# Hello From Another Michigander



## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

Hi everyone, my name is Randy and I live in Macomb, MI. My wife and I moved here almost 8 years ago. I was very happy since we actually were able to get a house (vs. the townhouse we had back East) and I could start really enjoying Halloween. My yard haunt started out small and has grown steadily each year. Last year I actually built a 20 foot replica of the Black Pearl in my driveway and dressed up as Jack Sparrow. The front yard was decked out like a cemetery along with my giant spider and 20 foot web. I make most of my own props since my wife has slapped a budget on me (actually it makes it more fun since I have to figure out how to do things within budget). Looking to upgrade a little this year (better chiller, animated props, bucky's vs blucky's) and have already found this forum to be a big help. Right now I'm actually building a new spider (similar to the one at Village Haunt). You can never start too early! 

Randy :jol:


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Greeting and welcome Randy. And if you havent already checked out the monster list you should. Nice to have one more here from Michigan.

http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/


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## Adam I (Jun 16, 2007)

Welcome 
Pictures?


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Welcome to the forum Randy! You know we want to see pics.


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

hello and welcome--yes pics


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## Whispers in the Park (Apr 3, 2008)

Welcome aboard!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Hi and welcome to the forum. Nice to have another brain to pick.


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

Glad you found us, Welcome Randy


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## Bodybagging (May 8, 2006)

Lets see some pics Randy! and welcome!


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Glad to have you here Randy!


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Welcome! Michigan here also.


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

Hey Randy. Welcome! Of course I move out of Michigan and all the Michigan haunters start creeping out of the woodwork!


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

OK, here are some pictures from last year....



















There were steps on one side for the kids to come up on the deck...










Then they would go down the slide of the other side of the deck.... Some of them probably went up and down about 20 times. It was great!










We usually get about 75 kids on Halloween. That night we had over 300!! Probably helps that we made the local paper last year. Hoping to have an even bigger turnout this year.

Randy


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## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

Where the heck do you store that thing when it's not Halloween?!?!?!?!?!

I'm a big fan of the procrastinator's spider as well. 


Welcome, you will fit in nicely here.


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## perdidoman (Dec 2, 2007)

Welcome Randy, great pics


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

That was the intersting part.  I had to take it all apart and label the pieces so I could get it back together again. Then I had to install one of those pull-down attic ladders in my garage so I could walk all the pieces up and store them above the garage. I was sore for a week after I got it all up there! 

One of the downsides to actually building the ship was that it's kind of difficult now to put off any house projects - "Oh, you can build a ship in the driveway but replacing some molding is too much for you?" . Oh well.....

Randy


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## Ghoulbug (Apr 24, 2007)

welcome racer.. holy cow that is some huge prop!! very cool


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

That is an excellent build! Well done, Randy!


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Wow Randy. So what are you making for this year? 
The people next door must be very understanding.


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

I'm actually going to put it up again this year but I plan to change the front yard quite a bit (you can't really see the yard in those pictures but it was mostly a big spider and a web with some tombstones). I want to do a large cemetery in the front yard with 2 giant moving spiders, a crank ghost in a mausoleum, 2 moving bucky's digging up a third one that is buried and 4 ghosts that "fly" around the perimeter of the graveyard fence. I also want the wheel on the ship to move back and forth and the skeletons to be animated (not sure what I want them to do yet). That's why I am starting now since I am a one man show (my wife just watches and shakes her head :googly.

My neighbors are great! They all are pretty supportive. It probably helps that I take a few days off after Halloween to make sure everything gets taken down quickly.

Randy


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

That's pretty ambitious! You're my kind of haunter, Randy! A word of caution regarding the ghosts that fly around (axworthy flying ghost)...I've had that prop for the last two years, sort of. It can be a royal PAIN to get working reliably!!! When it works, it is beautiful and everyone who sees it is absolutely amazed. But beware, an awkward wind gust, or the "body" of the ghost getting up into the wheels of the mechanism, or a ghost that is a bit too heavy (or too much weight on the line)...my first year doing it I was up and down a ladder all night fixing and refixing until I finally just cut the string nd threw the whole mess behind a bush so I could actually enjoy Halloween. If you're going to do it, set aside a lot of time JUST for that one prop, mostly for testing and running it constantly to get the confidence that it won't jump it's tracks Halloween night and divebomb some unsuspecting TOT or their parents!


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

Hmmm, dive-bombing props - I LIKE IT!!! :devil:. Seriously, thanks for the advise. On the surface, it seems like it should be easy to do, but like you said there is a lot of things that can go wrong. I'll work on them last. That way if I run out of time I can just save them for next year.

Randy


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## eanderso13 (Apr 10, 2008)

Yeah, from the first year to the next I made numerous improvements to mine because I reeeeeeally wanted it to work. But it still was rather unreliable...Sometimes. Other times it would run fine for an hour straight.

I had actually toyed with the idea of putting pulleys at different heights, with guide wheels and wire supports to allow it to swoop up and down...but that may wait for another year when I have less ambitions things to do. ;-)


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## PrettyGhoul (Oct 7, 2005)

*Hi Randy and welcome to HauntForum! Great job on your Black Pearl replica. Thank you for sharing the pictures.*


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## Bethene (Jan 19, 2008)

wow, Randy, fantasic prop you have there! Love the ship! And big plans for this year! Glad to get some new blood from Michigan. Are you from the Macomb near Detroit, or the one up north? Welcome!!


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

I live in the Macomb that is closer to Detroit.


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## Bodybagging (May 8, 2006)

The cooler Macomb area!


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Almost scary to think what you could do if there were two of you. Can hardly wait to see your new stuff for this year.


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## RacerX45 (Apr 13, 2008)

Bone Dancer said:


> Almost scary to think what you could do if there were two of you. Can hardly wait to see your new stuff for this year.


Eventually there will be three of us working on it!! I have daughters that are 3 and 5 and they already love Halloween. In a couple of years they'll be able to help out their dad. 

Randy


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

welcome Randy ..
very nice ship you got there
that's one of my favorite movie(s)
looking forward to seeing more of your props


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Dang impressive pirate ship, very cool!


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## Esmerelda (Apr 30, 2008)

*Hello from Houston*

Ok, originally from Michigan. Came to the Houston area in 1979 on vacation and haven't left. Love it here and love educating my small town area to what a real Halloween is! We now have people coming from miles around to see what's new each year and our Costumed Celebration grows every year as well. The props get better too with lessons learned. I am trying to figure out the best/easiest and most affordable way to make a skull entry way (I want our guest to walk through the mouth into Grey Fox Manor). I think it'll be a wonderful effect. Any ideas?


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## meltdown211 (Aug 2, 2007)

YAY another Michigander! I purchased some things on Craigs list last year and was right around the corner from your place! The gal told me to drive by your "ship" and it was pretty awesome! Im in Chesterfield, (right up 23 mile) and will swing by again (if I can remember how to get over there...


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## sharpobject (May 7, 2008)

Welcome Randy - kudos on your haunt !!! Can't wait for more pics.


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