# Looking for good drop panel plan/pics



## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

We are planning a drop panel scare for next year and am looking for some good (read "easy") plans or a tutorial on how to make one that is solid and reliable. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Here is the old thread where I posted the photos and measurements (albeit in millimetres) for the drop panel I made last year. It's been a huge success for the last 3 events we've used it for and has held up unbelievably well.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=32870&highlight=Drop+Panel


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

The drop panel you made looks good. I would add a handle to the bottom though, about 3 inches up. Makes for raising it back up much easier. On one of ours, we also put a strip of metal on the bottom of the panel and on the 2x4 so it was a loud strike plate when it hit. Good solid design though overall.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Thanks Headless! You rock my friend! I had seen these when you first posted them but forgot about it. Perfect!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Haunted Spider said:


> The drop panel you made looks good. I would add a handle to the bottom though, about 3 inches up. Makes for raising it back up much easier. On one of ours, we also put a strip of metal on the bottom of the panel and on the 2x4 so it was a loud strike plate when it hit. Good solid design though overall.


Good ideas as well. I like the metal strike plate for added bang!
Do you happen to have a pic of this?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

One of my friends made a drop panel for his garage haunt based on that tutorial. The sound of it dropping was enough to give you a start, even when you knew it was going to happen.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I don't have a pick Jdubbya. It was in the haunt I used to help with and I don't live in that city anymore. I would build it without the strike plate first and see if it is loud enough. But I would add the handle for easy up and down


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## Dead Things (Apr 4, 2009)

Allan from Stiltbeast Studios has a great vid.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Funny but I realised that the photos didn't have the handle on there. Yes I did put a handle at the bottom of the panel as well.


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## Mazz (Jun 24, 2007)

How do you know when your patrons are in front of the panel? Do you have a peep hole of some sort?


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

For us the panel was right beside them when they were having their photos taken and the photographer managed to snap photos of their reactions to the panel dropping.


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## Tokwik (Oct 12, 2011)

Headless said:


> For us the panel was right beside them when they were having their photos taken and the photographer managed to snap photos of their reactions to the panel dropping.


That's BRILLIANT!


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

We did it two ways. The first panel had a hole drilled in it, so we could see them walk by. The second, we put in a camera above so we know exactly when to drop it. I liked the camera better as it allowed for you to see who in the group you wanted to get.


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## medicf43 (Jan 8, 2013)

A cheap webcam would do the trick for that


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

Scaryguys.com has a how-to video on drop panels that I just stumbled across this evening. Check it out and see if it helps.


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