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  • Indoor chainsaw alternatives?

    Is Spooky Props the only game in town for chain saws done right? From what I can tell, yes. Great product but dang pricey. I'm such a cheap SOB with the ability to build just about any prop, it kills me to spend that much, especially when I would really like two.

    Any thoughts or is it bust out the check book time?
    Randy Russom

    www.midstatescare.com
    Mid State Scare - San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria's favorite Haunted House
    2013 - Hmmm, we shall see what gets conjured up

  • #2
    I would ask about the push button. When you push it the 1st time and it revs up, does releasing it let it rev down. Then pushing it again revs it up at the same point in the cycle. Almost one of those things I would have to hear in person before I bought one. If they claim it is as loud as a real one and it ain't I would ask about a return policy. Other than that it looks pretty good. At half the weight you could have a screaming maniac with one in each hand. Let us know how it turns out.

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    • #3
      Ive used one...it is as loud as the real thing, if not louder...and insanely light.
      Chris Riehl
      Sales@spookyfinder.com
      (586)209-6935
      www.spookyfinder.com

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      • #4
        A guest won't be around long enough to notice, but how good does it sound quality wise against the real thing? I may have to add this to my list for future purchases.

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        • #5
          As a patron, I am always annoyed by these things. They just don't sound real. They sound like a tiny speaker covered in foam and paint playing an MP3 of a chainsaw.
          If you're indoor, I'd rather see a real electric saw than a fake gas one.

          Comment


          • #6
            @ WeAretheUnion

            I assume you have experienced the prop by SpookyProps. There is a significant difference between this produce and the cheap Gemmy or other consumer type product. My experience was that they are very life like, minus the exhaust.

            What does an electric offer? Most of the noise comes from the chain rotating on the bar. If you pull that off what is left to offer a chainsaw effect?

            The problem I was struggling with was the $750 price tag for the SpookyProps product.
            Randy Russom

            www.midstatescare.com
            Mid State Scare - San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria's favorite Haunted House
            2013 - Hmmm, we shall see what gets conjured up

            Comment


            • #7
              I use both... I will sell my spooky prop chainsaw

              i use two electric and they work really well... they have allot of sound with them without the chain..and I also have a spooky chain saw its good too... but ... I will sell you my spooky chain saw.. if you are interested I can take pictures of it and make a video of it in action...

              Originally posted by rwrussom View Post
              I assume you have experienced the prop by SpookyProps. There is a significant difference between this produce and the cheap Gemmy or other consumer type product. My experience was that they are very life like, minus the exhaust.

              What does an electric offer? Most of the noise comes from the chain rotating on the bar. If you pull that off what is left to offer a chainsaw effect?

              The problem I was struggling with was the $750 price tag for the SpookyProps product.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by rwrussom View Post
                The problem I was struggling with was the $750 price tag for the SpookyProps product.
                I'd have to imagine they would be easy to make, at least for a Halloween prop tinkerer, the likes of which we have here on the board.

                C.

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                • #9
                  Why not get a real one, gut it out to make it lighter and add a sound board that can be triggered which has the real sound of a chainsaw uploaded on it. Then run it thru a guitar or bass amp and crank it up. I did this and it worked out great!!!. No gas or fumes, but a real sounding and actual real chainsaw.
                  Then add a 12v charger to the blade and fence and get the sparks goin too. Yes, it is cheap and easy.
                  Tom
                  Creator of the Dungeon
                  WWW.BRICKTOWNAMUSEMENT.COM

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Tom View Post
                    Why not get a real one, gut it out to make it lighter and add a sound board that can be triggered which has the real sound of a chainsaw uploaded on it. Then run it thru a guitar or bass amp and crank it up. I did this and it worked out great!!!. No gas or fumes, but a real sounding and actual real chainsaw.
                    Then add a 12v charger to the blade and fence and get the sparks goin too. Yes, it is cheap and easy.
                    That's precisely what I was thinking, or something along those lines. Got plans? Specs?

                    Also, some kind of vibrating motor in the housing to give it realistic movement, perhaps.

                    Another idea would be to use some kind of conductive flat grate on a wall panel, and when the chainsaw comes in contact with the grate, as in the spark fence idea, whether it sparked or not, it could trigger a wall thumper on the other side of the wall panel, making it sound like the chainsaw was ripping on the wall, which usually gives it a nice, visceral quality (and gets a nice, visceral reaction).

                    If you did want it to spark and thump at the same time, and didn't want to the circuit involved in the sparking in some complex jury-rig, then you could run a lead from the sparking circuit to the trigger lead on a relay, with the relay operating the on/off switch of the thumper on a completely different circuit.

                    Something like that could probably work.

                    C.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by rwrussom View Post
                      I assume you have experienced the prop by SpookyProps. There is a significant difference between this produce and the cheap Gemmy or other consumer type product. My experience was that they are very life like, minus the exhaust.

                      What does an electric offer? Most of the noise comes from the chain rotating on the bar. If you pull that off what is left to offer a chainsaw effect?

                      The problem I was struggling with was the $750 price tag for the SpookyProps product.
                      I am familiar with the SpookyProps one. I've actually used them at various haunts I've worked. As a patron and as an actor, these things are a dud. If you come at me with one, I don't care how good the set is, I'm going to laugh. Guaranteed.
                      Gutting an actual saw and triggering an audio file through a bigger speaker sounds like a way better plan.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by BrotherMysterio View Post
                        That's precisely what I was thinking, or something along those lines. Got plans? Specs?
                        Sorry Brother, I didn't have or make any plans. Just something I built several years ago. It seemed so real.
                        Tom
                        Creator of the Dungeon
                        WWW.BRICKTOWNAMUSEMENT.COM

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          A haunt above me used the spookyprop chain saw, two of them. They had problems with the wiring because the actors got crazy with them. But then again, a chainsaw guy is supposed to get crazy. I had to repair them a few times. Then you have remember to charge them each night.
                          But I must add, they sounded like a mini speaker recording chainsaw, not like a real one. Patrons could tell they were fake as they passed by. I heard them. If they incorporated a larger speaker with a wireless transmitter to crank up the sound, it might be more effective.
                          For a 1/4 of the cost, get a real one and modify it like I did.
                          $20 - $30 for a junk chainsaw (gut it out for less weight)
                          $50 (or less) for a digital recorder/player (modify the manual "play" switch and attach to the handle of the chainsaw)
                          $100 or less for a nice size amp (hook up to the recorder/player)
                          Screaming Patrons - priceless...
                          Tom
                          Creator of the Dungeon
                          WWW.BRICKTOWNAMUSEMENT.COM

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Here is a pic of mine in use but doesn't show much.

                            Chainsaw.jpg
                            Tom
                            Creator of the Dungeon
                            WWW.BRICKTOWNAMUSEMENT.COM

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              @ Tom

                              I had considered that before. If the $750 prop still sounds like a small speaker, then that really kills it for me. Sounds like an experiment will be in order.
                              Randy Russom

                              www.midstatescare.com
                              Mid State Scare - San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria's favorite Haunted House
                              2013 - Hmmm, we shall see what gets conjured up

                              Comment

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