Ouch! Screw in Head Costume

One of my first jobs out of college was with a very conservative engineering firm. They had all sorts of restrictive rules on how the office should be run. For instance, nothing could be attached to the cubical walls within 12 inches of the top edge in order to prevent anything from being seen as you looked out across the cubicles. Their restrictive nature also applied to what was 'appropriate' attire for the office and this also included a prohibition of Halloween Costumes. Well, being very much a Halloween Person I rebelled and wore a costume to work on Halloween. However, my costume was very subtle. It consisted of just a single nail driven into my forehead.

Here is how to make that costume. You can have a nail or a screw or any number of items 'impaled' into your body using this technique.

Step 1: Start With Hardware

You need to literally select your hardware that you want sticking out of your body. Lighter weight items are easier and more reliably attached to your body. I have used this same technique to attach a stake to the chest of a vampire. Again, weight is an issue so the stake was balsa wood.

Nails, screws and bolts can all be done.

Step 2: Additional Items for the Hardware Side of Things

In addition to the hardware you will need:

Waxed paper

Epoxy Glue

Popsicle Sticks to mix the glue

Rare Earth Magnets

Hack Saw

File

Step 3: Cut Your Hardware Down to Size

You need to cut off the portion that would appear to be inside you. The longer the portion sticking out of your body, the more leverage gravity has on it and the harder it is to keep attached to you. So error on the side of shorter impalements. After cutting you need to smooth the end with a file.

Step 4: Add a Base to Your Hardware

Create a base to your impalement by adding a puddle of epoxy to the end of your hardware.

In order to make the hardware stand up during the gluing process, we are going to put a rare earth magnet under each bit of hardware. The magent will hold the hardware upright and allow the glue to set with everything in the proper orientation. A piece of wax paper is placed under the hardware so it won't stick to the surface.

Mix up your epoxy and place a puddle on the wax paper under each bit of hardware. Make sure the magnet is underneath to hold the hardware up. The amount of epoxy shown in my pictures is a little bit undersized to go a bit larger in diameter; even twice as large. It will help to hold the item to your body.

Step 5: Let Your Epoxy Set, Then Paint

After the epoxy has set you can paint the glue bases to be closer to skin tone. I used Testers enamel (model paint) because it was easy to get and was close to skin tone. (Flat Tan; Paint 1167-RM11671_0611, Fl.Tan)

Step 6: Makeup Time

To actually apply your hardware to your body you'll need some makeup items:

Acetone (Nail polish remover)

Rubbing Alcohol

Liquid Latex

Various Cream Makeup to match your skin tone

Fake Blood

Q-tips and Cotton Pads

Testors paint (for previous step)

Step 7: Apply Some Liquid Latex

Clean off the bottom of the epoxy base with acetone (nail polish remover) to remove any residue of the wax paper.

Apply some liquid latex to the bottom of the epoxy base of your hardware. It is probably a good idea to roughen up the epoxy to help the latex stick. You only need a thin layer. Allow the latex to dry until it is clear and shiny.

Step 8: Apply Your Hardware

1. You need to clean your skin. Use rubbing alcohol on a pad.

2. Apply some liquid latex. A thin coat will do.

3. Let the latex dry until lit is shinny.

4. Press your hardware into place. (It has previously had latex applied).

Step 9: Blend in the Edges

You can have your impalement look more realistic if you blend in the edges of the epoxy base to your skin. You can use some additional latex to make the transition to your skin smoother. You can also blend in cream makeup to match skin tone.

You can blend different amounts of cream makeup on the back of your hand to get the color close you your natural skin color and then apply it around the base of your hardware and onto your surrounding skin.