# Non-pneumatic jumping spider



## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

My youngest daughter saw this http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/tt-jumping-spider/ at Spirit yesterday and loved it (and screamed every time it fired).

It was my impression that you had to use pneumatics for this type of movement but there definitely wasn't a compressor sitting anywhere near it so how did they do it?

She wants me to build something like this now. I am trying to avoid pneumatics (although I convinced my husband to buy a compressor for my webber a few years ago) simply because I have to drag that big yellow thing out and deal with it. I am barely able to get everything out and set up as it is and I tear everything down Halloween night as well.

I liked the idea although I thought the prop looked cheap. (once you start building your own it is really hard to buy stuff at the Halloween stores!)

Anyone know how to do this without pneumatics?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

It sure sounds pneumatic in the video, but the description on what's included (or not) mentions batteries, which make sense for the light-up eyes, but not the movement.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I have seen dropping spiders, maybe its a variation of that. They use a motion sensor and drop on a string then go back up. (very noisily I might add).


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

I bought this thing just so I can figure out how it works. Ohh, and because it scared the crap out of my wife and teenage daughter. I am still going to use it, but switch out the spider. 

I will let you know what I find.


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## SuperCreep31 (Nov 22, 2009)

Judging by this video:




I would say this is not a pneumatic prop.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I got one of these a few days ago. It uses two torsion springs to launch the spider and screw drive to retract the mech. The sound is really loud, but passable. It uses two different triggering methods - a LDS sensor in the head and a footpad that Spirit sells for about $10. The footpad socket will accept a .010" 2-pin connector (female). This allows to you use your own controller (PIR, existing mat switch, timer etc), just remember to not apply any voltage to the footpad trigger input. So far I'm pleased with this guy - it seems to be pretty solid.

Edit - when I mentioned the sound being loud, I was referring to the soundtrack, not the activation/retraction.


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

Thanks otaku, now I don't have to pull mine apart.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Wow thanks Otaku. For once it looks like Spirit might actually be stepping up their game and have something not too cheezy. I'd love to see a tear down of this guy. Ten-to-one we can throw something like this but better together and still make it in the $20 prop challenge next year. 

My Halloween fundage is a little on the low side else I'd pick one up now to hack the hell out of it. And probably when I do have enough it'll be gone because even though it's overpriced by our production standards I bet it sells out FAST. Maybe Kaoru can give me a birthday hookup since it's tomorrow


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

IMO, the spider itself is the thing most in need of improvement. I'd like to change the spider to one that's less "hairy", although the fuzz is a good way to get volume without adding much weight. I'll be trying a few ideas soon.


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## niteprince (Oct 16, 2010)

*jumping spider*

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/jumping-spider.do

found it a bit cheaper then spirits! Think I will get one myself! :jol:


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Here's a thread on Halloween Forum with more opinions/details about the Spider:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/105843-jumping-spider-spirit-halloween.html

One hack I'd like to do is to wire in a switch to shut off the sound and trigger a custom sound effect when it jumps. Shouldn't be too difficult.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

A bit out of my price range, but I am sure that by Halloween Otaku will have a how-to hack of this neat little guy. It does need a better sound effect and no music. (why do they think they need to put in cheesey music with these things). If any of these make it to the after Halloween sales it would be well worth it. $30 range maybe.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Thanks for all the answers! So is this thing plugged in or are the batteries actually springing it? I don't entirely follow how it works which means I probably don't have much of a prayer of building one.

If you don't get the step on pad, will it fire just from it's motion or is that to give you the option to have both operating simultaneously?

I did look at the link and Halstaff's model looked great but it was also pneumatic.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Otaku, can't be any more difficult than opening it up, cutting the speaker wires off the board to disable it. Then splice in a cheap cowlacious board to the footswitch trigger and have em both go off at the same time (I have one sitting around from 2009 doing absolutely nothing since then). Heck throw in an 8pin PICAXE and the options are ceaseless.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

You got it, TM. Cheap and easy. I have an MP3 player controller board that I built a few years ago that should do the trick nicely.

Daphne, I need to check my spider to answer your triggering question. I do know that the motion sensor and the sound-activation are on at the same time, but I didn't check to see if plugging in the footpad disables those triggers.


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## SuperCreep31 (Nov 22, 2009)

Daphne said:


> Thanks for all the answers! So is this thing plugged in or are the batteries actually springing it? I don't entirely follow how it works which means I probably don't have much of a prayer of building one.
> 
> If you don't get the step on pad, will it fire just from it's motion or is that to give you the option to have both operating simultaneously?
> 
> I did look at the link and Halstaff's model looked great but it was also pneumatic.


You can either use batteries to power it or use something like a wall wart. I would recommend a wall wart because if it's anything like the Rising Reaper, it will suck the batteries out of that thing in no time. You do have to buy the wall wart separate though... I am going to try to make one of these as cheaply as possible using a windshield wiper motor. I'll post progress pics on the forum when I get started.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Don't look too bad, but it all depends on how cheaply it is made. I can almost bet it's cheap plastic mechanics inside and a cheap motor. Will definatly look this over very closely when the store here by me opens.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hey SuperCreep31, I wonder if fetch's Little Sister prop concept could be modified to launch/retract a mech like this one?

Daphne, I checked my spider - when you flip the switch to the footpad trigger position, the motion and sound sensors are disabled.


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## SuperCreep31 (Nov 22, 2009)

hmmmm.. maybe. I have something in my head now that I want to try... hopefully I can get to this before Halloween.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

If you are interested in one of these from Spirit, most stores are sold out of them and they have long waiting lists if any more of them get shipped. If you see it and want it then buy it.

The Spirit near me sold out of the spiders the DAY the store opened. I was able to get the floor model for 20% off (same as coupon) and they threw in the foot pad activator for free.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Yeah, Haunti, this is a very popular prop this year. I just hope nobody else on my block gets one so the TOTs won't yawn when they see it at my house. I'm also planning to hack the soundtrack so maybe they won't recognize it right away.


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## Buzz (Aug 26, 2011)

Hauntiholik said:


> The Spirit near me sold out of the spiders the DAY the store opened. I was able to get the floor model for 20% off (same as coupon) and they threw in the foot pad activator for free.


Tried that at our Spirit store and the manager told me he gets 2 trucks a week so he still needed his display model. So I'm going with improvementscatalog.com


niteprince said:


> http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/jumping-spider.do
> found it a bit cheaper then spirits! Think I will get one myself!


I used the coupon code *MP1W402* and got 25% off. With shipping it came to $37.49 :jol:


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

I just got mine from improvements catalog last night. I set it up and tried it out extensively. I have to eat my earlier words. This is a very cool impressive prop. The spider jumps so fast that you cant even see it move. I am not going to even change out the spider, I like him the way he is. This thing seems to be made pretty darn well. Even when you are ready for the thing to spring, it still startles you. I already have a pneumatic drop spider and this little guy is going to nail them from the other side. I think they are going to sell alot of these this year.


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## niteprince (Oct 16, 2010)

for those of your still on the fence on getting this bad boy. Just found a 20% off coupon code for improvement catalogs... just type in SAV2011 during check out in promotional box! Just ordered MINE can't wait!


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## Victor (Sep 4, 2011)

I am torn about this product. I like the spring action but the retract time was much to be desired. I don't think I will look for this but nice score on the pad and 20%


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I cant get ANY promo codes to work..wth...??

Edit: I called the company and ordered it via a human being...$10 for shipping!! Yikes! So the total is still $50. 
Thanks SO much for posting this! Yippee!!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Now back to the thread topic - Daphne, have you gotten the answers you needed?


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Not to sure about this one. We saw it at Spirit this weekend (which finally opened). They had one demo unit and one boxed unit left. The demo looked broken, it just kept making a clicking noise and trying to move but it couldn't. I checked to make sure that they hadn't done something stupid like weighing it down or securing it to the surface (instructions explicitly say not to do either) but it wasn't. This was Sunday and they opened this past Friday so not even 3 days on the showroom floor.

I'm waiting to see Otaku's pics of the guts and hopefully we can just reverse engineer this thing and build something more sturdy.


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## -ND4SPD- (Oct 27, 2008)

I walked into a Spirit yesterday just to grab a few little things yesterday. I've already been to 3 different Spirit stores that were out of these so I was planning to order one online from Improvements (but can't get any promo's to work). Regardless I walked out with a jumping spider & used my 20% off coupon in store.

I like everything about the prop except the netting/ spiderweb stuff that covers the mechanics. I guess the way it attaches to the 4 legs of the base with velcro isn't doing it for me. Underneath is looks just like my Rising Reaper I bought like 3 years ago except with a 2 bar lever action to propel the spider out towards the victim.

With the Rising Reaper I spike the base down into the yard behind a tombstone & haven't had any problems. The Jumping Spider doesn't seam any more violent with the action but it's more sudden/ seams quicker due to the scissor action as opposed to the catapult of the other. This thing moves around quite a bit on a hard surface after 4 or 5 triggers. I'm thinking about leashing one leg to keep it from wandering too far. Maybe something like carpet underneath would "slow it's roll" a little bit as well.


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

Just a quick update, the improvements.com site says the spider is no longer available!

Anyone else getting this?


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## easycraig (Aug 30, 2011)

having read a few members reviews, and watched a few videos... i am now on the hunt for one of these. i just called a spirit store and they might be getting some in today(was told to call back in a couple hours ) - so i have dug around and found this 20% off coupon. here is the coupon if you want to give it a shot...

http://email.spirithalloween.com/sp...een/camp_images/SHWN/1/33/WereOpen_Spirit.jpg


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

Here is the official setup video for this spider.






Doesn't tell you how it works, just how to set it up once you get it home.


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## Buzz (Aug 26, 2011)

MrGrimm said:


> Just a quick update, the improvements.com site says the spider is no longer available!
> 
> Anyone else getting this?


Yes. I was just checking on it for someone else and saw the same thing. The Spirit store in Waldorf, Maryland is out... sold their display too... but a Spirit store down in California, Maryland still has them.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

Has anyone reverse-engineered the jumping spider so we can make a more robust one that won't break? I do like the idea of an electric plug-in version since I haven't made the jump to pneumatics yet.


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

I'd be interested as well for the same reason Uruk-Hai!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I agree with the "more robust" suggestion...this is very creaky & fragile..seems like the kind of plastic that will degrade & crack in a few years. But I love this prop.

From the instructional video: "The only thing you will need to set up the spider is a small screwdriver that you can never freaking FIND each year, so please run to the hardware store to buy a new one now..."


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Uruk-Hai said:


> Has anyone reverse-engineered the jumping spider so we can make a more robust one that won't break? I do like the idea of an electric plug-in version since I haven't made the jump to pneumatics yet.


Yeah, what Uruk-Hai said. I bought a compressor but it takes half the night to tear my display down as it is so I would prefer to stay electric as well with robust thrown in for good measure.


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## halloween71 (Aug 9, 2007)

This prop worked great halloween party night.It scared alot of people and worked flawless.I got mine early sept from improvements for 40 plus change.Best prop of the season imo.


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Are these for sale still man I really want one. You think if I go to spirit the day they open this year I can get one? This would be perfect for my spider gore room. I gotta keep my haunt on a fine line of not too scary for toters and cool enough for parents an the older kids


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

EverydayisHalloween311 said:


> Are these for sale still man I really want one.


They are available from spirit for Jumping Spider Animated Decoration


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Thanks! I wonder if the spider can be taken off and put something else n I might have to by a few lol I want some animations but I suck at building the mechanical aspects of it


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

I got my Jumping Spider from Improvements last year and he scared so many unsuspecting people! I think I might try to redo the spider also. He is pretty fluffy with the fur, maybe a bit of distressing and pulling some of it out. I did have to wiegh him down with a large brick underneath the draping. His jumping was making the platform move around. He was the hit of the yard haunt though! Startling tots was so worth it...:biggrinvil:


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## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Cool I'M excited to get him!


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