removed from the... aw, you guys know the rest. > Don't want to wear >out my welcome, as it were." If contributing good, helpful (understated) information wears out your welcome, this list is in serious trouble. Denny From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 01:11:53 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 13:03:35 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Getting long- Re: New Halloween Product Review To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Denny, You wrote: >Steal the thunder? Whoa, hit nerve didn't I? 'Thunder' was perhaps a wrong choice of words, admittedly. My family always used that phrase jokingly among its members, and I use it a lot. I think you got entirely the wrong impression from my post(s). After I had written the review on the Blacklite Stik and posted it, I remembered that at least two among us were vendors of blacklight products. I thought it was the correct thing to do, in a diplomatic sense, to make sure no one was being stepped upon. I was not doing a knee-jerk there, just trying to be fair. Here's why: A while back, we used to run a family business selling cards, gifts and crafts. It was, in good part, the discount stores and sale items that took us down (we had to close when the economy got tight here, back in 1983.) We did offer the one thing that the discount houses never could offer: _service_. This is true of specialty merchants everywhere, and that applies to you. I want all the members of the group to realize that, too. >Hopefully, as a show of good intent and to show folks why I really >subscribe to this list, I have removed my business sig., no further posts to >this list will show it. I also will not participate in any threads >concerning product searches or product discussions that touch on items I carry. >.... >Sitting here, typing to the list is how I relax, not earn a living. I see _nothing_ wrong with showing your banner, as it were. I think people _should_ know where you are, what you do, and what you have available. I have read your posts, and you have never been aggressive, or tried to push your merchandise on _anyone_. We both are here to offer a public service, or we wouldn't do what we're doing: volunteering free consultation, tossing out ideas, et cetera. We both love this hobby - or rather, _all_ of us. Our actions are proof enough of our intentions. From what I know of the net, no one criticizes anyone for admitting their business affiliation. Spamming is what gets flames. I would suggest you _not_ withdraw your signature footer, but that is just my opinion. :-) I have mentioned to Don - a while back - that I intend to write a book with a lot of my mechanical (and non-mechanical) ideas in it, along with a number of electronic designs by a close associate who chief engineer for an industrial controls firm. I want to pick up where "How to Run a Financially Successful Haunted House" left off, with no duplication of material or significant overlap. My interest is in original effects only, and I won't be stealing ideas from the posters in this list to use for profit. The writing of this book is not why I am here, any more than your specialty business is for you, but I see no reason not to tell people it is going to happen. Heh... it certainly isn't going to make me rich - I just want to document my hobby efforts over the years. ---- Passing note on the BL/BLB thingie: Relating to BL vs. BLB tubes from the major manufacturers, the Philips catalog shows the life expectancy for both of these items as being the same. This does not prove anything about the phosphors, of course, but it does speak about quality of the parts, as per your comments on the electrodes, etc. I was informed by someone I spoke with that the reason for the much higher cost of BLB tubes was the blue filter glass. At least, this is what I was told. ---- >3. Never suggest using round head screws on soft aluminum as cam >followers. Find something that rolls, tear a wheel and axle off a toy >car if you have to. Yes, you are correct. The aluminum will eventually be gouged. What I really had in mind was a round top, un-slotted bolt. I had used this method before, and yes, it did wear the aluminum, but it never wore through the bar stock in the slow-moving application I used it in. I just soaked the thing with WD-40 occasionally. I admit that this is unsound engineering in a professional setting, but the machine worked. Folks, if any of you are building the 'Grim Organist', take note of this. If you can find a real (or improvised) roller bearing, use it, or you may eventually need to replace the spiral cam. The revised plans I will eventually draw will reflect this change. (I remember seeing a certain kind of kitchen cupboard latch in which one of the elements is a little nylon wheel on a mounting bracket, but I can't remember how freely it turned. Check the hardware store.) Right here, I should admit to another couple of weakness in the engineering I do for Halloween mechanicals. First, here's another aspect of the cam problem: When the follower reaches the end of the spiral, it snaps back down to the lower level, and will eventually pit the cam if the roundhead bolt is used. You'd never design a professional piece of gear this way, but I believe you will find that it works well enough to last several seasons. The other weakness is in the bearings I build for pivots, such as the Organist's shoulder. These things will only work well in slow moving devices, and that is the only place I use them. They will eventually wear away the aluminum, but it takes a long time. Why do I design things this way? It keeps the project affordable, mainly, and makes it possible for those with very limited resources to build something halfway complex that actually works. As an example of this, I built a mechanical centaur prosthesis (yep, the back half of a horse) that uses the same bearings and linkages. It has an entire skeleton of aluminum parts, and the 'backbone' is a set of tubular aluminum stock pieces arranged in a long triangle. (A child can even sit on it with little discomfort to the wearer.) I took it to several conventions, banged it around a lot, even danced in it (!) and it still works. Yeah, I have to unzip the fake-fur skin and take a wrench to certain bolts occasionally, but it mainly stays together. I would have never been able to afford to build this device if I had used legitimate engineering techniques in all cases. A word of warning, however, is in order - don't try this at home unless you want a divorce! ;-) -Doug (A word about my footer - "The Keys to the Kingdom" is a behind-the-scenes tour offered in The Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World, in which they take you backstage and show you some of the imagineering aspects of things. The phrase above it contains the cornerstone principles of the Disney park operations. I just think it's neat.) *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 05:25:51 1996 Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 23:32:09 -0500 From: Jason R To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: A note on Theater Effects Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Nathan Kahn wrote: > > >Just a note here about Theater Effects. > > > >I have there Cobweb Spinner, and I would say that well, the price was > >right, it was shipped on time and I have been pretty much sastified.. > > > >Just so you know. > > Its nice to hear such kind words. Too bad we don't sell cobweb spinners. > Yes yes, your right, it was Theater Magic, {SFX Design} And BOY are they hard to get a hold of unless you work for a big Hollywood Movie Studio. But on the upshot, Theater Effects is STILL a darn good company Jay -- Jason R Member FDC {Beach Club lighting tech} VRC Homepage, Use it to find out ALL your Disney info needs. --Http://www.vivanet.com/~thelazer -- "I told'em the truth, and they fell for it"-Harry Anderson. From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 05:30:32 1996 Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 19:57:51 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: MilesManor Subject: Dressing up my skulls. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Pardon my ignorance here folks, but what kind of candles are the ones that melt and drip all over. I know most people wouldn't want candles that do that, but I wanted to have dripping wax on my skulls. __________________________ |\/\/\/\/\/| Lynne Miles \0 0 0 0 / qoe@sna.com |~~~~~~| Orangvale, CA From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 05:43:16 1996 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: ferris@terrabyte.net (Joan Berkowitz) Subject: Spooking For Supplies ;) Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 00:47:49 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi all, We made a stop over to our local Dollar Tree Store today. They have alot of Halloween supplies in. We got five nicely done ceramic candle holders that we are going to use light blubs in them instead of the tea candles. They have large openings. Couldn't resist that ghost windsock, and some packages of halloween miniatures that was there. We'll use them for the haunted dollhouse we are making. Also stopped by a Crafts and Stuff store, and looked at all the Halloween decor there. They had lots of stuff there. Lots of scarecrows - large and small. We don't get anything there this time but got some ideas for later use. Going to go to a fabric shop later on to get some burlap. ----------------------- Joni & Stephen Berkowitz ferris@terrabyte.net ----------------------- Batty About Halloween :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 05:45:39 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 00:24:53 -0500 From: Jason R To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: The Blacklite Adventure, Concluded. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Well I know that this isnt quite as a long thesis on the essence of blacklighting tubes and proper coating usages.. But. I have been thinking latly, these compact floecsnt bulbs that are now sold in stores. Wouldnt they put out enought UV light if coated right?. I would think they do as they seem to be the same as a reguler fluourecnt light, just smaller tubes?. Jay P.S Most amazing.. I have spelled the word Florescent 3 differnt times, and still havent spelled it right... But, then again that's just me -- Jason R Member FDC {Beach Club lighting tech} VRC Homepage, Use it to find out ALL your Disney info needs. --Http://www.vivanet.com/~thelazer -- "I told'em the truth, and they fell for it"-Harry Anderson. From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 06:05:25 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Sat, 17 Aug 1996 20:59:51 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: The Blacklite Adventure, Concluded. To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Nothing personal and I really mean no offense but your research No offense taken. The information was my attempt at the pursuit of a hobby. I love to see information. If it was too obvious (or pedantic) to anyone else here, forget all about it. I just like to add signal rather than noise, and it seemed as if my earlier, more uneducated product review contained noise. I went to school with the attempt to remove it. I see that I did not satisfy the needs of everyone, but who can? As regards the CdS cell, I have a suspicion, with the massive changes of reading I was getting, that the small amount of visible blue was not the cause. When I am asked a question (or posed a problem) I cannot answer or solve, I get intensely curious. I get literature, and whatnot, even though it's just a tomfool hobby. ;-) I am going to find out, again out of sheer curiosity, what the sensitivity of CdS is to UV. I will not report the findings unless I am asked, and then only in private. It's not a sword, it's a comfy chair! If anyone is 'simple minded', it is I. I have a degree in Religion, which I never used for any related purpose. I learned all I know about engineering from the seat of my pants. As you mentioned with your spooks, it is whether they glow that mattered, first and formost to me when I began. It is whether the figure moves or hangs that matters. I do cheesy engineering only because I have to. I haven't a shop, although I'd love access to one. I guess that is what had me scratching my head over the corrections I was getting. Now you know my limitations. I am learning, though. The experience, actually is now a positive one. Push me to think, and I learn. :-) I will let this end here. My stuff is flawed, yes, but with some tinkering, someone with more experience can make it work better. It's all just ideas, after all. Still enjoying th ride, -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 07:46:34 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 02:46:06 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: New Halloween Product Review To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Denny, I appreciate your conducting this test. I suspect it is meaningful in that it indicates that the statements of the manufacturer are too glib in indicating there is no difference in the lamps, save for the filter. It is valid to use the same target for both tests, of course, regardless of the fluorescent material in use. I have never owned any BL tubes, and always wondered if the specs (always verbal) that were handed to me were true in the real world. Sure, the whole business might be considered pointless by the average hobbyist, but I personally find it interesting. I will stick to BLB tubes: lots less trouble, and for Haunts, the visible light is just a negative factor. -D *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 16:00:18 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 10:43:13 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Dressing up my skulls. To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >what kind of candles are the ones that melt and drip all over. Back when my family had a craft store, we sold 'dripless' candles. Once a lady came in fuming mad, carrying a candle holder which was encrusted with melted wax - from a dripless candle. We finally got the facts from her - the candle had been in the path of a breeze. This will make the candle (1) burn faster and (2) melt on one or more sides instead of consuming the wax. Maybe you could use a small fan near the candle to force a landslide of wax? -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 23:00:32 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 13:10:39 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: Saving compressed air Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >A friend of mine is building something and he won't let me know what >it is until its done. But he does have a problem and asked me to help >out. When I find out what it is, I will post it. >Here is the problem, the effect uses compressed air but no active air >compressor. The air is contained in a tank (up to 140 lb psi) which has >been previously filled. The air drives a piston and is controlled by valves >for up/down movement. The problem is it runs out of air after a short while >and the tank has to be refilled. Does anyone know how to recirculate the air >in the tank so it is not lost. We have plenty of valves. Get a bigger tank. They are available in a variety of sizes. Or rent a compressed air cylinder from a welding supply place. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 23:17:18 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 13:10:56 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: The Blacklite Adventure, Concluded. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >A brief flashback, first. Earlier this afternoon, I passed by >the local Radio Shack and picked up a packet of CdS (Cadmium Sulfde) >photocells. These are basically a variable resistor, much like a >potentiometer, except that it is light input that causes the resistance >to vary. They are quite sensitive and vary from many MegaOhms down to >a few Ohms depending upon the intensity of the source. I tested one >on a blacklight tube in a darkened room, and _viola!_ It worked - >turns out the little guys _are_ sensitive to long-wave UV! All that >remains is to derive a standard testing procedure (as regards distance >from the fixture, position relative to bulb center, etc.), develop a >reference reading, and it will be a simple matter to begin testing >different tubes for _relative_ output. Ahh, science! This sounds great. I look forward to hearing your results. >Another neat surprise is that Philips manufactures a BLB version >of the PLS style bulb, Item PLS 9W/08 (the stubby little u-shaped lamp >bulb replacement tubes that have become so popular.) This item is on our new products flier, but didn't make it to the website yet. It is a hot product, and I expect to see it at Spencers any day now. As most of you know, the screw-in blacklight bulbs are mainly novelty items. Reason being that an incandescent bulb does not give off much UV light, so when you filter it by using BLB glass to prevent everything but UV from being transmitted, all it does it make the bulb get hot because it is preventing practically *all* of the light output from being transmitted. A filter to prevent all light but UV from passing is not going to do you much good if the bulb isn't creating any UV light to begin with. (Fluorescents are the next step in efficient UV sources, Mercury Vapors are the step after that.) Anyway, now with these compact fluorescent retrofit bulbs that have become so popular as energy-saving devices (you've all seen them, a U-shaped fluorescent tube attached to a base that screws into a conventional light bulb socket), the geniuses at Philips have made a compact fluorescent BLB that screws into a conventional light bulb socket and gives off almost as much UV as those 18" blacklights that are so popular in Spencer's etc. Retail on these is in the $25 range - not even close to the $3.99 current screw-ins - but now you can put a *real* blacklight bulb in a regular light bulb socket, something that previously was completely unavailable. >With one of these >in the right fixture, you can have something approaching a spotlight! >This bulb has a 3000 hour useful life. I'm not sure what you mean by this. I use the term "spotlight" to describe a concentrated beam of light that will project for a reasonable distance. All fluorescents are "floodlights". I don't really think any fixture is going to change that. (But I'm willing to be proved wrong! :-) Thanks for all the blacklight info, and look forward to hearing the results on that photocell test thing. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Sun Aug 18 23:52:01 1996 From: dbell@cup.portal.com To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Getting long - Date: Sun, 18 Aug 96 10:42:19 PDT Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: (To the list!) Doug: May be "Getting long -", but always welcome! Can't wait to see your book out. Sounds like a mating of "How to...Haunted House" with "Nuts and Volts" - a match made in hackers' heaven! Relating to your comments about bearings and availability of weird mechanical components for the non-industrial builder, I wanted to mention to folks that there is a wealth of little goodies like this at your local hardware store. Look for them hiding in the screen- and patio door parts, and (as Doug suggested) the cabinet latches and hinges. For small pulleys, often with ball bearing hubs, you can't beat "sliding" door wheels. At around $1 to $3 each, they aren't "free", but they are really useful, and a lot cheaper than industrial parts houses! You'll find all kinds of sizes (<1" to ~2", anyway), materials (aluminum, steel, nylon), and centers (a hole for an oiled bolt, to full ball bearings). Stack a couple with a flat washer between, and you have excellant out-guides for the famous Flying Crank Ghost. Should be able to locate a smallish single ball chair or stool glide - a great cam follower... Dave dbell@cup.portal.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 00:22:20 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 13:10:50 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Regarding the output differential between BL and BLB bulbs, I was >sent a spectrum vs. output wattage (per 10 nanometers) plot, which was >hand drawn. The data is indicated to be based upon a 4' tube (F40BL >and F40BLB.) It shows the highest peak at about 370 nanometers >(wavelength) for BLB bulbs which is at an amplitude of about 3.8 >watts/10 nanometers. The peak for BL type bulbs is actually >considerably _higher_, with a peak at 374 nanometers at an amplitude of >4.75 watts/10 nanometers. One must conclude, however, that if a filter >glass is used, it would reduce some of the UV output. Probably, with a >quality filter glass, the two sources would be roughly equal in output, >as the exact same phosphor mix is probably in use. Spectrum versus *output wattage*? What is output wattage? Wattage is a unit of power *consumption* - bulbs consume power, they don't create it. (OK I guess the light from a bulb is energy which could be converted to power, but I've never seen this considered in lighting specs.) So it seems to me that GE is saying it requires 3.8W to create 10 nanometers in a BLB, and 4.75W in a BL. From this I would conclude that a 40W BLB would create *more* UV light than a 40W BL. >Consider this: It >would make little economic sense to run two assembly lines with >different phosphors to coat these two types of tubes, as it is not >necessary to do so to obtain the desired output results. I agree with you. As I mentioned before, I always thought the only difference between BLB's and BL's was the glass, but I must admit I never actually asked any of the lamp manufacturers if this was true. >Most _mercury_ lamps produce both visible light and blacklight. When >mercury lamps are used for blacklight applications, they require >external filters to filter out the visible light. A clear mercury lamp >is a better source for blacklight than a coated mercury lamp. Clear >mercury lamps are described as "Clear and Blacklight" in the large lamp >catalog. >(What we need now is a source for the necessary filters. Retailers, can >you help us out?) You can find these filters on Theatre Effects' website (address below), and also on the website I mentioned recently for Altman Stage Lighting (www.altmanltg.com). In both cases, look in the Blacklights section. There is also a company in Japan that makes mercury vapor lamps with an integral filter (BLB mercury vapor lamps so to speak). They are available in a variety of sizes, but will only work in 220V ballasted fixtures. I sell a few here and there, but not many. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 04:32:23 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 04:33:15 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Checked out Mac Frugals Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Lynne, You are making me jealous. I can't wait until morning so I can find their telephone numbers and make a plan to go visit them, and the Michaels store too. My invitation still stands, want to do lunch?? Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 04:44:46 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 04:57:02 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: New Halloween Product Review Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Nathan, I went to the site for Altman, and left a email concerning their selling of rental items. They seem to have some good prices on their used supplies. I will see what the warranty is on it first. Thanks for the lead. Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 05:03:46 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 03:16:41 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Doug, If nothing else I must say that when you decided to find out about something you spare no one!! Good for you. I does seem surprising that with all the laws and things that specs like you are asking for are not able to be given. I have decided to buy a couple of different bulbs, letting them know that I am testing them and will return the ones that I can not use. If they won't let me do that then I will ask for a active display of the different bulbs. At the costs they can't argue with you???Maybe I will go in dressed as a dead body, that is usually how you feel when they get done waiting on you anyway!! Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 05:57:18 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 03:50:02 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Mac Frugal location Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Lynne, I can see that I am going to have to take a day and go shopping in the Sacto area. Free for lunch?? We could shop together and really destroy the economy. Check books open and here we go!! I just picked up a couple of the patterns for the vests at Wal-Mart they were a few dollars cheaper than at NYF. They seem very easy to make, and I bought a really neat Halloween fabric to line them with. I am going to try to sew them so they can be reversible! Two vests for the price of one. I will let you know how it works. As for the two dead birds....I could stuff them and put them on the tombstones with red LED lights in their eyes and some neat sounds coming from their mouths. Never doubt if I can find it I will use it. Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 06:20:08 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 96 17:29:08 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: bdosfx@wimsey.com (Brian D. Oberquell) Subject: Another Halloween Gadget Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I was going through Ben Franklin Crafts and saw a device for use in a jack-o-lantern; it has red LEDs for the eyes and a voice module that says "Happy Halloween!" when you walk past (it has a motion sensor). It was selling for $7.99 Might be interesting... Brian ______________________________________________________________________________ Brian D. Oberquell The Wizard's Den SPFX Studio 210 Cornell Way Port Moody, B.C. CANADA V3H 3W2 Phone (604) 931-6298 Pager (604) 895-3721 From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 06:34:32 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 02:58:45 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Budget decor hint Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Jason, Thanks for checking on the stores for me. We have tried looking in our area but for now Spencers is about the biggest. We do have a store that has only Halloween stuff starting the last week in Sept. about 45mins. away, but their prices are good in emergency only. The day after Halloween starting around 7am they have a giant 1/2 off sale and that is when we hit it for the next year. Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 07:01:36 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 03:27:27 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: MacFrugals & Other Stores Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Doug, I can not believe that with all this knowledge and stuff you still have no where to play. Isn't there some nice neighbor around that would let you destroy.... I mean decorate their house??? As for the Mini Haunted House a good craft store will have all the small items to make it work. I can just see a black house with colored plastic in the windows. They do sell little minature light sets. If you can't find what you need drop me a line and maybe I can find some. We have a wonderful little minature shop in our area and they carry just about everything. Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 07:35:05 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 19:32:58 -0500 From: Jason R To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Saving compressed air Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Lund said >The problem is it runs out of air after a short while > and the tank has to be refilled. Does anyone know how to recirculate the air > in the tank so it is not lost. We have plenty of valves. Hmm,, well let me put it this way. I think your not quite running a on fully charged tank there lund.. Sorry about that pun, no harm ment. Really!. The only way to do this, is basicly get a compresser to put more air into the tank. In order for air pressure to work, the air has to be let out under pressuer to a envoriment that is of less pressure.. For example a tank with 20 pounds of air will be able to charge a tank with only 5 pounds of air, but once that tank is charged it can not charge the other one back up, as the two pressure will be equal, each tank haveing only1 12.5 pounds of air in each. So, applying this to your system, you can use the air to pressureize something then expect it to re-pressureize the tank it came from. You have to have a compresser or a new tank with full pressure ready. Jay -- Jason R Member FDC {Beach Club lighting tech} VRC Homepage, Use it to find out ALL your Disney info needs. --Http://www.vivanet.com/~thelazer -- "I told'em the truth, and they fell for it"-Harry Anderson. From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 08:46:08 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 08:16:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Bertino To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Fri, 16 Aug 1996 DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu wrote: > > The Adventures of Blacklite Jones > or: The Search for the Missing Microwatts [.................] Wow! I'm gone for a week and look what happens... :) Nice job as all ways! And a special thanks to Denny for watching over the list while I'm gone! don bertino@netcom.com ____/^\_____________________________________ Disney ascii art & / \ || FDC MCP || / \ animations are at <______\ [] [] [] || [] [] [] || [] [] [] /______> http://www.calweb.com \----------------||----------||----------------/=== /~bertino===============\______________||__________||______________/===== From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 08:54:42 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 08:24:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Bertino To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Getting long- Re: New Halloween Product Review Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Sat, 17 Aug 1996 DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu wrote: Hi All! > >Steal the thunder? Whoa, hit nerve didn't I? > > 'Thunder' was perhaps a wrong choice of words, admittedly. My family > always used that phrase jokingly among its members, and I use it a lot. > I think you got entirely the wrong impression from my post(s). After I > had written the review on the Blacklite Stik and posted it, I > remembered that at least two among us were vendors of blacklight > products. I thought it was the correct thing to do, in a diplomatic > sense, to make sure no one was being stepped upon. I was not doing a > knee-jerk there, just trying to be fair. Fair enough. I exspecially want to commend Denny and Nathan here. When ever I have read their posts about products that *they* sell, they will give another, and sometimes a third place to buy the samething. Kuddo's for showing class and style. This is not a bad thing for all members to adopt when posting ad's about their web pages/products. What do you all think? > I see _nothing_ wrong with showing your banner, as it were. I think > people _should_ know where you are, what you do, and what you have > available. I have read your posts, and you have never been aggressive, > or tried to push your merchandise on _anyone_. We both are here to > offer a public service, or we wouldn't do what we're doing: > volunteering free consultation, tossing out ideas, et cetera. We both > love this hobby - or rather, _all_ of us. Our actions are proof enough > of our intentions. From what I know of the net, no one criticizes > anyone for admitting their business affiliation. Spamming is what gets > flames. I would suggest you _not_ withdraw your signature footer, but > that is just my opinion. :-) D*mn straight. Right on Doug. A hearty "Me, too".... ;) > (A word about my footer - "The Keys to the Kingdom" is a > behind-the-scenes tour offered in The Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney > World, in which they take you backstage and show you some of the > imagineering aspects of things. The phrase above it contains the > cornerstone principles of the Disney park operations. I just think > it's neat.) I have heard good things about this tour. Disneyland had a similar tour for about three weeks before the safety division shut it down. :( don bertino@netcom.com ____/^\_____________________________________ Disney ascii art & / \ || FDC MCP || / \ animations are at <______\ [] [] [] || [] [] [] || [] [] [] /______> http://www.calweb.com \----------------||----------||----------------/=== /~bertino===============\______________||__________||______________/===== From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 18:59:04 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:29:17 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: The Blacklite Adventure, Concluded. To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >All fluorescents are "floodlights". I don't really think any fixture is >going to change that. (But I'm willing to be proved wrong! :-) Oops. Wrong choice of terminology on my part. What I mean to imply is a 'close-up' can over which a fresnel lens might be put to localize the light without spreading it all over the stage. Contemplated distance between 'can' and target: 6 ' or less. Would it work? -Doug From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 19:46:50 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:58:53 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy, You wrote: >If nothing else I must say that when you decided to find out about >something you spare no one!! Heh - I sure got some people to post some awfully helpful info, didn't I? ;-) I want to put a big section on blacklight and how to use it into the book. As Denny correctly pointed out, there is little need in such a treatise for the number stuff, but I figured that having it before trying to write about the issue would make me (and other contributors) more informed. That was really the whole point of the exercise. Plus, I'm a nosey little nerd. :-) -Doug From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 20:08:52 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 11:06:41 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: MacFrugals & Other Stores To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >I can not believe that with all this knowledge and stuff you still have >no where to play. Isn't there some nice neighbor around that would let >you destroy.... I mean decorate their house??? Well, there is a guy just around the corner with a big Halloween yard. It's low-tech (like my stuff isn't?) and has no moving displays. I think my wife (Barbara) would probably kill me If I were to volunteer to help a stranger with his halloween yard. But who knows? Thanks for the offer of help on Halloween dollhouses, btw. I may just be doing one next year - albeit a small one. I will be here, and I will contact you. By the way, would someone on this list be interested in writing a book on _that_ subject? I'd even volunteer to do the layout in Quark XPress. Anyone? -Doug From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 21:21:26 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:50:34 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Spectrum versus *output wattage*? What is output wattage? I dunno - that's how the engineer from G.E. labeled the graph! :-) I guess we'd have to ask him. Perhaps it relates to the fact that measurements for UV are made in Microwatts/cm^2. -Doug From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 21:44:49 1996 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 17:34:15 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Welcome Back Don, Denny did a great job taking care of us while you were gone! As I am sure your read Denny is now running for President and I have been nominated to run as his VEEP (Very Extra Eerie Person). Hope vacation was great. Down to business, how did the light meeting go in Sacto??? Did you learn anything we can use during Halloween to lighten our victims?? Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 22:04:59 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 10:46:15 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Getting long - To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Dave, Thanks for posting this about parts at the hardware store! I should mention this about the book, too... I would like to solicit contributions from list members, as well as photographs from anyone who builds either the designs I include or the designs submitted by a contributor. I will provide full credit for all submissions, list the contributors' names (both at the front of the book and on the pages detailing their designs. ) Denny has already agreed to be one of the technical proofreaders, and I expect that it will not be hard to find other volunteers (all of whom will get credit in the book.) I want all this stuff to work flawlessly, and for this to be the true successor to "How to Run a Financially Successful Haunted House" from the technical side. Denny has also agreed to be a distributor for the book when it is published. I want this to be something that gives Halloween-L a name, much as the "Bibbidy Bobbidy Bach" CD did for the alt.disney.xxx newsgroups. (The newsgroups are sited in the liner nots as having been the source of suggestions for pieces included on the disk.) If this sounds interesting to you, let me know. With permission, I'd like to see things like the pop-up ghost and the outdoor flying ghost appear in the book - I will not include anything, however, unless the creator(s) agree to the inclusion. -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Mon Aug 19 22:19:39 1996 From: Raines@Porcelain.com Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 08:53:32 -0500 (CDT) To: Halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: unsubscribe raines@porcelain.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 02:24:56 1996 From: LCIRUSS@aol.com Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:32:34 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: For those of you with a little electronics background or those of you who are just curious, check out the October issue of Popular Electronics. It ha a device featured this month called the Goblin Greeter and it is to be used in conjuction with the Pepper Ghost Illusion. It has plans for a light controller, a timer, reflector and a ghost. To summerize it shows the pepper ghost set up in an entrance door. The unsuspecting visitor approaches and via the trigger of your choice, be it the door bell, mat trigger or a motion detector the light gradually comes up and a recording of your making (in your scariest voice of course) is played then the lights fade to black. I'm sure you guys could come up with about a gazillion uses for these units. Have not made one yet but a great device - check it out. Bye for now, Russell From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 02:38:15 1996 From: "D. Joseph Creighton" Subject: Lightning In A Can To: halloween-l@netcom.com ("The Hallowe'en-ies") Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:27:28 -0500 (CDT) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: For those of you searching for "The Ultimate"(tm)(R)(C) in simulated lightning, take a peek over at http://www.paranoia.com/~filipg/HTML/REPAIR/F_Camer_Flash5.html#CAMERFLASH_007 I would seriosly heed the warnings in section 6.6.2. - Joe (*poof* goes the neighbourhood) -- "Reality is a complex, non-linear system." -- John Peterson on future-casting. http://www.ee.umanitoba.ca/~djc/ D. Joseph Creighton [ESTP]\ Sr. Programmer, DB Support: Administrative Systems Joe_Creighton@UManitoba.CA \ University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 06:36:38 1996 From: skoelke@metronet.com To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 22:12:10 +0000 Subject: Re: Saving compressed air Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > >A friend of mine is building something and he won't let me know what > >it is until its done. But he does have a problem and asked me to help > >out. When I find out what it is, I will post it. > >Here is the problem, the effect uses compressed air but no active air > >compressor. The air is contained in a tank (up to 140 lb psi) which has > >been previously filled. The air drives a piston and is controlled by valves > >for up/down movement. The problem is it runs out of air after a short while > >and the tank has to be refilled. Does anyone know how to recirculate the air > >in the tank so it is not lost. We have plenty of valves. > > Get a bigger tank. They are available in a variety of sizes. > > Or rent a compressed air cylinder from a welding supply place. > These are both probably the best ideas short of buying, borrowing, or renting an air compressor. Of course if someone could find a way to recompress the air after it has gone out and done some work, Ild like to see that perpeputal motion machine Really all you can do with additional values, etc is to make sure that as little air is lost for each action as possible. This means that your control values need to be as close to your action cylinders as possible, and using real air cylinders instead of a PVC cylinder as it won't leak any air when extended. Also, with some needle values, you can reduce the amount of air pressure to the minimum needed to get the work done that you need. This should help conserve your available air. Good luck! Dan (Using his wife's account) skoelke@metronet.com smiles are worth millions. :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) http://www.metronet.com/~skoelke/ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 07:04:12 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 21:08:31 PST Subject: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi everybody, I've been lurking out here on halloween-l since last year but haven't had much to say! But since the list has been so active lately I've had Halloween on the brain again, and a Bugs Bunny cartoon I saw the other day gave me some inspiration. Not to mention all the cool ideas you guys have! I have a 1910 Craftsman-style house (no not Sears Craftsman!) so I like to decorate my front porch like a haunted house every year. The Bugs Bunny cartoon was the one where Bugs' rabbit hole gets flooded and he floats down a river to the castle of a mad scientist who wants Bugs' brain for his new robot. (Gossamer, the "IN-te-resting monster", appeared in this one.) The castle had a flashing sign outside that alternated "EVIL SCIENTIST" with "BOO". So I want to make a similar sign to put above my porch, and get a used lab coat to wear for answering the door. I also want to make some glow-in-the-dark footprints that come out my front door and start out as human footprints but gradually change to monster prints. I also plan to make some tombstones and name them for failed lab experiments of some sort. My husband was tickled by the "flaming grave" idea so we might even try to do that too. My teenage daughter, on the other hand, looked at me like I had a highly contagious disease and said "You are really weird Mom. I hope no one will know I live here." My dumb questions are: 1) What would be a cheap way to make the sign? I can't afford to have a real neon sign made (cool though it would be!), so I'm thinking maybe a box with the words cut out of the front, with alternately flashing light bulbs inside (box would be divided inside so only one part would light at a time). Radio Shack would have some sort of device I could use to make it flash, I hope? My husband (Glenn) and I are both engineers, so I can't believe I'm so clueless about this! 2) I'm in the Seattle area and am wondering, how well will styrofoam tombstones hold up in wet weather? Is there something I can do to waterproof them? I want to make these suckers look as real as possible. Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-xmas-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 07:40:15 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 07:11:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Bertino To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Lights, Lights, Lights.... Reply-To: xmas-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Sun, 18 Aug 1996, Michael Marcrum wrote: Hi Kathy! > Denny did a great job taking care of us while you were gone! As I am > sure your read Denny is now running for President and I have been > nominated to run as his VEEP (Very Extra Eerie Person). Hope vacation was > great. :) It was. Too short, but what's new? ;) > Down to business, how did the light meeting go in Sacto??? Did you > learn anything we can use during Halloween to lighten our victims?? It was not as hands on as I'd would of loved but worth the time. I'm not sure how much can be adapted for Halloween, or Christmas for that much. Here are two more manf's of xmas lights: GKI 7501 West Oakland Park Blvd. Lauderhill, FL 33319 800-327-7529 J. Hofert Co. 5955 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90047 213-750-6500 A brief overview: The first Main Street Electrical Parade was in September 9, 1895 in Sacramento, CA: 20 floats 25,000 incandescent lights 600 arc lights of cherry red, apple green and orange The parade was 2 miles long and ran continuously from 7 pm til midnight. This in a county who's population was less than 40,000. 1995 was the third or fourth running of the parade, called the "Grand Carvival of Lights" and it's 100th anniversary. The largest electrical parade currently in the US is in West Peoria, IL (Denny? Ever been there?) in October. 50 floats, lights per float are between 90,000 to 200,000 a piece. The worst float here is twice as good as anything Disney has put together... (And this from a Disney Fan) All floats are owned and built by the city. The city has a 50,000 SF building to house the floats, the parade is in October, and the floats are parked outside after the parade for the rest of the winter in a nearby park, which you can drive thru for so much ($$$) a car. As for building floats.... They builded them with thin wall conduit 1/2. There was much discussion on inverters vs. generators (inverters work off the electrical system of the car, and will dim and brighten with the RPM's of the auto, this is a bad thing (to them)) Lot's of fun stuff. Too bad I only got to the last class for the year. BTW, went to McFurgels (sp?) There is one in South Sacramento. If your coming out this way, please let me know and we will all do lunch.. :) Strings of orange 50light minutures for $1.99, Strings of orange C9 25 light for $7.99. Not cheap, yet. I'm still looking for a strand of 25 C9 blacklight for under $25.. :) That's all for now. Gotta go thru my other 500 messages... :) don bertino@netcom.com ____/^\_____________________________________ Disney ascii art & / \ || FDC MCP || / \ animations are at <______\ [] [] [] || [] [] [] || [] [] [] /______> http://www.calweb.com \----------------||----------||----------------/=== /~bertino===============\______________||__________||______________/===== From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 07:51:13 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 07:11:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Bertino To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Lights, Lights, Lights.... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Sun, 18 Aug 1996, Michael Marcrum wrote: Hi Kathy! > Denny did a great job taking care of us while you were gone! As I am > sure your read Denny is now running for President and I have been > nominated to run as his VEEP (Very Extra Eerie Person). Hope vacation was > great. :) It was. Too short, but what's new? ;) > Down to business, how did the light meeting go in Sacto??? Did you > learn anything we can use during Halloween to lighten our victims?? It was not as hands on as I'd would of loved but worth the time. I'm not sure how much can be adapted for Halloween, or Christmas for that much. Here are two more manf's of xmas lights: GKI 7501 West Oakland Park Blvd. Lauderhill, FL 33319 800-327-7529 J. Hofert Co. 5955 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90047 213-750-6500 A brief overview: The first Main Street Electrical Parade was in September 9, 1895 in Sacramento, CA: 20 floats 25,000 incandescent lights 600 arc lights of cherry red, apple green and orange The parade was 2 miles long and ran continuously from 7 pm til midnight. This in a county who's population was less than 40,000. 1995 was the third or fourth running of the parade, called the "Grand Carvival of Lights" and it's 100th anniversary. The largest electrical parade currently in the US is in West Peoria, IL (Denny? Ever been there?) in October. 50 floats, lights per float are between 90,000 to 200,000 a piece. The worst float here is twice as good as anything Disney has put together... (And this from a Disney Fan) All floats are owned and built by the city. The city has a 50,000 SF building to house the floats, the parade is in October, and the floats are parked outside after the parade for the rest of the winter in a nearby park, which you can drive thru for so much ($$$) a car. As for building floats.... They builded them with thin wall conduit 1/2. There was much discussion on inverters vs. generators (inverters work off the electrical system of the car, and will dim and brighten with the RPM's of the auto, this is a bad thing (to them)) Lot's of fun stuff. Too bad I only got to the last class for the year. BTW, went to McFurgels (sp?) There is one in South Sacramento. If your coming out this way, please let me know and we will all do lunch.. :) Strings of orange 50light minutures for $1.99, Strings of orange C9 25 light for $7.99. Not cheap, yet. I'm still looking for a strand of 25 C9 blacklight for under $25.. :) That's all for now. Gotta go thru my other 500 messages... :) don bertino@netcom.com ____/^\_____________________________________ Disney ascii art & / \ || FDC MCP || / \ animations are at <______\ [] [] [] || [] [] [] || [] [] [] /______> http://www.calweb.com \----------------||----------||----------------/=== /~bertino===============\______________||__________||______________/===== From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 08:21:09 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 09:18:39 PST From: "Sparks, Doug" To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: Mac Frugal location Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Lynne, I can see that I am going to have to take a day and go shopping in the Sacto area. Free for lunch?? We could shop together and really destroy the economy. Check books open and here we go!! I just picked up a couple of the patterns for the vests at Wal-Mart they were a few dollars cheaper than at NYF. They seem very easy to make, and I bought a really neat Halloween fabric to line them with. I am going to try to sew them so they can be reversible! Two vests for the price of one. I will let you know how it works. As for the two dead birds....I could stuff them and put them on the tombstones with red LED lights in their eyes and some neat sounds coming from their mouths. Never doubt if I can find it I will use it. Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com Speaking of which (grin), I found a fake raven recently at San Diego Floral Supply. Rather nice, (my cats took a long time sniffing it before marking it as thiers) and it will be rather simple to give it lit eyes. The price for it was about $12 I believe. Question of the day: Can you hook leds together (ie in-line)? I would think so, but I seem to remember something said otherwise. The Other Doug dsparks@ligand.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 08:21:44 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 17:50:00 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Dragon Construction Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy, I went through some of the archives I printed out and kept from last year. The directions for constructing the dragon have a subject line titled: Disney Ascii, Dragon Construction and was posted by UPFIELD@polsci.perdue.edu You'll also find quite detailed artsy-fartsy arty-crafty projects in the archives. I also found over 35 addresses and phone numbers for suppliers of all types - mostly electronics and gadgetry - with catalog info for many of them. Also listings for several "how-to" books - including ISBN numbers. Not to mention (extremely) detailed notes on using dental alginate to make your very own set of Halloween teeth! - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 08:31:15 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 09:56:56 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Katherine Townsend Subject: Re: Budget decor hint Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy, There is a MacFrugals in Rancho Cordova and also one in Fairfield or Vacaville. Katherine Townsend kltownsend@ucdavis.edu At 09:41 PM 8/15/96 -0700, you wrote: >At 04:19 PM 08/14/96 -0700, you wrote: >>OK Doug, >> Where do you live, and do I have a MacFrugal's in the northern Calif. >>area that you know of??? I am really going to have to get in the car, >>without the kids, and start looking around. I still haven't had time to >>check out the store in Vallejo that Don told me about. So much to do so >>little time to do it in. >>Kathy >>the new kid on the crypt > >Kathy, > There are at least 2 MacFrugal's in San Jose. I know its a far ride and >I'm checking tomorrow to see if they have their halloween stuff around here. > > --Jason > Katherine Townsend Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach Services kltownsend@ucdavis.edu From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 08:31:25 1996 From: Randi.Beers@cibadiag.com Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 08:22:22 -0400 Subject: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi, I was wondering if I added glow in the dark paint to the vulcanizing fluid if that would produce glow in the dark spider webs? Or just a big mess! I was imagining a hallway that was dark as someone entered. Then they trip an electronic flash! As their vision returns... all they see are glowing spider webs everywhere. Randi From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 08:44:15 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 96 09:21:20 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Rhino CD Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hey folks, Rhino has yet another CD headed your way in time for Halloween. Andrew Gold's Halloween Howls Rhino 72532 ISBN: 1-56628-096-6 It Must Be Halloween Monster Mash Spooky, Scary Skeletons Trick or Treat the Addam's Family Ghostbusters Gimmee A Smile (the Pumpkin Song) Don't Scream (It's Only Halloween) the Creature from the Tub Halloween Party Witches, Withches, Witches In Our Haunted House This CD features vocals by: Linda Ronstadt David Cassidy Karla Bonoff Stephen Bishop Nicolette Larson Greg Prestopino The old guy in me doesn't have a clue who Andrew Gold is (or all but two of the vocalists), but Rhino's material says Gold has worked with the likes of Rondstadt, Art Garfunkel, James Taylor, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne, Diana Ross, Cher, Wynonna Judd, Paul McCartney, and "countless others." And the old guy in me *does* know who all these people are... ;) I've never been diasappointed by Rhino's offerings. This one isn't exactly along the lines of "Feed My Frankenstein" (it's being promoted as Soft Rock), and there are songs that you'll find on ANY Halloween music recording - but as with most, it's usually worth the money to get the songs you don't have. Look for it in the stores by the end of August. Just not at Spencer's :( much to my chagrin. - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 15:02:57 1996 To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter From: SIMONJ@rh.wl.com (Jeff Simon) Date: 20 Aug 96 05:37:32 EDT Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Now *that* was a useful post ! Thanks Russell ! -- Jeff A. Simon Proud Member D.N.R.C. simonj@rh.wl.com O- From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 17:18:01 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 08:36:39 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: Blacklight Data Quest Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > >>Spectrum versus *output wattage*? What is output wattage? > >I dunno - that's how the engineer from G.E. labeled the graph! :-) >I guess we'd have to ask him. Perhaps it relates to the fact that >measurements for UV are made in Microwatts/cm^2. Aha, you may very well have hit the nail on the head there. In which case the BL's would be brighter than the BLB's as you initially suggested. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 17:51:21 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 08:36:41 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: The Blacklite Adventure, Concluded. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > >>All fluorescents are "floodlights". I don't really think any fixture is >>going to change that. (But I'm willing to be proved wrong! :-) > >Oops. Wrong choice of terminology on my part. What I mean to imply >is a 'close-up' can over which a fresnel lens might be put to localize >the light without spreading it all over the stage. Contemplated distance >between 'can' and target: 6 ' or less. Would it work? I would scrap the fresnel lens, but a can would sure help mask some of the light. Or you could get a stage light called a PAR 38 that has a regular screw-in socket in the back. You can get these at most music stores. Dave Bell brought to my attention that with some of the "spotlight" designs he has seen for downlighting in stores, something like that might work with this compact fluorescent as well. And he may very well be right, worth a shot I guess. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 18:17:49 1996 From: Jacqui Young To: "'halloween-l@netcom.com'" Subject: Lurker in the shadows Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 07:26:05 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Well I've been lurking on this list a little nervous of contributing = anything to such high tech people. The limit to my Halloween forays has = been to put out wooden cutouts of ghosts and black cats. We suffer a = lot of vandalism in my neighbourhood so anything more expensive is sadly = out of the questions. I spend my time instead working on decorating the inside of the house. = Primarily I cross-stitch, I've done some lovely glow in the dark haunted = houses (actually I also did one in plastic canvas). I've even = cross-stitched a tablecloth and napkins, black naturally and with my = ceramic pumpkin in the centre they look gorgeous. That of course is the = pretty side of halloween. Now on to the darker side. I do decorate the front hallway, the area = you see when you actually get the goodies. I dress up as some time of = monster (changes yearly), put on the spooky music, lower the lights, = creak open the door and usually start some 3 year old crying (does = wonders for my ego). The hallway decorations are limited to a styrofoam = tomb (purchased at Disneyland) a cackling witch and a few cobwebs. Any = suggestions. I'm low on cash or I'd love to buy one of those fog = machines. I am currently talking a friend into making me wooden tombstone cutouts = and hopefully by next year a coffin, which I plan to lie in on the front = lawn. =20 Any inexpensive hints. By the way I'll be happy to share what I can in the way of Halloween = cross-stitching ideas?? Not much, but then that's all I have, but I'm = working on it. Jacqui Temporary unlurker From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 19:06:44 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 21:50:49 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "Freya E. Harris" Subject: Our Halloween President Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: And don't forget that Hizzoner must forego those stuffy business suits and dress up in costume! He should wear a different costume every day - and have some really gnarly ones for special occasions. A scarecrow one day, a werewolf the next, then a ninja or a cow or whatever. And don't neglect what's in fashion - if dalmatians become hugely popular, he will have to dress up like a dalmatian at least once while they're big. Nor can costumes inspired by TV and movies be left out. Imagine watching as someone dressed like Darth Vader or Aladdin or Captain Jean-Luc Picard steps out of the presidential limo or walks down the steps from Air Force One! Hold it - Air Force One needs a new name. The Exoplasm Express? The Jitters Jet? Ideas, y'all? ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Winner of the 1995 World Series AND of the 1996 Olympic Games From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 19:18:39 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:09:17 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >My dumb questions are: >1) What would be a cheap way to make the sign? I can't afford to have >a real neon sign made (cool though it would be!), so I'm thinking maybe >a box with the words cut out of the front, with alternately flashing >light bulbs inside (box would be divided inside so only one part would >light at a time). Radio Shack would have some sort of device I could >use to make it flash, I hope? My husband (Glenn) and I are both >engineers, so I can't believe I'm so clueless about this! YES! This is a great idea. Make a wooden box with the words cut out, and covered with colored plexiglass. Radio Shak won't have this, you are going to need to visit a stage lighting, DJ lighting or music shop and buy what is known as a chase controller or sequencer. Prices $99+. OK, R.S. might have *something* that will work, haven't checked there for products like this in a while. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 19:19:45 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 22:03:26 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "Freya E. Harris" Subject: Re: Spooking For Supplies ;) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: One store I recommend is Wicks 'n' Sticks. They, as you probably surmised from the name, specialize in candles. Year round they have a lot of spooky merchandise out - beautiful candles in various shapes, as well as candle holders - but around this time they should emphasize what's appropriate for this time of year. Several years ago I bought a candle holder in the form of a skull resting atop a spell book. Put a black candle in it, and when that's the only light in the room, you can almost hear "In the Hall of the Mountain King" or "Night on Bald Mountain" in the background! ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Winner of the 1995 World Series AND of the 1996 Olympic Games From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 19:28:24 1996 Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 22:16:27 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "Freya E. Harris" Subject: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: This Halloween I am doing a costume that will involve a straitjacket. (I leave it as an exercise to the browser what it will be. Hint: It's from this year's news.) Anyone have any ideas on making an ersatz straitjacket? Unlike the real thing, it has to be easy to remove - I'm not running around all evening with my arms tied up. Need to eat and drink, after all. Such ideas could lead to ideas for decoration, or other costumes as well. Thanks in advance for anything y'all can think of. ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Winner of the 1995 World Series AND of the 1996 Olympic Games From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 19:57:46 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:31:32 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: mailing list speed Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: For those of you who have not noticed, netcom has indeed kept their promise, and their new dedicated mailing list server appears to be working as promised. I just received a list message that I sent not half an hour ago. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 20:11:44 1996 From: htraver@dreamsys.com Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 19:54:54 -0700 Subject: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: This Halloween I am doing a costume that will involve a straitjacket. (I leave it as an exercise to the browser what it will be. Hint: It's from this year's news.) Anyone have any ideas on making an ersatz straitjacket? Unlike the real thing, it has to be easy to remove - I'm not running around all evening with my arms tied up. Need to eat and drink, after all. Why not make one using Velcro pads to hold the arms in place? be creative... [ Sent From: Dreamscape Systems - dreamsys.com ] [ Location: Van Nuys, CA - (818) 781-7529 ] From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 21:48:50 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 06:15:33 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Lurker in the shadows Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Jacqui, Welcome, I would be very interested in knowing where you get your glow in the dark thread. We are making a hallway of hell and a Home Sweet Home sign done in thread that will glow in the black lights would be great. Please let me know when you have a second. thanks Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Tue Aug 20 21:50:53 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 08:58:02 -0700 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Len Canders Subject: Re: Dragon Construction Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 05:50 PM 8/19/96 EST, you wrote: >Kathy, > >I went through some of the archives I printed out and kept from last year. >The directions for constructing the dragon have a subject line titled: >Disney Ascii, Dragon Construction and was posted by UPFIELD@polsci.perdue.edu > >You'll also find quite detailed artsy-fartsy arty-crafty projects in the >archives. >I also found over 35 addresses and phone numbers for suppliers of all types - >mostly electronics and gadgetry - with catalog info for many of them. >Also listings for several "how-to" books - including ISBN numbers. >Not to mention (extremely) detailed notes on using dental alginate to make >your very own set of Halloween teeth! > sorry i missed the earlier part(s) of this thread, but if this is to be a costume, you might also check some of the links on my web page (url in sig below). len canders lcanders@ccnet.com "in the fuzz" http://www.ccnet.com/~lcanders/welcome.html concord, ca From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 21:55:37 1996 From: stacbeth@minot.ndak.net Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:54:26 PDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ok...ok.....way to go, Maryanne! i was a happy little lurker until you flushed me out of the bushes! your "mad scientist"/"boo" sign is a great idea--simple,cheap,funny,effective Nathan's idea about a 'chase' controller sounds like a cadillac method to me (not knocking it, Nathan!) i've done a little electro-dabbling & it just seems to me there's gotta be an easy way out of this.....here are a couple of 'quickie' ideas for you 2 engineers: 1. you could make use of an automotive flasher -- either use 12V lights or the flasher could power a relay which controls the lights (use a relay that can handle the current you need). problems: hard to control the flashing rate, multi-voltages involved. 2. use a (heavy) relay again, and control it with some kind of RC (resistive-capacitive for those whom aren't so geeky as i) circuit, or maybe use a 555 IC timer circuit--- both methods would allow control of flash rate (with the right 555 circuit, you could even adjust for 1 sign to lite slightly longer than the other) & would be relatively simple to build--do a good job, because you'll want to re-use this one! i've purchased 555 IC & other project books from Radio Shack, and they should have everything else you need for the circuit & packaging. i'm guessing $25 MAX if you have ANY supplies at all. 2.1 if you have a flashlight with a blinking 'emergency lite', you could use that to control a (you guessed it) relay----ultra cheap method! NOTE:if i were any good, i'd be able to tell you how to use a TRIAC or something to replace the relay with a solid state component....if i were any good... 2.9 finally make good use of that expensive PC--write a BASIC program that'll control a serial port that'll control a relay that'll... 3. bribe a neighborhood goblin with halloween candy to flip a toggle switch all nite...(just kidding, moms & dads!) ok....let 'er fly--i'm new at this newsgroup thing--i've probly offended the lot of ya! stace stacbeth@minot.ndak.net "Live to Howl(oween)...Howl(oween) to Live" stacbeth@minot.ndak.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 22:05:19 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 06:38:48 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: As for the straight Jacket idea, how about making a real looking jacket but stuff it with the phoney plastic arms with the hands. So this way it will look like there are real arms in the sleeves. You can keep your arms under the jacket free to use when you need them. Hope this helps. Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 22:20:46 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:05:36 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: MilesManor Subject: Glow in the dark chalk Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I bought some of this last year and had to go buy more to make it through the season. My whole family loved it from Grandparents to Grandchildren and everyone in between. I had gotten everyone out in the driveway saying that the kids were going to do some glow in the dark chalk drawing. Pretty soon everyone was in on it laying in the driveway in contorted positions (so someone could draw an outline) or drawing unearthly footprints heading off somewhere etc. The mailman thought we were pretty strange. He said he didn't know if we were having fun or if there had been a mass murder in the driveway. We drew silly people outlines not thinking about that aspect of a chalk outline. We used a flashlight to really get them glowing and the rain eventually washed everything away. No clean for me! __________________________ |\/\/\/\/\/| Lynne Miles \0 0 0 0 / qoe@sna.com |~~~~~~| Orangvale, CA From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 22:42:00 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:32:11 PST Subject: Re: Lights Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Forwarding note from: Michael Marcrum 08/19/96 4:22pm -0700 Hi there, Glad to see that you decided to unlurk and ask us some questions. I was wondering for the sign could you get some of those tube chase lights that you see at the local Spencers and shops like that. They are the lights enclosed in the plastic colored tubing. You could shape it to the letters you want with very little trouble, and I am sure if they don't have a speed setting you could splice one in from a set of Christmas lights. They come in a million different colors. Hope this helps, Kathy the new kid on the crypt Kathy, Thanks! This sounds like a great idea because I really do want to duplicate the neon sign effect if I can. I just didn't know that these were available - at least, outside of signs that have already been pre-shaped (like a pumpkin, etc.) Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 22:44:36 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:37:50 PST Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from kahnn@pa.net 08/20/96 10:09pm -0400 > >My dumb questions are: > >1) What would be a cheap way to make the sign? I can't afford to have > >a real neon sign made (cool though it would be!), so I'm thinking maybe > >a box with the words cut out of the front, with alternately flashing > >light bulbs inside (box would be divided inside so only one part would > >light at a time). Radio Shack would have some sort of device I could > >use to make it flash, I hope? My husband (Glenn) and I are both > >engineers, so I can't believe I'm so clueless about this! > > YES! This is a great idea. Make a wooden box with the words cut out, and > covered with colored plexiglass. > > Radio Shak won't have this, you are going to need to visit a stage lighting, > DJ lighting or music shop and buy what is known as a chase controller or > sequencer. Prices $99+. OK, R.S. might have *something* that will work, > haven't checked there for products like this in a while. > > Nathan Nathan, Wow, this sounds useful but out of my price range! Maybe I better drag Glenn (he's an E.E.) out to Radio Shack and nose around...I wonder if they might have some sort of programmable device. I have done (gack!) assembly code before. This seems like a dreadfully geeky thing to admit! Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Tue Aug 20 23:04:31 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 22:51:02 PST Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from stacbeth@minot.ndak.net 08/20/96 10:54pm PDT > ok...ok.....way to go, Maryanne! i was a happy little lurker until > you flushed me out of the bushes! Me too! I guess it was Bugs who flushed ME out! > 1. you could make use of an automotive flasher -- either use 12V lights or the > flasher could power a relay which controls the lights (use a relay that can handle > the current you need). problems: hard to control the flashing rate, multi-voltages > involved. I guarantee I'd screw this one up! > 2. use a (heavy) relay again, and control it with some kind of RC (resistive-capacitive > for those whom aren't so geeky as i) circuit, or maybe use a 555 IC timer circuit--- > both methods would allow control of flash rate (with the right 555 circuit, you could > even adjust for 1 sign to lite slightly longer than the other) & would be relatively > simple to build--do a good job, because you'll want to re-use this one! i've purchased > 555 IC & other project books from Radio Shack, and they should have everything > else you need for the circuit & packaging. i'm guessing $25 MAX if you have ANY > supplies at all. This sounds worth a try. I love shopping for supplies! And having "EVIL SCIENTIST" light a little longer than "BOO" might be good. > 2.1 if you have a flashlight with a blinking 'emergency lite', you could use that to > control a (you guessed it) relay----ultra cheap method! > > NOTE:if i were any good, i'd be able to tell you how to use a TRIAC or something > to replace the relay with a solid state component....if i were any good... > > 2.9 finally make good use of that expensive PC--write a BASIC program that'll > control a serial port that'll control a relay that'll... BASIC?!?!? BASIC?!?!? We don' need no stinkin' BASIC! But I might get some use out of my C++ compiler. (I am a CAD/CAM geekette who has been writing FORTRASH, oops, I mean FORTRAN, for Boeing for 16 years. We're finally getting a chance to move to C++ now.) > 3. bribe a neighborhood goblin with halloween candy to flip a toggle > switch all nite...(just kidding, moms & dads!) If I could pay her enough, I'd get my daughter to do it! But candy won't do--- it's gotta be $C$A$S$H$ for the mall, don'tchaknow. > ok....let 'er fly--i'm new at this newsgroup thing--i've probly offended the lot of ya! > > stace > stacbeth@minot.ndak.net > "Live to Howl(oween)...Howl(oween) to Live" Stace, you certainly haven't offended me! Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Wed Aug 21 01:59:34 1996 From: dbell@cup.portal.com To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Date: Tue, 20 Aug 96 10:13:59 PDT Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Welcome out of the "closet" Maryanne! I'm sure you're aware this is the right place to be... I think your daughter's comments are the highest compliment! Give her time, I bet she'll get into the "spirit". Styrofoam tombstones work fine in the rain. I usually heavily coat mine with latex house paint, to seal the edges. Easy to carve to shape, and a careful hand with a soldering iron makes a great engraver. I don't know what to suggest on the flashing sign, offhand. I'd tend to some sort of fiber-optic arrangement, possibly, so you could intermix the dots and separately illuminate the "source" ends. Trying to get really bright letters this way would require a *lot* of fibers, and a lot of labor, though. I like your idea about cutout lettering, but not sure how you would keep the lights separate, *if* you want the letters interspersed or (worse) overlaid. How about one line of text above the other? Then your boxes would be isolated in the back, and you just have the light flasher to worry about. For that, I would suggest a 555-based oscillator driving a pair of AC solid-state relays. One would be 'on' when the 555's output is high, the other 'on' when low. Surplus relays should be only a few bucks each, at most. With the optical isolation, you maintain the 555 circuit at safe potentials! The oscillator could run off either a 9V battery, or a cheap 9V to 12V wall wart, and the relays drive the two lamps (or strings of small ones - HEY! there you go: spell out the words in mini-Christmas light string 'dots'!). And I love the footprint "morph". Now, if you could only get them to appear in sequence, like Buggs' did!! Have fun, and let us know how it comes out! Dave dbell@cup.portal.com From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Wed Aug 21 02:20:22 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 15:50:37 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >It ha a device featured this month called the Goblin Greeter and it is to be >used in conjuction with the Pepper Ghost Illusion. I grabbed the magazine this afternoon, Russel. Nice, inexpensive method for doing this effect, and the neatest thing about it is the method for using the shrinkable plastic for making a reflector which is very light and does not cause double reflections. Thanks for posting this for us to see! -Doug F. *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@netcom.com Wed Aug 21 02:31:37 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 12:03:17 -0500 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Barry Wulfe Subject: Re: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Hi, > >I was wondering if I added glow in the dark paint to the vulcanizing fluid if >that would produce glow in the dark spider webs? Or just a big mess! I was >imagining a hallway that was dark as someone entered. Then they trip an >electronic flash! As their vision returns... all they see are glowing spider >webs everywhere. > >Randi I do not know about the glow in the dark stuff, but from what I read in your pust I wanted to send a word of caution. You stated that you wanted these webs in a hallway. Unless there is some system method that I am unfamilure with, the Spun webs made with a fluid and some sort of spinning machine are not designed to be used in a household area. They produce a bit of a mess, and the webs are not easy to clean up. The fluid can easily stain any fabric that it comes in contact with, and getting it off the walls is not an easy feat. (Think of it as throwing a latex based glue all over everything.) If I am wrong on this point, please correct me, because I would love to have the ease of a spun web, vs. the time it takes to stretch out all of those webs in a bag that I normally spend a full week putting up. Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 03:21:51 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 06:19:04 EDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Bill Lewis Subject: Re: We're New Members! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 01:14 AM 8/14/96 -0400, you wrote: > Hello there, we would like to introduce ourselves, Stephen and Joni >Berkowitz. Berkowitz!?, makes me think of that "Son of Sam" guy (David). I suppose any relation to a serial killer might be a plus in this group ;> Bill Lewis NSWC Carderock Division Code 6060 (301) 227-2742 lewisw@oasys.dt.navy.mil lewisb@erols.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:10:46 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 05:06:43 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Pumpkin Masters Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi, pum[lon carvers! Over the weekend I picked up the new Pumpkin Masters pattern book (Special Collections 4) (Pumpkin Masters, Inc., P.O. Box 61456, Denver, CO 80206) for $2.99 at MJDesigns in Aspen Hill, MD. This is the "shadows" book: an new take on the carving your pumpkin at both ends technique we were all discussing a few weeks back. The front design works as usual; the back design is constructed to shine on a wall behind the pumpkin in an integrated way. For example-- a crescent moon front with star beams on the wall behind a witch casting a spell over a cauldron with ghosts rising behind a scared jack-o'-lantern face with a glowing hand behind Dr. Jekyll drinking his potion with Mr. Hyde behind a monster answering a door with "EEK!" behind a vampire with bats flying behind Also included is a centerpiece pattern of a haunted tree figure that casts shadows everywhere. The patterns are nice as is, but you could take the general concept and really run with it! From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:23:24 1996 From: Jacqui Young To: "halloween-l@netcom.com" , "'MilesManor'" Subject: RE: Glow in the dark chalk Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:04:57 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ---------- From: MilesManor[SMTP:qoe@sna.com] Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 1996 6:06 PM To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Glow in the dark chalk I bought some of this last year and had to go buy more to make it = through the season. My whole family loved it from Grandparents to Grandchildren = and everyone in between. I had gotten everyone out in the driveway saying = that the kids were going to do some glow in the dark chalk drawing. Pretty = soon everyone was in on it laying in the driveway in contorted positions (so someone could draw an outline) or drawing unearthly footprints heading = off somewhere etc. The mailman thought we were pretty strange. He said he didn't know if we were having fun or if there had been a mass murder in = the driveway. We drew silly people outlines not thinking about that aspect = of a chalk outline. We used a flashlight to really get them glowing and the rain eventually washed everything away. No clean for me! __________________________ |\/\/\/\/\/| Lynne Miles \0 0 0 0 / qoe@sna.com |~~~~~~| Orangvale, CA We also made use of the flow in the dark chalk. With warnings of = horrors to come as well as body outlines. That along with the elaborate = pumpkins won rave reviews in our neighbourhood. Now that I'm getting = into this list I can't wait to hear next years reviews, always supposing = anyone has the nerve to come up to the house. I terrorized a few four = year olds last year with my costume, so I'd better not be too = theatrical. Happy Haunting...Jacqui=20 From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:23:35 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 05:17:19 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Glow-in-the-Dark Thread Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Try needlework stores. Balger makes a number of glow-in-the-dark colors as a blending filament for counted crossstitch needlework. From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:23:40 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 05:15:23 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Lurker in the shadows -Reply Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Jacqui Young > Primarily I cross-stitch, I've done some lovely glow in > the dark haunted houses (actually I also did one in > plastic canvas). I've even cross-stitched a > tablecloth and napkins, black naturally and with my > ceramic pumpkin in the centre they look gorgeous. > That of course is the pretty side of halloween. It's the mystical side! Did I send you the names of the Halloween crossstitch patterns I have? The latest Crossstitch and Country Crafts (or whatever they're calling themselves now!) has a haunted house on the cover, but my all-time, easy-to-do favorite Halloween pattern is "The Night Watchman" from Stoney Creek's Treat Yourself leaflet. Another you might try, although it isn't actually a Halloween pattern is Counted Illuminations' "The Goblin Market." It has part of the old Christine Rossetti poem: "We must not talk to goblin men, we must not buy their fruits: who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry, thirsty roots?" [I paraphrase, but you get the idea!]. Now on to the darker side. I do decorate the front hallway, the area = you see when you actually get the goodies. I dress up as some time of = monster (changes yearly), put on the spooky music, lower the lights, = creak open the door and usually start some 3 year old crying (does = wonders for my ego). The hallway decorations are limited to a styrofoam = tomb (purchased at Disneyland) a cackling witch and a few cobwebs. Any = suggestions. I'm low on cash or I'd love to buy one of those fog = machines. I am currently talking a friend into making me wooden tombstone cutouts = and hopefully by next year a coffin, which I plan to lie in on the front = lawn. =20 Any inexpensive hints. By the way I'll be happy to share what I can in the way of Halloween = cross-stitching ideas?? Not much, but then that's all I have, but I'm = working on it. Jacqui Temporary unlurker From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:25:14 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:13:14 -0400 (EDT) From: "Donna J. Logan" To: "Freya E. Harris" Subject: Re: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Mon, 19 Aug 1996, Freya E. Harris wrote: > This Halloween I am doing a costume that will involve a straitjacket. (I > leave it as an exercise to the browser what it will be. Hint: It's from this > year's news.) Anyone have any ideas on making an ersatz straitjacket? Unlike > the real thing, it has to be easy to remove - I'm not running around all > evening with my arms tied up. Need to eat and drink, after all. I'd sew one up in heavy muslin to look like the real thing....extra long arms with the openins sewn up, wrapped around the back and fastened thru belt loops, etc.....but I'd create a hidden opening in the arms in the area your wrists would be (make it look like a sewn seam), and attach velcro on the inside with which to close it....make sure not to fasten your arms TOO tightly to give you enuf movement to grab the velcro and open the slits, thru which you could now put your hands, freeing them... ;-) From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:25:59 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 05:22:32 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Spider Webs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I used to have a guy who would get up on a scaffold and spin webs with white yarn by hand 10 to 30 feet in height. I have some pics, but they don't look like much. In the dark, with the 5-foot spider, they looked very good. All he did was tie yarn up in the trees, stake it in the grass, then weave the horizontals. Because he wrapped at each juncture, he was able to stand back for a better look, then slide everything into final position, and they held. From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:42:14 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 05:33:00 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Cheap Sign Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: You don't need anything fancy or expensive to do the sign. Any box with the words cut out and a blinking light inside will do. And use layers of colored tissue paper instead of plexiglass; it's MUCH CHEAPER, and you can "blend" colors and layers until you get the color you want. One year, I cut the words "The Twilight Zone" out of a black, plastic dropcloth (same as that black plastic mulch roll stuff), backed it with blue tissue, and taped it across my picture window. The light from the living room made the sign glow perfectly. Yours frugally... From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:47:37 1996 From: Jacqui Young To: "halloween-l@netcom.com" , "'Lauren Jones'" Subject: RE: Pumpkin Masters Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:37:33 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ---------- From: Lauren Jones[SMTP:ljones@aphis.usda.gov] Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 1996 7:07 AM To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Pumpkin Masters Hi, pum[lon carvers! Over the weekend I picked up the new Pumpkin Masters pattern book (Special Collections 4) (Pumpkin Masters, Inc., P.O. Box 61456, Denver, CO 80206) for $2.99 at MJDesigns in Aspen Hill, MD. This is the "shadows" book: an new take on the carving your pumpkin at both ends technique we were all discussing a few weeks back.=20 The front design works as usual; the back design is constructed to shine on a wall behind the pumpkin in an integrated way. For example-- a crescent moon front with star beams on the wall behind a witch casting a spell over a cauldron with ghosts rising behind a scared jack-o'-lantern face with a glowing hand behind Dr. Jekyll drinking his potion with Mr. Hyde behind a monster answering a door with "EEK!" behind a vampire with bats flying behind Also included is a centerpiece pattern of a haunted