tree figure that casts shadows everywhere. The patterns are nice as is, but you could take the general concept and really run with it! This sound marvelous. We've been doing fairly elaborate pumpkins for = years now (fun and not too expensive). I've managed to order the = patterns from the states most of the time and I'll be sending of a note = to this company right away. I'm really beginning to think that the only way to really get into this = stuff is to move to the States, preferably somewhere near a McFrugals or = Spencers. We have a Michaels, but it never seems to carry the stuff you = guys talk about. Poor little Kanuck feeling sorry for herself today. (Sympathy = appreciated thank you) Anyway thanks for the idea...Jacqui from the not so frozen North From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 04:53:50 1996 From: Jacqui Young To: "halloween-l@netcom.com" , "'Lauren Jones'" Subject: RE: Cheap Sign Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:39:30 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ---------- From: Lauren Jones[SMTP:ljones@aphis.usda.gov] Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 1996 7:33 AM To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Cheap Sign 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... Wow you're just full of great and more importantly inexpensive ideas, this one I've got to try! Thanks again and again Jacqui From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 06:54:34 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 15:30:49 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Stace, Thanks for your ideas!! There are people on this list that are able to afford the whole banana, and then there are us regular broke folks that can barely afford the batts for the flashlight. This way everybody gets a chance to try things in their budget. My question for the day to the group is this....When we went to the Phantom of the Opera they had a great effect that made the background look like clouds were moving over it. I stopped watching the play and followed the light beams...! There was a light, Par 46 or maybe bigger, with this black cutout cirle turning in front of it. It looked really simple, is there a name for this set up, and would a person be able to do it at home??? Thanks for your time and help, and again welcome Stace...if the kids don't want to flip the switch you could always use them in the graveyard :) Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:09:12 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 10:02:20 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >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. Denny sez: I kinda doubt it but try it and see! It wouldn't cost much to find out. The vulcanizing fluids I've tried as web materials are pretty marginal to start with (low solids content), as soon as you add something to them their properties go to hell. All the brands are different, I may not have had access to really good ones. Rubber cement would be a better choice to try if people aren't worried about the rather explosive solvent and resulting webs. Rubber cements have a higher tensile strength, better string out and lower dry tack. Make sure the solvents in the paint are compatible with the "glue". Most rubber cements use light naphtha, heptane or hexane, most nonflammable solvent vulcanizing fluids use trichloroethylene. Glow paints I've seen these days are water based or lacquer. I've done glow web fluid here but I have an advantage of better base materials to start with. Denny ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:09:15 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 10:02:17 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: 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. Or theatrical "gel" paper, or colored cellophane. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:11:19 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:07:49 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Bertino To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: mailing list speed Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: On Tue, 20 Aug 1996, Nathan Kahn wrote: > 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. Hi Nathan Yes, it seems they did move over all the mailing lists to a dedicated server last night, after three false starts over the past month. Not only should it be faster, but an upgrade to the lastest and greatest of majordomo.... I'll let you know more when I know more, which should be within the week. And yes, this means digests..... :) don bertino@netcom.com ____/^\_____________________________________ Disney ascii art & / \ || FDC MCP || / \ animations are at <______\ [] [] [] || [] [] [] || [] [] [] /______> http://www.calweb.com \----------------||----------||----------------/=== /~bertino===============\______________||__________||______________/===== From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:17:15 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 09:59:24 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Glowing in the dark Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: FYI, blacklights will make most "glow-in-the-dark" products glow. Then you don't need to keep recharging it with a flashlight every 15 minutes. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:17:25 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 15:56:22 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Lights Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Maryanne, I am sure if those are the type of lights that you want to use that their are members of the list that will have them in stock in their stores..don't you guys!!! Let me know how it works... Kathy the new kid on the crypt mmarcrum@ix.netcom.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:18:10 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 09:59:21 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: kahnn@pa.net (Nathan Kahn) Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >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: Yes, I made a mistake. When I read the first message I thought it said they were *not* engineers and the *were* clueless. I see now that I had it backwards. Whoops :-( Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:31:25 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 16:06:17 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Russel, I tried to find the Magazine yesterday and had no luck, I think I might have the name wrong...popular electronics???? Let me know so I can try in a bigger area. Thanks Kathy From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:49:39 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 10:42:01 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy asks: >My question for the day to the group is this.... >There was a light, Par 46 or maybe bigger, with this black cutout cirle >turning in front of it. It looked really simple, is there a name for this >set up, and would a person be able to do it at home??? Sounds like a light with an animated gobo to me, Kathy. Nathan and others on the list can confirm/deny. And the answer is a resounding yes! You can do this at home. You can get instructions for rigging a similar contraption, but for speed and less experimenting and stress, I advise you to find a local theatrical supply company and ask for a rental price list. I rented a light/gobo a few years back (along with a couple of strobes and fog machine) and the light/gobo set-up was the least expensive to rent for the night. It really shouldn't be a lot of money at all to rent. Now buying's a different story ;) but I don't know what they'll run you these days. And you can get any number of patterns aside from clouds. We had a pattern called "spooky woods" which replicated trees with low hanging, gnarled branches. The possibilities are numerous. - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:56:35 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 07:48:40 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "David \"HOMER\" Simpson (or one of the Clan)" Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 04:06 PM 08/20/96 -0700, you wrote: >Russel, > I tried to find the Magazine yesterday and had no luck, I think I >might have the name wrong...popular electronics???? Let me know so I can >try in a bigger area. >Thanks >Kathy > Kathy, Don't feel bad, I called up 7 stores... different bookstores and such, everyone kept saying... popular mechanics.... you mean, popular science? Sheesh. Finally found a place that had 2 copies, I had them reserve one and then drove 15 miles accross the valley. It's nice, I wasn't too interested in the pepper's ghost material. (We all understand peppers :) ) BUT the control diagrams... those will be helpful!! --Jason From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 07:58:03 1996 From: Randi.Beers@cibadiag.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 10:44:21 -0400 Subject: Re: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Thanks for the info. The rubber cement sounds too dangerous. Sounds like I might have to use the cotton?(polyester?) webs I get from the store for glowing webs. I still want to try the web shooter, it sounds like a lot of fun. I was hoping to set up a temporary maze outside in the barn so I wasn't too worried about mess or fumes. Thanks again. Randi ______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________ Subject: Re: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs Author: halloween-l@netcom.com at CCLINK Date: 8/21/96 10:11 AM >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. Denny sez: I kinda doubt it but try it and see! It wouldn't cost much to find out. The vulcanizing fluids I've tried as web materials are pretty marginal to start with (low solids content), as soon as you add something to them their properties go to hell. All the brands are different, I may not have had access to really good ones. Rubber cement would be a better choice to try if people aren't worried about the rather explosive solvent and resulting webs. Rubber cements have a higher tensile strength, better string out and lower dry tack. Make sure the solvents in the paint are compatible with the "glue". Most rubber cements use light naphtha, heptane or hexane, most nonflammable solvent vulcanizing fluids use trichloroethylene. Glow paints I've seen these days are water based or lacquer. I've done glow web fluid here but I have an advantage of better base materials to start with. Denny ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 08:25:12 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 10:14:08 -0500 From: David Kiihne To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas -Reply Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >>> "Freya E. Harris" 08/19/96 09:16pm >>> >>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.) ... Ummmm. Margot Kidder? >>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. "Hmmm. Ersatz...ersatz" [opening dictionary] "e...r...s.... Ohhh... FAKE!!! OK!" :) OK, I need some visual assistance for this one. Cross your arms in front of you as if you were tied up in the straitjacket. Go on! It won't be the same if you don't do it! The boss isn't watching; go for it. OK, good. Now, see where the upper arm crosses over the wrist/forearm of the opposite arm? Cut the sleeve of the covered arm at this point and sew the severed ends in position as if they were fastened in the back. This will provide what looks like backwards pockets at your sides. When wearing the straitjacket, simply cross your arms and stick your hands in the pocket on the opposite side. The other arm will cover the break in the fabric and it SHOULD look just like the real thing. Fair warning though; I don't have a straitjacket and haven't tried this myself, so play around a bit to be sure it will work before making the cuts. If this isn't clear, I'll go through the steps of what I have in mind and maybe I'll come up with a few more details along the way. Step One: Get a straitjacket! (Shades of Steve Martin's "First, get a million dollars!") Speaking of which, anyone on the list know how to get an inexpensive one of these. My only connections are magic-related (and therefore more expensive) and I have this fear of ending up IN one if I go around in public asking for a "regulation" straitjacket. (Would YOU want to talk to a man wanting to buy a used straitjacket??) Step Two: Find a friend you can trust to NOT be suddenly stricken with the urge to become a prankster when helping with the next steps. (This could be tough with this bunch. :) ) Step Three: Get in the straitjacket and have it fastened closed. (Now do you understand "Step Two"??) Step Four: Have your friend -assuming they haven't run giggling from the room to fetch a camera- take a pencil (or a washable tailor's pen/chalkstick) and mark on the outside of the jacket where the sleeves are covered by the opposite arm AND an outline of where the rest of the sleeve crosses when going around the back to the fastener. Step Five: Get out of the straitjacket. If your friend is still around, this is easy. If not, dial the phone with your nose and call your local magic shop and ask them for directions on how to escape from a straitjacket. They probably won't help you much, but at least you'd provide an amusing anecdote to someone who would REALLY appreciate this kind of humor. ;) Step Six: Muster up the courage to cut the sleeves at the points where they were marked as being covered by the opposite arm. Then, fasten the severed ends to the back of the jacket in the positions that were marked when you were in the thing. The leather buckle that joins the sleeves together is now just used as an extra buckle down the back. Step Seven: Try the thing on to make sure everything lines up to cover the cuts properly. Hopefully, you won't need to make any major adjustments. (Remember my "Fair Warning" at the beginning?) Step Eight: Make whatever enhancements you see fit to complete the illusion and ease of use. Things like: Adding a thumb loop to the sleeve where your hand sticks out to keep the fabric in place. Adding some padding or starch or a tube to the "pocket" part of the sleeve to hold it open and allow easy and quick insertion of the hands to get back in position. Severing the crotch strap and re-attaching it with velcro to allow easy "potty breaks" while in costume. (Hey, some of these details can be pretty dang important!) Detaching the front arm loop (if your model has one) and attaching it as a loop to one of the sleeves; then just slip your other arm through the loop also when crossing your arms to complete the illusion. I don't have a straitjacket of my own, so if I'm missing some construction details in "the real thing," let me know. Also let me know if you can't follow some of the instructions and how it turns out if you actually try this. Questions? Comments? ...Bueller? ...Bueller? Good Luck! Dave (daveki@nebfef.com) From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 08:30:36 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 08:20:14 -0700 From: rothe@edsug.com (Bill Rothe - Tekware sys mgr) Subject: Re: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Freya E. Harris writes: *>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. Some of the professional magic companies sell straitjackets that have easier ways out (easier than dislocating joints, that is)... However, these might be a *wee* bit on the expensive side as they have to look and feel like a real straightjacket. A friend of mine and his wife went as 'Hannibal Lecter and Nurse' to a party one year. They improvised a simple coat (opening in the back) with long arms and velcro patches. All he had to do was flex his muscles and the velcro came loose. Nice effect when he would 'break free' around new arrivals to the party. He also had the bite mask that all the novelty shops were carrying at the time. One nice touch was that he a bib from Tony Roma's around his neck...;) -- <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>| | rothe@ug.eds.com ** Opinions stated here are not those of EDS ** | <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>| From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 09:02:17 1996 To: halloween-l From: William E Rompala Date: 21 Aug 96 11:49:00 Subject: Re: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas -Reply Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Step Three: Get in the straitjacket and have it fastened closed. (Now do >you understand "Step Two"??) >Step Five: Get out of the straitjacket. If your friend is still around, >this is easy. If not, dial the phone with your nose and call your local >magic shop and ask them for directions on how to escape from a straitjacket. >They probably won't help you much, but at least you'd provide an amusing >anecdote to someone who would REALLY appreciate this kind of humor. ;) hAv'nG ..,, 346 2 ProBlem witx sTp thre, aM typng wit nOse. DiD I mis somEThinG iN stEps?//? NE1 kNow A) gOod NosE SuRgeon/? B) gEt blOOd Off keyBoaRd? _W From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 09:22:00 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 12:05:32 EDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Bill Lewis Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 03:30 PM 8/20/96 -0700, you wrote: > My question for the day to the group is this....When we went to the >Phantom of the Opera they had a great effect that made the background >look like clouds were moving over it. I stopped watching the play and >followed the light beams...! There was a light, Par 46 or maybe bigger, >with this black cutout cirle turning in front of it. It looked really >simple, is there a name for this set up, and would a person be able to do >it at home??? would this be similar to the old color wheels that were once used on to illuminate xmas trees? but instead, they had cloud shapes cut out of the circle? 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 11:21:56 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 10:35:00 PST From: "Sparks, Doug" To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I believe it's called a gobo. It's a metallic disc with a shape punched out in it. I haven't seen them rotate, but they were used in a Beauty and the Beast stage show to simulate lightning flashing through a window. The light projected through the gobo to the background of the stage when the lightning sounded. Produced a nice effect, but I believe the gobos are somewhat expensive. At 03:30 PM 8/20/96 -0700, you wrote: > My question for the day to the group is this....When we went to the >Phantom of the Opera they had a great effect that made the background >look like clouds were moving over it. I stopped watching the play and >followed the light beams...! There was a light, Par 46 or maybe bigger, >with this black cutout cirle turning in front of it. It looked really >simple, is there a name for this set up, and would a person be able to do >it at home??? would this be similar to the old color wheels that were once used on to illuminate xmas trees? but instead, they had cloud shapes cut out of the circle? 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 12:01:44 1996 From: glenn@zuni.chaco.com (Glenn Crocker) Subject: Re: [HAL] Straitjacket Ideas To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 11:09:24 -0700 (PDT) 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. A velcro attachment for the arms might work well. You could swing them into place to attach the velcro, then pull to detatch, but you'd have the right look. -glenn From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 12:20:52 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 13:41:01 -0600 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: njg@cc.UManitoba.CA (Nick Gloor) Subject: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: so Joe (djc) walks into my office and says hey did you see the thread on the bugs bunny style neon sign, I have a really cheap way of building one. And I say, why don't you build it like this. So he might try both. This one reaches back to the old password games. I have tried the basic effect over lunch and it seems to work, but I have not actually built one... Write your two part message on top of each other with blue and red ink. acquire some blue cellophane and red cellophane. When you put the blue filter over the message the red ink shows through, and when you put the red filter over the blue shows through. (it will take a little tuning to get the colours of the ink to match the filters, my trial filters are a couple of acetate report jackets and the red over works well, the blue over works but not as well so i need either a different shade of blue ink or filter.) Anyways after the ramble, I figure if you built a large drum armature from something like coathangers, covered it with cellophane of the appropriate colours, put your signage inside the drum, illuminate, and turn the the drum, you would get a sign which changes words. Turning the drum is left to the imagination of the builder. I was thinking in terms of BBQ rotisserie equipment. You can tune the amount of time each message stays up by changing the arc the filter covers on the drum. You can blank both messages out by layering the filters on top of each other. I am not sure how to do a dissolve effect. We were wondering if you could do the same thing with a background with the messages cut through the background and then insert the filters into the resulting holes, then use a colour wheel to project the light through the sign. This seems to work, but the christmas lights in my office don't seem to match up very well with the colour of the acetate I have on hand so its difficult to tell. Any thoughts? This would make a "nicer" sign in that it would be self-lit, like a real neon sign. Nick Gloor njg@cc.umanitoba.ca From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 13:36:34 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 15:56:43 -0400 (EDT) From: Domina To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Glow-in-the-Dark Spider Webs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: just a side idea for anyone who wants to try it...I spun a spiderweb on the ceiling of my room once using black yarn...it throws great shadows when candles are lit....but I always wanted to get some glow-in-the-dark paint to paint a spider on the ceiling beneath it so when the lights went off.. Domina | / | \ The full moon, like a spider, lets down her light that / / | \ \ covers the earth, as with a web, and there we mortals \ \_(*)_/ / helplessly struggle, we flies of fate, until the \_(~:~)_/ night devours each one of us.... /-(:)-\ The masquerade is never over... @}>--'--,--- / / * \ \ Listowner: Mortuary Mailing List \ \ / / Coven Mauling List \ / Domina http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~wmg47005/ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 15:52:49 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 00:29:39 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Jason, then I am right with Popular Electronics?? I went to two more book stores in our area and they both said, never heard of it. I am going to start calling out of town. And it is the Oct. issue I want, right?? Kathy From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 16:29:13 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 15:41:07 -0400 (EDT) From: The Old Crow To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Greetings Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At the request of my good friend Doug Ferguson, I am now a new member of the list. While I do not build or decorate for my own home, I have build a number of things for Doug. My day job is designing industrial control instruments: controllers and display panels part of the time, power control systems at other times. I am working on a couple of lighting controllers at the moment; they will be relatively easy to construct and not cost much (I try to put a $50 cap on DIY projects for other folks.) So, hopefully, I can be of some help. Regards, Scott (and if there are other Scotts on the list, call me "Crow" ;) /*------------------------------------------------------------------------ Christopher S. Rider -- "The Old Crow" -- http://www.mcs.com/~syzygy/ God's in his Heaven. All's right with the world. ------------------------------------------------------------------------*/ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 16:33:21 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 16:21:48 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: MilesManor Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy, before you start making long distant phone calls let me check Tower Books near me. They have a ton of magazines. Lynne At 12:29 AM 8/21/96 -0700, you wrote: >Jason, > then I am right with Popular Electronics?? I went to two more book >stores in our area and they both said, never heard of it. I am going to >start calling out of town. And it is the Oct. issue I want, right?? >Kathy > From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 16:38:28 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 11:41:53 -0700 From: rleach@porky.West.Sun.COM (Roy Leach) To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > > Stace, > Thanks for your ideas!! There are people on this list that are able to > afford the whole banana, and then there are us regular broke folks that > can barely afford the batts for the flashlight. This way everybody gets a > chance to try things in their budget. > My question for the day to the group is this....When we went to the > Phantom of the Opera they had a great effect that made the background > look like clouds were moving over it. I stopped watching the play and > followed the light beams...! There was a light, Par 46 or maybe bigger, > with this black cutout cirle turning in front of it. It looked really > simple, is there a name for this set up, and would a person be able to do > it at home??? > It sounds like a gobo projector to me. A "gobo" is a metal plate that has a design cut in it. It can be clouds or trees, etc. A gobo projector is just what you thought: a round gobo that has a motor at the center and a lamp at one edge. You might get the same effect by cutting designs in thin (ie shoebox) cardboard. If you use 2 projectors spinning different directions the effect is pretty cool. roy. From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 16:38:43 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 16:26:07 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: MilesManor Subject: Halloween for sale Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I was in old town Sacramento today feeding my other passion antiques, when I saw Halloween stuff poking out of a passing store. I said to my kids, "DETOUR!" The store is called Evangeline and they have Halloween stuff from the floor to their vaulted ceiling. I picked up a few things, but will need to go back. Didn't want my young children seeing the truly gruesome stuff. I was wondering as I was driving home if "glow in the dark" nail polish might work on getting a spider web to glow. Thanks for the note on Black light making "glow in the dark" stuff glow. I didn't know that. __________________________ |\/\/\/\/\/| Lynne Miles \0 0 0 0 / qoe@sna.com |~~~~~~| Orangvale, CA From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 17:01:37 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 19:41:03 -0400 (EDT) From: Lund To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Greetings Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi to the Old Crow, I'm sure we will be using your talents. I think Doug has already mentioned me to you. Larry _ ___c Lawrence H. Lund \ _| \_ 179 Studley Street __\_| oooo \_____ Brentwood, NY 11717 ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ E-mail: llund@suffolk.lib.ny.us llund179@aol.com Phone: (516)-231-8790 Fax: (516)-434-9315 From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Wed Aug 21 23:40:44 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:31:51 PST Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from dbell@cup.portal.com 08/20/96 10:13am PDT > Welcome out of the "closet" Maryanne! I'm sure you're > aware this is the right place to be... Closet, or crypt? Sorry, I just couldn't resist! > I think your daughter's comments are the highest compliment! > Give her time, I bet she'll get into the "spirit". I know. Anything a teenager thinks is embarrassingly weird has GOT to be good! > 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. Good idea! I have a soldering gun I could use on them. I really wish that the "fake stone" spray paint kits produced weatherproof results, darn it, but maybe I could try for a fake marble effect using the latex paint. > 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. This idea's way beyond me! It reminds me of something I've always wanted to do, though...have one of those signs that's really just a matrix of dots you can switch on and off so you can program it to say whatever you want, scroll by, etc. Sometimes I wish I could put such a thing in the back window of my car so I could make it say "BACK OFF, BUD" when someone's following too close.... > 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. That's pretty much what I was thinking. The box would really be 2 boxes, with the one on top saying "EVIL SCIENTIST" and the one below saying "BOO!". There would be 2 light bulbs, one in each box, and they would alternate being on. > 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'!). OK, I give... what's a wall wart? > And I love the footprint "morph". Now, if you could only > get them to appear in sequence, like Buggs' did!! Actually, I had something really low-tech in mind for this. I was just thinking of painting them on the porch floor and my walkway with glow-in-the-dark paint. I think someone on the list recently mentioned some paint that would show up only under a black light? We usually put a black-light bulb in our porch light fixture for Halloween. > Have fun, and let us know how it comes out! > > Dave > dbell@cup.portal.com Definitely! And if anyone else does this too, I'll really get a big kick out of it! Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 04:09:36 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:17:21 PST Subject: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit mutates to Tim Curry? Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from njg@cc.UManitoba.CA 08/21/96 1:41pm -0600 > so Joe (djc) walks into my office and says hey did you see the thread on > the bugs bunny style neon sign, I have a really cheap way of building one. > > And I say, why don't you build it like this. So he might try both. Hey you guys, I'm really tickled that my Bugs Bunny idea is getting so much thought! I may have to try several different methods now just to see how they all work out. That'll keep me off the streets till Halloween! Anyone have additional ideas to add to the mad scientist theme? I'm thinking maybe some test tubes though I don't know where to look for some. I definitely have to get a Rocky Horror CD for sound effects... what could be better than "Sweet Transvestite from Transylvania"? Come on up to the lab and see what's on the slab! Hmmm...this makes me want a surgical table, with Gossamer or Bugs on it instead of Rocky! Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 04:09:40 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:17:23 PST Subject: Re: Greetings Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from Lund 08/21/96 7:41pm -0400 > Hi to the Old Crow, I'm sure we will be using your talents. I think Doug > has already mentioned me to you. > > Larry > _ ___c Lawrence H. Lund > \ _| \_ 179 Studley Street > __\_| oooo \_____ Brentwood, NY 11717 > ~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > E-mail: llund@suffolk.lib.ny.us > llund179@aol.com > Phone: (516)-231-8790 > Fax: (516)-434-9315 Welcome to Crow, and I just thought I'd mention (off-topic though it is), Larry's address is real familiar... I grew up on LI and in fact lived in Brentwood until I was 7. Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 04:11:19 1996 From: Maryanne Torgerson To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:17:20 PST Subject: Re: delurking--takes one to know one... Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: ** Reply to note from kahnn@pa.net 08/21/96 09:59am -0400 > >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: > > Yes, I made a mistake. When I read the first message I thought it said they > were *not* engineers and the *were* clueless. I see now that I had it > backwards. > > Whoops :-( > > Nathan No you didn't! Actually I said we were both engineers AND clueless! Heck, I asked my husband the avionics geek what a 555 IC relay was and his reply was "I dunno". He plays with wiring diagrams all day and crawls around in airplane cockpits, but doesn't know this stuff....! My own cluelessness, on the other hand, is due to the fact that I write software for a living (despite a biomed engineering degree - long story). You know the classic joke, right? "How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?" ... "None, that's a hardware problem!" Maryanne "I have come too far in life to take orders from a cookie." -- Dr. Gullo From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 04:52:55 1996 From: dbell@cup.portal.com To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Greetings from The Old Crow Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 18:37:59 PDT Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Welcome, Scott! Sounds like you have a lot to contribute. You don;t *have* to be a Halloween wacko to be here, 'though you may find it helps... Dave dbell@cup.portal.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 05:12:18 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 05:06:41 -0700 (MST) From: Blake Krebs To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Where to go Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I am trying to put together a listing of all places that sell Halloween related merchandise so that I can begin a cross-country shopping spree. I am especially interested in Day of the Dead exhibits and merchandise! Anyone across North America, or beyond, that can add to this resource, please help me... Thanks in advance... From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 05:58:30 1996 From: "D. Joseph Creighton" Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! To: halloween-l@netcom.com Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 11:51:39 -0500 (CDT) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: In the last exciting episode, Maryanne Torgerson wrote: } 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... Being a Warner Brothers (and Warner Sister) fan as well, it's the perfect addition to my set up this year. I did a few sketches of an idea I had and I think this might work... so much so that I'm also sharing it here with the list. Imagine, if you will, two planes intersecting at 90 degrees, attached to a metal rod (a straightened coathanger, even). These have been used on wind-driven signs mounted vertically: '-. .-' | '-...-' | | .-'|'-. | .-' | '-. | | | | .-'H'-. | .-' H '-. Essentially, I plan on making one which mounts horizontally, cutting out the words to be seen, and mounting it in a simple cardboard box with a light bulb in it. Since we're using an outdoor 'stage' this year, there's usually a good breeze in the evening to get this thing turning. If the wind isn't strong enough to turn it as is, I may extend one side to allow the vanes to reach outside of the box and turn it easier (I may even forgo the box altogether if the house lighting comes through the cutout lettering clearly enough). Gutting a toy car motor or wind-up toy for indoor power is also possible... One plane is easily cut out to illuminate: +-------------+ | E V I L | +-------------+ | SCIENTIST | +-------------+ The other will have to be split (I'm not doing this any bigger :P ), +-------------+ | |\ /\ /\ !! | +-------------+ (that should say "BOO!") | |/ \/ \/ !! | +-------------+ to leave enough in the center to make mounting to the rod possible. Then just cover the cut out lettering with cheap coloured celophane and you've probably got the absolute cheapest approach possible. I know I'm going to try it out. - Joe -- "Simplicity, carried to an extreme, becomes elegance." -- Jon Franklin 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@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 06:10:17 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 08:57:32 -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: >Actually, I had something really low-tech in mind for this. I was just >thinking of painting them on the porch floor and my walkway with >glow-in-the-dark paint. I think someone on the list recently mentioned >some paint that would show up only under a black light? We usually put >a black-light bulb in our porch light fixture for Halloween. You need a fluorescent blacklight bulb (one of the long skinny ones). A blacklight bulb in the porch fixture won't do it. Unless it is maybe one of those new compact fluorescents discussed in that long blacklight thread (its a skinny fluorescent bulb bent back over, with both ends stuck into one socket that screws into a regular light fixture). Also, if you are going to do it this way and don't already have the glow paint, you could maybe buy some white blacklight paint instead and save a little money. Nathan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nathan Kahn Home: kahnn@pa.net Work: nathan@theatrefx.com Work Web: http://www.theatrefx.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 06:45:55 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 09:32:52 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit mutates to Tim Cur Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Hey you guys, I'm really tickled that my Bugs Bunny idea is getting so much >thought! Thought you might be interested in the background of this particular cartoon (sketchy though it is)... The title is Transylvania 6-5000. Warner Bros. released this cartoon in Nov. 1963, under the directorial hand of the inimitable Chuck Jones. Now I'm a huge fan of Chuck Jones, so I've liked virtually everything he's done. The success/failure of Transylvania 6-5000 may be measured in part by looking at two very good books. Chuck Amuck - Jones's autobiography relegates this cartoon to a mere footnote in his filmography. A title and nothing else. Then there is Leonard Maltin's book of years ago (before he became an Entertainment Tonight hack) titled _Of Mice and Magic_. He says, in part, "...The last years of pro- duction were marked by a weariness one never associated with Warner's cartoons...fresh ideas and truly funny gags were almost nonexistent...long running series reached low points in 1963 with films like Aqua Duck (w/Daffy) and Transylvania 6-5000 (w/Bugs)..." The problem was, many of Warner's most talented artists, writers, lyricists and musicians had either passed away, retired, or moved on to the competition by the early 60s. Guys like Michael Maltese, Jack Hannah, Carl Stalling and others who at one time were part of a major creative force had left the stable in one fashion or another. But I happen to like Transylvania 6-5000... ;) >Anyone have additional ideas to add to the mad scientist theme? I'm thinking >maybe some test tubes though I don't know where to look for some. There are plenty of sources for test tubes, though they may be expensive. I have a novelty catalog for the Intergalactic Trading Co. from a year or two ago. They offered tubes and beakers for something like this... Get _How to Run A (Financially) Successful Haunted House_ by Phillip Morris. Tried and true mad scientist sets and illusions are included within... Good luck! - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 06:52:04 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 09:43:59 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Another possible solution to the Evil Scientist/Boo! sign is the ever-versatile Pepper's Ghost. A miniature version can easily be built. On one side, Evil Scientist in whatever color you choose. The other side, Boo! in another color. Instead of a slow dissolve with dimmers, you use a quick on/off so the change will be sudden like a blinking sign. Oughta work. - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 07:59:37 1996 From: LCIRUSS@aol.com Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 10:42:44 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: RE:Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Kathy, The magazine is the October 1996 Issue of Popular Electonics and I found it at a B.Dalton book store, I have also seen it a Walden Book stores. So if either of these two are in your area try them. GOOD LUCK! Russell From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 08:13:24 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 11:06:59 EDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Bill Lewis Subject: Re: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit mutates to Tim Curry? Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 11:17 PM 8/21/96 PST, you wrote: >Anyone have additional ideas to add to the mad scientist theme? I'm thinking >maybe some test tubes though I don't know where to look for some. Back to the farm store, get some tubular rain gages. May not be the least expensive, but I'd guess that it's cheaper than real lab equipment, and usually made in clear plastic (unbreakable, cringe, I hate that word). I have two (gages), one about 14" tall, and another about 6" 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 Thu Aug 22 08:13:37 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 16:28:36 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit mutates to Tim Curry? Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Maryanne, How about the Jacobs Ladder. I know a couple of people on the list can help you with it. And it is a neat effect for a lab of a Mad Scientist!! It is the effect in all the old movies of the two rods and the electricity going between them. Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 08:36:12 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 09:25:41 -0600 (CST) From: John Rosloot To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >The magazine is the October 1996 Issue of Popular Electonics What's the October issue doing out in August? Not that I'm complaining... -- John Rosloot, technical analyst Dept. of Computer Science, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 09:01:43 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 10:08:32 -0500 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Barry Wulfe Subject: Reuseable Spider Webs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: With all the talk going on about giant spider webs, I thoght I might toss in a method that I used last year. I Have a very large living room that serves as the main gathering area for a Halloween party that I throw each year. Last year I purchased one of the 4 foot spiders, and decided that it would be nice to have a web for it to sit on. So, I got some 100lb test nylon fish line and proceeded to weave my own web. I used small finishing nails in strategic locations to form my anchor points. I also used railings from an upstairs balcony for anchor points. After running a number of intersecting lines across the room, I began to form mulit-oganal rings, using the cross lines as a suppor. Each time that my quasi-circular path crossed over the straight lines, I tied a knot to keep it in place. Once all of the circular paths had been strung, I went back and put in some more of the intersecting straight lines (some simply followed the same path as the first anchor lines) This time, I tied the straight lines to the edges of the circular ones (This helped to pull the circular paths outward and keep the web tight.) It was a lot of work, but the spider sat on the web without any problem (and it is not a lightweight spider). When it was time to take the web down, I simply undied my anchor points, labeled a few key locations, and folded it up for use this year. Now all I have to do is unfold the web, allign the marked anchor lines with the various locations in my living room, and it should be in place withing half an hour. Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 09:06:41 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 10:58:03 -0500 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Barry Wulfe Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I don't know what part of the country you are located in, but I can't believe that they have never heard of Popular Mechanics. I believe that it has been in publication for over 50 years. I stopped by a Barnes & Noble yesterday, but they only had the September issue. They said to check back in about a week for the October eddition. >Jason, > then I am right with Popular Electronics?? I went to two more book >stores in our area and they both said, never heard of it. I am going to >start calling out of town. And it is the Oct. issue I want, right?? >Kathy Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 09:14:11 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 11:02:38 -0500 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Barry Wulfe Subject: Re: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny! Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Good idea! I have a soldering gun I could use on them. I really wish >that the "fake stone" spray paint kits produced weatherproof results, >darn it, but maybe I could try for a fake marble effect using the latex >paint. > I have used the fleck-stone spray paint on the concrete gravestone that I use for my flaming grave. I applied multiple layers of sealant, and it has held up great for several years. Rain has had no noticable effect on the stone finish. Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 09:29:13 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 12:24:04 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Jon Rosloot asks: >>The magazine is the October 1996 Issue of Popular Electonics >What's the October issue doing out in August? Not that I'm complaining... John, I'm not sure how general newstand distribution works in Canada, but in the U.S., it's been pretty much this way for decades: The ship dates are generally 2 to 3 moths in advance of the cover date on the magazine. This ostensibly allows the newstands and other vendors to get a longer "shelf life" out of the magazine - allowing up to 3 months in most cases to sell through on the issue. There is usually a pull date for the magazine, at which time, any unsold copies are removed from the shelves and returned for partial credit to the vendor. The vendor rips the cover or a portion of the cover off the magazine, returns it to the pub- lisher for credit and trashes the rest of the magazine. If a person is in possession of a magazine with a cover ripped off after the vendor trashes the mag, that person is in possession of stolen property. It's against the law. The same has been true of paper- back books in some cases - though why there would be a "shelf life" on a paperback, I've no idea. - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 09:44:48 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 09:34:58 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "David \"HOMER\" Simpson (or one of the Clan)" Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Barry, I'm in San Jose, California, they have Popular Mechanics everywhere but Popular Electronics is a little more difficult to find. I got my copy at Waldenbooks, --Jason At 10:58 AM 08/22/96 -0500, you wrote: >I don't know what part of the country you are located in, but I can't >believe that they have never heard of Popular Mechanics. I believe that it >has been in publication for over 50 years. I stopped by a Barnes & Noble >yesterday, but they only had the September issue. They said to check back >in about a week for the October eddition. > >>Jason, >> then I am right with Popular Electronics?? I went to two more book >>stores in our area and they both said, never heard of it. I am going to >>start calling out of town. And it is the Oct. issue I want, right?? >>Kathy > >Barry Wulfe >bwulfe@txdirect.net > From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 10:09:51 1996 From: Randi.Beers@cibadiag.com Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 12:50:19 -0400 Subject: Treasure Hunt made spooky To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Hi, This year at my Halloween party I want to keep the kids busy doing a treasure hunt. It would work by giving each kid their first clue like look in the pumpkin's mouth. They would find another clue and continue until finding a box full of treasure(toys, candy? not sure what yet). My question is how can I make this more spooky? I need a better name for it, like Goblin tresure hunt or something. Maybe put the clues on "old" burnt paper. I figured the older the kid the harder the clue. The clue would turn more into a riddle. Are there any Halloween riddles out there that might apply? But I still need ideas on how to make this more spooky for the kids. If anyone has any ideas please help. Thanks, Randi From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 10:55:49 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 10:42:09 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Lisa Marie Peterson Subject: Re: test tubes Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Anyone have additional ideas to add to the mad scientist theme? I'm thinking >maybe some test tubes though I don't know where to look for some. Maryanne, Have you considered a children's chemistry set? I've never checked to see how much they cost, but you can find them just about anywhere (like Toys R Us, although that would probably not be the cheapest place to get it). Lisa ;) \\\|/// \\ - - // ( @ @ ) +-----------------oOOo-(_)-oOOo---------------------------+ | Lisa Marie Peterson direct 408-467-4626 | | Administrative Asst. fax 408-451-9361 | | CellAccess Division email peterson@fore.com | | FORE SYSTEMS WEST internet http://www.fore.com | +---------------------------Oooo--------------------------+ oooO ( ) ( ) ) / From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 12:26:33 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 15:11:57 EDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Bill Lewis Subject: Re: Re[2]: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Bunny Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 09:43 AM 8/22/96 EST, you wrote: >Another possible solution to the Evil Scientist/Boo! sign is the >ever-versatile Pepper's Ghost. Way to go Stu!, This has to be the easiest, and best IMNSHO solution to this request. It really seems so obvious now that you've mentioned it. As for the light switching. I can only add that my suggestion would be a mechanical solution using low voltage lights (12V) and rotating contacts in conjuntion with a rotisserie motor. That's just off the top of my head. I'd use low voltage because of the homemade contacts. There may be other mechanical methods to drive regular wall switches as well, but that'd take a bit of tinkering in the shop. 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 Thu Aug 22 12:28:24 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 14:53:11 EDT To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Bill Lewis Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter (Banter) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: At 10:58 AM 8/22/96 -0500, you wrote: >I don't know what part of the country you are located in, but I can't >believe that they have never heard of Popular Mechanics. aAck! Pthht! I think you mis-read the post, the bookstore clerk said they had PM, and PS, but NOT "Popular Electronics" (but maybe they had PMS, sorry couldn't resist) PE is a little more obsure magazine, and certainly not as glossy as the other 2. The last one I found was at a local (CVS) drug store chain. 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 Thu Aug 22 13:12:19 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 14:50:45 -0600 (CST) Subject: More on Evil Scientist Fun To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Some thoughts on the 'Evil Scientist' scenario I've been watching this thread, and thinking of things I've done over the years. Here are a few suggestions which may help you tap into a little primal fear in your guests, and add an edge to your scene. I wouldn't expect anyone to spend the kind of time and money required to do all the stuff below. Rather, I thought I'd put down a list of things I had either done or seen done by others in the past. I hope some of it gives you an idea or two that you haven't already cooked up. -------- Way back before today's 'colorful' hospital walls and decor, everything in health care institutions was stark black and white. (Remember the asylum in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest?") It was discovered that this created a more stressful environment than soft pastels, and eventually, we started seeing pale green and blue in use instead. Even the diagnostic and therapeutic equipment was toned down, and made to look less threatening whenever possible (the size reduction came mostly as a result of solid-state technology.) For your lab, you want all that stress and fear back again. Try using a black and white scheme for the room and equipment. On props, use large areas of white trimmed with black accents. In fact, you might try keeping almost _everything_ black and white, as if you were re-enacting a scene from an old horror movie. The only color (red = danger) can come from large, menacing pilot lights on the equipment, and, of course, blood smeared on the operating table drapes. Make it look as 'institutional' as possible. Have an entire wall full of large, looming, dangerous-looking electrical whatzits, bristling with _thick_ black wires (possibly extra-flexible garden hoses spray-painted, or stuff found in an electrical surplus outlet) that just say 'high voltage' all by themselves. A few realistic-looking 'DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE' signs may not hurt, either. Have some wicked looking probes or bizarre devices on the ends of the wires, and use these to menace the actor on the table, or the guests in your Haunt. Some devices would be floor-standing, and others might hang on the wall. Make them look as realistic as possible. Arrange your lighting so that there is a stark contrast between light and shadow. Make the light sources as harsh and focused as possible. This is the place for an interesting grid (or similar) pattern gobo (see previous posts about gobo's.) On your general soundtrack, have a continuous electrical buzz, along with lower frequency effects, like a throbbing rumble, and perhaps even a heartbeat (there's an excellent one at the start of Pink Floyd's _Dark Side of the Moon_.) This can be punctuated with relay closings (clicks & bangs), the sounds of distant motors starting up, and electrical arcs sizzling. If you are running compressed air effects elsewhere in your Haunt, keep the compressor in this room and benefit from the noise! Keep the synthetic audio loud enough to sound real, and try to provide low-frequency-capable speakers (and a subwoofer, if possible). If you know someone who has a MIDI keyboard setup and some synthesizers, it should be easy to create a custom soundtrack, both for the general background sounds and the individual device props, using synths alone. One thing I have done in the past: I went inside an elevator motor room and record the machinery close-up, then edited bits of this into a soundtrack by loading them into a digital sampler and sequencing with MIDI. (You can also play the sounds on the sampler keyboard with tape running in record.) If you are so inclined, you can have someone on your crew (or build a circuit to) make the room lighting dim and flicker when you operate the machinery, and your devices can have their own speakers/soundtracks. As has been mentioned in an earlier post, may want to put a Jacob's ladder (see the archives) in the room; if you are willing to, it will only add to the look of danger. Big ceramic insulators - the ones that look like conical beehives - add to the electrical look, although finding them may be a little difficult (can anyone on the list suggest a source?) In this category, it's amazing what may be found at a junk yard and painted up. Old racks of electrical equipment, especially with large switches, lights and meters are perfect for this - just paint the whole piece in the white/black trim 'color' scheme. There are almost always vent holes in these cabinets, so you can mount a strobe (or better, two strobes set for different flash rates) inside to simulate sparks and arcs when the thing 'runs'. Gut the control panel(s), and re-wire the switched and lights to suit your effects. One switch might start the effects soundtrack, another might cause the strobes to go off, and a third could cause panel lights to flash. If you have a small fog machine, put it inside one of your ersatz devices, trigger the fog, and have this machine emit loud sounds of distress as you try to 'use' it. One year, our crew found a dentist who wanted to get rid of an old X-ray machine. We cut the tip off the cone and installed lighting inside the head unit, and mounted it over our operating table. This was a real piece of good luck! You may need to do a bit of nosing around, but the stuff can be found. -------------- IF YOU ARE SANE, STOP READING NOW :-) -------------- Don't say I didn't warn you. In the 'don't try this unless you are crazy' category, I'll tell you something that _really_ works for me in creating terror. Several years back, I got a hand-held Tesla coil from a company called Electro-Technic Products, Inc. [4642 N. Ravenswood Ave. Chicago, IL 60640 (312) 561-2349 - Model BD-10-A] I paid about $80.00 for the unit back then. It is designed to be used as a vacuum system tester and exciter for making neon signs, etc. Its output tip is gap-isolated so that contact with the tip will cause no harm to the user, other than a 'zap' by the stream of electrons from the high-frequency high-voltage output. It is listed by the manufacturer as a 'high frequency generator', but it is, in fact, a Tesla coil. The general public is not aware of this, but _high frequency_ high voltage flows over the skin surface, not through the body. The unit looks positively dangerous: a brown, antique-looking cylinder with a tapering front insulator, and ending in a long, shiny, pointed electrode. Brass polish really makes it shine! The unit is certainly not lethal. I routinely grab the tip and then pick up a fluorescent tube, which promptly lights in my hand. I always wear insulated shoes while doing this. However, I DON'T RECOMMEND YOU TRY THIS AT HOME unless you are experienced with high-frequency high voltage safety precautions. When the device is action, it makes a soft-but-dangerous-sounding crackly buzz. If you are in the dark, an electrical corona discharge can be seen around the tip. When you hold the tip within about an inch of a metal surface, there is a nice multi-forked discharge, and some wicked electrical noise to accompany it. Simply doing this assures the audience that it is real, and I have seen people back away from it in absolute terror! (If you've seen Buckaroo Banzai, this unit appeared in the scene where Penny was being tortured by the Red Lectroids, but was not actually used to produce a discharge on screen. Watch the scene again and look closely.) Another neat effect involves the use of a large, clear 300 W. light bulb (available at hardware outlets.) Ground the base of the bulb, and bring the tip of the coil near any point on the glass. Now, watch the cool blue lightning streaks s as they erupt from the bulb's filament and dance around! The rare gas inside the bulb is responsible for the streamers. This is the same operating principle that drives those lightning spheres you used to be able to get at Radio Shack and novelty stores. Yes, those little units have a T-coil in the base. (In fact, every television set made has a little T-coil inside it to help work the sweep: a 'flyback transformer'.) The hand-held BD-10-A has a limited running time of 10 minutes constant-on, but I recommend you run it for a couple of minutes maximum, then give it a rest. Be sure to use it with good ventilation, so that ozone produced by the discharge does not build up in the room. I must caution you NOT to use ANY other Tesla coil unit than the one listed as a hand-held unit. Trying to do so can get you burned or electrocuted! You have been warned! See? I told you to stop reading. :-) -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:22:08 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 12:45:49 PST From: "Sparks, Doug" To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: It is popular ELECTRONICS not Popular Mechanics. I just got it today from a little newsstand in the mall. The October issue is the one you want and it is obvious once you see it :) (Although I do wonder what the heck is in that pumpkin candy-carrier she has!) Can anyone say Jolly Rancher Green Apple? *pucker* Doug Sparks dsparks@ligand.com I don't know what part of the country you are located in, but I can't believe that they have never heard of Popular Mechanics. I believe that it has been in publication for over 50 years. I stopped by a Barnes & Noble yesterday, but they only had the September issue. They said to check back in about a week for the October eddition. >Jason, > then I am right with Popular Electronics?? I went to two more book >stores in our area and they both said, never heard of it. I am going to >start calling out of town. And it is the Oct. issue I want, right?? >Kathy Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:22:39 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 13:07:07 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "David \"HOMER\" Simpson (or one of the Clan)" Subject: My Newest Project :) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I'm working on the the "gory" section of my haunted house, and thought I'd do a tribute to my favorite horror movies. Everything's been going great, with the exception of the Hellraiser room. This is where I need the help. I love the scenes where hooks are stretching pieces of flesh. I was thinking about using a technique called slush molding using liquid latex. Does this sound like a good idea, and does anyone have any other ideas for this stretching flesh? --Jason From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:46:37 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 13:34:36 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Rick Hill Subject: Re: Budget decor hint Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Faifield. North Texas Street. >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 Richard Hill Computer Operations Manager Office Phone: (916) 757-3002 UCD Bookstore FAX: (916) 757-3010 UC Davis E-Mail: rrhill@ucdavis.edu From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:48:36 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 14:35:57 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Getting in the Mood Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Tales From the Darkside had an episode called "Trick-or-Treat" that was really wonderful. The mean old guy owns the valley, and all of the farmers are in debt to him. On Halloween every year, he sets up his house as a haunt and invites all of his debtors to send their children to his house. If they can find the stack of IOUs in his house, their debts to him will be ended. Of course, the mean old guy terrifies the kids every year, and no one has ever found the IOUs, until... From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:50:43 1996 From: rleach@pongo.West.Sun.COM Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 13:21:58 -0800 (PDT) Subject: Re: evil scientist mutates to evil rabbit mutates to Tim Curry? To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > ** Reply to note from njg@cc.UManitoba.CA 08/21/96 1:41pm -0600 > > > Anyone have additional ideas to add to the mad scientist theme? I'm thinking > maybe some test tubes though I don't know where to look for some. I > definitely have to get a Rocky Horror CD for sound effects... what could be > better than "Sweet Transvestite from Transylvania"? Come on up to the lab > and see what's on the slab! Hmmm...this makes me want a surgical table, > with Gossamer or Bugs on it instead of Rocky! Well, since you asked... I found that aquarium bubblers blowing air into test tubes filled with colored water looks pretty good. I'll usually back-light the display & drop a chunk of dry ice in just to give it that smoky effect. BTW, your glassware doesn't have to be test tubes. Just find an assortment of odd shaped glasses. Garage sales are great for this. roy. From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 13:51:09 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 15:40:00 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: More on Evil Scientist Fun To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Oops. How stupid of me. I goofed on the price of that Tesla Coil. It was $125.00 back in 1990. Probably $150.00 or more by now. :-( But I'd still buy one! -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 14:01:12 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 16:48:17 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[4]: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Bill sez: >Way to go Stu!, This has to be the easiest, and best IMNSHO solution to this >request. It really seems so obvious now that you've mentioned it. Aw shucks... >As for the light switching. I can only add that my suggestion would be a >mechanical solution using low voltage lights (12V) and rotating contacts >in conjuntion with a rotisserie motor. That's just off the top of my >head. I'd use low voltage because of the homemade contacts. >There may be other mechanical methods to drive regular wall switches as >well, but that'd take a bit of tinkering in the shop. Would some sort of relay switch work in this situation? - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 14:08:18 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 16:54:15 EST From: Stuart McIntire To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re[2]: Goblin Greeter (Banter) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >aAck! Pthht! You've been around those cats too long, Bill. Gotta do something 'bout them hairballs! ;) >I think you mis-read the post, the bookstore clerk said they had PM, and PS, >but NOT "Popular Electronics" >(but maybe they had PMS, sorry couldn't resist) I saw Popular Photography when I picked up my copy of Popular Electronics at B. Dalton today at lunch time. Do you think that clerk has PP? ;) >PE is a little more obsure magazine, and certainly not as glossy as the >other 2. The last one I found was at a local (CVS) drug store chain. If you make it to the Maul tonight, Bill, don't bother stopping at Waldenbooks... - Stu stuart.mcintire@uage.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 14:16:41 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 15:52:59 CDT From: jeffh@oakhill-csic.sps.mot.com (Jeff Hunsinger) To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: My Newest Project :) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: > Everything's been going great, with the exception of the Hellraiser room. > This is where I need the help. I love the scenes where hooks are stretching > pieces of flesh. I've seen this effect in real life, though it wasn't as dramatic as the movie. A local group put on bondage shows in various night clubs. One guy would enter the stage with fish hooks in his back (they were real - he was standing next to me before going on stage). The hooks were wired together in pairs with fishing line. An assistant on stage would hook these loops into a line with a counterweight. The end effect: The freak was suspended horizontally in the air with the hooks holding him up. I don't think I'd try this one at home, though I think he and his friends would be a welcome addition to any Halloween party. Also, along the Mad Scientist theme: A local mental hospital auctioned off old equipment and furniture years ago. I missed the chance to buy an electroshock therapy machine! Checking behind various hospitals and clinics may turn up old examination tables. A friend of mine got one this way. Jeff From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 14:48:03 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 16:24:26 -0500 (CDT) From: Jim Wollmer To: halloween-l Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: My name is Jim Wollmer, I am new to the list and am this is my first post. I run a haunted house in a 60' x 160' steel pole shed. I have been doing this for 3 years and have successfully made money for a local youth cause. My typical budget is $5,000 for everything from building materials to security to advertising. Needless to say my effects are fairly low budget. The problem with the house is that it is actor intensive. I need about 30 people to run the house at peak. My goal is to automate a lot of the things which I need people to do besides act. The house uses guides to lead groups of 6-8 people through at a time. We push through 5,000 people in 8 nights. Now for my question: What is the best (*inexpensive*) way to control lighting and sound effects based on audience presence. Ideally I would like a detector of some sort to switch on lighting effect and sound then turn off and be ready for the next group. I have searched the archives and have found mention of X-10 and Basic stamp solutions. I also thought about setting up a computer to read input from a sensor and switch on and off lights, but this doesn't handle sound. Is there a way to store quality sound on some type of digital voice record/playback module. *A caution* I have very limited electronics background but am a hacker and I will learn. Well enough for now trust me future posts will not be so long winded. Jim Wollmer james.wollmer@us.landisgyr.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 14:48:14 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 22:48:52 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Thanks Gang, I finally found it at a book store about 20 miles away. I can't wait to dig in and read it all. I do have a question for you tech people... I took my 9 year old niece with me when I picked it up, she found a Goosebump book she wanted. Got to start them early, right? In the package it had some glow in the dark fingers and she was all excited. The guy at he counter told her that they glow because they have radio active material in them to make them glow and that they were dangerous. Well, he knew how to scare a little girl. Now as for the question...What does make them glow? In easy terms that I can make her understand. Thanks for your help. Kathy the new kid on the crypt From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 15:07:09 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 16:51:51 -0500 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Barry Wulfe Subject: Re: More on Evil Scientist Fun Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Doug, I must have missed your first message on the Tesla Coils, what was your sorce for purchasing these. I have a Frankenstein display on my upstairs balcony and wish to have one (along with a Jacob's Ladder) as part of my exhibit. Thanks >Oops. How stupid of me. I goofed on the price of that Tesla Coil. >It was $125.00 back in 1990. Probably $150.00 or more by now. :-( > >But I'd still buy one! > >-Doug >*********************************************************************** >* Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * >* The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * >*********************************************************************** Barry Wulfe bwulfe@txdirect.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 15:17:41 1996 To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt made spooky From: SIMONJ@rh.wl.com (Jeff Simon) Date: 22 Aug 96 18:06:26 EDT Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: How about a game of build the body? Have them look for various items which will be assembled into a monster when all items are put together. Use one of the brain and heart jello molds, build eyes out of eggs/olives, etc. Requires a lot of imagination on your part to make the anatomical parts, but it has a spooky theme. If you really wanna go all out. Hide someone under the draped table that you are assembling the monster on. When it is time for re-animation, douse the lights completely long enough to make the switch. When the "monster" comes to life, that should make things exciting for everybody! Those kids will need therapy! Heh, heh. Heh, heh, heh! HA HA HA AH-HA HA- . . . er,. sorry about that. -- Jeff A. Simon simonj@rh.wl.com From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 15:19:36 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:21:09 -0700 From: Michael Marcrum To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: Getting in the Mood Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Lauren, This is not fair....until WHAT!!! Kathy From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 17:07:41 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 16:27:31 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Rick Hill Subject: Goblin Greeter Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: The article in Popular Electronics says to use "interior storm-window material available from most hardware stores" sized for "picture windows or sliding glass doors". I haven't checked for this clear, heat shrink material yet, but here in California, we don't have storm-windows (at least most of the state). Anyone know if this stuff is readily available, what are the manufacturers/brand names, what can we expect to pay? This is would be THE solution to most of the Pepper's Ghost problems discussed in this group...a cheap, light, non-breakable, large format, glass-substitute. Also, the author of the PE article builds the frame to hold this material out of meatl conduit. Does this stuff relly exert that mush force when shrunk? Would a PVC frame work? Richard Hill Computer Operations Manager Office Phone: (916) 757-3002 UCD Bookstore FAX: (916) 757-3010 UC Davis E-Mail: rrhill@ucdavis.edu From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 17:12:32 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 16:42:11 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Where to go -Reply Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Blake Krebs writes: > I am trying to put together a listing of all places that > sell Halloween related merchandise so that I can > begin a cross-country shopping spree. Kinetic Artistry 7216 Carroll Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-6666 From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 17:12:39 1996 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: ferris@terrabyte.net (Joan Berkowitz) Subject: Re: Getting in the Mood Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 19:38:08 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: We can't stand it any longer, what happens next? ............................................ We wanna know, we wanna know, we wanna know! ----------------------- Joni & Stephen Berkowitz ferris@terrabyte.net ----------------------- Batty About Halloween :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 17:43:00 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 96 16:42:28 PST From: "Sparks, Doug" To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: My Newest Project :) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Dental alginate stays "wet" for a couple of days it seems. You may be able to color it with food coloring while mixing and/or add some paint to it beforehand. If people get the courage to touch it, it would still be fresh and wet (provided you did this only a couple of days beforehand). That could look really nice hanging those pieces from the hooks! Just a thought, not sure how well it would work. Doug Sparks dsparks@ligand.com I'm working on the the "gory" section of my haunted house, and thought I'd do a tribute to my favorite horror movies. Everything's been going great, with the exception of the Hellraiser room. This is where I need the help. I love the scenes where hooks are stretching pieces of flesh. I was thinking about using a technique called slush molding using liquid latex. Does this sound like a good idea, and does anyone have any other ideas for this stretching flesh? --Jason From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 18:00:39 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 17:16:35 -0700 (PDT) To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: Rick Hill Subject: Surplus Parts Sources Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Check out this site: http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/supliers.html for a huge collection of sources for surplus (and new) parts, including electronics, lasers, mechanical stuff and robotics. Most have FREE catalogs! Richard Hill Computer Operations Manager Office Phone: (916) 757-3002 UCD Bookstore FAX: (916) 757-3010 UC Davis E-Mail: rrhill@ucdavis.edu From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 18:10:24 1996 Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 18:00:16 +0100 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: makeup@earthlink.net (Tad Peters) Subject: Re: My Newest Project :) Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Dental alginate stays "wet" for a couple of days it seems. You may be able to color it with food coloring you can place wet papaer towels on the alginate and will help extend the wet life, or you could just submerge it after it has 'set.' addidtional water should not effect it. Tad. Tad Peters A. Harlequin Costume makeup@earthlink.net 9589 Foothill Blvd http://home.earthlink.net/~makeup Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 murphy_for_congress@desktop.tyrell.com (909) 948-2950 From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 20:09:15 1996 Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 23:02:23 -0400 To: halloween-l@netcom.com From: "Freya E. Harris" Subject: [HAL] Halloween Clip Art, etc. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: I collect clip art, and over the past couple years have amassed quite a collection of public domai (i.e., non-copyrighted) Halloween and appropriate-for-Halloween clips. Also, I have downloaded Halloween bitmaps to serve as Windows wallpaper, as well as codes for Halloween color schemes. Do any of you have any such Halloween type computer stuff? Yes, including screen savers (public domain only, of course - let's not indulge in software piracy!) - Freya E. Harris ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Winner of the 1995 World Series AND of the 1996 Olympic Games From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 22:09:37 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 19:22:48 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Re[4]: Delurking, and Halloween inspiration by... Bugs To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: >Would some sort of relay switch work in this situation? If you used the rotisserie motor, here's a really dirt cheap solution: Make a couple of improvised cams on the shaft using duct tape lumps. Have these cams depress the levers on a couple of microswitches in an alternating fashion. Reshape the duct tape wads with more tape until the durations are as you desire. Then, just make sure you don't show it to an engineer! :-) -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 23:45:47 1996 From: DWFWW@jazz.ucc.uno.edu Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 01:39:18 -0600 (CST) Subject: The 'Grave Jumper' To: halloween-l@netcom.com Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: As promised, the beta-version of this mechanical effect is done. If you'd like the jpgs, e-mail me. As mentioned before, I built a model of this, and checked the clearances. The model was half-scale, and made from cardboard, so your mileage may vary. I've spent the entire evening working on this, and boy, are my eyes tired! (Eye socket to me? :-) Nahh. Horrid pun.) I'm looking for an intrepid volunteer to build this one and photograph it for the book. Surely there is someone out there... -Doug *********************************************************************** * Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency: * Doug Ferguson * * The Keys To The Kingdom * dwfww@jazz.ucc.uno.edu * *********************************************************************** From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Thu Aug 22 23:48:46 1996 Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 02:42:16 -0400 From: "Allan J. Clifford" To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Re: [HAL] Halloween Clip Art, etc. Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Freya E. Harris wrote: > > I collect clip art, and over the past couple years have amassed quite a > collection of public domai (i.e., non-copyrighted) Halloween and > appropriate-for-Halloween clips. Also, I have downloaded Halloween bitmaps > to serve as Windows wallpaper, as well as codes for Halloween color schemes. > Do any of you have any such Halloween type computer stuff? Yes, including > screen savers (public domain only, of course - let's not indulge in software > piracy!) > > - Freya E. Harris > ATLANTA, GEORGIA: > Winner of the 1995 World Series > AND > of the 1996 Olympic Games I am looking for any since I have none. Is your collection available online? Aclifford@ntr.net From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Fri Aug 23 04:23:12 1996 From: Jacqui Young To: "'halloween-l@netcom.com'" Subject: non-flammable paint Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 07:14:48 -0400 Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Well this year I plan to mix my passion for Halloween with my passion = for Christmas. I go a hold of an old (really old) artificial Christmas = tree, makes Charlie Browns look healthy. Anyhow I want to spray paint = it black and put it out on the lawn for Halloween. I've got some lovely = strings of halloween lights etc. and with a pumpkin head instead of an = angel... could work. Anyhow what I need to know is what kind of paint = should I use, that'll hold up if it rains and not start unintentional = fireworks? Thanks for any help you can give me. Now if I could just get Jack Skelington to show up...hmmmm From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Fri Aug 23 05:29:42 1996 Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 06:26:29 -0600 From: Lauren Jones To: halloween-l@netcom.com Subject: Goblin Greeter--Popular Electronics Reply-To: halloween-l@netcom.com Status: O X-Status: Picked up a copy of the October 1996 issue of Popular Electronics at Bookland at Beltway Plaza in Greenbelt, Maryland for $3.50 plus the ubiquitous state sales tax. I have no personal ability in wiring things together, but I must have the magazine for my collection and in case I persuade someone to put it together some time! It looks to me, however, that a nonelectronically gifted type could hit the tape player switch and fade the lights up and down by hand, so it's a great article in general. There were 9 remaining copies at Bookland when I left last night, and I figure between the cost of the mag, the sales tax, a large manilla envelope, and postage, for $5 I could mail a copy to anyone who can't lay hands on it themselves. Let me know! Cheers! From owner-halloween-l@majordomo.netcom.com Fri Aug 23 05:32:27 1996 Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 06:31:11 -0600