The ULTIMATE DIY Halloween Tombstone Marathon!

[@garyhenry3103]

If you don't have a Vinyl Cutter to make stencils you can print your epitaphs using your computers printer. Glue the paper directly onto the face of your tombstone using a children's Elmers Glue Stick. It goes on purple and dries clear and is water soluble. Now carve directly through the paper. When you are finished use water in a spray bottle and a sponge to remove the remaining paper. The glue will turn purple when it is wet which is very helpful for removing the excess that is left over. I have used this method many times and it works great.

[@VanOaksProps]

Great suggestion!

[@BeeHus2256]

I do the same. Purple gluesticks are cheap this time of year, I stock up.

[@rachaelb9164]

We did something similar to the projector headstones for our fog machines. We then used styrofoam coolers and built up a headstone on top of it to run the hoses through. They kind of look like monuments or crypts. We used a lot of your techniques. Thanks for posting these videos to help the rest of us make our haunts look awesome.

[@gunnarbiker]

I absolutely love that everyone celebrates my birthday with such prompt and circumstance! Greetings from coastal North Carolina! Cool compilation video, as always! A lot of patience with that letter routing! WOW!

[@VanOaksProps]

Happy birthday!

[@gunnarbiker]

@@VanOaksProps Thanks but it's not until Halloween! :)

[@VanOaksProps]

@@gunnarbiker ahh!

[@kepeb1]

Pomp* as in Pomposity. I bet you take a lot for granite too.

[@dbf1dware]

At about 50:30, he freehands cathedral curves for the top of the tombstone. WOW! That was really awesome!

[@vickistudstill5596]

I really love your videos, I’ve made several things including the trio of candles on books. It’s my favorite Halloween decoration!

[@VanOaksProps]

That is awesome!

[@GregoryHaynes]

Great videos Derek! I like the compilation and chapter time stamps, very helpful. So much great info to make awesome tombstones!

[@VanOaksProps]

My pleasure!

[@KellyNsGrotto]

Oh man, I know the melting foam issues. When my sister and I made fake walls for our haunt...words to live by.

[@sonic_gloom]

This is an amazing compilation! Thanks for putting it together.

[@VanOaksProps]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kathleenbyrne3242]

Thanks for putting this together! Love your vids.

[@scarezone2559]

Saw you at Summer scream in Long Beach a few weeks ago. You were busy helping a customer so I didn't stop to say I enjoy your artistic ability, and damn it, if they ever do a life story on Casey Kasem, you are dead ringer for his voice!

[@VanOaksProps]

Next time say hello!

[@tl8413]

My husband overheard me watching this video and said are you listening to Kasey Kasem😂😂

[@kadyalatriste6534]

LOVE this!! Thanks spooky friend

[@VanOaksProps]

You are so welcome

[@dbf1dware]

An idea that might help is using a leather-working carving knife for cutting out stencils. It is a swivel knife with replaceable "x-acto" blades. If it works well on leather, I'm sure it will work well cutting out paper stencils or cutting directly through a template into foam. I've never tried it for this application, but I have done a little bit of leather work in my deep past. The swivel knife is amazing.

[@raymitchell9736]

Making Tombstone tutorials for questions you were DYING to ask but were BEA A FRADE to ask Bwahahaha!!!!

[@jeffholloway2051]

I recently received your smaller acrylic dremel adapter. I couldn't find my dremel, but did com across my B&D Wizard. The template fit perfectly and was amazing on a current project I'm working on

[@VanOaksProps]

Excellent!

[@larastrazdas6961]

You can also use artist acrylic spray paint from Montana or Ironlac. They don’t melt the styrofoam. 😊

[@nancyking3726]

AMAZING... AS USUAL!!!

[@codeependent]

I admire you! Amazing videos, editing is awesome, truly inspirational! I wish I had the tools to do Halloween stuff year round to sell! Happy Halloween 🎃

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you so much!

[@vanderhoff66fu]

Pretty much all of my tombstones are after horror movies I'm a huge horror fan so a lot of the times I will take the theatrical poster and make my own stencil on paper to match the exact font and shape of the movie. Then I put the best tag lines from the movie and a lot of time The Killers named as well

[@laflaka961]

A lil off subject but you sound a lil like Casey Casum

[@DJMovit]

Funny I've been thinking that as well listening to all the videos, I was waiting for " and now on with the countdown!"

[@NunyaBitnas2119]

I’ve always thought this!!! I’m glad I’m not alone!! 😂

[@lindsdavis8859]

I love the work you do…So talented

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks so much!

[@1969bilbo]

One of the first! Great vid!

[@msvsalt]

Great idea, perfect timing.

[@johanproduction02]

Merci pour tes vidéos ! From France

[@GregPackard]

Nice collection Derek!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@emeraldqueen1994]

50:30 - challenge : compare / contrast this method with using a CHEAP / OLD craft store hot glue gun

[@VanOaksProps]

To melt the foam?

[@youroutdoors5453]

Can you use the foam board with all the writing on it, not the paper/foil just like printed on it. Will it work with the water and torch to make the texture?

[@VanOaksProps]

You can but the writing tends to show up in the finished product.

[@blizatrex]

A great compilation. Could you add chapters for the differing techniques?

[@VanOaksProps]

They should be in there

[@blizatrex]

@@VanOaksProps I see/saw the timestamps in the description ty.

[@julienorwood209]

What saw do you use? It cuts through the board so easily!

[@VanOaksProps]

I use a pull saw like this one: amzn.to/46Em2PY

[@julienorwood209]

Thank you so much!! Keep the videos coming!!

[@FiddleCzar87]

@43:12 you reference cutting the epitaph on your GlowForge. Have you created a video about that process? I searched but didn’t find anything - so, sorry for asking if this has already been asked/answered.

[@VanOaksProps]

I don't know that I have. It's not much different from prepping anything to be cut on a laser cutter, I just made sure to choose a name made up without letters without letters like a, e, b, or q where there would need to be some kind of support in my design to hold the little center bit in position.

[@jaspercats]

Hi you have a link to the projector, and the screen material, is the projector pre loaded with stuff to play or do you have to download stuff, how far and big can it project, once again great videos

[@VanOaksProps]

I don’t think they make that version anymore but this one, I think, replaced it. amzn.to/3z5gUrM Here’s the screen material amzn.to/3MEA9eH

[@macsclass]

I live in wet and damp Florida. What do you recommend for sealing your tombstones?

[@VanOaksProps]

The masonry sealer should be all you need.

[@larastrazdas6961]

Which Drylock do you use? I looked it up on-line and there are several different types and brands.

[@VanOaksProps]

I use the original version.

[@larastrazdas6961]

If you don’t have a blow torch, could you use acetone to melt the styrofoam?

[@VanOaksProps]

I would not recommend it.

[@mikericcardijr.5121]

How do you clean the foam gunk off the dremel bits?

[@VanOaksProps]

If your bit is getting foam stuck to it you’re running it too fast. In the event that foam melts and sticks to the bit I’ll use pliers.

[@mrs.whatley5596]

Nice

[@Rodbuilder109]

Did you make tge foam wire cutter?

[@VanOaksProps]

Nope. It’s from Hotwire foam factory.

[@XenaWarrior95]

For the big fonts on the tombstones what size drill bit do u use for the dremel?

[@VanOaksProps]

I use the Dremel 194 bit for everything

[@XenaWarrior95]

@@VanOaksProps great I just ordered one. What font do u use for ur tombstones. I have a Cricut I am going to use for the saying on the tombstones?

[@Countryboy246]

Hi derek how do you make the stencils plz sir

[@mattnichols9158]

what type of vinyl did you use?

[@VanOaksProps]

I typically use oracal 651 vinyl

[@amykirkpatrick4653]

I swear your voice is so familiar! Did you narrate a tv show or movies?

[@VanOaksProps]

You may be thinking of radio personality Casey Kasem.

[@Mattbirchfield]

What speed do you set your Dremel at when carving the tombstones?

[@VanOaksProps]

I tend to set it at 3-4 out of 10. Fast enough to get clean cuts but not so fast that it melts the foam.

[@armystrongmom]

Do you have a link for the projector?

[@VanOaksProps]

They no longer make it, but have others that are great.

[@Bugman140]

In the UK I find it hard to find foam without foil on the face. Does anyone know if you can just peel off the foil, or where I can find this type of foam this side of the pond.

[@VanOaksProps]

You can peel the foil off it’s just time consuming.

[@sklikizos]

@Bugman140 I've seen it in blue or aqua from other places in the world. Key thing is it's extruded polystyrene (which is a resin) referred to as XPS foam. If you search for where to buy XPS in the UK, there's a site called Underfloor Heating UK. Seems decently priced.

[@ColoRadio6996]

GA: Please index/ chapter your videos.... TIA

[@VanOaksProps]

Sorry about that. Chapters have been added.

[@ColoRadio6996]

@@VanOaksProps Thanks, Stay safe...

[@KellyNsGrotto]

#homehaunt #diytombstones

[@KellyNsGrotto]

I hope these get you lots more views.

[@ronsorage78]

i miss the original music. i cant for the life of me find it online.

[@VanOaksProps]

It’s available at audiojungle.net under the title “spooky”

[@ronsorage78]

Its odd. Target had a small decoration last year that used the song.

[@VanOaksProps]

@@ronsorage78 that’s part of the reason I stopped using it.

[@ronsorage78]

Thats a shame. It happens all the time really with royalty free music. Someone uses a song in all their stuff and then I will hear it used in a random vid by someone else once.

[@youtubeokay5769]

Super fukin impressive