Did anyone check this out??? Scarefactory

[Haunted Illinois]

No, I quite understand. On the last day of the show I saw them welding one of the props behind the fence. I've seen this happen almost every year I have attended Transworld. I've always found it funny that they would need to weld brand new props. If they can't hold together for more than four days, why would haunt owners buy them for their attactions?

If you think about it, its simple physics, isn’t it? When you have massive, 13 ft. tall mechanical armatures jerking around with great force, how long is it going to be before something breaks?

[WarrenC]

So excited my arms fell off!

Great point Adam... In fact, when my current Scarefactory props saw the exciting new props, they jumped with joy. So much so, my Hell Hound's jaw fell off. My Springline Skelerector's arms broke right off of his body, the Gravedigger's face popped off and well... my Canopy Bed Super Skelerector must have not seen the new pieces as he couldn't make out of bed with his broken springs and lack luster engineering. Still waiting on their return phone call...

I must credit Hearsley Gray for some of the jokes here... he knows the story.

[badass]

when an arm or jaw or what ever breaks off...we just weld em right back on...and we buy our springs at lowes...

[WarrenC]

Welding Schmelding

Hey BadAss,
You are right and yes, we've welded, bandaged, welded, zip tied and rewelded. Enough welding to burn up synthetic dog hair, scorch latex, and ignite foam. The thing is, Scarefactory props all seem to have failure points not only in design, but construction, and parts. Been there - done that on the spring topic. The hardware store variety simply don't have enough tension. They are consumer grade products. You need to get the proper spring for the job. Have you experienced a spring 'blow out?' Sharp shards of spring steel fly out. Why, in today's age of CAD, why people engineer props which require high tension springs is beyond me. It can be done with pneumatics with additional costs, but the control, safety and longevity is much greater. Springs = Bad. Cheap, but bad news. I think we've all welded our Scarefactory stuff, doesn't mean we should have to. Did I mention their new stuff looks great?

[graystone]

Well

the secret is out LMAO. Seriously I have had problems too and I can honestly say David has made it right. Maybe he dont want me on his ass here on the HauntWorld forums. I am keeping an open mind that Davids new policy will work to everyones benefit. There again time will tell.

[mindtumor]

While we were at the show 3 different effects broke down. So these were new items that could not stand the stress of a three day show. Not too comforting.

I have noticed this as well over the years, I go to the show the first day and look at all of their props and how cool they are, then on the second day I bring my wife through so she can look at them only she doesn't think they are as cool because they are no longer moving... I have almost ordered from them the last 2 years but changed my mind each year. I just don't feel like risking it.

[mindtumor]

Yeah, hope they get things corrected. The trees should be easy for them, hard to screw hose up with no animation parts involved....

Darkangel

This is true. All of their stuff looks really cool. If I knew I had the ability to fix anything that broke on the animated stuff I might order. You are right about the static stuff though.

[MMManiac]

Same here... we love their products and want to order but we dont have the ability to fix them if they, i mean when they break... its too bad.

[Gore Galore]

Honestly,
I think every Haunted Attractionc should have a welder on staff now adays with so many things being automated. Also The animations in THIS industry are of lower quality than in other industries. But that is also because they are much lower in price.

this is not a slight against those that don't have a welder but when a critically placed animation breaks your scene is effected. The good thing is I think most attractions use animations as eye candy and the scare come from elsewhere.
that is a good thing.

But Maybe everyone should buy our Costumes.
that would fix all the problems
Hahaha

[mindtumor]

Well it may sound like a knock against them but I don't mean it as one. I understand their animations move pretty violently and at some of those costs it is hard to build an animation that can handle that over and over again. I am just saying I don't feel like dealing with it.

[neffuri27]

I agree Gore Galore everyone should buy from you

I have never heard anyone say ANYTHING but good things about your
products and service! You have great looking stuff on your website
as soon as we get our new building we will be buying some stuff
from you for certain.

Many Blessings

Kimmy

[Jim Warfield]

Building animations here, for only myself, I use thick steel and weld it usually. This would make a more expensive prop in just the cost of the steel AND in the shipping of such an item around the country whether to a trade show or to a customer.
Maybe a whole cottage industry could be developed in making and selling add-on steel brackets to reinforce problem areas?
Of course more steel equals more weight for the cylinder to push around , equals more air pressure needed, equals more compressor wear and more electricity used.
Maybe a year-round all-weather testing fascility is needed?
The Ravens Grin Inn is open almost every night of the year in all kinds of weather....
..centrally located in Illinois..just 2 1/2 hrs. from Transworld (Chicago)

I personally think more use of gravity would solve a lot of potential animation problems.
We got gravity here.....

[neffuri27]

Scarefactory 2008 products

I just got an email from David Fachman and he said he will have the new products
on the website up in about 15 minutes!!!

I cannot wait!!! I did not get to go to transworld because of my mum and brother's
health problems and I am excited about seeing the new products on their site
so go check it out guys.

Huggs and Screams

Kimmy

[Darkangel]

It's up and running now. By the way, does anyone know why Scarefactoy catalogs always have brownish colored images? For eample, their castle or Angel of Death look brown in their pics but are actually grey....

[MDKing]

I know what you mean, the coloring of their photos isn't great......