Animated Clown Sign

What's with all the clown hate? Clowns have to eat too...

I saw these animated clown yard stakes at Home Depot, and thought it would be funny/terrifying to make them into a sign to add to my Halloween decorations.

2" Thick foam insulation panel (I had some left over from headstones I was making last year)

Pool noodle or foam insulation conduit cover

Animated clown yard stakes (motion activated). I found them at Home Depot.

Primer

Paint: red and white. Small sample sizes was more than enough.

Painters tape

Japanese pull saw

Hack saw

Hot glue gun and glue

Spray adhesive

3D printer or just print an image with a color 2D printer and laminate it

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/updated-can-t-sleep-clown-will-eat-me-sign

H frame - for yard signs

I did a multi-colored 3D print of a free clown sign, changing the filament color for each appropriate layer. (I scaled the sign to 12” x 9”). I could have also just done a color 2D print, and than laminated the paper.

I cut the 2" thick foam panel to 28" x 24". I marked off the lines for the cuts, and used a Japanese pull saw to make the cuts.

I applied primer before attaching the pool noodle / conduit, as it would be easier to get into the nooks and crannies.

The garden stakes insert in to a cylinder protruding out at the bottom of the clown heads; I cut those off with a hack saw.

I than did a rough trace around the clown head onto the foam panel. I used a "scraper" to remove approx. 1" of insulation foam, so the clown heads would be able to rest into the foam panel.

Note: in the pictures you'll see an additional cut out between two clown heads on the right. You can skip that. I mistakenly believed that was necessary for the motion sensor. Turns out it senses motion from vibration.

I did cut a 1" deep section in the back panel for the control module to sit in. I also drilled holes in the insulation foam by the base of the clown heads, to allow the wiring to be routed and hidden behind the sign.

I used clamps to hold the foam insulation conduit cover (or pool noodle) so it would arc over the top of the clown heads. I fastened using a hot glue gun (and glue sticks),

Apply additional primer to the foam cylinder.

Apply a white base coat of paint.

Once dry, use the painters tape to mark off stripes as shown, about 2" apart (or match the width of the tape itself).

Apply red paint between the stripes of painters tape.

Once the red paint is dry (or just before), remove the painters tape.

I used spray adhesive to apply the 3D printed clown sign to the insulation foam.

For the clown heads, I used a hot glue gun to a attach them to the insulation foam.

Note: Originally I used eye let screws to hang the sign with zip ties... before the motion sensor let me down.

Using a hack saw, cut the H frame in half, so now it really is shaped like an "H".

Put both pieces into the bottom of the insulation panel, and this will allow you to stake the whole sign into the lawn.