Scare or Detail

[Empressnightshade]

Slobber,

is that an electric chainsaw I see Leatherface using in your "Out of Control" video?
If so, how does that work for you?

[Spookyfinder]

Hi Empressnightshade,

Yes it is an electric chainsaw. We would rather use gas but our current building does not have good enough ventilation. Better to go electric than have anyone get sick from the fumes. However, I must say that if you have a good actor that knows what he or she is doing the scare can be just as good as with gas. You lose the great gas saw sound but after all it's still a chainsaw. If you go electric, I suggest Craftsman saws. They are among the loudest we have tried, they hold up better than most, they are the least expensive and they come with a 90 day warranty. :P

On a side note: Spike one of my long time actors came up with a great idea a couple of years ago. He welded a bicycle chain to the blade of his saw. We then grinded down any rough edges. Although the chain doesn't spin. With the right actor and lighting (Controlled Strobe Works Best For Us) a lot of customers really believe that it has a chain on. That freaks most of them out more then caring if it's gas or electric.

Slobber

[Spookyfinder]

By the way

After reading back through all the old posts on this topic I have to say that I strongly disagree with Larry on one major point he made early on. He stated "ANYONE can have a scary haunted house if thats all you're aiming to do". WRONG!

I have been to a lot of houses that had tried to be scary and failed miserably! They were the only ones who thought they had a scary show. The customers sure didn't. It takes a lot more than wanting it to be scary. You have to start with great actors, well thought out room ideas and a good knowledge of what works and where to place the scares!

Not anyone can produce a quality scary show!

Slobber

[Empressnightshade]

Aaaaah, Slobber!
You just pointed out something that testifies to this thread's argument. Detail or Scare? Well, I would say that the Chainsaw itself is the "Scare" and the bicycle chain is the "Detail." Both added together makes a frightening experience.

Thanks for that information! I think I would feel better with an electric chainsaw and Craftsman it is!

Oh, one last thing....I noticed that the cords of the chainsaws are up towards the ceiling. I know this is to eliminate the tripping factor. Care to elaborate a bit on how that is done?

[jason]

very good catch empress (in reguards to the bike chain & chainsaw comment).

[Spookyfinder]

Sure,

In our building we have several outlets in the ceiling (That Helps). If possible use a dedicated outlet for only the saw. It's best if the saw is the only thing on that breaker. For the chainsaws you should use a heavy duty electrical cord. We secure the cord above the room in the rafters with plastic zip ties. Use enough to keep it in place. Make sure that you are not pinching the cord more like letting in free swing if that makes any sense. Some people also use a heavy duty retractable cord but we feel they bind up to easy.

By the way you should inspect the cord nightly to make sure it is not looking bent, twisted or damaged in any way as well as making sure it is secure. If you see any signs of wear, replace the cord immediately. Also you may want to talk to your electrical or building inspector to get their suggestion on the method they would prefer you to use.

Slobber

Hope that helps a little.

[Empressnightshade]

Slobber, it helped a lot. Thanks again! And thanks to you, too Jason!