# Homemade mat switch



## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Found this link on creating a homemade mat switch and thought I'd share with the group. Dunno how safe this would be but it is tempting to try and test
http://supersoda.com/detail.php?id=00000000036


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Tried it last year. didn't work for me.


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## Liam (Mar 23, 2007)

Instead of using cardboard, try using roofing material (the tar paper-like stuff). It should work better than cardboard. And as long as you only run 12V DC or less through it it should be fairly safe.


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## jabberwocky (Apr 30, 2008)

Ive made a few before, but instead of cardboard, I use very thin upholstery foam.
Worked really good.
I used it with a 12volt relay, that way I didnt have 120volt death mats under the tricker-treaters feet.


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## Death Master (Jul 1, 2007)

They sell rolls of thin foam at home depot that is used to go between the concrete and wood that would work for this project. But why not just buy a mat from here:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96481 they are cheap.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Death Master said:


> URL="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96481"]http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96481[/URL] they are cheap.


Your link didn't work and I tried searching their site, but couldn't find them.

Nevermind I found them...they're listed under pressure-sensitive alarm mat. $7.99 for a 21" x14" mat is cheap!!

So you'd just cut the alarm of that and wire it into a relay?!? How would you go about providing power to the mat to trigger the relay?


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## corner haunt (May 21, 2008)

Death Master said:


> They sell rolls of thin foam at home depot that is used to go between the concrete and wood that would work for this project. But why not just buy a mat from here:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96481 they are cheap.


I bought a few mats like these at Walgreens last year. instead of the alarm they just had a scream box. They were only a few bucks, and that was still before Halloween.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

How could you hook a light to go off from one of these?


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

If you want a mat and don't want to take the time to make one check with Dean from Monster Guts. He has some super cheap mats. At least he had them at MHC, unless he sold out.


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## Garage-Of-Evil (Jul 24, 2007)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96481


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## Geezer (Mar 19, 2008)

*Back from the Dead*

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but has anyone posted a "How-To" on using one of these mats to activate a prop? I'd like to use one to trigger a pneumatic pop-up.


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

The mat is just a switch you use the mat to switch power to a relay either mechanical or solid state relay, they can also be used with a 3.5 - 5 volt supply to trigger a pin or input on a controller or microcontroller. If you need more help with this let me know. I am not sure how much you know about electronics.


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