# Halloween - how do I make a horn
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 16, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021 "2025-10-16T16:51:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/1 "2025-10-16T16:51:44Z")
My neighbor got new carpet. Carpet comes rolled on 10’ cardboards tubes (think very heavy duty paper towel tubes); I kept one of the tubes. I have a room over the garage & a lederhosen shirt. My plan is to convert that tube into an [alpine horn](https://www.argobuilder.com/uploads/4/0/0/8/40089901/alphorns-grindelwald_orig.jpg) to play some music (via a small bluetooth speaker & slide candy down it on Halloween.
The end of the horn is both at an angle & flares from the diameter of the tube (yeah, the whole horn gets wider in diameter as you go, but this is a one-time use Halloween decoration that will mostly be seen in the dark; IOW, it doesn’t need to be perfect.
I do have a large styrofoam ball that came from some bouy/floatation device that I could attempt to carve (but if I screw it up, I only have one), I could try some chicken wire & paper mache (how well will that hold up if it’s rainy on the 31st?).
C’mon you arts-&-crafters, what’s the best way to make a flaring bend for something new in the Halloween funness this year?
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### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/2 "2025-10-16T16:59:07Z")
Cut the end at a 60 degree angle, twist the end halfway and there is a 120 degree bend to get the horn angle. Tape it up. I’ll leave the flare to someone else.
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### Author:  [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/3 "2025-10-16T17:08:07Z")
Partially inflate a balloon. Using newspaper and thinned white glue, make a papier mache bell. Affix it to @Saint_Cad’s bend.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/4 "2025-10-16T17:10:57Z")
This might be more crude than you’re looking for, but worth a thought …
Buy a large plastic funnel, one with a ~10"+ mouth. Here’s an example, although not the ideal shape:
> **[Amazon.com: IIT 16307 10" Jumbo Plastic Funnel, : Automotive](https://www.amazon.com/IIT-16307-Jumbo-Plastic-Funnel/dp/B00CO6Q50W)**
>
> This heavy duty funnel is designed with a 10"" wide mouth to reduce spills and accidents, Orange color makes this funnel highly visible and easy to locate. Suitable to use with petroleum, antifreeze, and water.
Cut off the narrow end such that the ID of the narrow end is just larger than the OD of your carpet tube. Slide the funnel over the end of your tube and connect w duct tape.
Gussy it up with non-structural papier mache on the outside as desired. Or even strips of duct tape starting at the rim and ending farther up the tube so the exterior flare shape is longer and more tapered. It’s still not a changing flare, but at least it’s conical. And stupid easy to make.
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### Author:  [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/5 "2025-10-16T20:25:25Z")
I’ll bet Walmart or Target or Michaels has a basketweave Horn-of-Plenty that would be dandy.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/6 "2025-10-16T21:20:19Z")
Yep. You need an armature the shape and size wanted.
Can be any thing. Made or found. Attached to the tube. I can see tie tights or duct tape being used. Cover with something decorative paper or cardstock, the color needed.
(Beware, cutting a cone shape can be tricky).
Waterproof as best you can. Hope for dry weather. (Papier mache’ thoroughly cured is able to withstand some wetness for awhile)
Lots of folks building armature models use foam core board. I was never good cutting it carefully enough to make accurate models. It glues really well. There’s that.
We’ll need a picture if this works. Just sayin’
ETA. I was looking at pix of this horn. First you must be a hoot in the neighborhood.
Second, I know these heavy cardboard tubes. I’ve used them for stuff. They are seriously tough to cut. I used a band saw to cut rings from one tube, one time. But…if you can cut slits at the end. Spread the slits open. Maybe dampen them a bit to ease out the spread. Fill in with other cardboard with glue/or tape. Cover, decorate or paint.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halloween-how-do-i-make-a-horn/1024021/7 "2025-10-17T02:56:04Z")
Could you cut the top of a very large plastic bottle to be your flared horn?