# Thunder Lightning Machine FX



## Guest (Jun 18, 2006)

Does anyone know how well the Thunder Lightning Machine FX works? i'm thinking about getting this but i don't want to spend the money if it's crap. Anyone have any comments on this product? you can find it here: http://www.frightcatalog.com/Hallow...lusions/Thunder+Lightning+Machine+FX-1408004/


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## Mr Unpleasant (Feb 25, 2005)

It's crap! The sound is very "tin can" like, the strobe isn't very powerful. You'll get a better result with this for a little extra money:
Lightning FX
put it near a speaker when playing a thunder storm CD (it doesn't have to be this one)or you could download you own sound FX and create a thunder storm. Then plug a nice bright flood light into the LightningFX unit(or two floods up to 500w total) and get a far more realistic llightning/thunder effect. There more expensive versions of the the same effect, but if cash is an issue, dollar for dollar this is a good effect fot the $.


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## icemanfred (Aug 18, 2005)

I agree with Mr Unpleasant.
I got one from target last year for about 20.
If I remeber correctly it came with a cd of thunder and other assorted tracks.
One I remember thinking was a good idea was sounds of zapping electricity.


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## zero (Aug 27, 2004)

its junk,,pass that up


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## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

I would probably go with a simple color organ and a Thunder Storm CD myself


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## ruafraid (Oct 5, 2005)

thenameisaimee said:


> Does anyone know how well the Thunder Lightning Machine FX works? i'm thinking about getting this but i don't want to spend the money if it's crap. Anyone have any comments on this product? you can find it here: http://www.frightcatalog.com/Hallow...lusions/Thunder+Lightning+Machine+FX-1408004/


Ok I have both. The first one you mention I bought a few years back from our local Spencers store at Halloween paid somthing like 10 or 15 bucks. It was ok I had it in the garage on the top of a rafter so when people came it was doing its thang up there. Like I said it worked for the area I had it in.

Last year I saw the unit that Target Sold the same thing as the Ligthing FX and I think it was 20.00 or 24.00 cant remember. Well I learned from some forum threads to get a "really cool" effect was to go get a photagrapher's Flash Lamp looks like a smaller version of an outdoor flood light. The bulb cost about 8.00 at the local Fox Photo shop and I used that. The light it a different color kinda of a blue hint and its MUCH faster than a normal bulb. It really worked great. I used the cd in a CD player connected to the unit. One thing is it has its own built in microphone on the box so it will pickup sounds and activate so you can open it up and cut one of the wires going to the mic and that solves that little annoyance. Target had all their Halloween stuff on clearance and I got another one for 10.00 last year as a backup or for another area. There are others on the web for sale for much more $$$ but for most home haunter's this one really works well. Buy it and get the flash bulb and you won't regret it. Theirs one on e-bay right now for less including shipping if the bid does not go up much more. Item 6637408026


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## Death Wraith (Aug 31, 2005)

ruafraid is right on track. I did the same thing last year with the machine from Target. It has an RCA jack so you can plug your cd/mp3 player directly in. If I remember correctly on my unit it disengaged the onboard mic so false triggering wasn't an issue. You can just tape over the little mic hole anyway.

I also used two 250 watt photo flash bulbs, one blue one white (about $5 each online) mounted inside those bowl shaped reflective clamp mount things ($8.00 each Walmart). Set up in a tree they absolutlely flashed the whole front of the house. Ran a Y cable from my MP3 player, one line to the lightning box, one line to a 200 WATT Keyboard amp. Sensitivity is adjustable on the box so take a little time to experiment. Great Effect outside!

Oh, yeah. The photo flash bulbs have a limited life (5 hours?) but just for lightning they should last a few years.


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## crazymjb (Oct 27, 2003)

Also, if you take a thunderstorm track and record it on 2 channels, and have one 1-2 seconds before the other, and use that for the audio input, you will get lightning before thunder.

Mike


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## madmax (Dec 28, 2003)

Has anyone used one of these as a prop controller? I could see one of these being used as a no programing 120 air valve controller for a prop like the electric chair, or kicker.

Record your own track of screams with a split second in between each scream and plug your air valve into the outlet. If this works like I think. Then the scream should activate the air valve, every time the scream plays. You could still plug a light into it and the light will also come on and go off with the scream.

I never used one of these, so maybe it wont cycle fast enough for this. Maybe someone could test their unit and see if it will work. Record Something like......BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM ...very short pause...them BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM....another pause, of 2 seconds and then ,......BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. If the light comes on with each BOOM......it should be able to do the same thing with a electric air valve.


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## Hauntiholik (Jul 13, 2005)

I have one of the Thunder Lightning Machine FX and I would agree that it is crap. I was very disapointed with it until I thought of other ways to use it. The sound quality is very poor and the "strobe" is weak.
I'm still using the unit though. I have some rocking tombstones at are light activated. I use the activation of the lightning machine to trigger the tombstones which are too far from the path to be triggered on their own.

Yeah, I made lemonade out of lemons but I wouldn't recommend buying the unit unless you plan on using it an out of the way situation.


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## Haunty (May 31, 2006)

Never used the thunder lightning fx machine.
Had a bad feeling about it as soon as I saw it. Looked pretty cheap.
The Lightning fx controller is another story. Use that all the time in my haunted maze. Built a six plug-in outlet with dimmer control. Extends the controller to 6 dimmable light sources instead of one flickering. The cd it comes with is kind of silly. A nature recorded thunder storm cd is more believeable.


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

I built a 3-channel color organ from a kit last year to use as my lightning machine and it worked wonderfully- three plugs for lights and each reacts to a different sound level giving a nice layered effect to the 'storm'.

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=C4530

For my soundtrack I used the 'Big Scream' thunderstorm CD: http://www.bigscreamtv.info/bigscreamcds.html


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## Ooogiboogie (Sep 28, 2003)

Last year I was going to build a "puker" prop. I'm sure were all familiar with this one. The full size dummy bent over the barrel puking away. I was going to use the lighting FX to set off the pumps. Having a puke sound track with intervals in it would work well. As the speaker puts out the puke sound effect the FX box picks that up and activates the pump. I never put it together though. Ran outta time.


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## Otaku (Sep 10, 2004)

Regarding the use of photoflood bulbs - they're definitely the right way to go. I've been using a blue/white pair for three years and they're stiil very bright. They run hot so you may need to use ceramic inserts in the plastic sockets.


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## Mahone68 (Oct 21, 2004)

one thing we did one year was run a garden hose along the edge of the roof of the house, and sop the end of the hose so no water can come out. Using something sharp, we punctured a bunch of holes in the hose, so when the water was on, it would run off the roof of the house. It sounded just like real rain, many people commented on how "it wasn't supposed to rain tonight"


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## erie_pa_halloween_guy (Mar 20, 2005)

Hey guys is this the same thing the "GOOD"one?

http://www.orientaltrading.com/application?namespace=browse&origin=catalogProducts.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=25/5051&mode=Searching&erec=10&No=72&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&N=377668&sd=HALLOWEEN+LIGHT+PROJECTOR


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## Mr Unpleasant (Feb 25, 2005)

erie_pa_halloween_guy said:


> Hey guys is this the same thing the "GOOD"one?
> 
> http://www.orientaltrading.com/application?namespace=browse&origin=catalogProducts.jsp&event=link.itemDetails&demandPrefix=12&sku=25/5051&mode=Searching&erec=10&No=72&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%252bmatchallpartial&N=377668&sd=HALLOWEEN+LIGHT+PROJECTOR



Yes, that's the one that will allow you to use up to 500 watts of light or whatever actually. As previously mention you could use this to trigger a prop with sound.


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## Haunty (May 31, 2006)

When it first came out the color was black with a big orange lightning bolt.
Last year it was repackaged and they changed the color to all black. The origional packaging looked far better.


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## ded_spyder (Aug 19, 2008)

*rrrr..*

i didn't take time to read instructions (on fx box w/ orange lightning bolt)..

it's not working @#*($ says 500 watts..
won't even flicker 60 watt bulb?

it had an 'audio in' and the microphone..

does the audio in come from cd player? or amp?
tried putting right next to speaker too..
help!


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## geoffm (Oct 2, 2007)

read the instructions 

put it next to the speaker and the dial is the sensitivity


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

I have 2 of these:










I got them at Buycostumes.com after Halloween a couple of years ago for like, 10 bucks apiece or something. I use them in my cemetery and they work great for controlling the lighting and making it look like lightning. I hook it up to a CD player and use my own sound mix I made.


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## Dark lord (Jan 8, 2007)

I've used 750 watts of bulbs ok,since they are on momentarily it will handle it. Most things are underrated.If they told ya it was good for its real max,
people would over power them & cuase probs,gives you a little room.The most if you go too much & over power,will blow the built on fuse 1st.


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## mrincredibletou (Sep 17, 2007)

*Where oh where*

Anyone know who is still selling them....... Most places say out of stock and cannot get anymore.............

Thanks
Cory


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

mrincredibletou, spilsbury.com still has them although they are a little more $19.99 before shipping. I just ordered one and it was confirmed shipped on Friday, so I'm thinking they still have a few left.


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

OMG... I take that back! Did I grab the last one??? spilsbury.com no longer even have it on their website! :O( Sorry guys. Your can disregard my previous message.


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## Haunty (May 31, 2006)

Halloween Decorations, Halloween Props, Scary Costumes, Scary Masks, and Halloween Accessories - Frightcatalog.com! has them for $30.


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

But none in stock.



Haunty said:


> Halloween Decorations, Halloween Props, Scary Costumes, Scary Masks, and Halloween Accessories - Frightcatalog.com! has them for $30.


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## Kronax (Dec 28, 2004)

Try this:

Christmas Tree FX - LTD Commodities


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

Kronax said:


> Try this:
> 
> Christmas Tree FX - LTD Commodities


I don't see why that wouldn't work. Same principle.

But if you have your heart set on an FX machine, they have them in stock here:
Lighting F/X (PM2580) - only $34.99 at CostumeManiacs.com

or here: LIGHTNING FX BOX & CD PM2580 ----$28.77


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## Attain (Oct 10, 2007)

This is a good one. My only complaint is that the audio connection doesn't give you many options. Prepare to have some different connectors handy if you want to connect a music source directly to it.


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

Excellent tip! That looks to be the same unit with a different casing. The sensitivity knob is even in the same place.

Outstanding!



Kronax said:


> Try this:
> 
> Christmas Tree FX - LTD Commodities


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## Mr. Halloween (Oct 7, 2007)

go to spilsbury.com and get it get it for 13.00!!


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

Uhm... Spilbury isn't even showing it listed anymore and I believe I'm responsible for that! LOL! No sooner did they confirm shipping of mine, they completely removed it from the website! LOL I must've gotten the last one!

Plus they raised their price to $19.99 just before I went to order mine! Aye Carumba!

I would have gone with the Christmas version in a flash (no pun intended... OK well maybe), and for less, but they don't seem to ship to Canada! :O(


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## mrincredibletou (Sep 17, 2007)

OpenTrackRacer said:


> Excellent tip! That looks to be the same unit with a different casing. The sensitivity knob is even in the same place.
> 
> Outstanding!



Just ordered one, I will let you know how it goes.......... Gonna have to paint that thing black though, lol


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## redrom (Aug 25, 2008)

Shadow Man said:


> Uhm... Spilbury isn't even showing it listed anymore and I believe I'm responsible for that! LOL! No sooner did they confirm shipping of mine, they completely removed it from the website! LOL I must've gotten the last one!
> 
> Plus they raised their price to $19.99 just before I went to order mine! Aye Carumba!
> 
> I would have gone with the Christmas version in a flash (no pun intended... OK well maybe), and for less, but they don't seem to ship to Canada! :O(


I bought one from them a month ago and it was $19.99. Did they have some kind of sale for $13?


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## Elza (Jun 21, 2004)

I have a plan light FX machine that I hook up. I'm doing a scrim this year. My FX allows you to plug a light into it and is sound activated. So I use a cd player, thunderstorm cd, a clamp light betweent he black scrim and the silhouette I want to to show. I works real well and I only paid $19.


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

redrom said:


> I bought one from them a month ago and it was $19.99. Did they have some kind of sale for $13?


They had them on "blowout" early this year. I picked up two back in June for $13 each.

Shortly after, I think in July or so, they took them off of blowout status, and raised the price to $19.99.

The Christmas version is made by the same company and works exactly the same. The only difference is the colors and the lightening bolt is a tree.


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

I ordered a pair yesterday and I already have the spray paint ready!

Thanks again for the tip.


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## indeva (Aug 24, 2008)

I order one a few weeks back. Here a video i did of a little test inside

http://www.halloweenforum.com/501824-post25.html


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

indeva, thanks for showing the video! I can't wait to get mine and hook it up! :OP


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## rottin corps (Sep 21, 2007)

I got mine at the swap meet two years ago......................CRAP.......terd.......the sound ......um you could do better if you ate a big chili dog and a cassette player for the aftermath of great flatchulent that would produce............the flashing light .........real gay.....belongs in a disco.......but i got mine for 2 bucks........and i still feel riped off .......
hope this helps


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

Can anyone point me in the right direction for the bluish photo flood bulbs? Did you get regular omni bulbs or flood style? Also, what color temperature? I think something around 4800 K or more but...

I found this one at B&H...

General Brand | BCA Lamp - 250W/120V | B&H Photo Video

Thanks!


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

I can't recomend any specific store as I'm from Canada. However, they can usually be found at any decent semi-pro to professional camera/photography supply store. We carried them in the camera store I used to work for in Vancouver.


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

Are the bulbs you use like the ones in the link or floodlight style?

Thanks!


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

I've only ever seen them like the one in the link, but they were available in both 250W & larger 500W bulbs. I've never personally seen them in "floodlight" style but that's not to say they don't exist! :O)


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## Attain (Oct 10, 2007)

I think Hauntiholik and I need to start a group of people who get a device for one purpose, but end up using it from something completely different.


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## OpenTrackRacer (Sep 12, 2008)

Awesome. I'll order a couple from B&H and see how they work.

We have a few good photography stores in San Diego but none are very close. With the time it would take and the cost of gas (I get 9 MPG!) it's easier and cheaper to just order on-line.

Thanks!


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## magicmatt (Aug 17, 2005)

I just ordered one of the christmas ones off of ebay. They are the same as the lightning one.

I will be putting it up on the roof, with a cd walkman and computer speakers. I will be rinning two white floodlights with this.

When I edit together my audio track, I will post it here for download.


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Hauntiholik said:


> I have one of the Thunder Lightning Machine FX and I would agree that it is crap. I was very disapointed with it until I thought of other ways to use it. The sound quality is very poor and the "strobe" is weak.
> I'm still using the unit though. I have some rocking tombstones at are light activated. I use the activation of the lightning machine to trigger the tombstones which are too far from the path to be triggered on their own.
> 
> Yeah, I made lemonade out of lemons but I wouldn't recommend buying the unit unless you plan on using it an out of the way situation.



Mine doesn't have a built in strobe.I use my own strobe and cd player for sound.Are there different versions of the fx box?
Mine you supply your own lights up to 500 watts and own sound but comes with a thunder/lighting cd.I gave 12.99 at spillsbury around may.
I forgot to add that I think mine is a great product.


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## geoffm (Oct 2, 2007)

halloween71 said:


> Mine doesn't have a built in strobe.I use my own strobe and cd player for sound.Are there different versions of the fx box?
> Mine you supply your own lights up to 500 watts and own sound but comes with a thunder/lighting cd.I gave 12.99 at spillsbury around may.
> I forgot to add that I think mine is a great product.


You two are talking about TWO DIFFERENT products - the first is an all in one product that produces sound and 'lightening' which is a horrible product - the second is a mass produced color organ which people love. I have two of them and they are great.


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## redrom (Aug 25, 2008)

I like mine too. With the jacobs ladder sounds on the cd, the unit creates a great look for failing lights. I think the week strobe effect that Hauntiholik mentions is just how it lights up when the sounds are playing. No true strobe. It's a pretty basic effect, but a great deal for $20. Although, you could build or buy a color organ for less.


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## Mr Grimsley (May 8, 2008)

I realize this thread started with the "Thunder Lightning Machine FX" but ended up a multi-endorsement for the "Special FX box" that everyone raves about. 

Well I just received my order for the latter and I must say... VERY cool!!! I've also taken to playing around with Audacity and well... I can't wait to start this puppy up on Halloween night! I am mixing several files together and playing with the R/L channels etc. and WOW... is this cool or what!
Imagine what I could do with a 5.1 or 7.1 system! LOL! Anyway, I think this is the single most effective way to add a major enhancement to a yard haunt! 

PS. I also bought one of those "Canon Thunder & LIghtning" strobes last year in lieu of finding the Special FX box locally. I was somewhat disappointed with it until I rigged it up to my carport PIR security light to go on & off for fairly short durations (looks less like a timed strobe effect). Not bad... but not at all like the one I'm playing with now. In fact, I'm about to open up the Canon strobe and disconnect the internal speakers and just use the strobe in combination with photofloods! Oh yeah... Bring on the thunderstorm!


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## Haunter (Oct 12, 2005)

FYI, the shipping cost for two Tree FX units (at $9.95 each) from LTD Commodities was $7 to the West Coast. That comes to less than $14 per unit!!


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## ibjeepin (Nov 3, 2008)

OK here's my crazy thought......

Since my plan was to do haunt control with vsa and DMexorcist.....its another thread. 

I have a couple of ADJ Mega Flashes that are DMX controllable. I was thinking to do like a 5 minute track in vsa and control flash intensity and rate with vsa and have it flash before the thunder. Loop vsa and voila!

Anyone done this yet?


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## PHD (Nov 17, 2008)

Someone just gave me one. It has a potential for hacking. When I get around to it I'll post my project.


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