Frankenstein bolts - for nearly free!

I already had a costume this year, but I was asked to make some bolts for a Frankenstein costume. Seeing as I'm obsessed with Halloween costumes, I figured I'd put some time into it.

It only takes about 1 hour, depending on how hard you work on it. It should be ready to wear in about 2 hours after the paint dries.

Disclaimer: it's all your fault. All of it.

Step 1: First, drink juice.

I realize this is counter-intuitive, but this is where the bolts will come from.

I had some bottles sitting in the recycling bin, and thought they looked like excellent bolts, since they have the screw threads on them already.

you will also need:

Bottles

• preferably from juice or non-carbonated bottles. The carbonated bottles have channels cut for releasing pressure and don't look quite right.

Foam

• I used square playroom foam (that I'd bought for another project) Less than $1.00

Silver paint

• How else are you going to make it look like metal? I had this laying around from my other instructables. Maybe 5.00 a can...

Coat hanger wire

• I think everyone has some of this laying around. The thicker stuff is the best.

Tools

Scissors
Hobby knife
Hot glue
Super glue (i.e. Cyanoacrylate)
Needlenose pliers
Plastic nippers. some pliers have nippers, this is probably Ok.

Comments

[Scoopdude]

Love your idea. Gonna make me some neck bolts next month. Glad I found this.

[punkrules]

this looks pretty cool. instead of buying silver paint for $5 you could get a silver Sharpie marker. they have them at corner stores. they are like $1.25/each. just a thought.

[laernmoer]

 I had it left over from prev projects. Thing about investing in projects, is that you have the materials left over for future projects.. as long as you can save them.

[kakmer]

Or you could just create these without the jumper band, and spirit glue them to your neck. (Did this with foam pieces cut to size for a certain 7 year old girl who wanted to be Frankie for Halloween a few years ago. Very lightweight, very realistic, and she didn't mind the spirit gum.)

[Lithium Rain]

I love your disclaimer. May I use it in my own projects?

[laernmoer]

I wasn't aware it was that clever. Feel free.

[Lithium Rain]

I thought it was awesome. Thank you!

[unjust]

go with the adhesive known as "pros-aid" or prosthetic adhesive. you'll have better luck if you are adhering to a flat surface rather than the edges as well, so an internal disk of the foam will help and make for a less painful attachment. n.b. when you get pros-aid, BUY THE REMOVER WITH IT. i usually aim for ~4x by volume remover on hand to adhesives for makeup.

[laernmoer]

I like the coat-hanger idea better - the thought of a drunk party-goer pulling on these without glue remover sounds painful. Besides, it's easier to change in and out of.

[westfw]

Random nit: couldn't find "parisol": I thought they were usually called "preforms"; they make great test tubes

To get glue to work, you have to make them much lighter, like all-styrofoam with some paint. Crazy glue is not particularly recomended; it works fine, but getting it off make take some skin too.

[laernmoer]

Doh! memory failed me - it's a "parison"! Duly noted. I've forgotten all these years. Thanks for the catch. Styrofoam wasn't available, as well as probably needed to be meticulously sculpted to look like bolts. PET bottles already have screw threads on them, so that takes out most of the work. Glue, almost 100% of the time, isn't healthy for you, and I can guarantee you that crazy glue is NOT a good idea, unless you want to get sick from acetone to cleanly remove it from your neck without making dual hickey-marks on your neck the next day.

[thegunthing]

that is just amazing. its too bad i found this instructable after halloween

[bleachworthy]

sweet! I tried and tried and TRIED, to make "electrodes" this year, but failed, thanks! great job, quality work!

[GreenDay]

As a nerd I'm obliged to say that they are electrodes, not bolts. Other than that, great instructable.