Hidden Projector Tombstone feat. the AAXA HP1

[@haywardhaunter2620]

I have a half-finished "pillow" monument like this in the garage in order to hide lights and projectors. I used 1x1 boards to frame it, and I made mine larger. I installed a GFCI outlet in a weather proof electrical box with a long, heavy duty electrical cord. I've got some salvaged security camera mounts that I installed on the base. Those hold my AAXA LED Pocket picoprojectors, and they've got ball joints so I can fine-tune the aim. My plan is to include a bit of a lip on the underside of the top piece so that any rain rolling down the back will drip off the back rather than follow the underside of the slope and drip in the electronics. I also added some PVC sleeves so the whole thing can slip over rebar (as commonly done with traditional tombstones). That holds it in place, and prevents the projector from being thrown out of alignment if the prop gets bumped.

[@rickhager7684]

I trust that the projector does not generate enough heat to melt the foam. I have not used a pico before but know that the standard size projectors can be quite hot at times. Great video. I love your coloring and paint techniques. Best instructionals I've ever seen.

[@Craftlngo]

I'm always impressed by your techniques to make every surface look like aged metal! Awesome work on that Tombstone

[@kieranclarke135]

Power Tools --> Hand Tools --> Flame Thrower. Now that is taking it to the max. Nice work.

[@jasoncarbone5553]

Another fabulous video Derek. I love you taking the mistake on the corner and making it part of the piece. This is another great jumping off point as the tombstone could hide a light, a motor, or yes, a projector!

[@TonyBullard]

Love the use of the large plaque. Great use case for the laser cutter. This is actually a pretty simple build, but the size of it makes it special.

[@VanOaksProps]

I completely agree!

[@macEboy]

Perfect timing! I was thinking about doing away with my cardboard box and black garbage bag "hider kit" Lol Thanks!

[@WhiteysWickedWorkshop]

Holy Crap! You blew me away when you used the water and the torch to make that styrafoam look like concrete! wow! You have a lot of tricks up your sleeve Mr. Derek! Thanks for video!

[@barbarianatgate2000]

Out of all the effects channels I've come across, this one is the absolute best! Not taking away anything from others, but the realism of these items is just stunning! Brilliant.

[@GregoryHaynes]

Turned out great. Good idea for lighting and projector.

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@jefferylsmith1061]

Ok. So I just discovered Van Oaks Props. Wow! You have some fantastic videos. I have already built multiple projector enclosures so I didn't need that part but this paint technique for the face plate is amazing. I've done three projects this week and absolutely love how they have turned out. The only things I do different with my signs are that instead of glue, I use the 3M Double sided adhesive before I laser (total game changer - no glue on my hands) and I make the board I cut the letters from an exact match (size and shape) for the board I am gluing to so I can use it as a placement guide (perfect placement every time). Thank you!

[@NickWalters571]

That salt trick is clever, I'll have to try it

[@lynngordon5901]

Thanks!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you, Lynn!!

[@matts9168]

After seeing this on The Hook Up, I figured I'd check out how Rob made it. I'm now subscribed and found my new KZbin rabbit hole. Keep up the great work!

[@BeeWhistler]

This is fantastic. Now if I only had that projector.. and printing machine... tools... a workshop... A yard. 😅 For now, I have projects I can do and these videos to enjoy!

[@jonrasmussen2815]

So much information and techniques in this video, I had to show my brother that makes his own stuff and he was impressed also. Huge props to you for making this video!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@jaybroreviews]

Amazing and well put together. You sound like a radio DJ!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@jasonp617]

Caught my attention with the blowtorch and water method to age the foam. It looks great! Packing that one in the toolbox for later. Projector looks very interesting for a completely wireless solution. The low brightness concerns me, as 100 lum isn't a lot to go on, but your end result seemed to come out pretty good.

[@bfriesen2636]

great work. I really like the detail you got in this

[@bcfowler82]

Very cool! I actually need to make one of these this year for my small projector. Should go faster now that I've seen this. Thanks!

[@terryfied2555]

I needed this video, thank you! Exact same reason too. Projector haunts add that extra flair to the yard. You the man! Subscribed!

[@VanOaksProps]

Glad I could help and welcome!

[@Knightmerica]

As if I didn’t already have enough hobbies and interests… now to try making a tombstone! Awesome video. Thank you for sharing so many unique little techniques and hidden tricks to age the material.

[@gregg5958]

Your painting skills are AMAZING. It looks so real!!!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@amigamer184]

Dude Your work and guidance is much appreciated, fabulous

[@WyattWinters]

How has this man not gotten a Drylock sponsorship yet

[@VanOaksProps]

He has 😉

[@seanparker8975]

Terrific design and execution as always!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks Sean!

[@EricGarringer]

Excellent detail and realism.

[@haynerbass]

This one is REALLY great. I love the salt technique.

[@jasonrossborough8634]

Looks really cool

[@3dbronze]

Thanks for the video. Not sure why I waited so long, but I finally subscribed. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@VanOaksProps]

My pleasure!

[@Elc0chin0]

Very good video, I especially like the salt. That was awesome.

[@VanOaksProps]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@djhouser_]

Dude Your work is great!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you so much

[@PrimalEdge]

I am totally doing that! at the VERY least, the tombstone! great job!!!!

[@lindaxwrenoh]

that salt trick - SO CLEVER. holy crap!

[@Thrice1337]

Thanks D! I’ll be using this tutorial for my new projector. :)

[@VanOaksProps]

Nice! Good luck.

[@GrimwoodHollow]

Wow, beautiful prop Derek! This turned out amazing and what a great versatile solution for hiding effects, projectors, lights, and road kill! You know, for the smell! Great job buddy!🎃👍😄

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks Steve!!

[@m3rdpwr]

Nice work. I don't have the patience. I made my 3 projector housings out of spare plywood and painted it grey. Bought some dollar store foam tombstones and called it a day. lol

[@VanOaksProps]

Whatever gets the job done, right?!

[@michaelmartinez8158]

Awesome job

[@blakegravitt3635]

Nice work, as always.

[@VanOaksProps]

I appreciate that

[@romanfn]

This was Awesome. Thanks

[@VanOaksProps]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Hauntcast]

Sweet projector housing!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@buddykarl944]

Many many Halloween’s ago, before projectors were the go to for effects, I built something similar for my yard haunt to hide (and protect from the elements) my black light fluorescent tube. It was made from wood and, alas was eaten by termites (as is a common pest in my area of the US). They also had a feast on the coffin I made for my corpse head with a window to see the head, as well as the skeleton outhouse I created for my cemetery section of the yard haunt (hey, a skeleton’s gotta’ go, too). Now that I’ve dipped into creating props with the insulation foam boards, perhaps I’ll rebuild those long lost props so my skeleton’s don’t have to relieve themselves in the bushes after standing out in the yard haunt for days on end.

[@satanmessenger361]

I love your idea

[@wolfman75]

Awesome!!! Cool Idea!!!! Thank You!!!! 👍😎🎃

[@stevemcgregor4737]

This is awesome. 👍

[@DULL1]

This is brilliant! Great project.

[@nicdennis]

Will you please make a complete walkthrough video of your Halloween haunt this year? I’d love to virtually visit your setup.

[@VanOaksProps]

Our display is typically the same every year, so here’s a video from our 2018 display: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqLWmqF6etqMrtU

[@nicdennis]

@@VanOaksProps Awesome! Thanks! I’m hoping to make a version of your haunted radio this year.

[@blizatrex]

A great new effect for your haunted areas.

[@hart-books]

Okay, first, I love that tiny projector. Second, is there a specific kind of caulking you use or just any caulking? This turned out really fantastic. We used your tombstone techniques for our haunt this year and are already getting compliments and questions as to whether we've thought about doing this as a business. I can't thank you enough for everything you put out there for us. Your artistry and creativity is unmatched.

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you so much! Its always nice to hear about people having a positive reaction to the props they’ve made based on my videos. As for caulking, as long as it’s paintable you should be fine. I tend to get Polyseamseal at Home Depot, but they’re all about the same.

[@wilfredorodriguez7248]

amazing talent

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you so much!

[@jasperjanderson]

That's a great looking tombstone

[@Diana-wg1tm]

Every video amazes me ! He works so hard And accomplishes the most amazing things ! I'm your biggest subscriber !!! Lol

[@deoblo85]

thats great ! need to make something for my projector it's nice to have something to reference with HFL!!

[@KerriGilpin]

As always, amazing job!

[@robertmorgan8104]

Talented!

[@edtsch]

Great work, as always. Very inspiring! :)

[@dorothyphillips1677]

Absolutely love this, and yet another reason to get a Glowforge! Need to start a Go Fund Me for Halloween projects lol

[@joegob100]

Love this

[@PyroniousIndustries]

Fantastic work as always. Thank you!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you too!

[@Diana-wg1tm]

I watch you video of your frunt yard Cemetery . It was really cool. I love the haunted mansion . My whole family worked at Disney World and my mother-in-law also when I got married . so I spent a lot of my childhood and teen and when I got married at Disney World. In fact my house was right behind Disney World. and my favorite was the Haunted Mansion. Thank you so much for the great ideas

[@damianhbk1]

Another great video! Huge fan here! If time allows, would you consider sharing in a future upload of how you set up audio for your haunt, speakers (brand/size), placement of speakers, ect. I also love your audio mix you uploaded around Halloween last year. Any tutorial on how to put together a mix for a home haunt would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks for all your contributions you have graciously given for the haunt community. Happy Haunting! 👻

[@VanOaksProps]

Great suggestion!

[@frhwebmaster]

Good Job.

[@TrickrTerrorhaunt]

So cool!

[@nriqueog]

Brilliant.

[@bobl703]

Excellent!!!!!!!

[@OjaiHaunt]

I think I can do this! Thanks again.

[@VanOaksProps]

You can absolutely do this. You’ve done way more difficult props.

[@DadBodDrumming]

Nice little idea. You could use this to create a peppers ghost style illusion in your yard.

[@windyloweryking1826]

Racecar is taking up all our time to make new decorations for this year but man you sure do get the 'ol noggin' thinkin' about it!

[@kjohnsonleedap]

Wondering if you could make a video on rear-projection effects? And a Madame Leota replica? I created a traditional front-projected Leota, but would love an upgrade. I'm struggling with a projector setup that could be mounted close to or within the construction along with the best material to project onto from the back and still be clear/visible. Thanks in advance, I eagerly anticipate all of your great videos. Fantastic content to bring realism to homemade props, thank you!

[@frankanderson9833]

If the metal plaque is supposed to be bronze, then it wouldn't rust due to minimal iron content. It would however develop a greenish patina or get bronze disease. Just a FYI, it looks great.

[@VanOaksProps]

Correct on both points. I should have said corrosion and not rust.

[@jasonbeavers9337]

Just when I think I’m about done I find my next project lol, great video, I’ll be trying the salt technique next. Another amazing job 👍🏻👍🏻

[@classifiedfive4377]

Love your videos, can you make a video on how to make a light up foam sign ?

[@statesrights01]

Sweet!!

[@GHILLIESARCADEANDMORE]

Cool

[@knowyourjoe8826]

Great content. How does this projector perform compared some other projectors with regard to resolution, brightness, color, etc? How big of an image can you project with it? Which other projectors would you compare it to? Would you buy this unit or opt for? Thanks for sharing.

[@VanOaksProps]

Hard to say. I’m not really knowledgeable on projectors and don’t do any degree of testing to be able to answer your question. I’ll say that it has decently loud speakers, the battery life is good, and it’s very simple to use.

[@knowyourjoe8826]

@@VanOaksProps Thanks. Appreciate it.

[@collectingcobwebs612]

Great Idea... We are using those hollow fake rocks with a hole cut in the back this year....

[@VanOaksProps]

That's a great idea!

[@nriqueog]

Was wondering if you had a video that showed ALL the basic supplies & tools needed to start doing these Tombstone projects.

[@VanOaksProps]

I do! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3akcqSirdxjf7M Be sure to check the video description for the tool names, too.

[@nriqueog]

@@VanOaksProps THANKS!!!

[@mclary9808]

I love the projects you make! Do you have a video on making the faceplate before painting. I want to make this….. but it would never look as good as yours.

[@VanOaksProps]

The plaque was laser cut on my Glowforge. I have a few videos where I show the laser cutter in action, but none specifically of making the plaque from this video.

[@wdwnutjm]

WOO-HOO!!! I can't believe that projector is less than $200! We made our own version of the Haunted Mansion singing busts - looks like they are getting an upgrade this year!!!

[@wdwnutjm]

Also, I love the techniques for the stone - we will have to use a few of them. REALLY great job!!!

[@wdwnutjm]

Got our projector yesterday - it's AMAZING! Now I have a month to make some kind of cool tombstone to hide it!

[@ShaneSmith-hu4kz]

Hi Derek sir subscribed to your channel great content sir

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks Shane!

[@Bigworm928311]

Can I ask where you buy your foam at?? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you 🙏

[@VanOaksProps]

Hauntersfoam.com

[@rozyan3118]

Is there similar bits for a dremel that you used with that palm router to make that decorative edge?

[@VanOaksProps]

Unfortunately no. In a pinch you can wrap sandpaper over and onto pieces of pipe or wood and sand away the foam to get similar shapes.

[@100voyeur]

Really got the creative juices flowing HAHAAAAHHAAAHAHAAAHAHAAAAAAA................................!

[@sebastiannajera8682]

WOW IS AMAZING YOUR PROP FABOLUSO IN THE YARD HOUSE OR GARDEN HOUSE MY FRIEND I MADE WITCHES PROPS FOR PORCHES HOUSES LIKE A DECORATIONS HALLOWEEN

[@BeMistified]

This may be a silly question, is there a way to make it outside element proof? Would there be enough ventilation to put a board on the back and cut a whole for the lens?

[@VanOaksProps]

There is. Toil & Trouble DIYs has a great video on it. This projector puts off minimal heat, so the space is fine for keeping it cool. But there’s definitely other projectors that need more air flow.

[@BeMistified]

@@VanOaksProps Awesome! Thank you!

[@gwiorek]

How do you trigger the projector? Nothing on their site. Nor a manual. Do they loop? Does it start at power up?

[@VanOaksProps]

You can set the projector to loop after you’ve powered it up

[@gwiorek]

@@VanOaksProps Thank you.

[@michaelmeneghetti5794]

Very impressive stuff, Derek. Always look forward to your innovative ideas using readily available materials. Just did a headstone designed to hide a black light fixture and would love to share it with you. I have found that Gorilla Glue tends to release over time. Have you seen similar results?

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks! Nope. Never had any issues with gorilla glue.

[@stalker42]

Do you have a ratio of paint to water in your spray bottle? What kind of paint did you use?

[@VanOaksProps]

Not really. I never mix it the same but you basically want just enough water but the paint runs easily down the surface you’re applying to. If I had to guess I would say it’s probably 30% paint and the rest is water. As for the types of paints, they are all acrylic and I’ve listed the colors in the video description.

[@ZenHulk]

I'm sure you get asked this question daily, and have probably done videos somewhere i have missed, but as ADAM SAVAGE says there are no bad questions... I have always loved Halloween about 50 years now, and always buy throw away cheap decorations. Where would i start to go all out haunt. My background, i have been building robots and full size animatronics since 1982, engineer by trade. I plan on a few foam grave stones but i don't live in Califonria anymore and Utah we have snow and weather.

[@VanOaksProps]

That's right! No bad questions. I think knowing what your space, skill, budget, or time limitations are and figuring out what's feasible is where I would suggest you start. It's also hard to say what "all out" means from haunter to haunter. For some it means making something that rivals professional attractions, for others it just means being "that house" on the block. That said, consider a theme that can be built upon year after year so that you're not reinventing the wheel every Halloween and can just continue to elaborate on what you've got. Obviously everything would need to be weatherproof, so that should be a consideration. I know sometimes the snow likes to arrive early in Utah and getting your props and lights out from under the frost can be a huge pain. So I'd keep that front of mind as you're planning your projects. Hopefully that was helpful.

[@ZenHulk]

@@VanOaksProps Thank you.

[@amyochle4410]

Hi! I LOVE this project, do you have a cut list on your Patreon site? Thanks so much.

[@VanOaksProps]

Hi Amy! I don't have a cut list, since not all projectors are the same size.

[@dustingonzales2566]

Is it just standard wood bits in the router?

[@VanOaksProps]

Correct. I’ve linked to them in the description if you want to check them out.

[@beautyeveryone]

Love you video, just had a question on wall 3 what angle are the cuts?

[@VanOaksProps]

I don’t recall but I just went with what looked right.

[@bradleymarks]

For the record dry lock contains Portland cement which is cement...

[@VanOaksProps]

Good to know!!

[@careismatik3099]

When you made the plaque on your GloForge what material did you transfer the design on to? It is a cool project and I needed to know this technique.

[@VanOaksProps]

It's made of 1/8" (4mm) MDF.

[@careismatik3099]

@@VanOaksPropsI have never used MDF, does it need to be waterproofed for outside decor?

[@VanOaksProps]

100% yes.

[@careismatik3099]

@@VanOaksProps what do you use to waterproof? Just spar urethane?

[@VanOaksProps]

@@careismatik3099 I used mod podge, which is essentially PVA glue, but urethane would be a better option. We just never get weather here that would require anything stronger.

[@TheXerosyn]

Any tips on how we can do the detail ont eh edge without a router?

[@VanOaksProps]

Get some 1/4 round molding and sandpaper. Attach the sandpaper to the molding and start sanding. It’ll take longer, but would have a similar look.

[@asmarteru]

Have you tried putting a plastic film over the opening? Curious if that would interfere with the video? I have always had to take my projector in each night due to weather even though it was "inside" a box to hide it.

[@VanOaksProps]

I haven't, mainly because I bring in my projector since it does still get damp here and most of them aren't weatherproof. I know you can put a piece of acrylic in front of it and not have any distortion issues. Toil & Trouble DIYs has a few really good videos on building a similar monument/tombstone with vent holes and acrylic shields that would be worth checking out.

[@blackc1479]

I really dig your builds. My only gripe (and no dig at you) would be that the drylok seems to kill SO much texture on the tombstone. Has anyone ever successfully run that through a sprayer? (I'm guessing no, since it seems like a nightmare for an airbrush or pneumatic sprayer.) Or another way to keep it light enough not to kill texture? Keep up the good work👻

[@VanOaksProps]

True. I think it's too thick to spray with a standard paint sprayer. Maybe through a hopper gun? If you didn't want to deal with Drylok you could always paint with exterior latex paints. That should minimize the loss of detail.

[@jeffpicken5057]

Maybe I missed it in the video, but onto what are you projecting the video?

[@VanOaksProps]

I used Aaxa’s scrim material

[@TheZoltanChronicles]

Be a good place for a fog machine too.

[@subatomix]

DO you know if this projector automatically plays when AC power is applied? Like, to run it off a timer?

[@VanOaksProps]

I don’t believe so.