[Halloween Snob]

My fellow haunters:

This year I would like to build a big red button prop that would electronically actuate a scare.when pressed. I don't want to use pneumatics and I don't want to use a super loud horn. I am trying to think of other ideas that may scare but not harm. I like the idea of an air cannon but the only ones I have seen are pneumatic. I like the idea of super bright spot light coming on coupled with another sensory overload... Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[larry]

I can't wait to see what you come up for this. Makes me wonder if there is a self-contained air cannon out there somewhere.

 

[Col. Fryght]

My first thought was a drop panel. Push the button and the panel falls with a scare behind it. Of course, not sure how it would automatically reset which is beyond my pay grade.

 

[tvromero]

Not sure of your haunt environment but a simple scare is to use the button to trigger a strobe that exposes a previously completely dark scary figure and if possible tie in some audio as well.

 

[ReelSore]

How about having something heavy sounding hit the ceiling right above them or beside them? Just a thought.

 

[cmerli]

How about have the button vibrate violently when pressed

 

[Gym Whourlfeld]

Years ago I made a switch that operated very easily and quietly . I mounted it behind a wall and attached a piece of no.10 insulated copper wire to it coated with black plastic insulation, this wire stuck out from a very small hole in the wall, To hide it even more I spray painted a small burst of black paint around it. I would be standing, leaning against this wall and drop my arm down,push the wire and all the lights in a well-lit room all go "Out"!
Recently I have begun using this hidden switch in a slightly different way.
I point out the wire to people then ask if someone would like to push on it and see what happens?
As they slowly push it into the wall , tension mounts, then all the lights go out,the room is pitch-black for maybe a second,as I scream loudly !
(And,of course, I am standing right bedside the one who is pushing the wire!)
Then I give everyone in the room sort of a "What!?" Look. ("I Screamed?")
I suggest buying a Fart Machine then making your BIG RED BUTTON make that machine work.
M ount and hide the Fart Machine off to the side where the one pushing the button might then get blamed !

 

[Ugly Joe]

Make a cabinet or similar (podium? pedestal?), but make it large enough to hold a Shop Vac. Don't make the enclosure sound proof so the sound will scare people, and mount the exhaust line to point at the where the person pressing the button will be standing.

Hook the BRB (Big Red Button) to the power switch on the Vac.

Push BRB - Vac makes noise and blows air at the victim.

edited to add: If the thought of tinkering with the switch of the Vac is worrisome, you could probably come up with a simple contact switch for an extension cord - as long as the button is pressed, the power can pass through the cord. Just leave the power switch "On" on the Vac, so every time the cord switch is held, the Vac will run.

 

[Gym Whourlfeld]

I was once given a cheap "Stick" vacuum that made a terrible noise when it ran (that's why nobody wanted it!) I used it for years almost every night for a sound "Defect" =no problem, then when it finally did quit making the terrible noise I opened it up and discovered that terrible noise was being made by just a few kernals of hard field corn rattling around in there for all that time!
Maybe,just maybe, the terrible noise could be had from adding some corn?

 

[scaringyou]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but a delay on whatever you decide to do seems to be a good idea. They press the button and.... nothing happens. Then as soon as their guard is down and they expect nothing to happen. BAM!!!!