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  • Cave Scene help and direction

    Hey everyone, I was looking for advice on creating a cave scene in the haunt this year. I was thinking of using chicken wire with burlap and monster mud, but I don't know how resiliant that would be to 10,000 people streaming through. So I was hoping if anyone had some great ideas or advice they would be willing to share, I for one would be really appreciative.

    Thanks
    Rob
    Fairbanks Asylum

  • #2
    Budget

    Rob,

    It would be helpful to know what kind of budget you are working with.

    -Mike

    Comment


    • #3
      Yea that would help... I was planning on a 6ft long hallway going into a 10 X 12 ft room. Cielings would be around 8ft high. I was hoping to keep the cost of the room below a 1000.00, not including lighting and props. But I can be flexible...

      Thanks
      Rob

      Comment


      • #4
        Have you considered coated styrofoam? Those coatings can make that stuff so resilient its kinda incredible, plus its easy to shape, and you can usually find quite a bit of it for free (try furniture stores or rent-to-own places!)
        -Mat

        Comment


        • #5
          What we do professionally is instead of drywall, you do what you had planned and use concrete, sand and bonding agent available these days at Lowes. Quickrete bonding adhesive you mix with water and use instead of water in the mix of 1 part portland cement and 2 parts sand. There it is, plain and simple, now I'm going to watch 40 posts about bullshit stucco products that cost $60 and $80 a bucket and foam machines and contractors that are going to cost a minimum of $2,000. This concrete mix in burlap costs about 30 cents per square foot. But, there I tried, I shared. I have caves that have been out in the wilderness for 16 years now that have survived and are only about 1/4 inch thick on a metal frame. Once you have the burlap coverage and shapes you can shoot the cement formula with a hopper, tint the material with dry tints and paint it to taste.

          I even gave a seminar on this crap and no one cared so I'm not sure I want to share anymore. Sakrete has similar bonding agents. Shit I'm sharing again. Why can't I STOP! I know there is going to be a big bunch of posts of crap that is going to cost 3 times as much. Why do I do this to myself?
          Last edited by Greg Chrise; 01-18-2013, 05:56 PM.
          sigpic

          Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.

          Comment


          • #6
            I'm definitely going to try that. I have a rockwork project coming up soon and that sounds handy as all hell.
            -Mat

            Comment


            • #7
              We used Chicken wire and then covered it with burlap and sprayed Mortar onto it with a mortar sprayer.. Here's how it turned out.
              IMG_1185.JPG
              Last edited by HalloweenHaunter; 01-18-2013, 07:38 PM.
              Brandon Treadway
              Owner & Creative Director | Treadway Events
              www.TreadwayEvents.com
              Portland, Oregon

              Comment


              • #8
                Hey Greg thanks for the sharing. That is some great info. I will definately try that one out. I like the idea of the durability. Especially when the drunks get stupid in there and try to run.

                Thanks
                Rob

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hey Brandon that looks good to, thanks for the picture. What kind of weight are you dealing with regarding something you have to tear down every year and store?

                  Thanks
                  Rob

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I would estimate it to be 100 - 125lbs for a 4x8 Wall, it is sprayed about a 1/4in thick, this probably wouldn't be your best option if it has to be able to come down, I would probably suggest using Styrofoam and then coating it.
                    Last edited by HalloweenHaunter; 01-20-2013, 02:17 AM.
                    Brandon Treadway
                    Owner & Creative Director | Treadway Events
                    www.TreadwayEvents.com
                    Portland, Oregon

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I do agree with Greg Chrise

                      Hello fellow haunters.

                      Yes, even though I do use alot of stucco products the Quickcrete is a harder outcome. I do not use stucco as a hardcoat though. I use stucco as a texture coat. I normally use a high end urethane hardcoat over foam for the protection. I have had items outside for many years with the hardcoat and stucco over foam. The roofing foam is fine for indoors but pricey. I hope I helped.

                      Robert Travis
                      Scenic Art Productions
                      ScenicArtProductions@Yahoo.COM
                      https://www.facebook.com/scenicartproductions

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        i know you are putting a lot of people through your haunt. this is a pic of our cave. made with paper.
                        Attached Files
                        In Darkness they hunt the living
                        http://www.DarkMatterScreamWorks.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          That cave looks great, I really like the addition of the bottomless pit you have there. I was thinking of something a bit larger with using stalactites/stalagmites for some supports and inset red led lights scattered about. with some low lying fog across the floor. At least thats the idea I am messing with in my head right now.

                          Thanks for sharing

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The ones we have made are more dramatically curved paths with deeper reliefs and angled rock formations where things vary from 8 to 12 inches rather than square and flat looks. They end up being very heavy and I'm not sure about how portable they would ever be. You can make sections outside laying down and then stand them up with plywood bolt together flanges. Still even the 1/4 inch ends up being about 195 pounds per 100 Square foot. I have imagined building them on trailers and taking them into places and removing the wheels and springs but, that hasn't been required anywhere yet. Most of the places we have done have an outdoor trail component and simply the mess and being in the way they are usually outdoors or in a permanent haunt.

                            A bonus is that on an outdoor trail these caves become off season storage sheds. The cement and additive makes it feel like a cave because of it insulating all outside noise and weather. Spray foam may look like a cave but it feels more like a home products show instead of a cave. On one we were asked to dispose of a pallet of mortar mix and the end result was something too soft and powdery compared to the concrete formula. It got fixed with dozens of coats of paint but was not a stable material for long term. It has been done for hundreds of years using mortar formulas but generally these are finishes on something heavy like rebar and 12 inch thick concrete base.

                            When trying to make things that are not earthen in nature look like something natural, you usually end up with something that looks like a flinstones cartoon or a playschool cave. There are just limitations to any art or decor technique. If you were really considering something portable I would begin with a fiberglass shell with concrete over that.

                            You can put rubber gloves on and use rubber trowels to just put a texture on the surface rather than shooting it with a drywall hopper. I have no idea what a mortar shooter is.
                            Last edited by Greg Chrise; 01-20-2013, 02:26 PM.
                            sigpic

                            Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              A Mortar sprayer is also a stucco sprayer unlike a Texture Hopper, this has larger jets for thicker materials..
                              http://www.mortarsprayer.com/stucco-sprayer-for-walls/
                              Brandon Treadway
                              Owner & Creative Director | Treadway Events
                              www.TreadwayEvents.com
                              Portland, Oregon

                              Comment

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