Cardboard Ash Chainsaw Arm and Necronomicon Prop From Evil Dead

So I decided to make ash’s infamous arm mounted chainsaw mostly from cardboard that any one can wear.

“GROOVY” -Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness

scissors

cardboard cutter

lots of cardboard

photo references

hot glue

school glue

pva glue

tissue paper

coffee beans or tea bags

anything thick and round that’s 8-9cm big and you can fit you arm through

toilet paper rolls

a4 paper

ruler

aluminium foil or silver metallic paint.

red paint

black paint

brown paint

water

diagonal side mini cutting pliers

two plastic water bottle lids

To make this build we need references I have provided some.

website: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/evil-dead-chainsaw-2389b2db6e874c4287f43c34caedd394

credits to nerd_sp on sketchfab.com

this will help us build the chainsaw hand and necronomicon

Why does ash have a chainsaw?

In evil dead 2 Attempting to leave a cabin where he killed his possessed girlfriend attempting to kill Ash, Ash finds the only bridge out completely destroyed and is forced to spend another night in the cabin. As the evil force toys with Ash's mind, his right hand becomes possessed and he cuts it off at the wrist with his chainsaw. Later in the film in order to banish the dead he needs to kill a dead Henrietta who is now a deadite. Ash heads into the workshop near the cabin and modifies the chainsaw not fit his arm now making it his chainsaw hand. This chainsaw becomes one of ash’s most defining features of his character.

what is a necronomicon?

Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (also referred to as "Naturom Demonto" and "Book of The Dead") is an ancient tome of prophecies, funerary incantations, and demon resurrection passages compiled by a race of beings known as The Dark Ones. , the necronomicon depicting it as a book written with human blood on pages made from human skin, capable of summoning demons, opening rifts in time and space, and resurrecting the dead.

what I have created

i created a cardboard version of the chainsaw and necronomicon with a few additional pieces to be a prop for people to use.

To start the body draw up a 2 rectangles that’s 25cm wide and 12.5 long this will be the walls of the body. Next draw up the shape on the second image and cut it out. This will be the round shape of the chainsaw body. Once one walk is complete have it facing the opposite way and trace around it this will create the second mirroring wall of the body.

Draw a 6cm by 15cm rectangle this will be for where you can hold the chainsaw. Draw a line every 3cm vertically.

this will create 5 6-3cm strips this will be used as handles inside the chainsaw. Stack 3 strips onto each other and hot glue them together then add a skewer in the centre and hot glue it in and with the final remaking strips glue them to each other then put it on the skewer this will create the handle for your arm to hold.

next see where and how far you want the handle to be. Once your satisfied with the distance have the two chainsaw walls connected to the skewer it should stop at the handle once you have it placed hot glue on this should keep it in place. To remove the excess parts of the skewer use the pliers to cut the off as shown in the photo then reinforce it with hot glue in order to hold it in place. Now you have two walls and something to hold onto.

To create the entrance either have something that’s long and round about 8-9 cm and is 5-10cm tall. I used the cardboard from a plastic 3d printer and it fits well. Have the circle out in the centre otherwise holding the chainsaw will be awkward. One you find the centre connect it to the walls of the chainsaw. Now you have the entrance.

To finish off the base shape of chainsaw. Use a strip of cardboard about over the size of the chain to be safe and avoid muck ups. Dry fit the cardboard and have it reach all the way around. Hot glue it on an cut off the excess cardboard. Now the base shape is complete.

Create 12 x 8cm rectangles these will be the base for the chainsaw stack two together and glue them with hot glue (I write which glue to use so you don’t accidentally waste the wrong glue). Then use three skewers and have them be on top of the glued cardboard these will be used to make sure that the blade won’t wobble around as much you can swap with something equally thick but nearly as long as the blade. Once the skewers are on add the remaining 2 rectangles on top then hot glue it to onwards the front and centre. Once that’s done make either 1 whole strip or 3 strips of cardboard and have them be put on the sides of the saw base. Create a 16 x 14cm rectangle and have it drawn up like image 11 of this step you only need one of these. Then have a 3x16 strip and a 3x14 strip and glue them to the uncut /top and backside of the piece you cut out (image 11 of this step) then glue it on the body as shown in the picture. You can see it has a gap underneath this is intentional.

. Have a 7 x 7 cm square and have to be cut like mine repeat 2 more after this, have all the pieces connected together as a stack. Then create a 9 x 9 cm rectangle and have them cut it to make one side 7.5 cm and glue it in then create two strips and put them at the top and bottom of the body like mine. Now the right side is complete

Create a 3 x 30cm strip (add or cut if needs be). Then add the bottle caps on one end the glue the strip 1cm away from the top and have it bend/curve to be 4cm away from the top like how I have it. Next create another 3 x 30 cm strip then where I have drawn on the body on this side this is where you have the strip added and the continued around the the body is you runout just add a 3 third strip between 10-20 cm strip and cut to make it fit. Then draw out a 23x11cm rectangle then glue it to the left side this will be the wall of the build. Once attached cut it to the shape of the strips, best to use a box cutter or exacto knife to make it look better than a scissors cut this now the wall complete next are the details. To start, cut a 6.5x 6,5cm circle the pan make 5.0 wide strips around 8-10cm long, glue onto the circle and cut off the excess bits this will make an accurate measurement and lines. Next create 3cm wide strip that reaches around the circle, I forgot to write the measurements on this and got a head of myself. (A mistake I made: so when I glued it to the centre I thought it was to short so I fixed it by removing it and I will write what I did to fix this) so after I realised I goofed up I fix the problem by cutting out 3 more 6.5x6.5cm circles and aged under the original circle, this helps making it longer without ruining the look, then place the circle in the middle of the build. Next create13 2 x 3 triangles and have the go around the circle then create another 3cm wide strip that almost reaches around the triangles and circle. You can leave the side like this or there is there is optianal choice

optional:

create and quarter sphere and add 2cm wide strip for it have it glue on. The have several rolls of toilet paper as a handle to get this just have the outer layer be half the size it was and glue it then take as many rolls and push them inside till it’s thick enough. This will be for the starter handle.

to create the handle create a 3x36 cm strip have one end be bend at 8cm then ben that at 3cm and on the other end bend at 13cm then towards the end. I have a rough idea drawing on this step image 3 for reference. Hot glue two more 3x36 onto the forts one and have bent the same way this will make stable. Hot glue the handle piece on top of the body and have the longer end away from the blade as shown in image 5. Create two, 2 x 11 strips and have them glued on the top and bottom of the handle (where the 13cm centre is) then cut a toilet paper roll in half and glued on the two strips it should be an oval like shape. Told you I could ‘Handle this’

This is an optional choice for the handle on the side but to create it just have a 10 x 8cm rectangle rolled up, 3x10cm rectangle rolled up, 5x10cm rectangle and glued together the small piece first on the side with bottle caps vertically, then the longer piece glued horizontal and the last piece vertically as like the image. Now the body is done

Create a 12 x 48 rectangle this will be the blade then at one end have it be rounded this will make the shape of the saw base the cut this out. Now there are two options you can do is that if you still have the cardboard where you cut the first piece still intact you use that to make the other shapes or trace around the cut pieces. You should have 4 in total Al this will stop it from wobbling. Next glue two together then glue them to where the skewers are. Then add the last two on top. When that’s done, cut long thin strips of cardboard ideally the same width oth the blade and hot glue them around the blade this can also help it hold together. Now you have a chainsaw hand for yourself. You can leav it like this or you can paint it, i’ll show you how I did it.

So I chose crimson red for the main paint, then covered most of the body as shown in the picture and intentionally left some places unpainted. Then using black paint and watered it down I added it to the red paint to weather it, then I added normal black paint to the side handle and where the hand enters the chainsaw. Then all the unpainted areas you can add the silver metallic paint or use aluminium foil for the metal parts. Now for the ‘blood splatter’ I used the same red paint and watered it to match the blood colour and using the brush and running my finger across it created some splatter (note: I did test it in some unused cardboard to see if it worked) then I added the splatter effect on the blade. Now you have a chainsaw hand full complete.

I found a website that had the pages of the necronomicon ready to be printed. Link: https://elderprops.com/necronomicon-evildead-1981/ you can get it for free as a zip file by adding 0 I know it’s confusing but adding no money to it you can still get for free then find the pictures for the front and back of the necronomicon. then have all of the pages printed a5 is best or having two pictures side to side on a4 like mine. Once printed don’t have the front and back page/s with the rest of the pages this is for a reason, then have all the pages folded in half and held under a weight this will help find the centre. Then Dipping the paper in coffee is also known as coffee staining is a technique that slightly changes the color of the paper. This effect is less bold then painting a paper with coffee.

Here's how to do it:

1. Make coffee with boiling water and 3:1 ratio of coffee.
2. Fill a container large enough to hold your paper like a baking tray with coffee.
3. Submerge the paper in the liquid.
4. Hang the paper on a clothe line or put it on a rack with paper towel underneath to absorb the excess liquid or have dry in the oven.

Or Tea staining will give you a lighter color and more subtle result than coffee. You can use the tea bag itself to stain the paper directly or dip the paper in the tea. You can dry the stained paper in the oven or in a sunny place.

 Here's how to make paper look old with tea:

1. Put one tea bag in a cup for light color and two bags for darker color.
2. Use any type of tea but black tea is the best.
3. Pour the hot water over the tea and allow it to steep for about 5 minutes.
4. Another option is to dab one of the tea bags over the paper. Holding the tea bag by the top, blot it down onto the paper. Continue doing this until you've covered as much of the paper as you want. If the tea bag starts to dry out, dip it in the mug of tea to wet it again.
5. Dry the paper outside or in the oven.

optional: make little rips or tare to age it further best while it’s wet.

Once done have all the pages cut in half and stacked. Then make holes o. One end of the book and have it tied up with string this will hold the pages together. To create the cover make a 40 x 25 rectangle Once cut out have the front hand back be 18cm wide and have the spine 3cm wide. Add the front and back pictures of the necronomicon and hot glue the details (note: I realised that I started to glue them on the wrong way round but I fixed it by flipping the face around.) then cover the face in normal school glue then add a layer of tissue then with watered down lava glue add 2-3 more layers on top and wait till it dries.

Now to finish up the necronomicon is the paint start with the base coupler black, using the same black paint you used before cover the cover and with it. Hint: add a bit of water between 1/4 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon into the black paint you add a little bit more but don’t make it too watery it will ruin the tissue paper, the water and paint can make the details pop more and add any details from the tissues. Next cover it brown you ca have any between grey brown to light brown and dark brown, I went with burnt umber picture three shows how dark it gets. Then paint the whole necronomicon expect the inner part of the nose, the eyes, and the mouth. Don’t worry about missing spots it adds darker details on the necronomicon. Another hint: paint the cover before adding the pages. Also paint brown on the inside of the cover. To add the pages, hot glued it where the book spine is Now you have a necronomicon.

Now you have a necronomicon and chainsaw hand also you keep a couple of pages out of the book to be the lost pages for extra details. Groovy