Foam Cutter Power Supply Tutorial

After completing my foam cutting table yesterday, but failing at hooking up the power supply to it, I wanted to get it done to cut some foam.

The Garage of Evil tutorial calls for using a Pony PET-120-12-60 power supply, but no store around here had one in stock. I was going to buy one online, but did a little online searching and found, first, that these are called transformers (I didn't know that ahead of time, and when I tried to explain it to people they had no idea what I was talking about).

Once I knew what I was looking for, I went to Radio Shack and was able to find what I needed: I got a 12.6 VAC, 3 amp power transformer (it was Radio Shack part number 273-1511B).

I also bought a basic dimmer switch from Lowe's:

While the GoE plans also calls for a switch-outlet combination, I didn't figure that was going to be necessary. While I'll get a project box for the parts, the double gang box I originally bought won't fit the RS transformer. I guess that's one of the benefits of the Pony model, it's more compact than this one. But I wanted to cut foam now, so I went with what I had available.

I also bought alligator clips which I connected to 16 gauge wire I had available from my LED light projects.

It was then time to hook up the transformer and dimmer to the plug wire I salvaged from the train transformer. The GoE directions were essential since there are a heckuva lot of wires and no real rhyme or reason to them. Following the schematic, I hooked up all the wires, though I had two yellow wires coming out of the transformer instead of blue. 

Also there were no white wires on any of my components, everything was black or yellow so it was a bit of a guess as to which went where. Maybe it doesn't matter so much. Either that or I guess right. Obviously I bypassed the switch/outlet part.

I connected the transformer to the alligator clips, which in turn were connected to the guitar wire.

Here is a look under the table showing the other connection at the PVC arch:

I plugged in the setup and with fingers crossed I turned on the dimmer. There were no sparks and the circuit wasn't blown so it seemed to be working. A quick touch of the wire showed it was hot, so I shoved some foam into it and success!

I definitely didn't bring anything new to the discussion here, and I suggest anyone looking to build this power supply themselves to follow the Garage of Evil tutorial. It was a big help.

One note of caution: I wanted to see how high I could crank the power on the dimmer and put it all the way up. It didn't take long for the wire to turn red hot and then pop! About half the way provided sufficient power and I sacrificed the wire just to see what would happen.

Foam Cutting Table Tutorial

I spent this morning making a foam cutting table, basically following the design of my fellow NJ/PA Make & Take haunter, hpropman. Joe's design is in turn based on the welded table version made by the Garage of Evil.

I figured I'd offer a step-by-step tutorial with photos for everything I did. The project cost me less than $10, and the most expensive part was the metal bracket, which was about $7 alone. I was fortunate in that I had a piece of MDF already on hand, so if you were to make one too it might cost you a little more for the wood.

This was the quick plans I sketched out on a scrap piece of note paper which I taped up outside my garage where I was working to refer to if necessary. Some of the measurements subsequently changed, but I note them below.

The table started by cutting my MDF to size. I made mine 24" wide by 36" long. While a really big table would be fun, storage is always a consideration and this should handle most projects. Some of the other versions out there use a laminate top because it is super slick and smooth for moving the foam across the table, but MDF is a very smooth surface as well.

I next made two stretchers from 2x3 board I had on hand. The stretchers run the along each long side, though not completely to the ends. I made my 24" long and centered it on the table length, that way if I chose to use a fence to help make straight cuts I'll have a place to clamp it.

I laid out three screw holes centered on the width of the boards (3/4") at 7", 18", and 29". I pre-drilled the holes and countersunk them to keep the screw heads below the table top. When using MDF it is important to pre-drill your screw holes otherwise you're likely (read: guaranteed) to split the wood.

I also glued the strechers to the table top for added strength.

I then clamped the stretcher to the top and pre-drilled it to make sure the screws went in securely (this could have been done all as one step). 

I then screwed the top to the stretcher with 2-1/2" drywall screws.

Here's an end view showing the two stretchers attached.

The next step was to make the arm that holds the cutting wire. I ripped a 2x3 in half, but using a 2x2 would be a good choice, but I was trying to use up spare wood I had on hand. The riser is 22" high while the arm itself is 18" long.

They attach at a right angle with the arm on top of the rise. Once again I pre-drilled and countersunk holes to attach them with two screws. Like drilling into MDF, when drilling into end grain of wood as you are here, pre-drilling is important to prevent splitting.

The next step is to attach a shelf bracket to the arm assembly to ensure it remains rigid and there's no flex that would allow the string to go slack. I used 1" screws here.

To attach the arm assembly to the table, the riser will be screwed to one of the stretchers. An alternative method, particularly for ease of storage, would be to attach the arm assembly using two bolts run through the riser and the stretcher and held in place with either a knob or wing nuts. As I had forgotten to pick up wing nuts, I opted to screw it to the stretcher, though this can be changed at a later time.

As always, the screw holes were pre-drilled and countersunk.

Once that was done, I drilled a 1/8" hole for the wire. It is located 1/2" back from the end of the arm and centered on it. A second hole was drilled another 1/2" back, but this one did not go all the way through the arm as it will be used for an hanger bolt that can be used to keep the appropriate amount of tension on the wire.

An alternative would be to use a guitar tuning key, but my local Guitar Center told me they were sold in sets, not individually, and since I had the hanger bolts aplenty from my LED spotlights project I used them instead.

Once the arm assembly was screwed to the stretcher, it was necessary to locate the hole in the table top so the wire can pass up through the table from underneath. It should be fairly perpendicular to the table so that your cuts are straight.

Initially I was going to use a plumb bob hung from the end of the arm and then measure back 1/2" inch to align the holes. But my daughter came up with a novel, better idea: using the laser pointer on my stud finder. I turned the laser on, shined it down through the hole in the arm, and the laser dot appeared on the table top precisely in line with the hole in the arm. I marked its location and drilled through the table with the 1/8" drill bit.

I had taken a picture of the laser dot marking the spot, but unfortunately it didn't show up in the picture.

The next stage of the project was to make the PVC arch the holds the wire in place under the table. I had 2" PVC pipe on hand, but I imagine 1-1/2" pipe would work too. I cut off a ring about 1-1/2" wide and then cut it slightly more than in half to create tension when it's holding the wire. A 1/8" hole was drilled in the center of the arch.

The wire that I used was 18 gauge nickel wound guitar string. It comes with a ball at the end which is perfect for holding it in place. I got two wires for less than $2 at Guitar Center.

The wire's passed up through the arch, through the table, and through the hole in the arm. I then wrapped it around the hanger bolt to secure it. When the bolt is turned it applies tension to the wire.

At this point, the table assembly is complete.

The next step was to make the power supply, but since that didn't work out so well, I'll save that for another tutorial. My problem was I had attempted to use an old train transformer to generate the heat, but it apparently wasn't strong enough and didn't heat the wire sufficiently enough to cut through the foam. So I will build the power supply described in the Garage of Evil tutorial, but I have to order the low voltage transformer and will show the steps I used when it arrives.

Right now the table looks great and I'm disappointed the train transformers didn't work because I'm itching to give it a go.

Hopefully the steps described and the pictures provided will help you build your own foam cutting table.

A Critical Eye

I received an email the other day from the producer of an indie film called "All God's Creatures," which apparently is an official selection of the 2011 Hoboken International Film Festival. The movie's world premiere is being held in Teaneck on June 4, and they've invited me to a screening of the show. Seeing as it's in my hometown, I can't pass up the chance.

From the email, the movie is "a dark love story about a young serial killer, Jon Smith, and a young prostitute, Delia Maitlin, who unintentionally and unexpectedly find love; a very dangerous love." Interesting premise.

It was shot on a budget of $25,000 but the trailers seem to have some good production values to them. In the site's main trailer (sorry, they don't have an embed code) the first clip is accompanied by one of the movie's signature soundtracks, "Ted Bundy Was a Lady's Man" by Des Roar, and it's actually pretty catchy. 

While I've accepted the invitation, I haven't as yet heard back from them so maybe they've decided against it. We'll see, but I'd be interested in seeing the movie. So long as they don't expect rave reviews simply for inviting me. I can't be bought (yeah right!). If I hear back from them I'll do a complete review.

Right On Schedule

After the National Haunters Convention I'm all excited about getting to prop building. This coming weekend I'm working on my cemetery pillars and since the NJ/PA Make & Take group is having a bunch of scheduling conflicts, there may be a few haunting buddies stopping by to work on their own props. It will be another mini-M&T.

But I find that my prop building routine is rather scattershot. I'll work on a paper mache skull here, make some paper clay finger bones there, and occasionally screw on some insulation to my pillars whenever I'm walking by them in the garage. It's not the most productive allocation of my time.

The other day, though, I was watching a vlog from one of my new favorite haunters, Halloween Hellmouth, and I noticed on his bedroom wall a whiteboard with various to-do projects on them: the prop car he's building, house, and some intriguing item called "Hellmouth 4 Resurrection." Maybe that was that particular video since it was Hellmouth 4 (if you're interested, it's at about the 5:05 mark in the video). And there are all some bullet points underneath each.

That got me to thinking that maybe I needed to organize my prop building efforts a little better. Create a list of props I want to build, divide it up into the major sections that need work, and write it all down. For example, I've decided I want my gravedigger prop to be pneumatic. Nothing special, mind you, just that he's going to be in a hunched over position as if he's digging a grave but then as the ToTs walk by he'll be triggered to snap his head up to look at them.

So in addition to making his body, I'll need to construct the cylinders that will make him move. That may necessitate ordering the cylinders or making them from PVC (yeah, yeah, I've heard all the pros and cons about it). So my project list for Madog might be "Make PVC body," "Order cylinders from Monster Guts" (there, ya happy?), "Attach cylinder mechanism to prop," etc.

Another prop I'm contemplating will be The Cellarer. In monastic life, the cellarer was the one who provisioned the abbey with food and drink. My thoughts on him are for a life-size monk to be carrying a large crate, but in reality it would be a Monster-in-a-Box. As the ToTs approached, a motion sensor would trigger the MIB. So there would be a whole bunch of steps needed to bring that to fruition.

Point is, by organizing my thoughts I'll make better use of my time and I'll see how well I'm progressing on my prop building. I'll know when I'm done when I check off the last item on the list (yeah right! There's never an end to a haunter's list).

I've started the process so far by creating an initial list of props I want to build. Some of it's rather ambitious like the two above, plus a mausoleum to house my FCG. I also want to finish my cemetery pillars (c'mon Saturday!). But others are relatively easier or less time consuming, like making another groundbreaker or two and a few props for inside my house, like a severed hand standing on its finger tips on top of a stack of books, and a PVC candle in a skull. There are some that seem to be somewhere in between, like a moving shelf of books (saw a great example on the HauntForum boards by halstaff, which he adapted from a Halloween Forum member maureenpr).


(at 1:44 in the video, but yes, let's all join in on the hate for halstaff having completed so much stuff already)

So I have given myself a full plate, but idle hands are the devil's tools, or some such saying. Trouble manages to find me when I'm lazing about doing nothing, so what better way to occupy my time than building Halloween props? I don't know either.

Scaring Up Some Good Fun

Now having attended my first Halloween-haunt convention (I don't think last week's Chiller Theater really fit the bill), I can say these are a really good time. The National Haunters Convention in King of Prussia, PA, was indeed worth the time and expense as not only did I get to see a bunch of haunt vendors and pick their brains for ideas, but I once again got to hang out with fellow haunters and meet a few of the industry's "rock stars."

Going in to NHC I didn't know what to expect, and I'll admit on entering the show I was a bit let down. Having seen videos of Transworld I was expecting something along those lines, so this was apparently more scaled down than that mega show. However, I later found that this year's NHC was bigger than in the past and as I walked the floor I did come away with a better appreciation for the event. For the $25 show floor ticket, which was apparently good for all three days of the event, that's a pretty good deal.

They had a lot of vendors there covering a broad swath of the industry: props, animatronics, pneumatics, controllers, foggers, makeup, scene setters, and music. The NHC even had entertainment, including a trio of zombie singers and a trivia game show that was pretty funny.

My personal highlight was meeting (finally!) Johnny Thunder and Denny (Denhaunt) from the Hauntcast show. I also got to see Denny's "Pumpkin Thief" prop up close. Awesome job. They raffled it off and I could have sworn all the major league butt kissing I was doing would give me the inside track to winning the prop, but alas! No, someone else scored it.

The Hauncast booth served a second purpose, though, and that was as a central meeting place for all the haunters who were going to attend. It was great being able to put a face to a (screen) name.

I'm sure all of these people don't see themselves as anything special, but seeing them on the boards (and the excellent work they produce), watching their YouTube channels, reading their blogs, and listening to their podcasts, provides incredible inspiration to regular, relatively new haunters like me. They might not view themselves as leading lights of the industry, but as I noted they're like rock stars for me (Pumpkinrot, where the hell were ya?!).

Unfortunately for me, my camera acted up (later on I found it needed to be reset) so the pictures I had taken on it were lost, but at least there weren't that many. I ended up using my cellphone to photograph the props I liked that might provide some inspiration later on. It was definitely a good time and I'm glad FrightGuy from Grimlock Manor convinced me to go at last. I've got lots of work to do now!

The crew that met up at NHC (l-r): HalloweenZombie, GrimGhost, the Bloodshed Brothers, Johnny Thunder, JoiseyGal, me, Spooky1, RoxyBlue, IMU, Devil. (Kneeling, front): Denhaunt, FrightGuy. Devils Chariot ended up showing up later on.

A few other pictures I took of vendor props at the show:

Definitely the creepiest costume

Yet Another Haunting Confab

After the fun trip to the Chiller Theater expo last week with Grimlock Manor's FrightGuy, he was able to convince me to go to the National Haunter's Convention in King of Prussia, PA this Saturday. Since another of my favorite local haunters is going too -- JoiseyGal -- I figured, how could I not go?! So from not going to any conventions, I seem to have filled up my date book with a whole bunch of them. I expect I'll get one or two more ideas for my haunt going to NHC than I did at Chiller, and the roster of haunting luminaries who've said they're going to be in attendance is pretty impressive.

As much as I love building props and decorating for Halloween, I find haunters to be some of the most interesting people and could chat with them about their experiences for hours. Looking forward to seeing the sights and meeting the minds of what looks to be a pretty cool haunting convention.

Chills & Thrills

It was a Chiller Theater expo weekend for me, attending the trade show they held at the Parsippany Hilton Friday through Sunday. While I did  go on Saturday, I actually didn't pay to go in that day. While $25 was fine to see everything they had, I knew I'd be going on Sunday too and it didn't seem they had that much that I'd actually be willing to pay $50 to view.

So on Saturday I walked around the lobby where they had a few vendors set up as well as a number of celebrities available for photo ops. Some had the most tenuous relationships to horror, such as Hal Linden from "Barney Miller." Maybe he was in some movie I'm not familiar with, but obviously the old '70s cop show was his true claim to fame and the banner behind him only proclaimed that.

It actually seems sad, in a way, to see these old movie and TV stars, hanging out and trying to grub $20 to $30 a pop on signatures and photos. Didn't they save any money during their careers where they didn't have to be reduced to this?

There was quite an assortment of "interesting" people attending the show. You gotta love all the women who feel it's required to wear bustiers and miniskirts to these shows. Of course, not everyone who wears these outfits should wear them, which in itself was entertaining. I've also heard these shows are best described as "black t-shirt conventions" and I can see why (and I was guilty too): almost everyone had on some variation of black. Leather was also in vogue. As NoahFentz commented to me, it's like spending a day at Wal-Mart.

Anyway, I hung around for awhile looking for Johnny Thunder, hoping he'd be wearing his Hauntcast t-shirt (as I was) or laughing at something with his distinctive laugh so I could track him down. Then I began feeling like a stalker so after creepily hanging by the entrance for awhile I left. I had a much better time failing miserably at lawn mower engine repair when I got home and working some more on my basement finishing project.

On Sunday I met up with FrightGuy from Grimlock Manor -- well, once he figured out where the back of the hotel was! I also made a point of wearing a light colored shirt this day (FrightGuy had his Hauntcast tee on this day!).

We did a once-over of the show floor and he got to meet and have his photo taken with Charlotte Lewis, who was apparently in Golden Child and Embrace of the Vampire (I pulled the photo from the Grimlock Manor blog). As she was signing her photo for him, she asked FrightGuy whether I was his friend or his dad. Ouch! Damn, did you get the number of that bus that old hag was driving as she ran over me?

As we were walking through the lobby, I noted that some woman that walked past us looked just like Loni Anderson. As it turns out, it was Loni Anderson! She's a lot more petite in person than she appears on TV though all of her other, um, assets remained the same. She also had a phalanx of hardcore protectors who would stick a hand in front of your camera and harangue you if you tried to take her picture without ponying up $20 or $30! All the other stars allowed you to take candid photos of them sitting at their tables without having fingers show up in the frame.

A few other notables that were there included Michael Gross (Tremors), Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster of The Munsters -- "live and in person!"... what else would he be?), Ernest Borgnine (Willard, now him I was surprised he was "live"), and Viveca Fox (Kill Bill, oofa!).

We toured some of the vendor booths and while there were a lot of DVD, toy, and movie poster vendors, there were a few that actually made some decent pieces of art. Dellamorte & Co., for example, made some nice relief pieces that I thought about using as molds to make appliques for tombstones and such.

Another favorite vendor was Terry Cruikshank Creations who made some terrific resin figures of horror characters and celebrities from the horror world. FrightGuy liked his Michael Jackson Wolfman character, while I liked his zombies, one of which was the half body woman corpse from the first episode of The Walking Dead (that's me giving her a kiss).

The show itself was pretty good and I was able to get some ideas for my haunt. For example, I liked the pose of a particular zombie figurine and will try to incorporate that into a prop I'll build. Rather than just standing erect with arms outstretched, the upper torso was twisted a bit ad seemed more "natural" for a zombie pose. Of course, since I'm shooting for a 12th century monastery theme how exactly I'll incorporate a zombie like that into it remains to be seen.

Definitely the best part was hanging out with FrightGuy, talking haunting and Halloween, and of course, drinking some beer. You can see another review of the show over on the Grimlock Manor blog.