In this section you will find detailed instructions for creating a couple of the homemade props I use in my yard haunt at Halloween.

If you're interested in making groundbreakers from newspaper and mache, then you may find my third and fourth Haunter's Reality Videos helpful. I also highly recommend the website SpookyBlue. It has terrific newspaper and mache tutorials!

Power tools are used for creating these props, so please familiarize yourself on the proper use of your tools and refer to the tool maufacturer's safety precautions prior to starting any project described on this site. I am not liable for any accidents that may occur from improper use of tools and equipment.

Heavy Duty Halloween Groundbreaker

I consider this prop to be my groundbreaker on steroids! It's extremely heavy duty and weighs between 12-15 pounds when completed. This one is built to last for a lifetime of Halloween nights, and then some. For many people this prop may be overbuilt, but I prefer them strong - cue up the Tim the Toolman grunting soundbyte!

Now, I have to say that this prop is not nearly as easy or as cheap to construct as the groundbreakers using newspaper for bones, but it's a lot of fun and can definitely take a good lickin' and keep on tickin'. It also has some major structural advantages over the newspaper design. For example: if you're interested in attaching and posing bucky skeleton parts, such as arms and legs- it will easily support them without any problems. This prop provides a solution for people who are struggling to find an adequate support structure to hold up their bucky torso.

I've also learned that Anatomical Chart Company may be discontinuing their bucky torso, so this project provides a great way to create your own substitute.

All of the techniques and ideas for the design of this prop are mine, however the original inspiration for building it came from seeing all the fantastic images at Pumpkinrot.com

I'd like to thank Mark, at the Monsterlist of Halloween Projects as well as HauntProject.com for featuring my Heavy Duty Groundbreaker How-To. If you're looking for The definitive collections, on the web, of Halloween How-To projects, then you'll definitely want to check out both of these sites. Between the two of them, you'll be able to dig up plans for making just about anything related to Halloween.