How to Carve a Cylon Pumpkin
Your high-tech, sci-fi squash sculpture will blow away your neighbors' run-of-the-mill jack-o'-lanterns.
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Whether you want to scare trick-or-treaters or entertain them, there's an idea for you in this frightfully good video series.
You Will Need
- Pumpkin
- Kitchen knife
- Large spoon
- Marker or felt-tip pen
- Craft knife
- Paintbrush
- "Larson Scanner" with red LED lights
- 9-volt battery
- Plastic baggie
- Toothpicks
- Silver spray paint (optional)
- Black paint (optional)
- Microplane (optional)
- Internet access (optional)
Steps
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Step 1
Scoop the seeds
Cut around the pumpkin's stem with the kitchen knife and use the large spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp.
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Step 2
Mark eyehole
Use the marker to mark a thin, long rectangle in the center front of the pumpkin for the eye. The rectangle must be large enough to house the red, flashing LED lights. Carve out the eyehole with the craft knife.
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Step 3
Spray paint
Cover the entire pumpkin with silver spray paint and allow it to dry. Then use the marker to outline the Cylon helmet design around the eyehole and fill the helmet outline with black paint.
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If you want to leave the pumpkin unpainted, draw the pattern and use a microplane to file down the areas around it, creating a relief design.
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Step 4
Attach the battery
Attach the 9-volt battery to the scanner.
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"Larson Scanner" kits and schematics are available online for free.
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Step 5
Encase scanner
Encase the scanner and battery in a clear plastic baggie and seal the baggie to prevent moisture from seeping in.
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Step 6
Insert in eyehole
Place the scanner inside the pumpkin with the LED lights showing through the eye port. Use toothpicks to hold it in place.
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Enemies to humans, Cylons first appeared in the original Battlestar Galactica series in 1978.
