Making 200 Carvable Pumpkins from Spray Foam

My brother has opened up a haunted trail on his property outside of Des Moines Iowa this fall, so something cool I thought I could do to help would be to make jack-o'-lanterns. But we would need a lot of jack-o'-lanterns! During the summer when you're prepping for a haunted attraction, you can't just buy pumpkins, and definitely not for cheap. So I was bound and determined to make my own. There wasn't much about this project that was easy or cheap; but come and watch the pain and suffering as I attempt to make a couple hundred pumpkins!
----------
----------
See the full project descriptions and more at: dadcrafted.com/fam/pumpkins/
----------
----------
Items Used:
Hobby Lobby Pumpkin: www.hobbylobby.com/Fall-Thank...
Silicone kit: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06...
Silicone Kit I probably should have bought from the start: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...
Mold release spray: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Great Stuff spray foam (it’s cheapest to buy them 12 at a time from Lowe’s or Home Depot; Amazon is more expensive)
Gloves: www.amazon.com/Supmedic-Nitri...
Hot Glue Gun: www.amazon.com/Gluerious-Stic...
Rustoleum Rustic Orange spray paint
Tools used: Husky razor blade
----------
----------
Want a sweet t-shirt? dadcrafted.creator-spring.com
----------
----------
Subscribe to my newsletter: dadcrafted.com/subscribe/
----------
----------
Follow along with the other projects on Instagram: / dad_crafted

[@darenlong7835]

Sorry in advance because I'm about to break your heart. There are easier and way cheaper ways. I know because I cast 100 foam skulls from Great Stuff. A surprisingly simple and CHEAP method of making the mold is to use tube silicone caulk - the clear stuff from any big box store. Make sure you have enough on hand. Cover your pumpkin with a light coat of petroleum jelly, squirt the tubes of silicone into a bucket half filled with water. With rubber, latex or nitrile gloves, gather the silicone into a ball and start spreading it on your pumpkin. It'll stay in place. You have a little time to work if you end up needing more tubes and you can make later repairs the same way to your mold if needed. Downside is the silicone mold wll need to cure for a while. Keep washing it until it quits smelling like vinegar. If you cast too soon it can warp the foam. Then - just a spritz of water is all you need for a mold release between it and the spray foam. Finally, it would be life changing, and much much cheaper, to invest in a Great Stuff spray gun and start using the big cans of foam. So easy to keep reusing and the solvent cans work great for cleaning. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

[@dadcrafted]

Not breaking my heart at all! I was hoping for comments like this, as I plan on making lots more of these for next year! Thanks for watching and for the info! 🙏

[@MisterBrickalew]

Foam gun will be a game changer for sure. Uses the full can and they're bigger cans.

[@Johnny_Queso]

Why not additional molds

[@kevinsmith-uw4mj]

Thanks for that!

[@TheSmugglersRoom]

The pure joy you had when you pulled that first foam mold was priceless! Bravo! It's always a sad day when the mold starts to fail.

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks Brian! It was a pretty big relief for sure! And I definitely hoped to get more out of the mold, but next year I will make a better (and cheaper) version!

[@GCubedProductions]

Love the diving into a project with no experience. Learning as you go is great.

[@dadcrafted]

Thank you! I definitely could have researched better, but this was definitely still worth it to me! 🙏

[@C3DPropShop]

Hey, day late and a dollar short, but my 2C: I would set up on a smooth sheet with a clay border around the pumpkin instead of the cardboard. Spray mold release on your pumpkin. Brush some silicone over your pumpkin, then Mix thyvex in your silicone to make it thicker, brush on the first couple layers to build up the walls. After mold is made use molding epoxy or plaster cast (I use plaster bandages) to make a hard shell to hold the shape. Make a flat top on the cast layer so it sits flat when you flip it over. MOLD RELEASE IN YOUR MOLD, then your foam. Should help the silicone last longer. Either way, it was really cool and I want to try spray foam for casting now!

[@dadcrafted]

This is exactly the comment I was hoping for! I’m definitely going to do this again for more pumpkins for the haunted house next year, so pumpkin mold 2.0 will come and this feedback will definitely help! Thanks a bunch! 🙏

[@GoreGirlFX]

@@dadcrafted Check out Smooth On's tutorial for brush-on silicone molds with Rebound 25. It may take a bit longer because you put it on in layers, but you would have likely only used one kit and the mold would have been stronger.

[@dadcrafted]

@@GoreGirlFX definitely going to check that out! Thanks!

[@robairevon9218]

That was a great “test”, yielding close to 200 pumpkins! I’m definitely going to try this. I have a few other ideas that I’m planning to try, incorporating this method. DIY Foam is definitely a cheaper option than the retail versions are sold. Thanks for the idea!

[@dadcrafted]

You bet! Thanks for watching! 🙏🙌

[@Darkeklaw]

The Cement is in there for weight to keep the pumpkin from being blown away

[@dadcrafted]

Makes sense. I just thought of ordered a carvable pumpkin but obviously not! 😂

[@ImGonnaMake]

I’m really impressed with your dedication to keep spending money in order to save money.

[@dadcrafted]

Almost quit a couple times. But good thing I don’t believe in the sunk cost fallacy 😂

[@davebauerart]

Awesome results! Thanks for sharing the learning experience! Some great comments already and I can’t wait to see next year’s version!

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks Dave! I knew people would tell me the way! Next year we go for 500!

[@dragonfyirewoodandlaserworks]

Fill a bowl with silicone then place the pumpkin master in with weight to hold it in place

[@dadcrafted]

I actually thought about trying this but was afraid for some reason I’d squish it down too hard and there be not enough silicone in the bottom. I definitely coulda done more research!

[@SteveBellCreates]

Man that was so good making the mould made me laugh out loud Soz. I admire your determination to make all those pumpkins and they look amazing well done Grant 🎃

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks so much Steve! Glad you enjoyed! 🙏

[@benandrews4485]

Awesome video!!! Keep up the great work.

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks Benji! Appreciate you, brother! 🙏

[@creepsoftlystudio]

Came for the pumpkins, here for the Smugglers Room t-shirt. Always good to see a fellow Swarzy Fan in action. The pumpkins were a labor of love, I had a similar yet adjacent year casting paper mache vintage style pumpkin Pails. Kudos.

[@dadcrafted]

Thank you! And yes, love the Smuggler’s Room! 🙏🙌

[@user-iq4uy7ci8u]

You can apply silicone in thin layers. Use WED clay to make a small wall, and brush it on.

[@user-iq4uy7ci8u]

Side note: After you have enough coverage on your piece, make a mother mold. Free Form Air epoxy is great, and very light weight for this. Plaster will work as well. This part doesn't matter as much, it just adds rigidity.

[@dadcrafted]

Yeah, definitely coulda done more research and been more efficient. But I’m appreciative of the feedback and it’ll help me this year!

[@user-iq4uy7ci8u]

@@dadcrafted No problem. I've wasted tons of supplies learning new things. I'm absolutely going to mold some pumpkins this year. Can't believe I've never thought about that.

[@Scurticus13]

I was just thinking of a way to do this. I will be doing something like this for next year.

[@dadcrafted]

Make sure to read the comments! Several tips on how to do this better and cheaper already! 🙏🙌

[@honeytubs]

Great video! Your trial and error make the comments so much more valuable. If I didn't see the hard way I might be tempted to ignore the advice and do exactly what you did. Thanks for sharing.

[@dadcrafted]

Appreciate you watching! It was frustrating but worth it to me in the end!

[@anthonysalinas6639]

Been wanting to do something like this great job and tips definably will be eating for next year video 😅😅🎉🎉

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks so much! Next year we go for 500!

[@wadehadley6765]

How about using smooth on brushable latex then make a mother mold out of plaster . And use sika fence post expanding foam . Thats what Im going to do after watching this .

[@dadcrafted]

Yeah, there have been some pretty good comments on how to do this better. Definitely doing this differently next year!

[@bnddbl07]

That was fun. I would love to try that in the future. I will take your experience and run with it. :D

[@dadcrafted]

Appreciate it! And hopefully you learn from my mistakes! 🤣

[@Oklahoman-in6ph]

I've subscribed. I enjoyed this channel. Good Humor, but you still learn alot. He makes the mistakes for you.

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks I think 🤣 I definitely made some blunders along the way

[@TheFritz423]

Isn't that stuff incredibly flammable? You know people are going to put candles in them.

[@dadcrafted]

To light our pumpkins we only used LED lights that don’t get warm. I hope if people make these themselves they would know not to put an open flame inside or close to foam.

[@Theplumzan]

I really like watching this video. I have seen a lot of short in fb. But didn’t have the energy to come and watch the full movie on till today. I really like it and got really inspired i LOVE HALLOWEEN. But we don’t really celebrate it here in Sweden yet to the fullest potential. Everyone is focused on Christmas. That’s sad. I’m tankful that you took the time to do this and let us follow along. ❤Happy Halloween. 🎃

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks so much! Love hearing any time I inspired someone! And all the way in Sweden!! Happy Halloween!

[@user-si8jk8iy2q]

spraying water on the mold will help it skin over faster . Brake clean sprayed in the nozzle and the top of the can will clean it right up for future use.

[@dadcrafted]

Nice! Gonna jot that down for next year!

[@blizatrex]

You did well for limited skill. Near the end the mold was dying. A brush on mold with a hard shell may work better for next time also called a mother mold. punished props has a series on molding.

[@dadcrafted]

Definitely going to watch that before my next one. I’ll definitely attempt another mold next year and hopefully be more efficient! 🙏

[@joshb5898]

Water! Before and after you fill the foam, spray it (mold and inside pumpkin foam) with water. It helps it set up quicker. You can spray, fill, spray, wait four minutes, pat down, wait a few minutes, remove. It's still soft but it will be set up enough to do another. Awesome build! I will have to give this a try.

[@joshb5898]

(it will also solve the breaking mold / foam pumpkin issue)

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks for the tip! I’ll be doing that next year when I try a better way to make the mold! 🙏

[@joshb5898]

​@@dadcraftedCredit goes to StiltBeastStudios on KZbin. He makes foam pumpkins with dollar store bowls.

[@coreydavoll7622]

Love it!! Those look great! You can also clean the foam tubes out with some wd40

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks so much! And I’m gonna note that for next year! 🙏

[@Grungy1]

You can use silicone calk, thind with mineral sprints.

[@dadcrafted]

I’m gonna jot that note down. May have to try that for this year.

[@Grungy1]

@@dadcrafted warning. It smells like Satans butthole.

[@thegrandwazooofheliopolis4344]

Not mineral spirits. Use Naptha

[@Grungy1]

@@thegrandwazooofheliopolis4344 tried it. I prefer mineral spirits. Mostly the smell.

[@thegrandwazooofheliopolis4344]

@@Grungy1 oh yeah! Stuff is terrible. Like Alan over at Stilt Beast Studios once said, "If you start liking the smell of Naptha, get away from it." 🤣

[@BeeHus2256]

QUESTION: when all was said and done, what was the final cost per pumpkin excluding labor?

[@dadcrafted]

About $4. I think with improvements from the comments I’ll make them for under $2 next year.

[@MisterBrickalew]

That much foam would be worth considering using a foam gun. They cost around $20-$50. You can close them off when you're done and it will be ready for the next pumpkin. Then you'll get the full use from each can of foam.

[@dadcrafted]

Definitely going to look into this when I do this again next year!

[@VileVisionshaunt]

So here are a few thoughts I will put out there. First off, I’d say you did pretty good making that mold. The only tip I have would be to do a brush on mold with a thickened silicone to save on material(though you would need to make a shell/mother mold). Second, all molds will eventually deteriorate. You can use releases and stuff but even using them, molds will not last forever. Third, for Great Stuff, I THINK the only release you should really use is water. I suppose a spray wouldn’t hurt(can make painting harder though). That being said, fourth, is it actually cheaper to cast Great Stuff than buying a big kit of expanding foam meant to be cast in molds? They can be temperamental and are definitely not as easy to use, I have always wondered on the cost effectiveness of using Great Stuff to cast though. And my final thought is that for basic bulk jackolanterns, I’m not even sure they need to be cast in a mold. Allen Hopps has a great tutorial on making one. Don’t get me wrong, they are not as detailed as something in a mold but when you have hundreds, it’s not always about individual quality. Haunted Overload uses a similar technique. Honestly, I’m impressed with what you did there, especially if you aren’t super familiar with FX techniques.

[@dadcrafted]

Thanks for the tips! Definitely going to try new things next year!

[@SuperVoodude]

As everyone else is saying, great work! I recently discovered StiltbeastStudios' channel and he does a whole lot of Halloween stuff with spray foam. You may find some good tips or inspiration for some future stuff (if you aren't sick of the stuff like food service people are with pumpkin spice 😛).

[@dadcrafted]

I actually met him briefly at the Transworld Halloween convention in St Louis! I didn’t realize he was on KZbin but need to go find him!

[@Vro-]

Was just going to say Alan Hoppes from Stiltbeast is the man when it comes to working with spray foam and foam like pool noodles. He's a wealth of information and tips on how to work with this stuff!

[@Darkeklaw]

You beat me to it. Also DadCrafted... Spray the mold with water before you hit it with the foam and then the foam with water once you've got the mold filled. It helps cure the foam faster.

[@kathrynslater7865]

I definitely admire your determination! I would have quit about a week or two in…

[@Johnny_Queso]

Once you knew it worked why not make a few more molds

[@dadcrafted]

I think at that point it was outside my budget. Plus, I knew after I did this video people would give me feedback on how to make the mold the right way. Next year I’ll make multiple!

[@Grungy1]

Why not make molds of a real pumpkin ?

[@dadcrafted]

I started the project in July. No real pumpkins in Iowa yet.

[@debbiesdeathpile]

Allen Hopps, Allen Hopps, Allen Hopps. StiltbeastStudios

[@dadcrafted]

Oh?

[@debbiesdeathpile]

@@dadcrafted If you’re gonna build props you should know who he is. He’s the GOAT at prop tutorials and he owns Dark Hour haunted house in Texas. He’s a legend dude, where you been?!

[@dadcrafted]

@@debbiesdeathpile I’ve met him at Transworld’s Halloween convention in St. Louis. Well aware!