# What was the first animated prop you built?



## creepykate (Oct 15, 2011)

I'm intimidated but have always wanted to make something MOVE. What's a cheap and easy way to start? (for next year...)


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Take a look at this thread here about props based on a shiatsu massager. As noted in the thread, you don't need to know anything about motors to make one of these props:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=15610&highlight=shiatsu


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Leering prop using a wiper motor. It's built to last forever and it's pretty simple. I found the plans on this sight... I think.


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## samhayne (Jul 3, 2008)

Stirring witch cauldron was the first animated props i've built.
Then FCG and shiatsu zombie.

This year i did JAck skelington, rocking zombie and samara well.

Next year i feel ready for pneumatics.


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## kevin242 (Sep 30, 2005)

my first animated prop was a dracula coffin, it stands by the front door and has a pull string that causes him to jump fall out at you. powered by 2 bed springs, his eyes light up and he says "Happy Halloween!" and laughs at you. 









My first motorized prop was a stirring witch powered with a can opener. She's on a motion sensor and she lights up and starts stirring...








BTW, I set both of these up today, they've lasted over 8 years. I've made a lot of modifications on them (like new hands) over the years.

There are lots of how-to articles on this site, the shiatsu "grave escape" is a really easy build as is the tombstone peeper, but I think The easiest moving prop is using an oscillating (wow spelled it right the first time) fan prop to make a head look back and forth.


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

I second the oscillating fan prop. Easy to make with readily available materials - just make sure you allow plenty of ventilation so it doesn't burn up the motor.


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## R. Lamb (Oct 11, 2011)

I started with the FCG (Flying Crank Ghost) the first year then built a floating lantern for the second. That was followed by the Mailbox trauma the third year. This is year four and I spent my whole Halloween allowance on lights and audio. Oh, and there are a couple of fog chillers I've built as I manage to find old coolers laying around.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

My first moving prop was an FCG. I guess, in the whole moving prop world, that is a medium difficulty prop. I have been doing it a few years now, so I have a MIB (actually a monster in the coffin, but its the same idea) a couple of rocking tombstones ( which were surprisingly easy to build) a gravestone peeper, a skeleton greeter that tips his hat/head, and my two animated 20 dollar prop challenge entries (Restless and Bad Dog) All the ideas for this stuff, except my two challenge entries, came from this site.

As to an easy non-intimidating prop, I would suggest a gravestone peeper (popper?) prop. Pretty easy and simple to build. There are lots of examples on the site here, and they are a must have for all the best haunts. Besides you do not need to use it behind a gravestone, obviously it could pop up from behind anything and the head can have any look you would like, skelton, zombie, pumpkin...whatever fits your haunt. I have sort of a light up ghoul myself.

Trust me, they may look difficult, but these things are incredibly easy to build. Especially with all the eager help you can get from this site. And over all pretty cheap to build too. All the stuff I have listed, I built in the last three years. Plus graveyard fence, lighted columns, a bunch of gravestones, and some really trick LED lighting that I got from a how-to on this site from niblique71. 

Beware though, after that first animated prop, you will not be able to stop yourself from making more.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I did a wall of dropping mummies....I need to look for a video of that.


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

my first animate prop was an FCG I built with a rotissary motor.. which I had to replace with a proper granger gearmotor the next year because it only lasted two hours. It's on it's 6th year. My brewster yard haunt haunt 101 torso crawler was the 2nd motorized prop I built, it's on it's 5th year.


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

Mine was a wiper motor hangman. So far it has lasted 4 years. My theme has evolved over the years and have no place for him this year. But I have a nostalgic feeling with him as he was my first prop, so I will always find a place for him.


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

Mine was a 14" long rubber rat. I put it in a cardboard box with some wood shavings, cut a small slit in the bottom of the box and shoved a screwdriver up through the slit into the bottom of the rat. When a kid approached, I pushed the screwdriver forward and made the rat jump forward a couple of inches. I got more screams out of that stupid rat than anything for the next ten years.


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

FCG here too. She hasn't been the most reliable, but that's been my fault for not getting a good mounting for her until last year.


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## Spooky D (Oct 4, 2011)

My first animated prop was a Spider Victim using a shiatsu massager. It's a good cheap basis for lots of props. I always find them at thrift stores for under 10 bucks. I have since used them for a grave grabber and I am working on plans for a giant spider for next year.


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## QueenRuby2002 (Oct 23, 2011)

Does a circle of dancing ghost using a ceiling fan count? How about a crashed car that the head lights come on and the horn sounds when you strp infront of it? Just did those this year. It's our first year trying to set up more then a small grave yeard. Tough I'm think of trying some of these props listed here for next year. My brother works at a junk yard so I'm thinking I can get a stock pile of winshild whiper moters.


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