Spookywoods Arch Maze - Building around trees!

[twohlgemuth]

Hi Haunters,

I was so inspired by the 13th Gate tour last year that I had to create arches in my haunt. Here is how we build around trees deep inside the Spookywoods! This set is not finished yet with the detailing and tourture devices hanging over head, but you get the idea. If you don't know Spookywoods main attraction is inside an over grown Christmas tree farm with trees planted in rows.

[poison]

Looks very cool!

Great work Man!

The before and after pics really make you appreciate the work and detail.

[Jim Warfield]

Do the tops of the arches shed rain? They might become rather heavy if they are open on top and water couldn't find it's way out.
Did you frame up some of them with thicker lumber so displays or actors could be above the patrons?
They remind me of the basement of a really old structure.
There is something about an arch that says "Old".
Maybe it's the time and effort that they require to make? Old times people had more time to do trickier work.
Rain here today and most of my possible work would have be bucking the rain, not always a thing to be doing..going against the natural flow of things.

[freak 'n' stein]

Hi Haunters,

I was so inspired by the 13th Gate tour last year that I had to create arches in my haunt. Here is how we build around trees deep inside the Spookywoods! This set is not finished yet with the detailing and tourture devices hanging over head, but you get the idea. If you don't know Spookywoods main attraction is inside an over grown Christmas tree farm with trees planted in rows.

First I'm really inspired by the castle facade, now your maze. A-MAZE-ing...lol, sorry, couldn't help that one. Are these columns and arches built out of the same material the facade is made of? I know this is a pro haunt chat, but is a step-by-step or tutorial coming?

[Speculo]

That is fantastic Tony! We were similarly inspired by Dwayne, this is our Sewer from last year... We are working on a mirror version of the concept...we will see how that goes!

[brad]

First I'm really inspired by the castle facade, now your maze. A-MAZE-ing...lol, sorry, couldn't help that one. Are these columns and arches built out of the same material the facade is made of? I know this is a pro haunt chat, but is a step-by-step or tutorial coming?

I'd really like to find this out also. What was it made out of?

[twohlgemuth]

Materials used

Hi Guys,

We built the arches out of plywood and the rocks are facuform. I used the VFI 711 foam to hide the edges of the rocks to blend the look.

I find it very cool how several of us have adopted the arch look from the 13th Gate. Ben, the sewer set is rocking! I would expect nothing less from the masters!

I have a web page setup with more information on this build. www.spookywoods.com/archmaze.htm

Here is a shot of the moving walls as you enter this scene with facuform coffins.

[Allen H]

Great and inspiring work both of you, this may get me off of my butt and post some set pics of my own. Currently Im working on revamping SCREAMS's asylum haunt and 1/3 of their castle/dungeon haunt. There is never enough time to do everything we want but you guys sure do some knock out work!
good job abd thanks for sharing.
Allen H

[scarygoat]

Looks awesome! Thank you for showing us the pics, awesome detail, love the vines. Hey Allen did you get my PM?

[Jim Warfield]

I am "Old School"

And too stupid and cheap to buy styrofoam and that stuff, I use real rocks and bricks and mortar and cement.
Being open every night of the year for the last 20 years and being a tourist attraction I need durability of the actual product and I have had very good luck doing things this way.
When I swing a door made out of real bricks, rocks, I also have to create one hell of a good hinge but I also know not to build such things above ground level because of the weight considerations.
Real brick arches are fun! I love building them. They look just like the crypts in the above-ground graveyards in New Orleans when done.
All the nice pictures of the work you guys have done are very inspiring and awesome and should really impress your patrons this October. Excellant work!

[shawnc]

Amazing job.

Here's a helpful hint for next time: Cut those Christmas trees before they get that big. You'll find they fit into houses much easier that way.

[RJ Productions]

Hey Tony,

Awesome job as usual!! You said the coffins were vacuform? Where did you get them?

WIth the right lighting that place is gonna rock!

Rich

[twohlgemuth]

Facuform Coffins

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the comments. Night Scream Productions took over the distribution of the facuform panels.

[MisfitsSpookhouse]

Wow! Tony and Ben, very impressive!

[twohlgemuth]

Arch Maze - Updated Photos

Here are some updated photos after Joh Harp and his team of scream got their entire bodies covered in paint this past weekend.