# What device would I use to make a prop shake?



## Niccolom (Aug 8, 2012)

I want to make a book or several books shake. I need some kind of motion sensor device to rattle them when people walk past. I do not know what or where to find such a device. I am going to purchase the books seperately and wire them up. I want to start making some of my own props.


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## Demon Dog (Mar 30, 2009)

I'd probably start by hollowing out an old book to make it lightweight (or make a hollow "book" using a cereal box and get crafty with it), get an el cheapo motor (< $1 at Michaels, etc.), secure a small imbalanced weight to the shaft so that it will shake/vibrate, attach the motor assembly firmly inside your book, and power it with some trigger like a PIR (passive infra-red) sensor light that looks something like this: http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051. I'm not familiar with this particular one, but just be sure it has a "test" setting so it is only triggered for a few seconds before resetting to off. Instead of inserting lights into it, install a screw in outlet into which you plug a wall wart to give you the DC voltage for you motor. That should shake around the book. But if you're not comfortable with wiring power, by all means don't! Perhaps someone else could recomment another simple trigger sensor for you.

And if he book is titled something like "Earthquake!", all the better! 

But if you want the books to do the "classic" moving back and forth on a shelf, that is something else entirely and should be easy to find in a search.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

If you are not good with wiring you can get a "Frightimer" http://www.halloweenfxprops.com/timers-triggers/ the picture shows an orange cord but the one i got had a black cord. All you have to do is plug it in and set the settings the way you like and enjoy. You may find it on EBAY cheaper from the same company like I did.


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## Fiend4Halloween (Aug 28, 2008)

I do wiring all the time, but glad you posted that link to Halloweenfxprops. They have some good stuff at fair prices. Thanks again Stick.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You might look at a simple motion sensor light setup, and put in a screw in insert into the socket rather than a lightbulb. With that done, there's all kinds of things you can use for the actual shaking end of it, but a lot depends upon how much shaking you want, and what kind of noise/sound you are able and willing to put up with.
Those light sensor setups tend to have an adjustable timer that allows you to set how long the light or device will stay on, and it's range or level of sensitivity for triggering it.
I enjoy making my own books for this kind of thing, you can be much more creative in it's design, size, and title.


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