Alice mcgee's the madness returns pepper grinder prop advice

D

DrNoble

New Member
My good friend wants to be alice for Halloween but doesn't want to do it without weapons, so i wanna make the pepper grinder for her. She can be pretty rough with her props so she wants something durable. I have read props can easily be made from foam covered in bondo, are they durable? If not can someone suggest a cheap durable method?
PepperUpgrades.png
it will be the first one on the list.

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How big are you making it? To be honest it may just be easier and quicker to turn on a lathe out of actual wood then hollow out and fill with foam to lighten it... just one of many possible thoughts
 
Hazelrah said:
How big are you making it? To be honest it may just be easier and quicker to turn on a lathe out of actual wood then hollow out and fill with foam to lighten it... just one of many possible thoughts
Click to expand...

Sorry, to this scale if the human was life size
Madness-Returns-Pepper-Grinder-american-mcgees-alice-20305367-1280-720.jpg
oh i guessi should mention i dont have wood tools....

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Don't know how exact to the pic you want it, but if just close is okay, why not just get a real pepper mill. Lots on the bay searching -- wooden pepper grinder.
Sent you a PM as we're not to post live auction links to a similar one on ebay, inexpensive too. Good luck with the costume.

Or check out some wood finials......might find one in the size you could use, but you'd have to make the crank thing then.
Finials,*Carvings, Embossed Moldings, Corbels and Finials,*Wood Products - Rockler

Shylaah
 
Looking at a couple pictures the grinder is very large, comparable to the Portal gun is size.

I would start with PVC or cardboard tubing then once the basic shape is figured out then use the bondo to round things out.

Couplers and finials for the build up of the business end.
 
division 6 said:
Looking at a couple pictures the grinder is very large, comparable to the Portal gun is size.

I would start with PVC or cardboard tubing then once the basic shape is figured out then use the bondo to round things out.

Couplers and finials for the build up of the business end.
Click to expand...

Ya thats a good comparison! Heres another pic,same size different model though...
peppergrinder.jpg


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Given the size, carving it out of foam would probably be ideal. Probably a great use for sandwiched pink insulation board. Too bad you can't get access to a lathe, keeping the curves identical on this will be a real pain.
 
You'll have to bear with me as I am replying on my nook so I can't draw a diagram at the moment...

Take a piece of wood and drill a hole in it to center a threaded rod through and put a bolt and washer on either side of the wood so it spins freely... then takea stack of mdf octagons glued together with a hole through the very center of the entire stack followed with another set of washer/bolt board set ups like before... mount the two end boards in clamps or screw them to your work bench as a make shift lathe... then take the end of the threaded rod and chuck it into a variable speed hand drill strapped to the bench to drive it.... doesn't have to go fast... just make sure it is all secure. When you get it to the shape you want cover it really well in plastic wrap and then put a nice thick shell of fiberglass around it. When fully cured carefully saw down to oposing sides to make a shell that you can then fill with foam to make rigid and can patch the seam with more fiberglass... sounds like a pain but is pretty straight forward. If you had acess to a lathe and a vacuumm former I'd say this would be the easiest way to do it... again filling the shell with expanding foam for rigidity and durability.
 
One last idea for a durable finish is to have a foam form shot with two part polyurethane coating... similar to rhino liner for truck beds... it wouldn't hold a ton of detail but it would be damn near bomb proof....lol
 
Those look like they would be a Blast to make! Here are a couple of things that might help you if you decide to do it in foam.
This site was very useful for several projects I've done. Works great.
Rocket Team Vatsaas Hot Wire Foam Cutter
Of course, I didn't use a train transformer, I bought one made for foam cutting off ebay for cheap.

And this stuff works great for coating foam after it is sculpted Sculpt or Coat - Foam coating, adhesive, clearcoat, texturing agent

Also as mentioned, you could take it and have it hard coated. Anywhere that does spray on bed liners can do it.
I'd love to make one! Good Luck!
 
There is also the cardboard frame and spray/expanding foam method.

You make a frame of cardboard by making a base that's as big around as one end on the grinder and then take 2 pieces and cut them out to the shape of the sides and place them on the base in an "X" Then fill the four spaces with expanding foam, wait for it to harden, and then carve your shape. The cardboard "X" will help you maintain the shape.

Another member here just posted a video he made using this technique to make a hellboy arm.

http://www.therpf.com/f24/hellboy-arm-build-video-161336/
 
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