Asked on Sep 19, 2015

Need to make a jail cell

Sandra
by Sandra
Our church is doing a fund raiser and we need a jail cell to put people in to be bailed out. I can't find one anywhere and am therefore wondering if anyone has any cheap ideas to make one.
  19 answers
  • Donna n Donna n on Sep 20, 2015
    I think I would make a three sided box using either wood or cheaper yet a large 4 sided refrigerator box. Box would be cheapest, cut along one long side a one short side. Draw jail bars and cut them out. The bottom of the box cut off st stand or sit in "prisoner"cut sides would be door cut out the bars with a razor or exactly knife then paint. Reinforce with slats from Home Depot or whichever lumber store....hope if you use ...its works for you...😃
  • Cheryl Crouch Cheryl Crouch on Sep 20, 2015
    Taking the idea if a streamer curtain/backdrop to another level... I would use black paper streamers,hot glue them to the inner cardboard rolls of gift wrap, spaced as jail cell bars would be. Attach the rolls to ceiling with the streamers long enough to reach the floor. Tape each streamer to the floor with tape to keep it in place. Have fun!!!
  • Kim Eley Judd Kim Eley Judd on Sep 20, 2015
    Our town does this as a fund raiser every year, the use a 7 ft tall dog kennel. They fold for transporting and can easily be set up and torn down.
  • Kim Eley Judd Kim Eley Judd on Sep 20, 2015
    Our town does this as a fund raiser every year, they use a 7 ft. Dog kennel. It folds for easy transport and opens up for activity. Usually someone has one of these in their yard or talk to your local supplier to donate one for the day, maybe promise to advertise the business with small sign attached to gate. God Bless!
  • Susan Bechamp Susan Bechamp on Sep 20, 2015
    Since our fair was held outside every year, the first jail cell was made of black painted PVC that was not completely glued up. This made it possible to take it apart and store it. I've also seen one made of bamboo poles tied with rope.
  • Maven Maven on Sep 20, 2015
    PVC pipe and PVC T connectors along the top and bottom to hold the PVC "bars". Make 4 sets and zip tie them together at the 3 corners to make a cage, leaving the 4th corner open as the door. http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/xxscorpion64xx-albums-my-props-picture118634-finished-hell-cell.html Paint the whole mess black or gray and use a length of chain with a padlock to hold it closed. Real chain is cheap, or you could make foam chain from cut pieces of pipe insulation. http://www.ribbonsandglue.com/spooky-halloween-family.html
  • Tomi Belgard Tomi Belgard on Sep 20, 2015
    Refrigerator box and paint
  • Kay Noell Kay Noell on Sep 20, 2015
    pool noodles
  • Lauren365 Lauren365 on Sep 20, 2015
    make a frame out of 2x4s and drill holes every 4-6" at the top and bottom. Thread rope through the holes and spray paint the whole thing black.
  • Nab2175147 Nab2175147 on Sep 22, 2015
    Take an old black hose, or other color painted black, and thread it through the frame holes that Lauren365 suggested. It would be a bit more sturdy than rope and might be even be free!
  • Grady Grady on Sep 22, 2015
    Is the jail cell for real or for a laugh?
  • Tabby Tabby on Sep 22, 2015
    our PTA used #10 cans (gallon-sized coffee cans) and stood PVC pipes up in them and filled around with Plaster of Paris, which is heavy. Made sure they kept the PVC straight / plumb while the Plaster dried and cured. They made a lot because it was kind of cheap and just set them into a square but you could weave a big black ribbon or webbing through the pipes horizontally at the chest area and at the knees of the "Convicts." It was easy to store these and they were later used for flagpoles, obstacle courses, and to block out driveways when orange tape was added on them.
  • Judy Rosalez Judy Rosalez on Sep 22, 2015
    make one from pvc pipe. ,spray paint black or gray
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 23, 2015
    Go to an appliance store and ask for some refrigerator boxes. Paint them gray. Cut out 3 sides for a door, then score and bend the 4th side so it will swing open, then make a latch made out of rope. (Put some duct tape on both sides of that scoring to re-enforce the door) Cut in a window and put rope painted black for bars, or put a curtain across the front and if the prisoner screams and begs, their fine increases! Place the door on the side and the window toward the crowd so the prisoner can ham it up begging! Get someone who will be a really bad sheriff to slap against the box to harass the prisoner!
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 24, 2015
    I remembered this and am sending it to you. Should be easy to make with a few 2x4s.
  • Margaret Margaret on Sep 29, 2015
    Fridge boxes are great for this !! Free!!! We needed more than one jail cell, so it's beneficial to go cheapo !! Some people "arrested" younger people, so we had a smaller one for them... If you do boxes, you can make the female jail cell a little different from the one for men--- makes it a cute conversation piece for those "visiting" their "jailed prisoners" !! 😊
  • Deb K Deb K on Dec 13, 2022

    Hi Sandra, hope these help you out.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWKM5gjD3g

  • Use an appliance box and use pvc pipe for the bars.

  • Mogie Mogie on Mar 06, 2023

    If you are concerned about the looks some businesses do rent these. Contact a local party store if they don't rent them they should be able to tell you who does if anyone is your area.