Frankenstein Lab Props
The Frankenstein theme has always held a special place in our imagination, creating laboratory props that bring that old, creepy, damp castle feeling alive is a passion for us. We have been designing and building mad lab props for over 15 years, the original Stelter Creative brand was our first venture into this theme. We put much love into our designs, often copied but never duplicated. No detail is overlooked. From tabletop props to wall panels or full themed environments, our original design pieces are showstoppers!
Yes we custom create and sell our Frankenstein lab props, check our online store or message us for what's currently available.
This is our latest achievement in the Frankenstein laboratory theme. Truly one of our best designs to date! This 'Particle Discharge Unit' features hi powered leds in-between the solid brass spheres. These lights pulsate creating a great effect. A custom staggered and tapered standoff base houses five rare Pyrex glass insulators. Metal tags, hand wheels, indicator lights and an amazing distressed finish bring this piece to life!
The light effects definitely add to the whole classic monster vibe. These leds pulsate as well which gives the feel of electricity moving between the brass discharge spheres.
The staggered and tapered standoff base has that classic mad lab vibe for sure. We crafted it from 3/4 black pvc so no paint is needed, we added some airbrushed runs and stains and a little rust to finish it off.
The five standoff insulators used are Pyrex glass. These are very rare but add so much character. The discharge spheres are 2" solid brass threaded onto the insulators.
The leds are a hi-powered blue color with a pulsating effect that really add to this piece. Provides a nice electrical spark gap effect without the scary possibility of death by electrocution!
This tabletop prop is called the 'Particle Collector'. This is another incredible original design by extreme master fabricator Jeffrey Michael Stelter. The three copper globes on the top spin creating a charge which is collected in the clear chamber. This chamber can then be removed and used to create a monster. This is an amazing piece and really creates a strong visual impact. Along with the motion of the spinning globes we have an illuminated power indicator and two vintage meters that glow. The red dial knob controls the speed of the spinning globes. The coolest detail is the clear chamber. This chamber pulsates with a red glowing effect. The inside of the chamber is packed with copper coils so it looks amazing with the red LEDs. This prop is currently in stock and for sale. Message me for info. Serious collectors only please!
As with all of our Frankenstein Lab props the finish is amazing. Rust, stains and dust is what it's all about. If you look closely you can see the six individual copper coils housed inside of the clear chamber.
This tabletop prop stands a massive 39" tall and 22" wide. It definitely creates a Dr. Frankenstein mad scientist vibe for sure, maybe even a bit of steampunk as well. It was created to be the centerpiece of a themed area, a full room or set can be built around it.
This piece has a nice symmetrical layout but also has a feel of chaos, a good mix always for the Frankenstein theme.
The main panel has many details including a vintage beehive style indicator light, two vintage pie shaped gauges that are lit and the variable speed controller dial for the spinning copper globes. All together with the aging it has a creepy look and vibe for sure!
The main towers are built on porcelain standoff insulators. All custom designed and built, our work never uses 3D printed parts. We create every component by hand using raw materials, sourced vintage parts and our own hands. We don't let the computers do the work, we let the artists and their imagination and skills create these works of art!
Here is a picture of the copper coils inside of the clear chamber with the red lighting off. Definitely a subtle detail that adds a lot of mad lab and classic monster vibe!
Click the above filmstrip to watch a descriptive video of the Particle Collector Frankenstein prop on YouTube! Don't forget to subscribe!
This is one of our favorite design Jacobs Ladder props. Fully functional at 15,000 volts. Custom lathe turned tube base and topper. A real retro sci-fi vibe!
We always mount our rods with standoff insulators on the top and bottom of our Jacobs Ladders. It not only looks cool but keeps everything securely in place.
Most of our Frankenstein Lab prop parts are handmade, our custom lathe turned parts are extremely detailed, this is what sets our builds apart from the rest, the quality of the details!
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This is a single tube Frankenstein bubbler tabletop prop, over four feet tall. Behind is a transformer grid wall panel. To the right is a double plasma chamber prop.
Doctor Frankenstein's Lab would certainly not be squeaky clean! Years of decay, moisture and residue would surely build up on the equipment. Our props are aged to perfection!
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The money shot! When the set comes together perfectly!
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This is a double plasma chamber tabletop prop, please note it has not been aged yet in this photo. It's twin collector dishes are feeding a large power cell which has a pulsating blue glowing effect. Just love this design! This unit is four feet tall!
A close up of a blue plasma chamber.
Large power cell up close.
Another one of our favorite deigns, a double blue plasma chamber tabletop prop. Notice how the staggered base follows the glass chamber angles perfectly, definitely a challenging build. Another noted detail is the custom main power plaque, very Victorian looking. It's about the details! Doesn't get much cooler than this!
Plasma chamber topper designs are our favorite. They add so much to the finished look of the prop. This particular example just screams Frankenstein!
This is our Frankenstein four tube bubbler tabletop prop. You will see copycats of this design on the internet. This is the original, designed and created by master fabricator Jeffrey Michael Stelter. Unfortunately people copy our designs and do not even give us credit. This amazing design definitely has a steampunk vibe as well. Copper elements and a twisted steam gauge adorn this masterpiece.
The classic bubbling green glow just screams classic monster vibes!
A gas collection pod, who knows what's festering behind that glass?!? One of the best parts of designing Frankenstein Lab props is the unique nature of the science used, it's pretty much anything goes!
This is our version 1 transformer grid wall panel, basic in design but a visually pleasing element for sure. Vintage amber colored beehive lamps were used. notice the broken, missing and hanging tags, effective use of realistic wear and tear. One massive control flywheel really stands out!
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These vintage Dialco beehive panel lights really have a perfect look for Frankenstein laboratory props, especially when you have fourteen of them!
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This is a four foot tall main feed power wall panel. All custom designed and fabricated metal tags and dial plates, very detailed for sure. Absolutely looks like it could power up a monster creation!
All of our tags and dial plates are steel with a stenciled paint finish, worn and distressed to perfection! This one is from Transylvania Electric Co.
This is a double knife switch panel. Great rust and patina on this example. This panel can power a duo of props or simply add to the look of a set.
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This is our Frankenstein monster body vitals wall panel. A blinking red LED shows the heartbeat of the monster being worked on.
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This was a fun panel to design and build, really adds a whole new level of coolness to the laboratory theme!
The monster body display with lighting and without.
This is an example of a single tube bubbler but with a monster hand added to the inside
This is the first Jacobs Ladder prop we ever constructed.
Great scratch built cabinet of wood and steel with the many rivets make this ladder a classic for sure!
This is the only prop that we used vacuum tubes on. I always found it hard to incorporate them without it looking out of place.
This is our smallest Jacobs Ladder prop. Easy on the budget but still strong on details! This one is still pushing 12,000 volts.
Building it is just the first step, making it look old and worn is a whole other process! With Frankenstein Lab props, it's about dirt, oil, rust and soot and any other factor like heat and flame, they all contribute to the finished look.
This is our largest Jacob's Ladder prop. This was a 15,000 volt ladder. Great flanking coil risers with copper spheres. We alwasy use real brass and copper spheres, never painted!
You can just hear that buzz and crackle!
Classic coil riser. All black pvc, porcelain insulator and copper discharge sphere. As classic mad scientist as it gets!
This is a double plasma chamber prop. The energy from the dual chamber design is discharged into the spherical power cell at the top.
Spherical power cell up close, the led's were color changing so the effect was amazing!
Coil risers up close! This is by far the coolest gauge ever!
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Three of our best tabletop props in one eight foot long display at a sci-fi convention.
One of our full wall set ups. Using a base cabinet really creates a full lab feel, storing tons of surplus parts inside of the cabnet is just icing on the cake!
Kind of like Christmas, you can never have enough lights!
Another full wall set with a few different tabletop props.
Wonderful dark mood lighting!
In a Frankenstein mad lab if a shelf needs some extra support then of course it would be from some creepy faces holding chains in their mouths. This design is perfectly horrific!
Adding a little extra detail on subtle pieces makes all the difference in a set.
A good back story is as important as the design and execution. On one of our larger build Frankenstein sets there were wood shelves. On a top shelf we added large antique books and then broke the shelf in the middle as if the weight had broken it, we then added a splint with apparent sloppy nails for a quick fix, as if Igor had needed to repair it quick and get back to helping Dr. Frankenstein. Unfortunately I see so many propmakers create sets and props that don't make any sense.
This is our original design head examination rack. It is crafted from welded steel supports and a custom wood stand. Large oversized thumb screws add to the crazy vibe!
This pictures shows our Frankenstein head being worked on by the doctor himself! The custom steel and wood apparatus rotates allowing all angles to be viewed. Four thumb screw head spikes hold the head in place.
This is a full wall set we created for Cocktails & Screams located in Orlando. This set was a thrill to create!
This is our version 2 transformer panel. All metal tages and green Dialco beehive panel lights adorn this masterpiece!
Its' ALIVE!!!
Sometimes you just luck out with prop making. This scientific device is almost perfect for the mad scientist theme. We simply added a top base with insulators, brass spheres, a few copper terminal lugs and whammo! A stunning Frankenstein prop!
We wanted some motion on a set so we created this triple copper chamber spinning prop. It's powered by a small low voltage gearmotor. Adds a lot to the overall vibe.
Nothing like some Frankenstein lab background for that perfect marquee photo!
More background shots of our sets. The colors are so rich and vibrant!
Our background Frankenstein set at Cocktails & Screams Halloween bar in Orlando is perfect for selfies!
Our realistic and detailed sets definitely create environments for performers and employees. If you had a choice between a blue screen and an actual set which would you prefer? The answer is obvious!
Our tribute to the classics. Wish this photo was in front of some or our props and sets. Still a great shot and fun Frankenstein and Bride costumes for sure!
Long live classic monsters and the Frankenstein theme!
These are the custom Frankenstein Monster boots we created for the above costume. Crafted from solid oak soles, a leather boot and steel plates and rivets. All welded and bolted together for that classic monster vibe. These were so heavy which made for a super realistic and creepy sound when walking!
What do Mad Scientists do during their off time you ask? Well of course they read Mad Scientist magazine! This is a fun little idea we came up with, always nice to show your work in different mediums. If a magazine doesn't exist well you simply create it! I based my design off of old Starlog and Fangoria covers. Love the retro vibe!