Just to give a head start to anyone interested in getting in on this build, it would be wise to go ahead and order the motor that you will need to power this prop.
I order mine from E-bay and they come from China. It usually takes them about two weeks to get to me (I'm in North Carolina).
I'll post some links below with some recommendations. It's up to you how fast (RPMs) a motor you buy. Obviously the faster the motor, the quicker your spider prop will move up and down.
This prop can also be built with a regular reindeer motor, but they run REALLY slow--about 3 RPM.
The motors below are either 5 to 6 RPM, 10 to 12 RPM, or 36 RPM. The spider lifter I use for Halloween has the 10 to 12 RPM motor in it.
I'm listing these three motors because I know from experience they will reverse themselves (like a reindeer motor), which is needed to make this prop operate correctly.
I have ordered motors from this seller dozens of times and never had a problem with them.
Sorry---A note from the seller says no items listed until after February 9th. Once they post all of their motors for sale again I will post the links.
Another main item needed for the build is a plastic pulley, roughly 4 to 5 inches in diameter. I used to buy these at Lowe's and they were called Clothesline Pulleys. But, my store seems to no longer stock them. Maybe you will be luckier than me and find one.
It can be ordered from Lowe's.com.
Here's a link to the one at Lowe's (the metal bracket is cut off before we will use it):
http://www.lowes.com/pd_349258-258-7085BK___
I'm also going to show how I sometimes make my own pulleys out of wood in a pinch.
Lastly, if you are throwing out and old lamp or appliance, cut off the AC power cord and save it for the build. The motor doesn't come with a power cord.
More to come......