$50 - $60 (based on 2020 prices)
Makes one device
- One twenty-gallon glass aquarium with mesh lid
- One large plastic container (13” x 8” x 14”)
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic copper
- One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in metallic copper*
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in metallic silver*
- A random assortment of screws
- One sheet of off-white copy paper with dial images printed on it
- One sheet of pink copy paper with biohazard warning labels printed in it
- One sheet of yellow copy paper with electrical warning labels printed in it
- One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*
- One clear plastic Christmas ornament (two inches in diameter)
- One mini LED strobe light with variable speeds
- Five feet of half-inch plastic tubing
- One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in red chestnut*
- One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
- One plastic syringe
- One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
- One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*
- One latex or plastic severed arm
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in beige*
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in coral*
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in maroon*
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in red*
- One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in white*
- Five feet of black wire
2. Once the paint has dried, use metallic copper paint to accent any details on the container. Then, drill small holes into its surface and insert screws to give the item additional intricacy. How and where you decide to apply these elements are entirely up to you and your chosen aesthetic.
3. Cut out the electrical label from the copy paper, center it on the side of the container which will become the front of the prop, and glue it in place. If you are going for an aged look, you can stain the paper with coffee or tea prior to this step.
4. Cut out the dial image and use it to accent the prop, placing it near the electrical label. As with step three, you can stain the item with coffee or tea prior to this stage for an aged look.
5. Remove the hanging loop from the Christmas ornament and then cut it in half (you will not need the top; however, you can reserve it for builds like the organ transfusion device). Glue the bottom over the dial to create a cover and outline its circumference with silver paint. Here, too, if you want a derelict look for the prop, paint the ornament with wood stain for an aged patina prior to gluing it in place.
6. Center the strobe light on the container, trace its outline, and then cut it out. To aid in this process, purchase a container made of a lightweight plastic that is thin enough to cut into but still sturdy enough to support the weight of the light and other items once the prop has been assembled.
7. Nestle the strobe light into the opening so the light is facing downward and glue the item in place. Although I used hot glue, you might consider superglue for a sturdier hold.
8. Tape off the details of the strobe light, such as the dial and electrical cord, and spray paint the top silver to match the container and cover any dings made while cutting the hole. In hindsight, it may prove more efficient to perform steps six and seven before beginning with step one.
9. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, apply an even coat of copper spray paint to the aquarium’s mesh lid. Like step one, the color and be altered to fit your haunt’s theme.
10. Center the plastic container on the lid and glue it in place. Here, too, superglue can be used for a sturdier hold.
11. Cut part of the tubing into one ten-inch section and two five-inch sections and then, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give each one a coat or two of copper spray paint to match the mesh lid.
12. Use a half-inch drill bit to make holes in the container and feed the tubing between it and the lid, painting the hot glue silver to look soldered.
13. Cover the glass of the aquarium with plastic and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the trim an even coat of metallic copper spray paint to match the lid and the accents on the container.
14. Once the paint has dried, remove the plastic covering and paint the glass with the Jacobean wood stain. I discovered that applying a thin coat and patting it with paper towels produces a hazed appearance. Likewise, building up layers where the glass and trim meet helps create the illusion of grime. For the look of dried blood, gently pat red chestnut wood stain on random spots.
15. Repeat the process in step fourteen with the syringe, giving it a grotesque appearance to amplify the prop’s creepiness.
16. In a plastic container (because the food coloring will stain, use something disposable or that you won’t mind dying), pour in your desired amount of clear glue gel and slowly add red food coloring to the solution until it achieves the sanguine hue you desire. To give the blood further density, add blue food coloring and mix well.
17. Fill the syringe with the blood glue, tape its end to prevent the liquid from spilling out, and allow the glue to dry. For the time-pressed haunted, you can fill the syringe and hot glue its opening closed to create a seal.
18. Glue the syringe to the bottom of the aquarium and then create a puddle around it by using additional blood glue.
19. Cut the remaining tubing into three twelve-inch sections and glue them to the upper corners of the tank. Depending on the size of your tank, you may need to lengthen or shorten the tubes. You want one of them long enough to rest along the bottom of the aquarium and two of them long enough to connect to the arm during step twenty-four.
20. Apply three even coats of beige paint to the severed arm. Although I used three, you may want more or less based on your desired coverage. Then, give the limb a smudging of coral paint, focusing primarily on the creases and joints. Use your own skin patterns or those found in a medical textbook for reference.
21. Paint the nails by beginning with a dab of light pink. You may want to pat the excess with a paper towel, working with the coverage until it achieves a natural look. Then, smudge red paint around the tips of the fingers and along their cuticles. Here, too, patting the paint around the cuticles helps to blend it into the light pink. Finally, brush a band of white paint along the tips of the nails. Again, it may prove useful to reference your own hand or a medical textbook.
22. Give the exposed bone three coats of white paint and a light brushing of coral along the joints and raised areas.
23. Bloody the stump with red paint and use a stippling brush or a brush with splayed bristles to smatter the paint along the edges of the wound. To give further depth, deepen the blood with burgundy or maroon.
24. Use the black wire to string up the arm (you can also use clear fishing wire if you want the limb to look suspended in the tank). After this, attach two of the three tubes to the arm, positioning them in places that would seem logical, like protruding out of the stump.
25. Use the remaining blood glue to cover the tubes and detail the tank with puddles in the corners and smears on the glass. Just how much of the liquid you apply depends on how gory you want to make the prop.
26. Cut out the biohazard label from the copy paper, center it on the backside of the aquarium where the glass and trim meet, and glue it in place. Just like with step three, you can stain the paper with coffee or tea prior to this step for an aged look.
27. Reattach the lid to the aquarium. The prop can be enhanced further with additional details to cater it toward your haunt’s needs, like swarms of cockroaches crawling across the equipment. Also, the red food coloring can be substituted for green to make slime rather than blood.
*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.
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