looking for ideas???

[nOrTHeRn TouCh]

Hey guyz Happy New year... I know this topic has been covered several times, and I have even used some of the ideas out here to make what I am looking for....BUT I AM LOOKING FOR SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS>>>

I want to make new body forms/mannequins but not using wood or PVC if possible, I would like to make a store quality mannequin that could be semi possible that Would have a life like appearance. Price really isn't a issue the reason is we were looking at purchasing the Zombie Line from haunted Props.com when I got to thinking we could build a good quality Zombie of our own & use the money other places in our new Haunted Attraction.

I have done PVC and Foam in the past even made some great looking dummies lol but I want something that isn't stuffed with paper and that the Fire Marshall will look past. We had a few issues this year with this sort of thing and really want to be able to come up with a way to make our own mannequins. I know Ghost Ride Productions make a flexible Foam dummy and was wondering if any one out there knows how it is done and if it would be worth building our own or just purchasing them from Ghost Ride.

I am looking for any great ideas that could help us save $$$ & build a great quality body form. We already have begone making our own Zombie Heads & masks we just need to find new ideas for the body forms we thought of Fiberglass but didn't know where to start have done a lot of Googleing lol but still looking any help would be great... thankz

[The Mad Hatter]

Too long, you would have to make a mold... that could cost a few grand... There really isn't a better way than just to buy it. Saves time and problems that will happen if you make your own.

Go with Ghostride!! Chailey's stuff is high quality, and at a reasonable price.

[Allen H]

Do you need a detailed body or a form to put clothes on?
If its just a form then here is a simple process to get them.

Make a duct tape double of an actor (sans head hands and feet.)
Make a two piece mold of the double out of fiberglass (build it up with matte)
Use johnsons paste wax as a mold release inside the fiberglass
Fill mold with flexible AB foam. If you can find 3lb use it if not then 5lb.
Mold the body standing so a pipe can be inserted into a leg.
the pipe can be slid over rebar in the ground to make it stand or screwed into a flange screwed to a base.
Cut off and reattach arms as necessary, old romex wire in the arms or copper tubing will make them posable with some creative foam removal.

with this formula you can now google each step as opposed to being overwhelmed and not finding what you need by looking for the whole process.
This is pretty much what I do with a few modified steps due to what I do or do not have available. I use a full torso mold made of plaster, from neck to groin. sometimes I make a klatex skin but most of the time I just use a contractor bag for the skin and fill it with my foam gun.
Feel free to email or PM me if you need help finding specific things or with certain steps.

[nOrTHeRn TouCh]

That sound easy and really cool never thought about using a duck tape double with fiber glass this will work and I have fiberglass always on hand in the shop I was thinking about building a mold out of it but wasn't sure how to make the body double..Do you have to build up the fiberglass mold in the duck tape mold slowly??? I just wasn't sure about how to go about that?

[Allen H]

No you dont need to go slowly, just slap it on. Im not to picky when it comes to bodies as hey have clothes over them. I just apply it right over the tape. Two or three layers of matte and resin.
Allen H

[nOrTHeRn TouCh]

sweet man I am going to try it out this week end want to experiment a bit.... I was wondering where you got the flexible AB foam?? Thankz for the help I will keep ya updated wanted to send ya a PM to let ya in on what were up too...

[Allen H]

Based on where you are located...

Form-iT Advanced Materials Get Flex foam it 3 its a pretty good foam.
345 Munster Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M8Z 3C6
Tel: (416) 234-8915
Toll-Free: 888-741-1333
Fax: (416) 234-1516
E-Mail: orderit@formit.ca

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

[nOrTHeRn TouCh]

Great man thankz so much...Going to call them tomorrow and see what the cost are???