1. Table or Circular
saw |
Let's face it, sooner or
later you're going to have to cut a lot of wood. A simple hacksaw might do the
job, but a power saw will do it faster. |
2. A
Hacksaw |
Let's face it, sometimes it's
just easier to cut a piece of wood or PVC pipe without having to lug out a big,
heavy table saw. Hacksaws are also great for cutting foam
board. |
3. A Workbench or Portable
Workbench |
You need a place to put your
stuff. A portable workbench, as shown in the picture above, is really all you
need, and good if you live in an apartment. |
4. A Dremel Tool, or similar
product. |
These little gadgets are
great for carving details on foam board gravestones. Get one with a depth gage
or a writing attachment to be more creative with your designs. The one I use is
actually a drywall cutter that uses drill bits. |
5. A drill and drill
bits. |
I use my drill more than any
other tool. Get some durable bits to go with them, including a set of wood
borers in various sizes. |
6. Assorted
tools. |
Hammers, screwdrivers,
wirecutters, and your buddy that lives down the street (or any other tool you
know). |
7. Exterior paint &
Spraypaint. |
Get a good assortment of
colors. For painting foamboard gravestones, use a non-latex exterior grade
paint to weather-proof your stones. Get lots of "black." Flurescent green is
really good for "moss" or "rotting" effects on props. |
8. Whatever will do the
job. |
You know, I could sit here
for days listing every single material or tool that has come in handy for
building my haunts, but I think you get the idea by now. You need tools and a
place to keep them. And, if you've worked with tools, you know that you never
have the one you need to finish the job. The point is, plan on making several
trips to the hardware store. Large chain stores are good for lumber supplies
& bulk materials, but really bad on customer service. Small independant
stores usually have a more friendly sales staff, and, in many cases, carry a
product that you need which the larger stores don't have. Can't find a
particular material or item? Search for it on the Web. Many times even the
Yellow Pages will have what you are looking for. |
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