Nothing is more frightening in horror movies than the sight of a severed hand coming to life, twitching and crawling. Many a Zombie movie has used this gory effect. Although you may not have the budget to have a hand crawling around on the floor like the one in "Evil Dead," you can certainly make a hand that twitches and pulsates as though the nerves were still firing properly. This article will show you make a fake severed hand appear to be living.
Instructions
1. Mix the gelatin and food coloring with the water in the stock pot. Stir very well with your wooden spoon. Place into the refrigerator for one hour. After an hour, remove the gel and break it up with the spoon. Place the pot on your stove over low heat. Insert the thermometer and constantly stir until the gel comes to 130 degrees F.
2. Mix your alginate as directed on the package (typically a 1:1 ratio) with warm water, using your drill affixed with a mixing beater.
3. Apply Vasoline to your hands, then begin applying the mixed alginate to the arm and hand of the person you're using as a "model" for the severed hand. Cover everything and make sure there are no open areas or air bubbles. Wait six minutes.
4. Cut the plaster gauze into strips that are six to eight inches long. Fill a bowl with warm water and dip in the gauze. Evenly apply the gauze over the nearly set alginate, pressing it in to make sure the plaster is adhering. Repeat until you have two layers of gauze.
5. Allow the person the cast is on to begin wiggling his fingers and flexing his arm. This will allow the mold to come free from the skin. Gently pull the mold off.
6. Set the fridge box upright in a sink. Lower the arm mold down into it with the open end facing up.
7. Set the pencil across the top of the fridge box and tape into place.
8. Tie the pantyhose to the pencil with the ends hanging inside the mold.
9. Tie string to the ends of the dowel rods. Tie the other end of the strings to the pencil. Allow the dowel rods, split ends down, to be inside the mold.
10. Insert the rubber tubing into the mold with the end hanging out.
11. Wrap your bullet massagers into individual baggies and seal shut with tape. Cut the wires and strip them, then tie the ends together. Using your one piece of wire, strip the ends and tie with the combined ends. Twist the other end to the battery pack. Glue the connections. When dry, wrap in electrical tape. Insert the bullets into the mold with the wires and battery back outside of the mold.
12. Fill the mold with the melted gelatin and wait 36 hours. Cut through the plaster gauze and remove it. Carefully begin peeling away the alginate. When it's free, wipe down the arm with a damp paper towel, then pat it dry.
13. Apply a thin layer of flesh-toned liquid latex to the hand and allow to dry. Continuing adding layers of latex until the coloring is to your liking, waiting for each layer to dry before applying another.
14. Turn on the battery pack and watch your arm come alive.
