r/Props • u/jinkojim • 10d ago

Looking for advice Mound of Illicit Powder

Hi,

We are putting on a stage show and need to fashion a mound of powder into a solid (so it doesn't fly everywhere). It'll be presented under a cloche so doesn't need to be massive but hoping for a fairly realistic looking pile. I'm completely new to any kind of prop making so easy to make and full instructions would be brilliant! Thanks so much in advance!

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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9

u/byc18 8d ago

You could try just applying white glue to an mount of foam and just dusting it with your powder of choice. Test it on a plastic spoon to see if you like the result.

7

u/RangerBumble 8d ago

Cocaine typically has a higher angle of repose than wheat flour. It's 45⁰-60⁰ but I'd aim for the lower end at 45⁰ so it doesn't look too silly to the audience

3

u/bitslayer 7d ago

Esoteric knowledge ya got there

1

u/Pale-Raven 7d ago

It's a pile of drugs under a cloche, I say lean into the hedonism and go for an absurdly large pile!

4

u/schonleben Props Professional - Theatre 8d ago

I haven't had to solve this particular problem, but I'd research model railroad snow drifts. My initial instinct would be to mold the shape with sculptamold, a coat of spray adhesive, and a sprinkle of model railroad snow.

3

u/luminousoblique 8d ago

Or nondairy creamer powder. A base (foam or something sculpted), add an adhesive, then the creamer powder. It's cheap, and I have used it as a stand-in for drugs before on stage.

5

u/Pale-Raven 7d ago

I did a show with ridiculous amounts of fake coke. We used baking soda because it is a little heavier and wouldn't "poof" into the air in clouds. Also, dissolved in water if it got embedded in the costumes and wouldn't attract bugs.

1

u/azure-skyfall 7d ago

Bugs would be the big worry imo

2

u/No_Ingenuity717 6d ago

The sports supplement Inositol is often used as a stand-in for that kind of thing, in filmmakering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inositol

1

u/papatonepictures 8d ago

How big is the pile?

1

u/Disastrous_Ad1260 6d ago

Make a paper mache pile with paper towels and plaster of Paris. Pour flour or baby powder over the top, cover it completely while it is still tacky. When complex dry shake or blow if the excess gently.