# The Impaling wall



## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

I am building a moving wall called the impaler. It is a wall that closes in like the trash compactor scene in star wars, or an Indiana Jones movie, that meets SAW. The space in in a metal container so it must fit in 8 feet depth, the wall is 9 feet wide, covered in metal spikes, 12 to 16 inches long, It is built on a frame that glides on four garage door rails, two above and two below, it is surrounded by a chain link fence ceiling to floor; the spikes could impale the patrons through the fence if not for the safety controls. I am trying to move the wall pneumatically with two synchronized scissor mechanisms. They have to fit in a 16” space and travel 30”. To make the most of my travel, I want to have two speeds, start slow to draw their attention then dramatically increase the speed hitting a noisemaker endpoint just short of the fence, I will theoretically accomplish this with two solenoids in the air circuit. All the light in the room will be on the spikes, dim at first then, something more dramatic. I am using a maestro two prop controller so I will run one light and on e solenoid on each or the 2 events. I need to find an information source for scissor mechanisms, and a large bore and stroke air cylinder. Any Ideas?


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

Yes, stop at least 4" short of the fence. Kids may put their hands through the fence to touch the spikes. No need to add real blood to the fake kind.
Sorry, this doesn't have anything to do with scissor mechanisms, but I think you will be disappointed in 30" of travel. I did a spiked ceiling once and the scare is in the slow decent. If you have made the wall already, this is a useless suggestion but what I did to get more travel is have the spikes on a different frame than the ceiling. That way, the wall can move further than the spikes (the spikes merely retract at the end). In your case, it would be very effective to slowly move the spike wall close to the fence then have the wall come jutting forward (and the spikes staying put). If you get the lighting right, the patrons would not see that the spikes retracted into the wall until the wall has stopped. The other thing I did is have the lights go out at the very end but kept the recorded sound going. Good luck and be safe with this one (I used foam spikes, not the real kind).


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

Wow, really cool idea, I have the wall frame made, the spike grid will be made separately and attached to it, how did you accomplish the mechanics of the spikes stopping and the wall continuing? That would be safer and allow more travel; the spikes are 1/2" metal tubing with real fence finials welded on. I built the cage today; it is very solid with extra support bars to keep the fat guys from pushing in the chain link. I was going to cover the wall in vinyl, but may let them see all the moving parts. It would only offer another 12" of travel, but the illusion would be strong, did I mention they are in a narrow passageway between the fence and a stele wall? Hmmm, have the spike grid attached to the back of the wall, have cables that create an end point, the spikes stop, as the wall goes, they have 4 tubes that they slide in , bungees, or springs to hold them in place as the wall continues. But that’s a crazy…..so crazy it just might work


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## steveshauntedyard (Nov 16, 2008)

Sounds awesome Brett wow its becoming a reality. How's the lab coming along?


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

My setup was vertical so I just put the spikes on a separate frame and poked through holes in the ceiling. I made the ropes to the spike frame shorter than the ropes on the ceiling. They automatically stopped early and "retracted". Actually, they stopped moving and the ceiling didn't.

http://www.garageofterror.com/crushhome.html

For a horizontal setup, the wall needs holes in it for the spikes to poke through and could have a smaller scissor mechanism between the spike frame and the wall. The large scissor could push both towards the fence then the smaller scissor could activate to push the wall forward (this way there is no way the spikes could accidentally be carried forward any further). Or, have two scissors on the wall and one shorter one on the spike frame. They can all move together but the spikes stop short. Just make sure there is no way for a spike to break off and get carried forward! This would add expense but I think would provide a bigger scare.

You sure you couldn't make foam or paper spikes? Would help with the weight and would be a lot safer.


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

One other effect I used that worked very well is that I put the lighting recessed into one wall. As the ceiling approached the lights, the shadows of the spikes moved and got longer. Then, as the ceiling covered the lights, all got dark. You might consider this approach rather than putting the lights in the cage area.


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

the wall is up ad running with the retractable spikes, it is powerful, it has taken alot of tweaking and much of my build time, how do I post a video of it so yall can see this monster prop?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Fearshire farms said:


> the wall is up ad running with the retractable spikes, it is powerful, it has taken alot of tweaking and much of my build time, how do I post a video of it so yall can see this monster prop?


If you have an account on Photobucket, Flickr, or YouTube, you can upload the video there and then post a link to it here.


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## steveshauntedyard (Nov 16, 2008)

Come on Brett VIDEO!!!!!


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

here is a video, i will get one of the nasty guts of this monster for you,


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

there is an element of being in front of this thing that doesn't capture on video. filming people going through may help you feel the dread of mortal peril that reality brings.


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## Brett Baker (Aug 3, 2010)

ok, lessons learned.......
the weight of the spiked grid had to be counterbalanced. i did use my top garage door rail, but if i redo it i will build my frame out of 1 1/2" sguare steel tubing with wheels on the floor to bare the load better. I had to grease all th moving parts to get it to work. it scares people because they feel like they really could have died........I have a locked chainlink cage around it welded to the celing and lag bolted to the floor. this was a fun, project.


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

Holy C#@*! That turned out great! I just hope it's safe enough because it looks like it could make swiss cheese out of you.


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

I notice your lighting is at the back. As I mentioned before, you might try it from the side. The moving shadows from the spikes are creepy, though this wall moves so fast that they may just confuse the action.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

WOW...That thing looks deadly!!! I like the speed


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## scream1973 (Dec 23, 2007)

that would freak the hell outta me for sure


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