# Moving floor



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I had an empty hallway yesterday in my haunt so I had a last minute idea. I got old bed springs from a burned mattress and put plywood on top, it gives the feeling off a rickety bridge


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Be careful with it. I had a friend do that a couple of years ago, and he had a customer break her ankle on it. Just food for thought.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

We have a ramp going up to it and there isn't any scares near by so people can take their time and be careful


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

All it takes is that first/one person stumbling, and then it's lawsuit time.
While there may not be any planned scares in the hallway, people will act like there are, and often rush through (or attempt to). People look for scares in places that look like there aren't any, they will look or expect drop panels, things from the ceiling, etc., and be skittish/jumpy because of it.
While it's an interesting thought, I'd avoid the issue (and injury lawsuits) entirely.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

*moving floors, again*

I saw some moving floor panels on frightprops and as cool as they are, they're expensive. I did read that they're made from plywood and they use golfballs that to move around. In theory that should work, but once again, expensive. Any other ideas or cheaper alternatives?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I like the idea but hate the idea of being sued. I'm on the fence on this one. Maybe you can get away with a warning but that probably won't save you from a law suit unless someone signs a waiver. That seems like an awful lot of work though. Who knows if someone has been drinking and may be more unstable. People now a days are so litigious.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

With the help of guide rails, it shouldn't be as bad as a vortex tunnel


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

^ I was just thinking, hand railings. Something for people to hold on to. They'll still get the feelilng of a moving floor, but be able to hold onto something secure. Perhaps put a lip or frame on the two sides of the plywood to secure it so it doesn't slip past a certain point.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Dan The Welder said:


> With the help of guide rails, it shouldn't be as bad as a vortex tunnel


True but will everyone use it? Just something to think about. 
It sounds like fun though. I'm sure people would get a kick out of it. If the railings are close enough together so both hands can touch either side then it sounds pretty safe. I don't know anything about this fun prop and I may be off base here but safety is number one.
If you feel comfortable after adding some safety features like railings then go for it! I'd like to see how it turns out. Should be a fun build!


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I can build all the safety features I want, but without the floor they're useless. That's the real problem. Making one cheap and making it work right


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Hmmm. Cheap isn't always right, unfortunately. You could certainly weld up a box frame, fill it (almost) with golf balls, drop the right sized piece of decently thick plywood on it, and weld some angle around the perimeter to capture the plywood on top of the golf balls. As long as there isn't much movement, say an inch or so, I can see using it. Im building a moving floor now, but Im using conveyor transfer balls. Its a different application for a standard product. The balls are 4.00 each, and you need enough to provide good support for your plywood (im using a layer of steel, then ply on top).

My hope is that IF something bad were to happen, God forbid, when they cut it open in court, it is a professional looking product. A designed and manufactured "thing" not something slapped together over a beer or two. 

You don't need many transfer balls, done correctly. I wont know how many until I experiment a little. 

Just picture yourself in civil court. What do you want someone to see when they open it up?


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

Here is the problem with a plywood moving floor. You can't break it up, to where it is only 1 person on it at a time. A large person can send a small person flying. Also if they step to close to the edge the other side will raise. Which leaves room for someone to get a foot or hand under the other side. Then if it gets weight on it you got big trouble. That moving floor you are looking at is about 20 inch squares, separated so only 1 foot at a time can get on it. the first one goes say east to west about 1 inch. That is it, just enough to startle you. The next one would go north to south. That way if some one did lose it on the 1st one. The different direction will help them catch their self. Then the 3rd one gose back to east to west following the same reasoning. Some folks just take a plain piece of plywood and screw a 2x2 down the middle. That way as you walk down the hall it will kind of rock back and fourth. But the edges never get very high. I haven't seen what you got, but I am thinking the springs are going to be to high. They will cause to much movement. if you had just a mattress to lay down it would be safer. Simply because each foot would be a individual movement. Not affecting the other, are another persons movement. If you built a boxlike a elevator. put the springs under that. Then you can make a stabilizer so it is solid when loading and unloading. Once you get the people inside, have a light start flashing, warning sound, drop the stabilizer. and rock them some. I think 2 inch stops at all 4 corners would give you a good effect. But if you have a lot of tot's. This will slow down your line. But you could but a camera in it. Hand pick a few folks. Then show the people inside to your line outside. that will keep them entertained. When picking people look for people who want to have fun. They laugh a lot. My haunt is kind of like a fun house filled with drunks. No body has ever been hurt. But you have to think about all possibilities.


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

I was thinking of a design that only moved horizontally. There shouldn't be any vertical movement at the edges. So that the edges would have rolling support. Any vertical movement sounds like a twisted ankle, at least. I like the idea of the different directions and smaller tiles. It does sound safer, to me.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

If something happened and I ended up in court I would rather they see some kind of pnuematic air bags or something, but I don't have $300+ for just those. I'm not looking for cheap, but cheaper. Something reliable, but cheap enough to make safely and make multiples. There's a way it can be done and I will do everything in my power to make it as professional and legitimate as possible within budget


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

I understand. For me, the cheaper (but still acceptable) solution was the transfer balls. And, I have a design that is specified to a certain length of floor panel, by someone other than myself, so I had to work with that.

Budgets are hard. The hardest part of my job is staying in budget, and sometimes, I cant. I dig your attitude, though. I think you will find a way that works for you.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Your determined enough Dan. You'll find the way. Sleep on it. You got some time.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I have an INTJ personality, its just me to not give up sadly enough. Thanks for the ideas and support


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

*"Swinging Bridge"*

I wanted to make something resembling a swinging bridge, but built over a mattress spring frame. I thought it would give the illusion of a bridge swinging and it would be safer than a moving floor. Opinions?


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