http://www.scaryguys.cm/bigmuth.htm BigMuth Yu're walking dwn a dark path, and cme upn an area cvered with cam net. On ne wall it lks like a table with a skull perched n the edge. Just cam net hanging everywhere. Nt much t lk at, then suddenly... The table becmes a huge tthy muth and it leaps ut at yu with a lud rar! One f my favrite scares fr the past cuple f years is BigMuth. Its simple t build and very rugged. And, best f all, it's simple t make, and it really kncks victims ff their feet! Its just a table, right? NOT!
Parts Assembly Cutting Yur Teeth 2 10' x 15' sectins f cam net (can substitute mst any clth r clth mesh) 1 4' x 4' piece f 1/4" luan r plywd (luan is wd sheet used fr dr facings) 1 8' 2x2 r 2x4 20' f 3/4" PVC pipe (recmmend schedule 40, but the heavier schedule 80 will wrk als) 1' f 1/2" PVC pipe 3/4" x 1/2" PVC reducer PVC primer and cement Sandpaper assrted 3/4" tees, caps, ells, frty fives, and crss tee fittings 1 1/2" cap 30' f black rpe 1 1/4" sheet rck screws (r whatever screws are handy) several 16 gauge electrical wire nuts (t cver the sharp ends f the screws) Pwer scrll/skill saw, screwdrivers, assrted tls Cut ut the luan piece t make tw sets f teeth and tw attaching strips. First cut ut tw 12" strips, then tw 4" strips. Draw a pattern fr the teeth n ne 12" piece. When drawing the teeth pattern, leave abut a 6" strip alng the bttm fr attaching the cam net. Use tw f the screws and temprarily attach bth 12" pieces tgether. Using a pwer scrll r jigsaw, cut ut the teeth pattern fr bth pieces. Remve the screws and sand the rugh edges t remve splinters. Nw is a gd time t paint the teeth. Yu can paint them anyway yu want. I painted the entire piece flat white t start, and nce dry, I used black spray paint t 'fill in' the center f the teeth (see the pht). I finished ff with red spray paint fr gums. One ther thing I did was t cver the edges f the teeth with clear silicne caulking t simulate drl r slime... A tuch f yellw spray paint ver the (dry) caulking makes the silicne lk nicely gruesme.
Building the Braces This will take a bit f trial and errr. Decide hw wide yu want the muth. (This als sets the depth f the muth). Start with abut a 36" and see if that lks gd fr yu. The PVC bracing is put tgether with a crss-tee in the center. Once yu have estimated the width, cut tw pieces f 3/4" PVC and press int the crsstee. Dn't glue anything yet! The great thing abut using PVC is the ability t press fit and evaluate hw well the assembly is ging. Press n the pipe caps n the ends. Using scews, attach each end f the teeth t the ends f the PVC caps. The luan will frm an arch. Cut a piece f PVC pipe t fit the frnt arch, press tgether and screw in the frnt f the teeth. If yu want a 'fatter' muth, make the frnt pipe shrter. A 'thinner' muth will take a lnger piece. Nte fr a thin muth (like an alligatr r a T-rex), make the side pieces shrter, t. Once yu have ne set f teeth tgether, make up an identical set f braces fr the ther set, and assemble (but dn't glue yet!) Jaws Yu nw need t cnstruct a hinge fr the back f the muth, s the jaws can pen and clse. I build mine ut f PVC fittings, but mst any methd will wrk. Place ne set f teeth ver the ther t see hw they fit. Use 45-degree fittings t bth lwer the tp pipe and allw spacing fr the hinge. Attach a crss tee t the bttm jaw. This is anther trial and errr fitting prcess. Once the pipes are lined up, insert a 3/4" t 1/2" adapter in the ell fitting, and push a piece f 1/2" PVC thrugh the crss tee. Attach a pipe cap t the 1/2" PVC. Put a shrt piece f pipe thrugh the back f the crss tee as a push pipe (mre n this later). Mve the jaws up and dwn, and adjust the pipes t get a smth mvement.
Once yu have it all tgether and it mving crrectly, fllw the directins n the cans, and sand, prime and glue all the pvc parts tgether. If yu wish, yu can still delay gluing by screwing a sheet rck screw thrugh the fitting int the pipe. This will hld the pipes slidly, even after final assembly. Once the assembly is cmplete, pen up the muth n a table. Attach sme clth r plastic t make the inside f the muth, and hide the mechanism. Mst anything that cvers the interir will wrk. The 'victims' will nly ntice the teeth - and they wn't stick arund lng t critique yur wrk! Hanging the Muth Next, find a place t put BigMuth. It requires a sturdy munting fr the entire assembly. (I use 4'x8' plyd re-infrced with 2"x4" n the back. Screw tw 2"x2"s acrss the tp f the supprt structure, ne behind the peratr, and the ther where yu want the frnt f BigMuth t stay when at rest. Attach a lp f crd ver the center f the frnt 2x2. Tie ne end t ne side f the BOTTOM muth piece, and pull the muth up, then attach the crd t the ther side. Dn't wrry abut balance just yet. Attach a crd t the center f the back 2x2, and the ther end clse t the frnt f the TOP muth piece. The distance between the 2x2s verhead, and the placement f the crd ends n the muth is (yet anther) trial and errr prcess. The muth shuld sit (mstly) balanced. Remember: The supprting crds need t be able t mve freely. The idea is that the whle assembly is selfsupprting when its at rest, and when yu just push it frward, the muth pens n its wn!
Cver with Cam Cut ne piece f cam s that ne piece cvers frm the flr t the bttm f the muth, and the ther cvers frm the tp 2x2 t the tp part f the muth. Using ne f the 4" strips, lay the cam net alng the 'gum' line, and screw in the 4" strip t hld the cam net n. Refer t the drawing. Let the cam lp arund the 4" strip t hide it. The ther end f the cam n the bttm muth piece can lay n the flr. Attach the ther end f the tp cam piece t the tp 2x2 using screws. Leave a lp drping dwn t cver the teeth when the muth is clsed. When the muth is pushed pen, the cam slides back t reveal the tp teeth. Yu may need t repsitin the cam netting t get it right. Attach cam t teeth using the 4" strip and screws Attach cam t teeth using the 4" strip and screws Tp f Muth Bttm f Muth Leave a 'lp' f cam draping dwn in frnt f teeth t hide them when waiting fr victims... Drape cam ver strip and let hang lsely t the flr.
Scare Smebdy! The great thing abut the design is just hw simple it is t perate. All the peratr needs t d is push the muth frward. The back crd pens the muth autmatically! The way BigMuth is cnstructed gives the peratr the ability t make BigMuth jump ut and mve sideways, and by hlding nt the muth, even twist it as it jumps ut. Be sure t keep the actr area behind BigMuth dark. The peratr nly needs t wear dark clthes t remain invisible. A nice, practiced rar adds t the actin. Alan Hpps shared an idea n the muth cnstructin: I have a few ideas n big muth, Why nt make the teeth ut f 1 r 2 inch sheet fam, that way yu culd sculpt yur teeth with a sldering irn. Paint them with elastmeric rf cating (its white and gives a rubber cating) and them paint them as nrmal. these teeth wuld be guest friendly and culd safely bite peple. In Clsing... That's a quick verview hw t build a great prp that's guaranteed t make 'em jump everytime! Pay attentin t the set arund BigMuth t make it appears part f the scenery. A table, alter, shelf r anything like that will keep peple frm guessing that smething is waiting t munch n them. BigMuth has lts f flexibility. Yu can use mst any clth r plastic fr the 'bdy', and almst any setting t put it in, indrs r utdrs. If yu cme up with any varitins r shrtcuts, let us knw. Happy Bs!