing some of you like @BlueFrog have an interest in medical/lab equipment and such thought those who might attend this would come away with more weird items for their mad labs!

http://www.atlasobscura.com/events/a-night-at-the-museum-with-danger-circus-company


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## Bethany

I've been added to the top of the jealousy pile!!


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## 3pinkpoodles

Hi OOOJEN! I have not been on the forum for a few weeks. Yes, I am LIZG EVENTPLANNER on Pinterest! Dontcha just love Pinterest? Man I spend hours over there! I love your tools even if they are shiny!



ooojen said:


> Ooo, 3pinkpodls, love the sets! And you're LizEventPlanner? I've spent loads of time admiring your Pinterest boards!
> 
> I've been downstairs digging thorough boxes. I found my fetal skeleton, some nice funky lights, more apothecary jars with ground glass stoppers, but my animal x-rays are MIA. Must keep looking!
> Digging through stuff makes me anxious to decorate!


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## 3pinkpoodles

LOVE all of this!


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## 3pinkpoodles

Oh man... THAT is such a fabulous idea GOS! Yes yes yes! I hate mice- they make me cringe. That alone would freak out many many people.... : )


Ghost of Spookie said:


> Real mice!
> 
> Here I was thinking of skewering some fake mice together, suspending them very slightly above the "track" (you'd have to use the side opening to make the support attachment so that the cage can still turn), and using a little wheel setup that runs on a motor, spin the cage...and hopefully from a slight distance making it look like they are all running in the cage and powering some piece of lab equipment.


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## ooojen

I don't know whether I should "like" jealousy deaths and faints or not! 
Lots of cool stuff at Dapper Cadaver (Ignoring scientific inaccuracies  ) I do have a few of the items they sell, but I got mine elsewhere, at much lower prices. Still, there are some things there that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere, and pretty tempting!


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## Hilda

ooojen said:


> I don't know whether I should "like" jealousy deaths and faints or not!
> Lots of cool stuff at Dapper Cadaver (Ignoring scientific inaccuracies  ) I do have a few of the items they sell, but I got mine elsewhere, at much lower prices. Still, there are some things there that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere, and pretty tempting!


hahaha You have people swooning. 
Oh yes. Hence, why I said window shopping.  Great ideas on their sites. 
I did see some fake parasites I am thinking about getting. Delightfully disgusting.


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## ooojen

Those parasites look pretty wicked! I don't even know what the insecty parasites are supposed to be.
I looked to see whether they match any louse images, and I wish I hadn't! EW! EW! EW! I'm not bothered much by most crawly creatures, but lice totally creep me out. I don't need to see them in huge close-ups! Thank goodness our girls made it through school without ever bringing lice home! I'd have probably shaved their heads-- lol! (the girls' heads, not the lice's. The latter would be difficult and pointless.)


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## Ghost of Spookie

Hilda, a few years back I bought a number of the leeches from Dapper. They look great and it seems like they are packaged with those parasites. I don't know if they are still made the same way, but if they are, wanted to alert you that mine at least are hollow and half sided if that makes sense. I'll take a photo of them and post. The half feature is kind of nice in that they lay flat on something, the con is that they can't be viewed 360. Don't know anything about the other parasites but they do look creepy.


----------



## Hilda

Ghost of Spookie said:


> Hilda, a few years back I bought a number of the leeches from Dapper. They look great and it seems like they are packaged with those parasites. I don't know if they are still made the same way, but if they are, wanted to alert you that mine at least are hollow and half sided if that makes sense. I'll take a photo of them and post. The half feature is kind of nice in that they lay flat on something, the con is that they can't be viewed 360.


That is what you have to love about this forum. Someone can provide with a heads up about some fake leeches!  Thank you!

Yes, I think that will work out fine. I want to put the leeches on the outside of my leech container. The other parasites, I can probably fill with a bit of hot glue and give the bottoms a little paint. I've done that with fake ears and fingers, when I want to put them in a specimen jar. Thank you VERY much for your feedback. Greatly appreciated.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Here are the leeches I bought from DC a few years ago. As I said I'm not sure they are still using these same molds or if they are still hollow. If that's important to someone, I'd suggest asking. Their descriptions are not always the most detailed. The cutting board has a 1-inch grid so you can judge sizes.

















And can't say I show my leeches off to anyone else! You guys are special!!


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## Hilda

Ghost of Spookie said:


> And can't say I show my leeches off to anyone else! You guys are special!!


I am LAUGHING!!!!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your taking the time to give the leeches a photoshoot. That does help. Thank you!!


----------



## Pumpkin5

Hilda said:


> My lab plans are for 2016, so I have just started making/accumulating things. This thread is already a treasure trove of fabulous ideas! Thank you!
> 
> So far, this may be my favorite item I put together.
> $1 yard sale fish tank turned into a Specimen Preservation Chamber.
> Thank you to DEAD With Dave 'crappified tank' tutorial and TwistedUK for the label.
> 
> View attachment 240730
> View attachment 240731
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tutorial for the 'crappifying process' (LOL) is at the beginning of this episode of the Dead with Dave Show.



 Dang Hilda! That is IMPRESSIVE! Nice work, girlie!


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## ooojen

My leeches came from a sporting goods section (fishing). They're smaller, but 3-D. I think the bigger ones would have more impact on the outside of a jar.


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## BlueFrog

Love this conversation. Come for the creepy props, stay for the creepy science facts. Given our dependence on honeybees, the real world facts are much more disturbing than almost anything except coming upon your beehive skull for real. Everything from Thoroughbred horses to dairy cattle and pet rats seem to be affected by relentless breeding programs that don't take into account factors like disease resistance and overall hardiness. As sad as it is when a racehorse breaks down on the track or a child loses a beloved pet rat, losing the bees would take us all down. Scary, scary stuff.



ooojen said:


> I'll creep a little off topic here but I'll keep it short. What they seem to be discovering now is that years of thoughtless breeding is responsible for a lot of honeybee losses. The gene pool is very limited, with only a few varieties making up a vast majority of honeybee colonies. The breeding emphasis has been on things like massive honey production, reduced swarming, low drone production, and low propolis production. (Propolis glues the hive bodies together, so it's a nuisance for pro beekeepers. It also has antibiotic properties, and hives with lots are healthier than hives with little.) All that has been at the expense of breeding for disease and pest resistance, chemical tolerance, and overall hardiness. The bees of 30 years ago were tolerating much more toxic pesticides and resisting diseases that wipe out today's colonies. Weak honeybees give newly-introduced pests (like Varroa mite) more of a toe-hold, and the pests spread to native bee colonies, too.


----------



## BlueFrog

GoS, thank you so much for alerting us to the hollow nature of the parasites. I've eyed them on DC's site for a long time and would not have been happy to learn they weren't 3D. I've become a little leery of DC as being a bit more hit-or-miss than I'd like in terms of quality and value.

On the subject of leeches: you can get the real thing, preserved in formalin or something like it and then shrink-wrapped, from Carolina Biological. I bought some to cast from, which I've discovered is probably not worth the effort. This is one case where I think artificial would simply be more convenient, but I did want to point out the option.

oojen, my fellow OCD haunter, thank you for noticing some of the scientific inaccuracies on DC props. I understand, they are props and not scientific research models, but every now and again I have to shake my head at some of their identifications and say "Really? Sticking Lucy's head onto a short modern human skeleton does not an Australopithecus make" - though that didn't prevent me from buying one. 

My vet knows how to get under my skin by showing me slides of live parasites. Seeing rabbit ear mites (on a newly rescued white bunny caught in a cemetery) wriggling under a microscope scarred me for life. She knows this and is therefore relentless in pressing me to see every disturbing critter that comes through because she loves my reactions. When I'm in her office, I wish I were looking at inaccurate props instead.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

DC does make a number of their props, I'm thinking more body props. I've bought a head from them and the leeches for example that I know they made because of conversations I've had with the guys there. But you also see items on their site we've all seen elsewhere which sometime I know did not originate from them. The prices can widely vary too. I've bought a few rental props that they've pulled and sold on clearance that were great for the price. I know sometimes they will also have unpainted latex props from their molds that they will sell unfinished and those can be a saving for people too. I'm guessing they get in all kinds of stuff in addition to what they produce for the movie and party industry. I really would have loved to have toured their warehouse with them for that Obscura Day event.

I will say that movie props can be super cool looking in person or be bit of a surprise in how plain and ordinary they can look. When The X-Files did their tour event, they had a number of well-recognized props from the TV set on display, and well, sometimes you'd be amazed by the magic of TV! Lighting, etc. can make a big difference as well as how much time it is shown in the frame and what else is going on at the time to surprise or distract. I don't expect set props to be highly realistic any longer. I'd think props made for theater use might have a higher quality but then again maybe not because of how far away are they being seen by the audience. Very interesting business. 

Back to the leeches, wanted to reiterate that just because those I bought are hollow, don't assume that the current ones are that way. Their shape does look different than those I bought. If they were molded for use in a movie project, it would depend on how they were to be used. Best to call and ask if it could matter. As you can tell from my photos the ones I bought several years ago were pretty big suckers and they do look gross in person.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

BTW I don't remember if ooojen mentioned where she got her 3D leeches from but I know that Cabela's sells soft bait fishing lures and carries leeches in that line of equipment. I'm assuming that they are 3D. Here's a link to one of their products. Gotta love the "looks, tastes and feels real" description!! A number more on their site to choose from. Biodegradeable too but won't dissolve on the hook. If you were just setting up for Halloween Night might be worth investing in for a short term thing for them floating in a specimen jar. I could also see a body covered with a bucket of them really grossing people out.


----------



## ooojen

Yeah, there are loads of great creepy things in fishing departments. I got baby squid, leeches, crayfish, hellgrammites (which aren't parasites, but are gross-looking and might be what DC was aiming for with one of their parasites) and more. They do some pretty accurate frogs, too. If any of you do decide to shop a sporting-goods store, watch out for some of the lures being scented to attract fish. It will say on the package. 

lol- BlueFrog-- I am amused that ectoparasites are even more objectionable than inaccurate models!


----------



## BlueFrog

Way back when I first started haunting, I bought some fishing leeches and was deeply disappointed at how unrealistic the shape was. Those at the Cabela's link are miles ahead, and I really wish I'd seen them before I bought the odiferous real thing from CBS. Some of those frogs look like great mutant lab animals too. Thanks for the pointers. (Don't forget to look for realistic maggots too!)

I can restrain myself from discussing bottles for only so long, and that limit seems to have expired. 

One quick and easy replica would be an old stoneware mercury jar. These were used primarily be dentists and miners, and although they're fairly common, they fetch considerably more money than a plain stoneware jar of equivalent size and shape; if it has additional lettering such as a pharmacy or dentist's name, the price goes up even faster. Would be almost painfully easy to stencil the word "Mercury" (or some other toxic substance) on the side of a piece of thrift store kitchenware. The blue color of the lettering is not random; cobalt is one of the few bright colors that is very stable at the relatively high temperatures at which stoneware is fired.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BROWN-CREAM...210?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f46df8862

Also: although probably everyone knows this, I'm going to say it anyway. Traditionally bottles containing poisons, be they medicinal or otherwise, were made of colored glass and usually also featured raised designs such as ribs, hobnails, and lattice quilting. The idea was to make them readily distinguishable by sight and touch from non-toxic substances with which they might share a shelf. Collectors today prize cobalt blue most highly, but green and amber were also very common colors. Some of the antique clear bottles have also "purpled" with age; search the terms "glass purpling" online to learn more about this phenomenon. Real poison bottles were often quite small and thus not as visible to the audience as we might like, but there are plenty of modern bottles available to simulate the look.

Pharmacy labels ranging from generic "Poison" through various specific toxic substances like laundanum, Belladonna, etc. are readily available quite inexpensively on evilBay. The larger and more interesting the label the more you'll pay, but many dealers offer mixed lots of different labels for fairly nominal sums.


----------



## ooojen

This isn't the best picture, but for a general idea, here are the two kinds of leeches I have on hand. The upper leeches are cheaper and less realistic. They're very jiggly, though, and the bends are made into them. Put them in a clear glass jar, pick up the jar, and they'll give you a good impression of leech motion. (Take it from a northwoods girl! I grew up playing in the lakes.) The bigger ones are around 4 1/2 inches, and a lot more realistic looking, though not perfect. What does it take to fool a fish, eh? They're segmented and even have little attachment suckers. They make better specimen leeches, but mine do have fish-attractant on them (see the oil spots on the paper? A little Dawn to cut the oil, and most of it will wash off.)


----------



## punkineater

ooojen said:


> This isn't the best picture, but for a general idea, here are the two kinds of leeches I have on hand. The upper leeches are cheaper and less realistic. They're very jiggly, though, and the bends are made into them. Put them in a clear glass jar, pick up the jar, and they'll give you a good impression of leech motion. (Take it from a northwoods girl! I grew up playing in the lakes.) The bigger ones are around 4 1/2 inches, and a lot more realistic looking, though not perfect. What does it take to fool a fish, eh? They're segmented and even have little attachment suckers. They make better specimen leeches, but mine do have fish-attractant on them (see the oil spots on the paper? A little Dawn to cut the oil, and most of it will wash off.)
> 
> View attachment 241789


Gotta love giggly leeches Did I miss it, or did you say where you bought your leeches, both varieties, from?

This thread gives me the creeps in the _very best way_


----------



## Hilda

BlueFrog said:


> "Really? Sticking Lucy's head onto a short modern human skeleton does not an Australopithecus make" - though that didn't prevent me from buying one.


I won't pretend to know what this means... however, I am highly entertained. 

giggly leeches?!?! I want some!! Perfect.

Thank you all for such an interesting thread! I love it.


----------



## Hilda

Thank you all for the great advice on creepy specimen stuff! It's greatly appreciated.

Yes. I did find some cool maggots and earthworms and creepy things at Cabelas when I was doing my witches kitchen theme. I did buy some of the scented worms, and actually it's kind of neat that when visitors open the jar that they look real, sort of stink and the potting soil clings to them in a realistic manner.


----------



## ooojen

Those do look great! I can see where the oily surface and the smell would enhance an in-jar specimen-- but less so outside the jar! 
In my giggly leech-fevered excitement, I forgot to acknowledge the information on textured jars for poisons. I didn't know that. Thanks, BlueFrog. Now I need more textured jars... (Grrr, yeah, thanks, BlueFrog --- lol!)

The leeches came from a store in a small Upper-Midwest chain with farm, home, auto, and sporting goods stuff-- Fleet Farm. You'd find the same at any sporting goods store, and possibly the sporting goods section of local discount stores. I have some tiny little rubbery fish, too, and crappie tubes that look like giant hydra or tiny jellyfish. (If you don't fish and aren't familiar, "crappie" is said with the "a" as in "father", not like a pile of crap.)


----------



## punkineater

Will definitely be checking out Bass Pro Shops for the leeches & earthworms!

Just got back from a living history reenactment for the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade Era...the rattle snakes were out in full force for the first four days(it was hot). Was forced to kill 2 baby rattlers and one 4 footer-we only do that when they mosey into camp. I traded for the button on the big snake. Also, found a shed snake skin there to add to the specimens lab. The poison bottle & resin encased creepy crawlies were purchased. Jar partially full of used teeth were...yes, I acknowledge my freak factor...family member 'donations'.
































Check out this website~these replica insects are not for sale(for rent only), but are amazing! http://www.filmflies.com/


----------



## printersdevil

Cool specimans, but not for me. lol

Where are where did you find those gorgeous eyes in the metal?


----------



## Hilda

Oh punkineater... I am loving all your goodies!! Now I am on the hunt for some resin encased specimens. 
As I said before, this thread is going to be a problem.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Saw some black rubberized aprons over at American Scientiifc: http://www.sciplus.com/p/BLACK-RUBBERIZED-LAB-APRON_56270

They also 2 sets of 4 insects in acrylic: http://www.sciplus.com/p/INSECTS-SET-2_4219


----------



## punkineater

printersdevil said:


> Cool specimans, but not for me. lol
> 
> Where are where did you find those gorgeous eyes in the metal?





Hilda said:


> Oh punkineater... I am loving all your goodies!! Now I am on the hunt for some resin encased specimens.
> As I said before, this thread is going to be a problem.


Thanks, ladies

printer~the eyes necklace came from ebay, $1.99 each, free shipping. They have bracelets too, as well as different metal finishes. Thought of several applications for them, when deconstructed.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301297727719?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Agreed, Hilda~we will all need an intervention when this runs its course


----------



## ooojen

punkineater said:


> Agreed, Hilda~we will all need an intervention when this runs its course


Yeah, but seriously, no interventions until _*after*_ it has run its course.


----------



## Hilda

Ghost of Spookie said:


> Saw some black rubberized aprons over at American Scientiifc: http://www.sciplus.com/p/BLACK-RUBBERIZED-LAB-APRON_56270
> 
> They also 2 sets of 4 insects in acrylic: http://www.sciplus.com/p/INSECTS-SET-2_4219


I am squealing with delight over this website!! Thank you! 




ooojen said:


> Yeah, but seriously, no interventions until _*after*_ it has run its course.


So it shall be.


----------



## ooojen

I have some amber with tiny insect inclusions somewhere. I'll have to dig that out. I got it from Carolina eons ago, so I trust it's real. Now most of the "amber" with inclusions is newly made in China or the Dominican Republic.


----------



## punkineater

I have red amber with insect inclusions, purchased from our friend that does rendezvous with us- he deals in
antique trade beads. Beautiful stuff~I'll have to dig as well.

ooojen, you have single-handedly wrecked the course of how many haunts with this thread! People are
drooling, squealing, oooo-ing, ahhh-ing and gasping. It's a slippery slope.
Blue Frog is struggling and about to ditch her long standing _Four Funerals and a Wedding_ plans to go Mad Lab...
Hilda, I'm afraid, is hopeless.
GoS has nailed the lid closed.
Dontcha feel a wee bit bad ?


----------



## Hilda

punkineater said:


> ooojen, you have single-handedly wrecked the course of how many haunts with this thread! People are
> drooling, squealing, oooo-ing, ahhh-ing and gasping. It's a slippery slope.
> Blue Frog is struggling and about to ditch her long standing _Four Funerals and a Wedding_ plans to go Mad Lab...
> Hilda, I'm afraid, is hopeless.
> GoS has nailed the lid closed.
> Dontcha feel a wee bit bad ?


hahahahahaha "Hilda, I'm afraid, is hopeless.' So true!!!!!  Forget the haunted hotel 2015, move right onto the Lab!!


----------



## ooojen

Oh, no! I may admit to limited culpability, but single-handed I was not! There are a lot of amazing contributions on this thread! I'm being swept away on the tide myself! My bayou_ was_ going to be my star attraction.

OOOooo! I just got a random brainstorm! I could cook up a backstory about finding specimens for the lab while walking through the bayou! It could be sort of an expedition/scavenger hunt that would make people examine the props more carefully. I'd already planned to make phosphorescent mushrooms, fluttering Saturniid moths and the like. I could get guests to "gather" some for lab jars. That would tie in the only area that really didn't fit perfectly with the Victorian/NeoGothic stuff. This is getting even more exciting!

So much to do! I have a prop to make -- it's wondrous in my mind, but I'll see how it manifests in reality before I share. I want to make a stand and cover for the beehive skull (stand is also pretty impressive in it's awesome nebulousness -- heh!) I need a crank and a couple bevel gears to make an old (but not _*that*_ old) centrifuge into a hand-crank model.
I'm on the lookout for some affordable old-style transformer bushings. DH said he might be able to find me a couple old transformers. I _will_ be reminding him.


----------



## ooojen

I'll share an idea for those with more loose change than I have at the moment--
There are some amazing art glass double decanters and oil/vinegar cruets out there. They'd be great for anyone who combines bar and lab, but really, also for just lab props.
https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/nycruets







There's Czech guy who sells some art glass that I love on Etsy. My cart is full of way more pieces than I could possibly afford, even without shipping from Prague.


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## BlueFrog

Posting this Banksy classic in case it inspires anyone else to have escaped animals tag their lab....


----------



## Hilda

ooojen ~ If only you knew how often I had to google things after you post. haha LOVE it!! I am learning so much.
I actually love the idea of the scavenger hunt in da bayou prior to experiments in the lab. Makes sense to me!!  Sounds like an awesome party!!

I just remembered another haunter with mad lab skills to share in this thread. If you are not familiar with MadCityHaunt's props, I'll share a few links below. He's put together some really awesome lab props.

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/133635-new-prop-flesh-eater-tank.html

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/135379-hydrotherapy-madcity-haunt-june-2014-prop.html


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## IshWitch

We're doing scifi kitsch, lots of ideas here we can use!


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## ooojen

Great links, Hilda! The props have the perfect Creepy-sans-Gore feel. 
I picked up one of those hex bugs at Target after last Halloween. The cat loves it, but I knew right away it was going to go in the next year's display!


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## IshWitch

We have a big beetle kind. Fun to mess with.


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## Hilda

Here's a strange attraction near me. I went to high school near this old beautiful home. In the 80s it was an antique store that I shopped in. 
At some point, it was purchased and turned into a candle shop and the new owner claimed paranormal activity. Several local paranormal clubs/shows featured the candle shop and it got a reputation for being The Haunted Candle Shoppe of the Poconos.

Animal Planet featured it a few years ago. Now why Animal Planet? Well, because the 'haunting' is supposed to by the apes and monkeys that were the subject of the doctor's experiments in the basement. There is a TON of actual documentation to support the backstory, and this shop is located across the street from Sanofi Pasteur, Pharmaceutical Company. The history is that the vaccinations trials started a long time ago in that basement laboratory.

So the owner of the candle shoppe, being a tourist area business woman... did what any business person would do, and opened this basement laboratory to the public. 
Now with all that backstory... I would have taken the 'attraction' in a bit different direction than she did.  
Nonetheless, I have toured The Haunted and there were a lot of really neat and creepy laboratory things there. Just the vibe inside the place was spooky cool.

I thought I would share this one video (there are more on youtube if anyone is interested). You can see some of neat 'real' lab stuff in amongst the... slightly interesting choice of props. haha (Zombies?) 

Oh and BlueFrog. You many not want to watch. The inaccuracies may be harmful to your sensibilitlies. hahahaha 
It's all good spooky fun. 







Here is a little snippet of the basement prior to being turned into a haunted attraction.


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## Ghost of Spookie

That was interesting Hilda. I have a number of orange jumpsuits and a number of ape/gorilla masks now that would fit right in to their museum. Some of those labratory glass items did look awfully new so get why BlueFrog would notice. I loved that she got donations of old doctor equipment and such and the handwritten documents were cool. I bet the museum brings in a decent amount of money to help defray the candleshop. Smart lady!


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## ooojen

I would definitely love to get my hands on a bunch of old stuff like (some of) that! Thanks for sharing the videos, Hilda!


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## BlueFrog

Hilda said:


> Oh and BlueFrog. You many not want to watch. The inaccuracies may be harmful to your sensibilitlies. hahahaha
> It's all good spooky fun.


Now, am I that much of a stickler? Waitaminute, on second thought don't answer that.  :laughs so hard she cries a little:

I would go to that attraction in a heartbeat. Preferably carrying a BIG empty pack on my back containing only a set of glass cutters. Oh, the wondrous items I'd love to add to my collection. That echo-cardiogram? OMG. I've never seen one that old. My Frankenstein would love it. 
______________________________________

What I planned to write about next are small lab cages, the type most easily integrated into haunts. Yes, this all leads back to rats again. Suffer. 

One semi-unexpected place to find old lab cages is reptile swap meets. Even most people breeding rodents for food recognize the inadequacies of these cages and when they're up for sale, they're sold cheaply. The most common type comes in the form of a whitish plastic tub with metal grate and water bottle on the top. E.g., 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Roden...165?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item487dfade15

Occasionally you'll run across a long, all stainless steel model. I have one in my collection I can photograph if anyone would like to see, but since they have almost no visibility for the contents they're of limited use to haunters, except for maybe showing fingers and tail tips sticking out through the top grate. They are, however, invaluable for saving the fingers and toes of rat rescuers who foolishly take in a wild-caught momma and her newborn brood. 

What should be easy to find on the secondary market, but strangely are not, are lab rodent transport containers. In many facilities these plastic containers are used to move animals from one building on campus to another, then are discarded so there is no cross-contamination. Styles vary a little, but this is a pretty good generic example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Jackson...983?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ff5c105f

I don't know how old the cage in the attached photo is. Wahmann is still in business and still making cages, but I doubt this is among their recent offerings. I do know that cages like this pre-1959 example are still in use in some labs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wahmann-Ger...815?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463a0b394f

The existence of these, which are in common use, just makes me horribly sad. Linked to only because it might spark some ideas for a scene of rodents revolting against the scientists (not gory, but click at your own risk):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WAHMANN-LAB...004?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e72a0f44

ETA: There is a terrific memorial statue to lab rats in Russia that's well worth a look:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/russian-scientists-build-monument-to-honor-lab-rats#.ndYZZoy6PY


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## ooojen

Interesting cages-- thanks for sharing those BlueFrog. The key-shaped lever and the metal tag on the last one are wonderful--and lead me back to some angst I'm suffering over whether I can mix metal colors without producing an overwhelming, cluttered look. Copper, brass, iron, steel...
I should dig out the old frog cage from the basement. I like the idea of some of the mostly solid cages. I could see making one with just a little oval of screen or hardware cloth, and putting some glass eyes behind it. Party guests would assume anything was possible 

This is a modern-looking cage, but it definitely needs to find a place in the lab. Anybody (BlueFrog) know whether this is likely to have had a specific use, or whether it's just a generic cage? I stood up the extra wire square, but it was laid down on the other floor piece when I got it. 








And the top-- it looks so much dustier in the photo than it did in reality. Just brought it in from the garage to shoot, and I don't feel like bothering to bring it back in, clean and re-photograph it.


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## BlueFrog

oojen, I feel your mixed metal angst. I have seen some stunning steampunk creations employing mixed metallics, but have no generally been that brave myself.

As far as I know, that *wonderful* modern cage is a generic enclosure for herptiles requiring relatively high humidity. At least, that's how I've seen somewhat similar cages used at the swap meets. They may very well have a more specific original function and just been adapted to all-around use. It does look quite similar in design to a reptile egg incubator I once owned, minus the expensive components. I'd be curious to hear from anyone who might know more. I'll also share the pictures with a couple of herp-owning friends in case they can provide more details. No matter what, I love the great visibility so the guests have a terrific view of whatever slimey critter inhabits it. 

HILDA! You have no idea what you have wrought with the video of the haunted candle shoppe. Within minutes of sharing the link with an oddities collector friend in Atlantic City, she was on the phone with me both to share her latest funny exchange with her husband ("Honey, would you take your fetuses off the countertop and put them away where they belong?") and to say how badly she now wants to visit the shop. We even agreed we'd like to see it more haunt-y, less museum-y - something that played up the angle of the spirits of the dead monkeys haunting a room set up as if the scientist had just stepped away for a minute, less laid out in an organized fashion with labels.

:loud thump:

Hilda, are you OK? Was the fact that I preferred less authenticity that shocking?


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## ooojen

I suspect that if someone made a trip to the museum with glass cutters and a backpack full of Gemmy props, and did a typical packrat act, take one, leave one, the owner might not even notice. It would indeed make a stunningly creepy display if the antique equipment was arranged in the manner of a working lab, and the non-antique stuff was...put in another room. I'd love to see some realistic monkeys or apes in cages, and maybe an instrument tray left just a little too close to one cage...and a chimp holding a scalpel behind his back. I wonder whether I could fit something like that into my lab. I might try! (I do already have an entirely fake baby orang.) 

I browsed lab cages, and found them very expensive! I was surprised, because I would have thought there would be much more demand for pretty pet cages, but the pretty ones are generally much cheaper than the utilitarian. 
I got my (Lucite?) cage for 10 or 15 bucks. There were several of them, and I've mentally kicked myself repeatedly for not getting two. I really want two matching, high-visibility cages. 
Blue Frog-- thanks for the information. It does make sense, what with the screwed-down wire bottom over what is likely a water reservoir. I'm kicking around ideas now for a fake heating coil and some bizarre eggs and hatchlings. I'd already considered sculpting some hatching eggs, but an incubator would provide a better way to display them than any I'd thought of.

I've solved one personal "crisis"  How to make use of the disparate items in my collection without creating a mishmash. The answer: forget it and Embrace the Mishmash! Go for Historic House of Frankenstein, with display areas being a nod to various generations. The bottom line is, my guests won't care about consistency, and I can deal with the idea of it being presented as a multi-generational collection. I already planned several nods to "Young Frankenstein". 
Aelfraed Frankenstein, Alphonse, Victor, Frederick, Chad...?


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## ooojen

One more thing---Pictures and descriptions from an auction that took place quite a few years ago. They're lab props from movies, or memorabilia associated with old horror movies. The prices they went for are mostly pretty ridiculous, but they're fun to look at nonetheless. Many of the items wouldn't be that difficult to duplicate, though it would take some expertise to get the arcing and firing some of the props display.
http://www.bucwheat.com/julien/julien.htm


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## Hilda

BlueFrog said:


> HILDA! You have no idea what you have wrought with the video of the haunted candle shoppe. Within minutes of sharing the link with an oddities collector friend in Atlantic City, she was on the phone with me both to share her latest funny exchange with her husband ("Honey, would you take your fetuses off the countertop and put them away where they belong?") and to say how badly she now wants to visit the shop. We even agreed we'd like to see it more haunt-y, less museum-y - something that played up the angle of the spirits of the dead monkeys haunting a room set up as if the scientist had just stepped away for a minute, less laid out in an organized fashion with labels.
> 
> :loud thump:
> 
> Hilda, are you OK? Was the fact that I preferred less authenticity that shocking?


Yes! Yes I am!! 

I am thrilled that folks thought the video interesting. I know I enjoyed my visit there.
I have to agree with you. To be honest, I, personally, would have gone either one direction or the other. More haunt-y and fun. OR really seriously creepy and historical. There was SO MUCH to work with from the real backstory. There actually was a great deal of personal tragedy in the doctors life too, that one could have incorporated if you are going with the 'real paranormal' aspect.

The owner, admits in several videos that she had no professional experience in creating a haunted attraction and it appears she turned it over to a haunt prop company. From walking through it, I was surprised there was no coherent theme. It was a bit 'tradeshow floor' to me. I am sure I am probably jaded from being a haunt enthusiast. I cannot help but think... imagine if that same history, building and budget were given to some of us here on HF with our penchant for creating detailed themes?!?!?! How much fun would that be!! (I'm salivating at the thought. haha)

One thing you are missing is the IN YOUR FACE right from the parking lot. You park, get out of your car and there is just loud, I mean really loud, jungle beat? with the sound of monkeys, apes screaming!! Then... there is this facade, complete with the giant 'King Kong'. It's... well... it's memorable! hahaha


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## spookydave

Wow that stuff is pricey, but very cool!


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## Hilda

To your post about a mishmash laboratory ooojen, I have to agree. The one I am planning is just going to cross a few generations and themes. 

Back to the monkey experiment lab. I had recently researched animated ape in a cage prop and was BLOWN AWAY. Yipes. There are some fantastic (and gory) animated props along those lines. Wow. 

Now switching channels, here is a small animal cage type prop we made with items from the neighbor's trash. (My neighbor being a church.) The wood, screening and belt. LOL I was inspired by a similar pet carrier that Tannasgach had found at a thrift store. I'm using this as a toad carrier for the luggage pile in my haunted inn theme, however, I do plan on making more similar cages for our lab.

I thought I would share it here to piggyback onto the above cage/carrier conversation. A simple DIY idea!


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## BlueFrog

I fully support the mishmash. Having one or two anachronistic items in an otherwise period setting just looks weird, but if you throw together a bunch of stuff from many different eras you can make the result look like its own distinct self. Even a relative purist like myself embraces that this is a "mad" lab - not a real working one, not a museum recreation of one, not a teaching display. It's supposed to be wild and crazy and probably not very sanitary  My "punk" Frankenstein idea is one that will encompass all of my medical items and curiosities, which span a time period from the 1880's through today. My core idea is that the great-granddaughter of the original Dr. Frankenstein, who is obsessed with body modification, is resurrecting his work using whatever equipment she's been able to cobble together. My take on the creature is far more horrifying than anything we've seen on film (Penny Dreadful, I'm looking at you!), so much so that it's well beyond my current skill-set.

I critique only what I love, so I hope my criticisms of the haunted candle shop are seen in that light. There is just so much missed potential and the only reason I'm bringing up what I see as its shortcomings again is that I think a discussion might help us all with our own set-ups. Also, I have about 12,000 things to do today that I don't want to, so the more I type here, the longer I put off getting started with work in the real world.

What would have scared me in the set-up would be the eyes peering brightly from the dark .... the hot breath on the back of my neck.... the sudden scurrying motion visible just out of the corner of my eye.... the unexpected shriek in my ear. Monkeys are scary critters when you interact with them. I have had the rare privilege of being handed a juvenile, hand-fed, diapered common macaque to "play" with. His eyes looked eerily human but his expression was totally alien, and when he looked me in the eye his stare went through my brain. Despite his tiny size he was an absolute powerhouse and although he didn't set a toe down wrong, I would not have wanted to tangle with him, let alone a larger, unsocialized, possibly wild caught monkey of any species. They are deeply intelligent, lightning fast, immensely powerful, incredibly agile, possess sharp teeth the better to drive their bacteria laden-saliva into deep puncture wounds, and they don't like us very much. In groups, they will also launch coordinated attacks. They are not creatures to be taken lightly or considered amusing. 

(Related to the above: if you're looking for an easy to make lab prop that teases the viewer, don't forget the classic Thing in a Jar)

Live monkeys may be a definite no-no for me, but I'm oddly fascinated with dead ones. FWIW they are rarely if ever killed for taxidermy, but the reasons they are killed probably won't be any more palatable. Even with the most modern techniques and materials available, they are some of the most difficult animals to mount (I'm told). The vintage ones made before modern methods were even a glimmer in anyone's eye range from simply bizarre to downright horrifying. Even bad mounts are rarely cheap but they are available if you keep your eyes peeled. 

Monkey skulls, particularly from vervets and rhesus', are pretty commonly available. Rhesus monkey skull usually have a hinged cranium from where the top of the skull was removed so the brain could be studied, often while the monkey was anesthetized but still alive. If anyone in the U.S. wants real skulls but is justifiably afraid of purchasing via evilBay (where illegal monkey parts are sold in huge numbers), I can direct you to a Texas dealer who has his paperwork in order and offers them for fair prices. 

Study-quality replica skulls are also very much available, but generally more expensive than their real bone counterparts. Very occasionally you'll find someone who has sculpted and cast a convincing replica that splits the difference in cost. I would also be happy to provide detailed photos of one or more of the real skulls in my collection should anyone wish to sculpt their own but lack sufficient reference material. I know I have vervet male and female; chacma baboon male; and rhesus male. I should also have a crab-eating macaque juvenile skull, but I have not yet liberated it from inside a truly awful Asian mount. Anyone who has read "The Hot Zone" will remember some of the very vivid descriptions of the behavior and offensive capabilities of this species, a colony of which produced the first cases of Ebola Reston.

I find laboratory primate cages to be particularly horrifying and insanely expensive, but fortunately large parrot/macaw cages make excellent substitutes. Occasionally these can be found on CL and the like in condition too poor to be used for actual birds, and therefore much more affordable for haunt purposes.

Hilda, you've done a great job of turning trash into a very convincing replica of a real travel cage. In fact, at first I took it to be authentic as I've had that style before. Well done!


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## ooojen

It looks like Santa is brutalizing that poor giant ape!
Your carrier is great, Hilda! I have that toad, too, but I never take mine anywhere nice.


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## BlueFrog

ooojen said:


> I have that toad, too, but I never take mine anywhere nice.


Thanks for the belly laugh! 

By any chance, is your baby orangutan something along these lines?

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ngutan+doll.TRS1&_nkw=orangutan+doll&_sacat=0

or these?

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...an+ashton.TRS1&_nkw=orangutan+ashton&_sacat=0

I've long admired the primates being made by dollmakers and doll manufacturers. Some really gorgeous work available!


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## Hilda

Oh I'm so glad The Haunted Candle Shop has helped launch further conversation about different labs and such. Thanks for the feedback!


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## BlueFrog

Hilda, I don't know that you could have found a better springboard for discussion on any of a variety of topics. Bonus points for it being a professional haunt, and thus a fair target for criticism. Mind you, for all its squandered potential, I'm still ready to board a flight to the east coast to see it in person! 

Those who enjoyed those glorious old antiques seen in the video might enjoy the Cinemax series "The Knick," which is set in a New York hospital circa 1901. I suspect a fair number of their props are restored antiques, and if not, they're amazingly good-looking replicas. 

I really am going to stop fixating on lab animals in a mad lab setting, but not quite yet. Those looking for inspiration to build their own props are advised to check out hairless varieties of lab animals, including rats, mice, rabbits, and the "skinny" and "Baldwin" strains of guinea pig. The skin color and translucency can be effectively matched by using polymer clay, to the point I've seen sculptures that made me do a double take. 

For furred ras, investigate "Sprague-Dawley," "Wister" and "Long-Evans" lab rats (the last being the classic psych department strain). For an odd-looking but very real strains, look up "Gremlin mice" and "Zucker"rats.


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## Hilda

BlueFrog said:


> http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...an+ashton.TRS1&_nkw=orangutan+ashton&_sacat=0
> 
> I've long admired the primates being made by dollmakers and doll manufacturers. Some really gorgeous work available!


As I said... this thread is going to be a problem. Now I want one of these orangutan dolls. I never knew such things existed! Wow.
Naughty BlueFrog. You temptress you.


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## BlueFrog

You rang?! 

Many years ago in a magazine geared to professional pottery makers, I remember an author describing eBay as "The place people with no sense can be united with the things they have no sense about." Consider me guilty as charged! The only thing more fun than buying stuff for myself is encouraging other people to spend their money on stuff.

Speaking of replica primates, check out this winner from the 2009 World Taxidermy Championships. There is literally not one speck of real ape on this replica lowland gorilla build, which won the title in the Best in World, Re-creation category:

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/slideshow/worlds-best-taxidermy-comes-to-st-louis-9396628/#9


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## punkineater

Great reads, everybody! I learn so much on this thread
This is something that I've wanted and it has been around for a few years...not sure why or where I'd use it
with exception to a mad lab.
http://www.frightprops.com/skinned-lab-chimp.html


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## Hilda

punkineater said:


> Great reads, everybody! I learn so much on this thread
> This is something that I've wanted and it has been around for a few years...not sure why or where I'd use it
> with exception to a mad lab.
> http://www.frightprops.com/skinned-lab-chimp.html


Yep! That was one of the props I found as well. Eek!! LOL 


Now THIS one I could use. Minimal gore. Plenty of scare. At FrightProps. THIS is the prop the candle shoppe needs in the cage. Not the zombies! ROFL







However, this one by Distortions is too hardcore for me. This is not for the faint of heart. Don't LOOK unless you are one of the horror minded. 
I must say. The artistry and detail is ahmazing!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZjqAAZmAUw


PS. I guess I really have come over to the dark side. That last video is a far cry from the blowmolds and inflatables.  hahaha


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## ooojen

I'm just skipping the gore ones! lol
You called it, BlueFrog-- my Orang is a Reborn. It's a factory job, so it's not got the multi-layered detail the pros achieve-- using 200 different colors, painting veins and then painting over them. In dim light, the presentation is every bit as good, plus it's like $700 cheaper!


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## BlueFrog

Hilda, welcome! We have cookies. Do the blow mold and inflatables people provide cookies to their members? I think not! 

oojen, I'm sure I speak for many that I'd love to see your reborn orang. I love to look at them, though I can't imagine I could ever bring myself to use one in a haunt. Too cute, and it would violate my "no children in peril" rule. 

One of my other self-imposed rules is that victims may inflict pain on tormenters, but not the other way around. Humans experimenting on chimps, noooo. Chimps experimenting on humans, yes. After seeing the early stages of that chimp on "Making Monsters" I wondered how/if they'd turn it into a viable commercial product. I personally wish they hadn't gored it up, but then, I probably wouldn't have been in the market for it even if it were just an ape strapped to a table.


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## ooojen

BlueFrog said:


> My take on the creature is far more horrifying than anything we've seen on film (Penny Dreadful, I'm looking at you!), so much so that it's well beyond my current skill-set.


Now I feel really weenie for just having a Boris Karloff mask!
I agree wholeheartedly about monkeys being creepy beasts. The really scary ones are the ones that don't fear people. I watched macaques literally mugging people at the Penang Botanical Gardens. Clearly anyone with food is in danger, but beyond that, anyone carrying anything interesting looking-- bag, water bottle-- better stay close to other people! They will take your stuff, and if you try to defend it, they will attack. 
You want my lunch, Macaque? You got it. 







I did know better than to bring food, or make eye contact, or wander more than a couple feet away from my husband. But yeah, baboons or chimps would scare the heck out of me! 
That said, if I were ever taken by aliens, I hope I could exhibit a simian level of badassery in my own defense. ANND, lab torment of such creatures is unconscionable.

I have only a rather poor monkey skull replica. I'm counting on low lighting to carry me through.


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## ooojen

Oh, I've a children in peril prop planned, but it's not gory, and it's far-fetched enough to be goofy rather than disturbing. I'll try to get it wrapped up soon.


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## a_granger

I don' t know if this should be under the mad lab area, but this artist has some wonderful things for oddities or specimen displays.


https://merrylinmuseum.squarespace.com/index


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## Terror Tom

Here are a few things of mine.


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## BlueFrog

I've posted about the offerings at CrimeScene.com in a few places on HF over the years, but this seemed like a good place to mention it. Their CSI Store offers real world forensic items in quantities suitable for haunters and LARPers. I believe any of the major forensics suppliers will sell to private individuals too, but usually you have to purchase government facility level quantities and are therefore cost-prohibitive. There are all kinds of useful items like a variety of body bags, hazard tape, signage, evidence bags, etc., plus it's useful for inspiration for items we can fake easily. 

Coupon code "return" should get you 10% off.


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## Hilda

BlueFrog said:


> I've posted about the offerings at CrimeScene.com in a few places on HF over the years, but this seemed like a good place to mention it. Their CSI Store offers real world forensic items in quantities suitable for haunters and LARPers. I believe any of the major forensics suppliers will sell to private individuals too, but usually you have to purchase government facility level quantities and are therefore cost-prohibitive. There are all kinds of useful items like a variety of body bags, hazard tape, signage, evidence bags, etc., plus it's useful for inspiration for items we can fake easily.
> 
> Coupon code "return" should get you 10% off.


  
I probably don't need anything from there... I just absolutely love the fact I just read that post.  
Rock on! Keeping it creepy. (thumbs up)


----------



## BlueFrog

I'm always glad to entertain and edumicate, Hilda. I'll be here all season - and don't forget to tip oojen for starting this thread  

CrimeScene.com was invaluable for my Body Farm display, and many of the items I bought should be nicely repurposeable for a mad lab too - making them among my very few "practical" props. I'd never heard of CSI larping before visiting that site, and I think it sounds fantastic, but must be very confusing and concerning for any random civilians who happen to walk by.... 

I had the good fortune to pick up a molecular model kit at GW yesterday, one of, um, "a few" I have in my collection. Although most of these are not all that expensive to begin with, thrift store prices are always a boon. They're often packaged very plainly and the staff rarely price them anywhere near retail. I'd like to make my own DNA model some day, something more artistic than scientific, but for those who want a quick fix, check out eBay for a variety of choices. 

Back on the subject of wall art for a mad lab: it's always worth checking out the frames while out thrifting. Sometimes you can get lucky and find a framed print of an armillary sphere for $2. Or perhaps a moonlit wolf scene that will mean something quite different than what the artist probably intended when recontextualized for Halloween. Or, if you're creative and want to have some fun, you can add monsters to an otherwise ordinary painting.


----------



## Trex

I have been working on an X-ray viewing box, I started distressing the box last night and hope to finish that project tonight. Here is a pic lit up!!


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## ooojen

It's fun catching up on the thread! I need to get back to wrapping up some projects.
Nature provided me with a specimen for a jar today. It's an elderberry rust, probably _Puccinia bolleyana_. I'm not particularly worried about it showing up. While I do exploit our elderberry volunteers for elderflower cordial, fritters, and elderberry syrup, they're rather weedy and I spend no time babying them. (The alternate host for this stuff appears to be sedges, which I'm definitely not growing by intent.) 
Anyway, the little rust cups look like tentacle suckers, and if this holds up (maybe with leaves removed, in some rubbing alcohol, and with some protruding glass eyes?) it should be an interesting addition.


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## Hilda

I stumbled upon this interesting website with oddities/antiques/dark art for sale. 
Unfortunately, it appears she has closed or is closing her shop down, however, there is enough interesting photos there, that I would it was worth a share for our inspiration purposes. (I think my link is her mad lab category, but click back onto the home feature, you can chose other areas to look through.) 

http://www.pandorasparlor.com/catalog.php?category=4

http://www.pandorasparlor.com/catalog.php?category=3&page=3


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## ooojen

Thanks for the links, Hilda! Boy, talk about involved backstories! Those are amazing.


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## dawnski

I recently visited Disney Sea in Tokyo. An amazing place where the entire theme is Jules Verne steampunk. You really have to visit if you are a steampunk fan. And you absolutely have to check it out at night. Words do not describe. I got a few photos from the Journey to the Center of the Earth ride. It's deep in Mount Prometheus, an active Disney volcano. The lab equipment was to die for. Their 20,000 Leagues ride was closed. I can only imagine what was in there.


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## ooojen

Wow that's a lot to take in! Fantastic-- the labware, the lighting, the walls, everything! Thanks for sharing the pictures. It looks like a fascinating part of a wonderful trip!


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## IshWitch

I know this is off topic from labs, but for steampunk stuff watch any movie of a Terry Pratchett book. The sets are awesome!


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## Hilda

I am seriously crushing on the talent of Allen Hopps of Stiltbeast Studios. Here's another fabulous trick we can use in our lab scenes.
Using little magnets to make bugs appear to move in specimen jars.

I am so happy right now. I am going to do entire shelf of these!!! I had to share.


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## Paint It Black

Hilda, that is so perfect! Thanks for linking us up with Allen Hopps and his insect project. He has such great ideas!!


----------



## pumpkinpie

Hilda have u seen his creatures in the cages (sorry I haven't read the entire thread)...that would b perfect for this theme...I remember finding his video back in 2012 for carnevil...let me see if I can relocate it


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## pumpkinpie

https://youtu.be/5Gq22x4MERg


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## Trex

We picked this up last night we are so excited to add it to our lab!! My best friend's 1st cousin inherited his fathers acreage, her Uncle was quite the hoarder, needless to say he just wanted this off his property....it likely works, but has been outdoors for years. Can't wait to weather it a little more, get some lights working...I am just calling it TBA (the big awesome)!!


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## Hilda

TREX, that is insane!!!!! The big awesome indeed!!!


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## printersdevil

The Big Awesome is awesome!

So is Allen.


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## whichypoo

Rustie said:


> Thanks for the kind words on the chattering teeth guys!
> 
> This thread inspired me to finally put together a little project I've had in mind for awhile now: flickering coil tubes (I think? Still not sure exactly what to call these little guys). I don't know exactly what my lab layout will be, so I made these so they can just be placed wherever they look right.
> 
> View attachment 240782
> 
> 
> Video of them on in light/dark:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They're made with just a few easy to find materials, in total they cost less than $2 each to make.


these are cool would love to make some


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## ooojen

Fantastic Console! All those overwhelmingly wondrous meters and dials--- lucky you! I'll look forward to seeing it "on location"!


----------



## Rustie

I'm looking for a decent sized bird cage to use as a hanging cage with a monster in it for my lab, but I'm not having any luck from thrift stores/garage sales/craigslist. Any recommendations on where to find something like that for an ok price?


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## Bethany

What about looking for a small crate?
Or you can build a cage with 2 pieces of plywood and rope, chain, conduit, wood rods for pvc. 
Plywood for top & bottom and one of the other for the "cage" part.


----------



## ooojen

Rustie said:


> I'm looking for a decent sized bird cage to use as a hanging cage with a monster in it for my lab, but I'm not having any luck from thrift stores/garage sales/craigslist. Any recommendations on where to find something like that for an ok price?


I'm afraid it's pretty hit or miss finding a good sized cage. You might find it easier to make one, as Bethany suggested.
Another possibility, though also hit-or-miss, would be to contact a bird rescue group if there's one in your area. They might put you in touch with someone with an extra cage, or they might rent an unused cage to you for a couple weeks if you offer to make a donation to the rescue. All it should take to find out is a couple searches and emails. Good luck!


----------



## ooojen

I took DD to an antiques and collectibles store a few days ago just for something different. I was surprised how much she enjoyed it, considering she leans toward minimalism. (Must be the chance expression of a recessive gene, or perhaps a mutation. There are no Spartans in our background.) Anyway, there among the miscellaneous bits of cute-but-entirely-unnecessary terrestrial jetsam was this (perhaps not *necessary* but definitely life-enriching) Violet Ray Electrotherapy machine! It will relieve everything from headaches, to festering boils, baldness, neuralgia, rheumatism, gout, eczema, you name it. It even works for "Brain ***" -- I have no idea what that is-- fatigue, maybe? There are dandy little electrodes to stuff down one's throat to relieve coughs and chest congestion, or up one's nose for nasal congestion. (The kit looks very clean, but I fully intend to bleach the works before I get my hands all over it!) So aches and pains should be a thing of the past once I run electrodes over my body and inhale the ozone. I'm a little scared to plug it in though. In theory, the glass parts will glow violet by the miracle of the Amazing Nikola Tesla's technology.

Edited in: I discovered a couple interesting tidbits, one cool, the other sad but still interesting. This, Violet Ray, was the technology that brought Frankenstein's monster to life in the movie (at least one of the movies, anyway), and--these machines are desirable to a segment of the tin foil hat crowd. (Hmm, I believe that's the only context where I say "tin foil" instead of "aluminum foil".) It is believed by some, that violet rays can burn out any chips the government may have implanted under one's skin.
An additional good-to-know: One need not ram the violet ray instrument down one's throat to combat phlegm. External application will do the job, or so they say.
I found a couple great advertising pages from the 20's, which I intend to print out and display along with the machine itself.


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## whichypoo

That's cool


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## Rustie

Bethany said:


> What about looking for a small crate?
> Or you can build a cage with 2 pieces of plywood and rope, chain, conduit, wood rods for pvc.
> Plywood for top & bottom and one of the other for the "cage" part.


That's a really good idea, I'll probably go that route. Thanks for the suggestion!


----------



## ooojen

There was another item there that I'm still on the fence over. It's a Radium Ore Revigator--- a water crock that's lined with healthful, invigorating radioactive materials. (Really! Well, it was really lined radioactive materials.) You were to fill it, and let the water steep in uranium and radium overnight, then drink it the next day -- six or more glasses daily. The wondrous benefits of radon in the water were enhanced by heavy metals-- like arsenic and lead. There you go, invigoration and syphilis treatment all in one! 
I admit I'm fascinated by some of the quack medicine and machinery. They're great conversation pieces. I could do an entire lab of it-- except for the part where it all costs a lot of money.


----------



## BlueFrog

Quack devices are awesome, except for the price tag. I've gotten lucky enough to pick up a few for less-than-nosebleed prices and adore them. Have you ever seen the accoutrements for a popular Victorian quack medicine called Vapo Cresoline? Beautiful dispenser but apparently deadly. There are enough of them floating around that bargains can be had if you're patient.

On the much less pricey side, I put a 1980's "Boglins" toy called "Dwork" - I couldn't make up this stuff if I tried - I found at GW for $5, put him in a glass jar I bought at an estate sale, and voila, creepy lab specimen! I'm going to skip adding liquid because apparently even without his box, "Dwork" has some collectible value and I don't want to damage him.


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## ooojen

That's fantastic, BlueFrog! It's an excellent specimen. 
One thing you might want to look into-- I think it was Ghost of Spookie, (apologies if I'm wrong; I'll try to confirm when I get more time) suggested wrapping magnifier sheets from Dollar Tree around the inside of jars to give the impression of there being water in the jar.

Edit in-- Too many threads browsed, and too little specific recall
I see PiB covered GoS's magnifier sheet idea in this very thread.


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## Rustie

I've been busy....

Still work to be done (how to get the brain in the blue jar to show up better, fixing lighting and air flow into the eyeball jar, little accessories, etc.) but I couldn't help but do a test run of my lab set-up now that the main pieces are nearing completion. Any suggestions for as I finish up are welcome!


----------



## dawnski

Well done Rustie! I love it. How did you paint your props to achieve that weathered metal look? For the brain, could you put a submersible light in there? Maybe make that one a standard white light.


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## ooojen

Holy Crap! I have only one suggestion: Give yourself a huge pat on the back!
That setup clearly reflects ambitious dedication and boatloads of creativity! The heart--- that's the phone app, right? _*Perfectly *_displayed! All of it is fantastic! It both inspires, and intimidates me


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## Paint It Black

Just wonderful work, Rustie! I love it all. I am also interested in how you painted and what colors you used. Everything looks fantastic!


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## Hilda

Rustie said:


> I've been busy....
> 
> Still work to be done (how to get the brain in the blue jar to show up better, fixing lighting and air flow into the eyeball jar, little accessories, etc.) but I couldn't help but do a test run of my lab set-up now that the main pieces are nearing completion. Any suggestions for as I finish up are welcome!


Dang Rustie. I mean DANG!!!! That is some magnificent work there! I am LOVING it all. 
Any tidbits about your process you could throw our way would be greatly appreciated!!! Fantastic!!


----------



## Rustie

Thanks all! I appreciate all the encouragement!



dawnski said:


> How did you paint your props to achieve that weathered metal look? For the brain, could you put a submersible light in there? Maybe make that one a standard white light.


For the metal look I just used black spray paint and then silver and brown acrylic paint from Joanne's. Everything was sprayed flat black, then I used a soft bristle brush to paint the silver on, almost rubbing it in to let some black through. Then I dry brushed the brown on with a harder chip brush. That seemed to work well because it would kind of wear away at the silver paint to give an even more distressed look.



ooojen said:


> The heart--- that's the phone app, right? _*Perfectly *_displayed! All of it is fantastic! It both inspires, and intimidates me


Yep! The Morphsuits app playing on an old iPhone.


----------



## Spanishtulip

Wow, Rustie, that set up is truly a thing of beauty. Great job! 

I personally tend toward steampunk in my mad lab love affair so I am very impressed.


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## cai88

Just saw these speakers at Five Below. Could be used in a lab http://www.fivebelow.com/tech-products/dancing-water-speaker.html


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## Spanishtulip

*Mad Scientist tools*

I saw these at Harbor Freight the other day. 









I think with a little dirtying up, laying on a lab table next to a few drops of blood they would be perfect. 

I am going to wait until they come on sale and then pick them up, I am thinking I will start saving items for next year (just don't tell my husband)


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## Hilda

Spanishtulip said:


> I saw these at Harbor Freight the other day.
> 
> View attachment 253607
> 
> 
> I think with a little dirtying up, laying on a lab table next to a few drops of blood they would be perfect.


You are an evil genius! Those would be very scary. LOL


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## ooojen

Heheheh! I have some similar clay sculpting tools that are part of my lab at Halloween.


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## Alseana

Spanishtulip said:


> I saw these at Harbor Freight the other day.
> 
> View attachment 253607
> 
> 
> I think with a little dirtying up, laying on a lab table next to a few drops of blood they would be perfect.
> 
> I am going to wait until they come on sale and then pick them up, I am thinking I will start saving items for next year (just don't tell my husband)


I found these at the Dollar Tree this weekend.

View attachment 254531


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## Bethany

Rustie said:


> I've been busy....
> 
> Still work to be done (how to get the brain in the blue jar to show up better, fixing lighting and air flow into the eyeball jar, little accessories, etc.) but I couldn't help but do a test run of my lab set-up now that the main pieces are nearing completion. Any suggestions for as I finish up are welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 253382
> 
> View attachment 253383
> 
> View attachment 253384
> 
> View attachment 253385
> 
> View attachment 253386
> 
> View attachment 253387


WOW I LOVE you display!!


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## Rustie

The latest addition to my lab, he'll be hanging above the display table. Thanks to the clever folks here who suggested I not waste time and money looking for a suitable bird cage for him and just make my own!


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## ooojen

Nicely done! Your cage is excellent and the bones are a great touch.
I've been eyeing up the little Grimley troll for quite a while, but haven't yet pulled the trigger.


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## punkineater

Rustie said:


> I've been busy....
> 
> Still work to be done (how to get the brain in the blue jar to show up better, fixing lighting and air flow into the eyeball jar, little accessories, etc.) but I couldn't help but do a test run of my lab set-up now that the main pieces are nearing completion. Any suggestions for as I finish up are welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 253382
> 
> View attachment 253383
> 
> View attachment 253384
> 
> View attachment 253385
> 
> View attachment 253386
> 
> View attachment 253387


Oh my gawd...spectacular lab setup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Paint It Black

Rustie, great job on the improvised cage. I like it better than a bird cage!


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## pumpkinpie

Rustie said:


> I've been busy....
> No
> Still work to be done (how to get the brain in the blue jar to show up better, fixing lighting and air flow into the eyeball jar, little accessories, etc.) but I couldn't help but do a test run of my lab set-up now that the main pieces are nearing completion. Any suggestions for as I finish up are welcome!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 253382
> 
> View attachment 253383
> 
> View attachment 253384
> 
> View attachment 253385
> 
> View attachment 253386
> 
> View attachment 253387


Ohmygawd...this is beyond insane!!!! I'm blown away how well everything looks and runs. The beating heart and moving hand...phenomenal absolutely phenomenal!!!!


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## punkineater

Rustie said:


> The latest addition to my lab, he'll be hanging above the display table. Thanks to the clever folks here who suggested I not waste time and money looking for a suitable bird cage for him and just make my own!
> 
> View attachment 255733


Poof, mind blown! Perfect cage! What is the cage made from? Almost looks like 2 laundry baskets.


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## Rustie

Thanks for the kind words everyone!



ooojen said:


> Nicely done! Your cage is excellent and the bones are a great touch.
> I've been eyeing up the little Grimley troll for quite a while, but haven't yet pulled the trigger.


It's a really great prop, it has quickly become my wife's favorite. I think she was very sad to see him go in a cage.



punkineater said:


> Poof, mind blown! Perfect cage! What is the cage made from? Almost looks like 2 laundry baskets.


Bingo! Two dollar tree laundry baskets trimmed down a bit and painted. The bones are a dollar tree hanging skeleton cut up and painted.


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## a_granger

Rustie said:


> The latest addition to my lab, he'll be hanging above the display table. Thanks to the clever folks here who suggested I not waste time and money looking for a suitable bird cage for him and just make my own!
> 
> View attachment 255733


Oh!!! I love this guy. Your cage is fantastic.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Haven't started on my Mad Lab yet, been collecting items, but here's a hairy guy who is likely to be a test subject in my Lab's Gorilla/Man brain transfer experiment. The mask is a full headed mask (one of those anti motion ones) that I got from Spirit's After Halloween Clearance sale. I have other masks I could use as well but kind of like the look of this one a lot for this use.










I'm using two of the Gemmy ElectroShock hats that CVS (and AtHome) carried this year and been bugging hubby to sit down with me and rig the hats' Try Me buttons, which presently need to be pushed by hand, to instead get powered by flipping a Mad Scientist switch and turning both hats on at the same time. Hopefully we'll make some progress on this this weekend. Hubby's like "how much wire do you need", "what are you going to mount the switch to", so still work to be done on the drawing board.

Since I don't want to invest in a gorilla suit but have gorilla hands and feet (gloves and shoe covers) and some orange jump suits mentioned way back pages ago, I plan to create a body with that for my gorilla and just add some extra chest hair fabric from Joann's that I have to blend in. The human subject will be much easier to create.


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## ooojen

Excellent start, Ghost of Spookie! That looks fantastic already!

I'm doing a human-to-primate experiment, too, but literally on a much smaller scale.


----------



## whichypoo

BlueFrog said:


> Quack devices are awesome, except for the price tag. I've gotten lucky enough to pick up a few for less-than-nosebleed prices and adore them. Have you ever seen the accoutrements for a popular Victorian quack medicine called Vapo Cresoline? Beautiful dispenser but apparently deadly. There are enough of them floating around that bargains can be had if you're patient.
> 
> On the much less pricey side, I put a 1980's "Boglins" toy called "Dwork" - I couldn't make up this stuff if I tried - I found at GW for $5, put him in a glass jar I bought at an estate sale, and voila, creepy lab specimen! I'm going to skip adding liquid because apparently even without his box, "Dwork" has some collectible value and I don't want to damage him.


I have the same boglin.. there so cool


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## punkineater

Ghost of Spookie said:


> Haven't started on my Mad Lab yet, been collecting items, but here's a hairy guy who is likely to be a test subject in my Lab's Gorilla/Man brain transfer experiment. The mask is a full headed mask (one of those anti motion ones) that I got from Spirit's After Halloween Clearance sale. I have other masks I could use as well but kind of like the look of this one a lot for this use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm using two of the Gemmy ElectroShock hats that CVS (and AtHome) carried this year and been bugging hubby to sit down with me and rig the hats' Try Me buttons, which presently need to be pushed by hand, to instead get powered by flipping a Mad Scientist switch and turning both hats on at the same time. Hopefully we'll make some progress on this this weekend. Hubby's like "how much wire do you need", "what are you going to mount the switch to", so still work to be done on the drawing board.
> 
> Since I don't want to invest in a gorilla suit but have gorilla hands and feet (gloves and shoe covers) and some orange jump suits mentioned way back pages ago, I plan to create a body with that for my gorilla and just add some extra chest hair fabric from Joann's that I have to blend in. The human subject will be much easier to create.


Can't wait to see the finished product~excellent beginning, GoS!


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## Ghost of Spookie

Thanks to a heads up from someone here a while back on the 99 Cent Only thread last year I picked up a bunch of the full body coveralls for a buck each. So the plan is to use one stuffed and supported, dress it with the orange coveralls, add hands and feet and fur and then the head. We have two outdoor dining chairs that I figured would work great to help support the body and give me somewhere to strap the arms onto. Guess I should consider straps of some kind for the arms and legs. Works out great in my mind and hope it translates well in practice LOL.

My husband said he doesn't think kids will get what the experiment is so if I can locate one of our old portable TVs, I'd like to run a clip from the 3 Stooges episode _Spooks!,_ on it that had the mad scientist and Gorilla and lady. It was my inspiration for this scene and figure it could be for the mad scientist in my scene too. The kids might stick around longer watching the TV scene too. That would be nice.

Here's a screen grab in 3D from it so you can see the lab:









Screen grab from the black & white version of the lab:









For my lab I'll have to have the two subjects sitting strapped in chairs due to lack of space on the covered front porch. Am going to see if we can somehow attach panels of translucent plastic drop cloths to keep the weather on the porch to a minimum. If it's not raining I want to expand the Lab to the open adjacent courtyard and set up two tables with the Tekky Toys John Does on them that can be animated when the kids approach. Also give me more room for lab decor. I have a Wally skeleton I can hang from an eave on the courtyard wall too then. Still need to work on cabinets and such for the medical equipment. I think the kids will like the setup and it will be fun for us to do too.


----------



## Therewolf

Last year was an the first I tried the Lab in my garage, a very limited effort as it was at the end of my to-do list. I do have two nice Jacob's ladders that I work into my electric chair and hopefully a new "monster table" this year. One tip I saw before and plan to implement is a black-light shelf, you create a box or shelf with the blacklight under the shelf, then cut about a 1/2"-1" slit down the middle of the shelf. The black-light shines up and makes all the potions and bottles glow, without letting the guests see the black light. A tip for glowing liquid, buy some cheap highlighter markers, pop the end and drop the internal felt tube into a gallon of water... awesome glow solution, and completely non-toxic. Here are a few of last years pics. not the best shots as I was not really documenting it at the time. Big build this weekend.


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## ooojen

Looks great! 
*Tries to suppress Jacob's Ladder envy*


----------



## Therewolf

ooojen said:


> Looks great!
> *Tries to suppress Jacob's Ladder envy*


That is the bigger of two. My first used some 1/4" copper tubing, mounted in front of a mirror. The 2nd I used 1/2" copper clad grounding rods, much more rigid. put it inside a clear shipping tube to hold it, and keep fingers away from it. Both powered by old Neon Sign Transformers. This year, I'm upgrading their build and giving them a nice base with gauges, dials and switches


----------



## ooojen

The shipping tube was a good idea. They probably don't mix well with curious ToT's. 
Neon sign transformer, eh? I hope you'll share pictures of your updated version! They look great already, but I'm anxious to see what you do. 
Someday I'm going to give one a try.


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## ooojen

My mad lab theme has been fomenting in my mind for quite a while. I got this light fixture a couple years ago, but just opened the box today. It came with a lovely little "Edison" bulb. I don't have a spot to wire it in, so I'll be giving it a cord. Then I can put it where I want it, and only have to worry about hiding said cord.


----------



## Zoemorgan2

I used my home entertainment center for my Frankenstein's lab and "monster charging station" last year. I printed pics of specimen jars and animal skulls from Dappercadaver.com , cut them out and glued them to cardboard with a little kickstand so they'd stand on their own. Since they were to be behind glass, it added wierder lab stuff- cheaper than buying them, and they are stored flat!


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Zoemorgan2, the look is great!!! Kind of cartoonish (and I don't mean that in a bad way) and it blends in nicely with the wall behind. Perfect props and I do love the stand ups. What did you use as the "wrap" of the furniture. Looks like a lot of cutouts but man you did a great job on incorporating all that trim. Cool idea!


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## ooojen

Low input costs, and great results-- Very ingenious, Zoemorgan2! 
On a side note, I love the "Hello My Name is" tags on your props. That's hilarious!


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## Zoemorgan2

Ghost of Spookie said:


> Zoemorgan2, the look is great!!! Kind of cartoonish (and I don't mean that in a bad way) and it blends in nicely with the wall behind. Perfect props and I do love the stand ups. What did you use as the "wrap" of the furniture. Looks like a lot of cutouts but man you did a great job on incorporating all that trim. Cool idea!


Thanks! For the trim - I actually painted rubber cement on to the furniture itself to cover it ( 2 coats). Second - I painted acrylics (some glow in dark) over the rubber cement. To clean up all just rubbed off with my fingers. The larger areas I covered with shelf paper and painted over that -to clean up - just peeled off. Around the TV, that was the only cardboard I used. It looked a lot better in the dark, but my photographer left her flash on, so I have no pics like that : ( You can't really see that there were 3 plasma balls lit and other lighting on as well....


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## Zoemorgan2

ooojen said:


> Low input costs, and great results-- Very ingenious, Zoemorgan2!
> On a side note, I love the "Hello My Name is" tags on your props. That's hilarious!


Thanks! My theme was Universal Monster Mash Family Reunion, so I had everyone wearing the name tags - LOL All my guests had to dress up as a "family member" of any of the 7 Universal Monsters. That is also why my Lab had another Monster on the top, he was getting a re- charge - LOL


----------



## MC HauntDreams

Love this thread. Took me a while to read it all but great stuff everyone.
The lab is a major area for upgrade with us this year. Here are a couple pics from last year. Our main wins were a large scale "machine" we never named, lol, and figuring out that we could build the back wall of the lab with our hurricane shutters!!! (Hip hip horay for no additional storage space needed!) also loved my classic-Frankenstein-movie-inspired light built out of junk.




























This year we've been building new tanks, cages, machines, and a tall chemistry set style display. Everything is junk finds rebuilt - except for glass containers that are thrifted. For instance the chemistry set frame is a bath towel rack frame that a neighbor tossed out!


----------



## Bethany

ooojen said:


> My mad lab theme has been fomenting in my mind for quite a while. I got this light fixture a couple years ago, but just opened the box today. It came with a lovely little "Edison" bulb. I don't have a spot to wire it in, so I'll be giving it a cord. Then I can put it where I want it, and only have to worry about hiding said cord.
> View attachment 261032


If it is a standard size bulb base, Ace had LED ones for $10.99!


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## Ghost of Spookie

MC, Wonderful set up. Love that power ray light fixture! Fun quirky stuff. Question, on the "power source" with the green globe on top, it looks like you used rope lighting? how did you get it to each level, assume it was one length? Good deal with the hurricane shutters. I've been thinking for a while now how I can store upcoming facades I'll want in a future haunt set up. Even if I make them temporary and break down after halloween, they will still need to be stored prior to halloween. Think I'll need some garage thinning.

Hmm. got side tracked looking at the photos. Came here to ask a question and now don't remember what it was! haha.


----------



## MC HauntDreams

GoS, the key to running it up the levels was the haunters best friend: zip ties. We simply looped it around the level, then at the back zip tied it to itself before jumping up to the next level. 
Oh and that black thing itself? It's a worn out golf ball collector reel. When they give out after enough use, the golf course throws them way - so we brought home four!


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## mrincredibletou

This years job is to aquire all the junk, next year I hope to build a rack for all of this.


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## punkineater

Fantastic job, Zoe, MC, & mrincredible!!!!!


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## Ghost of Spookie

Picked up the 3-ft French Maid from Home Depot (50% off thru Sun 10/11 online) and think she's pretty cool. She could use some plastic surgery to trim those seams on her face but otherwise I love her. She does have a clacking issue (loose dentures maybe?) when she talks and interesting enough I was surprised to see a self-stick padded circle already affixed to her upper jaw where the mouth closes. Must be off and making contact elsewhere. 

Anyway when I was looking at her costuming which I thought was very nicely done, I thought it could possibly double as an old-fashioned nurse's apron and if I altered the lace headband to look more like a old-fashioned nurses cap with a red cross on it, she could take her place in my Mad Lab tending to the John Does. What do you guys think?

















Do you see employment as a Nurse in her future?


----------



## Paint It Black

Yes! I see it. Good idea GOS. A perfect little nurse there.


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## mrincredibletou

Finally finished


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## Ghost of Spookie

Great equipment set up Mrincredibletou! You actually got a working oscillascope! How cool. and I like your colored lighting too. 

I'm still working on my equipment setup. Pulled together the large specimen jars I've been collecting and inserted all the magnifying page lenses in them. Not sure what the jars will be filled with yet. I have an extra gray metal shelf unit still in a box that we'll build and use for the lab shelving and then it will go in the garage for extra storage which we can always use.

Yesterday we were working on the dual Memory Transfer hats' rewiring project (ie. Gemmy Electro shock hats) until hubby realized he pulled the wrong switch off the rack by mistake when we were in the electronics store...oooops! Another trip into the store. Hats are ready for wiring though.

Found my two blood transfusion bags for my John Doe props and picked up the needed dowel rods and lumber for the stand portion. I wanted to give the dowel rods more height so went to HD's culled lumber area (all lumber was 70% off) and selected a square post for the support base of the medical stands, and had it cut there into several 18-inch tall sections (a service they will do for you for free--great when you don't have a lot of power tools at home). I plan to screw the vertical post to a flat wooden base and drill a hole downwards in the top of the post so that the dowel rod will fit securely in it and be supported. Painting will be next. We have few days in the 90s expected but then cooler rest of the week and better painting weather.

Wish my HD had had the same type post wood in the cull area that _wasn't_ redwood as now I have to deal with resin leaking from it before doing anything else with it. Keep that in mind when you are choosing lumber. Redwood is general more expensive, but the post only cost me $4 and it was all they had so will make do with some extra work. BTW resin comes off your hand easily with 91% isopropyl alcohol. 

I also plan to construct a stand for the artificial breathing machine. Need some PVC for that. I'm hoping to use one of those tabletop Vein Drink Dispensers, adapt it to be taller and turn it into a breathing machine. Not sure we will have the time to animate it though. Wanted to set up a little motor that would raise and lower the accordian mechanism (made out of a Chinese cylinder paper lantern). 

Last thing I think I'll need that will require assembling will be the two John Doe lab tables for them to be laying on. I saw someone on here construct a most awesome table out of PVC and would have liked to have built something very similar but think I'll opt for a simple 4-leg set up and it will just be covered by a white sheet with the bodies on top. Trying to keep the costs down on it while buying materials I'll be able to reuse for projects next year.

Time is dwindling down. How is everyone else's lab project coming along? Anyone feeling the pressure yet?


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## ooojen

Oh yeah! The pressure! 
I'm working in the rest of the house, but my Lab-to-Be is otherwise occupied until Sat. afternoon. Then the frantic work begins. 

There's some excellent work being done! I love that people are taking time out to share pictures even though it's such a busy time! Thanks, folks! I'll try to add what I can soon.


----------



## Therewolf

Decided to take a short cut and it turned out so well. Instead of building an entire new lab table in my garage, I elected to use my existing workbench. Not only did this force me to do some much needed cleaning of the bench, but it cut a day or two off of my build and it turned out fantastic. Here are the before, and after pics. there is still some detail work That needs done but I don't think I'll mess with it too much more this year. Black-light Shop-light above, jars sitting on a black-light shadow shelf, put a red bulb in the grinder I left on the Bench. If you look close you will see my actual saws were left on the wall to add to the decor. backdrop is dollar store door covers.
BEFORE:







DURING:







AFTER:


----------



## ooojen

It looks great, Therewolf!


----------



## Bethany

Therewolf said:


> Decided to take a short cut and it turned out so well. Instead of building an entire new lab table in my garage, I elected to use my existing workbench. Not only did this force me to do some much needed cleaning of the bench, but it cut a day or two off of my build and it turned out fantastic. Here are the before, and after pics. there is still some detail work That needs done but I don't think I'll mess with it too much more this year. Black-light Shop-light above, jars sitting on a black-light shadow shelf, put a red bulb in the grinder I left on the Bench. If you look close you will see my actual saws were left on the wall to add to the decor. backdrop is dollar store door covers.
> 
> AFTER:
> View attachment 262752



LOL Did the same thing last year & this year. 







this year in progress







2014

At least the work bench got cleaned up


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Great use of time and space guys! 

Wish there was a work around for all the "other stuff" occupying our garage, it's a storage area for so much LOL. One of these years we'll get it cleared out and have a wonderful covered haunt space. Always next year, right?


----------



## Therewolf

I only use the front half of the garage for the whole "lab". I decided to plan ahead this year. I hung sheets of OSB from the center beam with hinges. That gives me a fairly solid wall to put the Scene Setters on and easily attach other decor. Then at the end of the season, I just swing them up, fasten the other end and they are hidden away above my garage door until next year. So my 2016 lab build should take maybe an hour or two instead of days! Plus I use the back part of the garage for storage and setup area away from eyes of my victims... I mean guests. 
*BEHIND THE SCENES:*









*PUBLIC VIEW:* (still in progress)








*Even built in my own door*


----------



## Therewolf

UGH! why can't I delete this?


----------



## Bethany

Therewolf that is brilliant!! 
We bought the hanging wire from IKEA and have fabric hanging from it so we can open and close the curtains that cover the shelving units. 








Our garage has a finished ceiling and pull down stairs.


----------



## disembodiedvoice

Ghost of Spookie said:


> Picked up the 3-ft French Maid from Home Depot (50% off thru Sun 10/11 online) and think she's pretty cool. She could use some plastic surgery to trim those seams on her face but otherwise I love her. She does have a clacking issue (loose dentures maybe?) when she talks and interesting enough I was surprised to see a self-stick padded circle already affixed to her upper jaw where the mouth closes. Must be off and making contact elsewhere.
> 
> Anyway when I was looking at her costuming which I thought was very nicely done, I thought it could possibly double as an old-fashioned nurse's apron and if I altered the lace headband to look more like a old-fashioned nurses cap with a red cross on it, she could take her place in my Mad Lab tending to the John Does. What do you guys think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you see employment as a Nurse in her future?


Being a nurse myself, I really want to see her as a nurse ! She would need a fix with the hat and maybe even a red cross on her apron.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Definitely using her as a nurse this year! 

My mad lab work is coming along. Found a nurse's cap template online and just printed it out and assembled it for sizing on her. I think it works as printed on an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet. Will clean up the printed page and add a red cross. Not sure if I will do a red cross on her apron or not. If not, considering doing a name badge there. In that case need a name for her. Any suggestions?










My High Voltage panel box now has a door that won't fly open annoyingly. I love the lights and sounds of it. That turned out to be an easy fix. Still need to work on how to mount the box outside. The box will be used to power/trigger a John Doe. Hoping to set up 2 John Does but not sure yet if I'll have the room for both. 










Mentally planned out the Patient Waiting Room and diagrammed. Won't play with the layout with actual furniture yet. Since this and the John Doe brain operating area are going to have to be in our open courtyard, I'm still keeping an eye on the weather. At least one day of rain next week likely.

I'll use our patio couch and chairs for the waiting room. Need to work on a Waiting Room sign. Think I will stage a few of my GR people sitting in the Waiting Room with bloody bandages on their heads (out patients who have already had brain surgery!). Plan to put the Spirit (Tekky Toys) Coat Rack Monster in the Waiting Room to get people as they walk in.

My dual Memory Transfer Hats are up and running, just need mounting to some type of control box (one of them showed below). When the doctor throws the switch, they both go off at the same time transferring brain activity between the patients. Patients still need to be assembled. Thinking of using two Pose-N-Stays as the underlying framework for them. They will be covered with clothing, full head masks, hands and feet.










Lab shelving and display jars and medical "equipment" on the to do list still. The jars are ready for contents. The stands for the IV bags and Heart pump for the John Doe operating area are ready for spray painting. How many days do I have left to finish all this???? Need to give some thought to lighting.

Oh and ordered a sign today. Praying it gets here in time and I didn't waste my money on it for this year. When it arrives it will be set up in the lawn as the kids approach our house. Thought we could hammer two pieces of rebar into the grass, slip some PVC over it and lash the banner sign which comes with grommets to the posts. Not sure what lighting I'll use for the signage yet.










Have to say despite all the last minute things to do I am enjoying this theme a lot. Hubby said to me last night that he doubts the kids will bother to look at all the stuff I'm doing and instead just go for the candy and rush out. What can I say, he's not a Halloween supporter. Hope he's wrong.


What do you guys still have left to do?


----------



## ooojen

Your props are looking great! I love the little nurse! 
I shudder to think of all I have left to do, but I agree with you; it's a fun sort of stress! (I may feel differently in another 5 days!)


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

Got an email today saying Shindigz shipped out my halloween banner. Just saw that UPS has updated the tracking info and it's due to arrive on Friday, 10/30. Yep, I cut it close and sure hope it doesn't get delayed. A day early would be nice!


----------



## SkeleTom

My latest lab prop, just completed tonight with lots of help from a friend: The Life Ray!






Now I have to come up with a soundtrack to go along with it, and some sort of a hanging bracket to suspend it over the monster's table.

The green light source is a Gemmy Kaleidoscope LED ligtht inside a trash can. The wire frame holding the meteor lights is a tomato cage. The back end of the unit is a 12" plastic planter pot.


----------



## SkeleTom

I forget if I posted these before, but they seem appropriate here:










Buy a box wine, remove the bag of wine from the box, figure out a way to hang it from a stand (I'm still working on a reliable hanger that the bag doesn't slip through), and voila, instant prop that should be popular at parties or if you are treating the adult ToTs.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Labels - That's great SkeleTom! I have some prop blood bags I'm using this year but the wine bags sound doable. I can see using the labels slightly changed sans the wine names. The layout looks great on them, totally realistic (apart from the wine). Don't recall seeing them before so appreciate your posting it now. I could see slapping the labels on bottles of "blood" on the mad lab shelf for sure. With brain surgery going on in my lab sure extra blood would be nice to have on hand. We have a colored printer at home but if not I could see printing them out, and just adding the red to the cross portion.


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## Ghost of Spookie

SkeleTom said:


> My latest lab prop, just completed tonight with lots of help from a friend: The Life Ray!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now I have to come up with a soundtrack to go along with it, and some sort of a hanging bracket to suspend it over the monster's table.
> 
> The green light source is a Gemmy Kaleidoscope LED ligtht inside a trash can. The wire frame holding the meteor lights is a tomato cage. The back end of the unit is a 12" plastic planter pot.



That is THE BEST use of a Gemmy LED light I've ever seen!! I so want to make one of these--too late for this year's lab--but when I do my alien zombie lab scene it would be great there. Now that we have the electroshock hats behind us I'm encouraged to take on other projects like this. Please tell me you've done a tutorial on making this or will after halloween (I know with one week to go we are all kind of in crunch mode to get our stuff complete).

I'd love to pick up some of the part this year when they are on sale now if I can. Can you provide a quick parts list if you haven't done a tutorial? Thanks. BTW which Gemmy light did you use: http://www.gemmy.com/Lightshow_Halloween_s/1887.htm ? I'm not seeing lots of different colors in the lighting so still curious.

Really cool prop. Really cool.

And I think you have given me some inspiration for those Gemmy dripping blood lights I picked up at HD on clearance last year with absolutely no idea what to do with them LOL. They're only 9 inches long (five tubes) so the tomato cage would have to be shorter. Too bad Dollar Tree and 99 Cent Store aren't stocking their cages at this time of year any more. They were shorter. A red/orange Gemmy Fire and Ice would probably go well with the Dripping Blood Lights. I could call it a Heat Ray. Well off to put together a gray metal shelving unit for my mad lab set up.


----------



## Rustie

SkeleTom said:


> My latest lab prop, just completed tonight with lots of help from a friend: The Life Ray!


That is fantastic! Love it!

I officially got my lad set up tonight. Visitors so far seem to like it! Video coming soon...


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

*Delivery Date Rescheduled by UPS SurePost over UPS Ground -- Oh NO!*

Thought I would share this info in case it helps anyone out at some point. I mentioned earlier I have a banner for my haunt coming from Shindigz and it was cutting it close with delivery by UPS on Friday. Well just checked status now and saw that it was now rescheduled with UPS Sure Post--known as the local Post Office--to Saturday Halloween Day (we get our mail late usually on top of it), Yikes Freaked out! 

Tried seeing what I could do by calling UPS, knowing UPS hands off to the PO and it adds an extra day to delivery. No luck really, as the UPS agent was afraid to try signing me up for "My UPS" which allows you to "upgrade" to UPS instead of SurePost, as the initial setup for the service might delay the package beyond Saturday at this point. Crap!

Shindigz was gone for the day already, so I called my local Post Office, explained the situation and asked if there was anyway the package could be intercepted when it arrived there on Friday and I would come in to pick it up. I was told yes, probably good chance! Alright! Gave them my info and phone number and the tracking number assigned to the post office by UPS for the item, and we'll see. I'll let you guys know what happens.

BTW I didn't sign up with "My UPS" but was wondering if anyone else has signed up for this. Wondering how it's worked out for you if you have. I live in a small town and it seems like _a lot of my packages_ get diverted to the Post Office for delivery instead of ground so it might be something I'd like to do. It seems like when you order online you have no real control of who will ultimately deliver your packages and this might give some control back.


----------



## Ghost of Spookie

@@Rustie, all of your lab equipment and cage came out looking great...I love that little guy in the cage. 

What spray paint color did you use on the "pipes"? Very coppery looking and assume it is painted PVC. I just finished spraying chrome spray paint (krylon) on some of my mad lab equipment stands. Have to double check it tomorrow to see if I got complete coverage but was wondering if it's necessary to add a sealing coat to everything? First time doing something like this. I noticed some paint on my hands, which washed off with soap and water, and think it might be because the item wasn't totally dry when I handled it but not 100% sure. Wondering whether rub-off will happen if I don't seal. I do have plastic and wood pieces that were painted. Thanks.


----------



## Rustie

Ghost of Spookie said:


> @@Rustie, all of your lab equipment and cage came out looking great...I love that little guy in the cage.
> 
> What spray paint color did you use on the "pipes"? Very coppery looking and assume it is painted PVC. I just finished spraying chrome spray paint (krylon) on some of my mad lab equipment stands. Have to double check it tomorrow to see if I got complete coverage but was wondering if it's necessary to add a sealing coat to everything? First time doing something like this. I noticed some paint on my hands, which washed off with soap and water, and think it might be because the item wasn't totally dry when I handled it but not 100% sure. Wondering whether rub-off will happen if I don't seal. I do have plastic and wood pieces that were painted. Thanks.


Yeah it's painted pvc. I spray painted it flat black and then copper acrylic paint on that. Ended with a dry brush of brown to age it a bit.

I didn't add a sealant coat to any of my stuff, but only time will tell if that was a mistake or not. Hopefully they hold up fine.


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## whichypoo

that is the best thing I have seen for labs yet ..


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## Ghost of Spookie

Kind of slow progress today. Part of day was spent at Staples picking up additional lettering for my Waiting Room sign. Needed to add additional spray paint to the equipment stands and decided since I was getting paint transfer on my hands I'd spray them with a sealer, requiring another trip out this time to Hobby Lobby. Hopefully the sealer will do the trick or at least get me through this haunt. Have a feeling I should have primed both the plastic and the wood poles. Its going to rain tonight and tomorrow so will have to finish up outside on Thursday. Good news is that the weather report has no rain beyond Wednesday.

Worked on my little nurses cap. Not happy yet with the red cross, dumb move to use felt for it. Made some old-fashioned name tags for the doctor and the nurses. Sadly Staples (and probably others) no longer sell the old pin-on style, hard plastic name tags you add lettering to. Found some adhesive pin backs at Joann's Fabrics so made my own. Managed to lay my hands on our old Dymo labeler that was stored away long ago. Love the old Dymo look! Added the pins to the back side of the cardboard and I think they came out pretty good.


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## SkeleTom

Those are awesome hat and pins! Love the look of the Dymo lettering. Vintage!


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## SkeleTom

Rustie, your lab equipment looks fantastic. I like the lighting effects in everything, and the machinery is all just a little demented. Great work!

In the interest of keeping the mad lab equipment together in one thread, here's my other creation for this year: The eyeball incubator.


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## Ghost of Spookie

That is too cool SkeleTom. Love your videos. You've got some great stuff lined up for the kids. BTW did you have any problems getting the "eyeballs" to distribute into the liquid. They seem be layered from top to bottom nicely (not all at top or at bottom).


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## SkeleTom

Ghost of Spookie said:


> BTW did you have any problems getting the "eyeballs" to distribute into the liquid. They seem be layered from top to bottom nicely (not all at top or at bottom).


I drilled holes in each eyeball, front and back, so that they would fill with water. At that point they become neutrally buoyant. Then I run an aquarium air pump so that the bubbles all are rising at the back of the jar. This sets up a circular current in the jar, where the water rises with the bubbles, and comes down again at the front of the jar. The eyeballs are carried along with the current.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Thanks! I knew there was some trick to having them act that way. Great set up.


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## Rustie

SkeleTom said:


> Rustie, your lab equipment looks fantastic. I like the lighting effects in everything, and the machinery is all just a little demented. Great work!
> 
> In the interest of keeping the mad lab equipment together in one thread, here's my other creation for this year: The eyeball incubator.


Thanks! And I love that eyeball incubator! That's fantastic! The movement you got for the eyes is great.


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## Ghost of Spookie

A few more additions to our Lab. Signage for the Waiting Room. Still need to pull together the seated patient with the bloody head bandage on.










The Brain Wave Transmitter is nearly done. Got to use my Big Lots "dremel" equipment that I bought a few years back to cut notches in the box for the cords to the ElectroShock hats and to smooth out some of the drilled holes. Hubby really got into working on adding the electronics to the box last night, and wanted to "upgrade" the static dial with a connected potentiometer that will adjust the red light as you change the dial settings. I would have been happy just having the red LED light up! Bought the part today and should get it completed tonight. Slowly checking off those things left to do. Been feeling the pressure to get things completed.










Hopefully I'll get a call in the a.m. on Friday from the Post Office telling me my Shindigz banner arrived there from UPS and I can pick up. UPS hasn't updated their tracking since the banner left Hodgkins, IL on the 27th. Got lucky yesterday and today and found the two last Gemmy Orange spot lights at two different Spirit Halloweens. Plan on using them for my sign.

It's been on the cold side and expected to warm up the next two days. Waiting for the wind to die down so I can get the last sealer coat sprayed on to the equipment.


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## Kaffka Latte

dont warry


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## Ghost of Spookie

Spoke too soon! I'm having a Red Ant moment. Some of you who have been on the forum may know what I'm talking about. The winds have calmed and the temps are at their highest today so took my medical poles out to give them a sealer coat. Weeeelllllll, the sealer has proceeded to "melt" the metallic layers of spray paint on all of the wood and PVC poles. The nice metallic chrome shine is mostly gone, turned grayish and you can even see the red stamped printing now on the PVC pole. I have no idea what I'm going to do now with them.

Lesson learned. Always, always prime your material first. Regardless of whether it's recommended for the substance you will be spraying or not. You will save paint, money, time and your sanity. I'll check back when the sealer is suppose to be dry in 2 hours, and figure out what Plan B is. I think we're going out for dinner tonight. Maybe even a glass of wine LOL.


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## SkeleTom

Has anybody made any of these? 






The fun part about squishing your face against the scanner is that the result is usually so distorted you can get away with copies of yourself. I have family members and a couple of me. I still need to add the hair and do the artistic disgustifying, but they will do for tomorrow night. (or is it tonight? So running out of time!)


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## SkeleTom

I think I will put my haunt walkthrough video on this thread, since it is heavily lab-related. Some of the stuff you saw in the individual videos but this gives context.


----------



## ooojen

Most excellent! Thanks for sharing your results. I bet your ToT's were blown away!
I got a bunch of those chasing-style "icicle" LED strips, too. You put yours to very good effect...as you did everything, really!


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## Paint It Black

Wow SkeleTom, You have a great haunt, and the lab is amazing. Your use of various lighting techniques really complement all the props you made. Thanks for showing your completed set-up! Very cool.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Great haunt/Mad Lab SkeleTom! After seeing some of your earlier creations like the ray and the eyeball jar, I was hoping there would be a video too. Thanks for posting it here. Very eerie, creepy lighting on everything. At the end of the video what was the projection that looked like it was made of electricity? That was really cool. Your jars came out super gross (in a good way) and I liked how you used various lighting in the setting and props. 

I also found it interesting to see how you used the back of your house for the lab area in the way you did. Great way to extend your scene and keep props inside out of the elements. Did you find anyone too creeped out to walk around back? I think about this from the kid/parent standpoint as well as from the homeowner. The reason I ask is we kind of have a similar layout with gate to back (and have the ability to loop the kids all the way around--not sure if you did or if they backtracked on the way out) and have wondered whether kids/parents would make the loop by going into someone's backyard where they would be out of view. I have a few haunt themes I'd love to run with in that fashion (allowing me time to have stuff set up in advance of Halloween night and still safe in my gated interior yard) and thought I could make use of windows looking out to the back in my theme as well (with projections and window settings). Did you have kids actually coming into your lab or were they just see everything on display and stayed outside?


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## punkineater

SkeleTom said:


> I think I will put my haunt walkthrough video on this thread, since it is heavily lab-related. Some of the stuff you saw in the individual videos but this gives context.


First off, it's great that you have friendly/scary separate displays. Second...WOW!!!!! The Lab is incredible!!!!! Loved every prop in there. The pop up graveyard ghost illusion was great too! Well done~thanks for sharing


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## SkeleTom

Thanks, Ghost of Spookie, and great questions. Let's see, now... 

The electrical ghost at the end is one of the characters from the AtmosfearFX Phantasms collection. I strung 60" wide x ten feet of window screen across two poles (3/4" metal electrical conduit) for the projection screen.

I started using the back yard when the city came in and put street lights on every single pole, and the front of the house became way too bright. (I still have fantasies of finding some enormous blow-mold jack o lanterns and covering the light fixtures for the night.) People don't seem too bothered by the idea of walking around the back. They tend to come in groups of 5-15, so I imagine nobody feels like they are walking back where someone can make them disappear. The parents tend to come to the back to see for themselves, and drag their kids with them. This year for the first time, adults got shots of Chardonnay from the Blood Plasma bag (some of them were walking around the neighborhood with wine glasses in hand already, so I figured they were already in the spirit.) I do advertise the back as the scary part for the benefit of the toddlers, but I think not very many take it seriously. It's really pretty tame stuff. The only real scares are the teens jumping out of the shadows, and they know who not to pick on. 

I do have the capability of having them go round the house by both sides, but haven't put it into action yet. No real problems with foot traffic flow yet. I estimate 250-300 for the night. It sounds like a good idea, though.

We invite people to walk through the lab and touch any of the props. Everybody loves the lumindisks and plasma balls. I'm gratified by how respectful everyone has been, every year. I put a piece of aquarium tube over the needle of the giant syringe, to prevent accidents, but people were good about not touching the surgical tray. I have been very pleased with this layout for several years, and get TONS of compliments.

Your set up with the rear facing windows sounds like exciting possibilities there. (My windows are maybe not so advantageous, because they are up on the second floor and the sight lines aren't good, which is a pity because a lot of the AtmosfearFX scenes work much better in windows than out in the cemetery.) I'd love to hear what you come up with.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Food for thought SkeleTom. Thanks. Never would have thought of a projection on window screen material. Figured the holes would be too large. Interesting.

As for my backyard downstairs windows, I was thinking maybe I could do a facade treatment around the windows with props inside the house. For a carnival was thinking carnival tent or carnival booth. I have enough props I thought I could get more use out of them. Another thought is to use our BBQ island (as a circus wagon animal cage, animals at countertop level) and dining pergola (big tent attraction) area as well. Weather is always a potential issue with us and hubby's not sold on the idea of extending the haunt to the side and backyard so not sure if it will happen but I really like what you did as it goes beyond a backyard walk thru.


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## Tannasgach

Anyone doing a Mad Scientist/Frankenstein lab scene this year?


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## Hilda

Tannasgach said:


> Anyone doing a Mad Scientist/Frankenstein lab scene this year?


Still working on mine. Maybe will get it done for next year! haha
Are you thinking of theme? Oh do share!!


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## Paint It Black

Someone called? 










I am always working on my lab props as well. One year, it will be our main theme instead of just the guest bathroom.


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## ooojen

I'm still at it! I have so many raw materials for it, that it's kind of intimidating me figuring out where to start.


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## Hilda

Paint It Black said:


> I am always working on my lab props as well. One year, it will be our main theme instead of just the guest bathroom.





ooojen said:


> I'm still at it! I have so many raw materials for it, that it's kind of intimidating me figuring out where to start.


hahaha We'll all finally have labs in the same year!


----------



## Tannasgach

Hilda said:


> Still working on mine. Maybe will get it done for next year! haha
> Are you thinking of theme? Oh do share!!


I'm doing Frankenstein's Lab in my kitchen this year. I don't really build props, I kinda just decorate areas and make displays , but I have gotten some great ideas from looking at other people's work. Of course, I haven't started anything yet but I do have the materials, including an "eyeball incubator". Hail to the imaginative member who came up with that brillant idea!

I have some wooden boxes to use as equipment bases and some magnetic gauge buttons (works for me), but do not know how to paint wood to make it look like rusty metal. My game plan is to paint them black, add copper and silver, dry brush on brown, and top with a watered down green and hope it doesn't all come out basic brown. Any painting suggestions? These by no means need to look realistic, I just need to get the idea across it's lab equipment.


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## Paint It Black

Tannasgach said:


> I'm doing Frankenstein's Lab in my kitchen this year. I don't really build props, I kinda just decorate areas and make displays , but I have gotten some great ideas from looking at other people's work. Of course, I haven't started anything yet but I do have the materials, including an "eyeball incubator". Hail to the imaginative member who came up with that brillant idea!
> 
> I have some wooden boxes to use as equipment bases and some magnetic gauge buttons (works for me), but do not know how to paint wood to make it look like rusty metal. My game plan is to paint them black, add copper and silver, dry brush on brown, and top with a watered down green and hope it doesn't all come out basic brown. Any painting suggestions? These by no means need to look realistic, I just need to get the idea across it's lab equipment.


One way to get a rusted look: Apply a product called Amber Shellac. Then spritz with water from a spray bottle. This is what it looks like:


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## Paint It Black

Some lab jars that I used the Amber Shellac on today. I painted the tops first. Then the Shellac, then sprayed water on top of that.


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## Hilda

Paint It Black said:


> Some lab jars that I used the Amber Shellac on today. I painted the tops first. Then the Shellac, then sprayed water on top of that.


That is really cool! Thanks for the tip.
So all the stuff dripping down the sides of jars is from the shellac technique?


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## Tannasgach

PIB, they came out great! What color did you use to paint the lids before adding the shellac? Gold?


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## Paint It Black

Tannasgach said:


> PIB, they came out great! What color did you use to paint the lids before adding the shellac? Gold?


I sponged on some brown, burnt orange, and metallic green in random patterns.


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## Paint It Black

Hilda said:


> That is really cool! Thanks for the tip.
> So all the stuff dripping down the sides of jars is from the shellac technique?


Yes! It really makes the jars look corroded.


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## punkineater

Some of them also look like the contents foamed over, very cool!!!! Shellac me, baby!

Thanks, PIB! pe in for the steal.


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## Torgo

I'm thinking of doing a Mad Science Fair theme for my yard display. The centerpiece would be a half-hanging banner with a bunch of tentacles and maybe some shiatsu-animated eyestalks coming from behind it. Then I could repurpose other random props into project displays? 

I don't do gory/scary so I think I can make this funny and cute.


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## Hilda

Target has some cool amber jars in the first section as you walk in the store. $3 each and they are a nice big size too!
I've been looking for amber bottles for in my laboratory. I was thrilled to find these.


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## SkeleTom

I think I am finally done with redesigning my eyeball bubbler. Here is the Mark III model:


And the fictional power source:


The power source is not even "built," per se, just sort of arranged on the shelf. Voss water bottles encircling a kaleidoscope light, and an Ikea stainless steel bowl upended over the whole thing, with a spice canister on the top.


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## Ghost of Spookie

Nice rusty effect Paint! And Skele Tom love both of your lab contraptions, especially the power source.


----------



## SkeleTom

Has it really been two years since this thread saw any action? Have Mad Scientist Labs fallen out of favor?

I wanted to share my brain-dead-simple lab sound effect. (sorry if it's somewhere in the list and my memory is going...) 

Get an aquarium air pump, and a few Voss water bottles. Use the air pump to blow air bubbles in the water bottles. If you fill the bottles to different heights, you can get different tones of bubbling from each bottle, almost like a pipe organ. A mostly empty bottle will make a deep tone, while a mostly filled one will make a high pitch. If you are musical, you can tune the bottles to unsettling dissonances, like a major seventh or a tritone.


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## Johanna

Do you have any pictures of the items used for the mad scientist scene before you painted them. I would love to do something like this for my haunted house but stuck on where to begin.


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