# Make a Spider Run on your Spellbook



## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

What a brilliant idea, Scary Papa!

DaveintheGrave alone has enough amazing ideas, that if i put in some effort thinking how to repurpose them like this, I'll likely never run out of idea. I think it takes a bit of extra creativity to see beyond the stuff that's already there and come up with something new.

Looks really fantastic. Great job!


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## talkingcatblues (Jan 30, 2009)

That's a great twist on the idea - I love the skittering sound it makes as it moves.


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## Haunted Neurons (Aug 21, 2006)

Very nice job on that and a creative spin on the daveinthegrave idea. I am sure you will have people wondering how the heck it works.


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Thank you for the nice comments. I really don't think I have ever actually had an original idea in my life but sometimes I can figure out a little twist on someone else's idea. I did notice when I watched the video that there is a click each time the drive arm reverses direction. This reminded me that I forgot to put a little piece of felt on the wooden supports that the drive arm hits to reverse direction. I will add this felt tonight. This will muffle the sound. Also, I don't permanently mount the cardboard and plexiglass to the supports. This way I can easily remove these parts and store the spider and the electric cord under them inside the box when it is not in use. I also did this with my animated Ouija board to store the planchete and electric cord inside.


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Gee, you're really thinking outside the box, Scary Papa! That's a great idea and a fantastic execution of it!
You spider looks great! Nice tutorial, also.
I did have the thought of doing something similar, like having a candle moving on top of a large book. But your spider idea is even better.
It's amazing what you can make with a small motor and a few magnets.
Thanks for the "shout-out" on my Ouija Board. I appreciate it.

Great prop!


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks DaveInTheGrave, your animated ouija board was so cool I had to make one. Then when DaddyO inquired about other uses for this concept I thought about the spell book and spider and just couldn't get it out of my mind. I finally just gave up and made this as well. The animated ouija board is going in my new fortune teller shack and the spell book will be in the new witch's cottage in the haunted forest.


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## Immortalia (Nov 2, 2009)

THAT IS SO COOL! And the sound it makes when it is going across the page is disconcerting at best.  I have GOT to try this, or even better, get my husband to build it. He builds custom car stereo enclosures, so this should be cake for him! Hmmmmmmmmmm 


<Too many ideas, not enough time in the day>


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks Immortalia,, the sound was totally by accident. I think I failed to bend one of the spider legs high enough and it scrapes on the plexigalss. The good think about this is you can get the box for the spellbook already made and just decorate it and build the interior mechanism.


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

It might be your motor itself making that sound, Papa. I have several of those same motors and they sometimes emit that chattering sound as they rotate.
I don't know why, but they do.


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Hey Dave, I think you are probably right. I remember when I made the Ouija board there was some sound that the motor made when I installed it in the box. It didn't make the sound when running outside the box but I think when it was in the box the sound was amplified by the box itself (sort of like a drum) and made it more noticeable. I bet that is what is happening here as well. Hey, could you post a link to your tutorial for the Ouija board here? I wasn't able to get it to post. Guess I just don't know how to do this. Thanks. By the way..Wicked Grandma's cat HATES that spider.


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

Here's a link to Dave's tutorial... (I can probably find it faster than he can. It's basically my home page at the moment.  )

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutor...animated-ouija-board-vent-motor-part-1-a.html


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## daddywoofdawg (Aug 26, 2012)

I would have spider run across the top of the closed book.but like the idea.
Dave: where are you getting vent motors?


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

"Dave's not here, man" (Always wanted to say that.)

But since Dave isn't online at the moment, I'll just point out that the thread I linked to was a couple years old - back in a time when vent motors were cheap and plentiful. Not the case anymore - and I don't think Dave is using them anymore. 

I'm sure Dave will chime in with alternatives, but I know member MadMax is selling something similar to the animated reindeer motors.

Here's another thread that might help.
http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/128978-vent-motors.html


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

GobbyGruesom, thanks for posting that link. For some reason I just could not get it to post. Guess I simply don't know how to do this.


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks for posting that link, Gobby! Yes, I'm sure you found it faster than I would have. "Dave's not here..." LOL. I used to hear that all the time in the Navy.

Daddywoofdawg--Those vent motors haven't been readily available for a couple of years now. In the "For sale by merchants" category on this forum, one member is selling a newer version of the vent motor. I've never used one myself. Another option is the motors that MadMax is selling. They work great and I have found those on E-bay, too (from China). It's just like the one Scary Papa used.

Great prop again, Scary Papa! That sound goes perfectly with your spider!


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Scary Papa said:


> GobbyGruesom, thanks for posting that link. For some reason I just could not get it to post. Guess I simply don't know how to do this.


Papa---just click on the web address of the page (in the upper left hand corner of your screen). It will turn blue. Hold the CTRL key and hit letter "C". That copies it.
Then go where you want to post the link and hold CTRL again and hit letter "V". This pastes it. VIOLA!!


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

Scary Papa said:


> GobbyGruesom, thanks for posting that link. For some reason I just could not get it to post. Guess I simply don't know how to do this.


Happy to help, Papa! Computers just rarely work as expected - I wouldn't worry about it. I get frustrated uploading photos all the time.

If you can put together a post as complex as the tutorial that started this thread, and STILL make it THAT clear and easy to follow, you're unstoppable!  But if you ever have any questions - feel free to holler. 

Dave, hope I didn't step on your toes jumping in there. 

Looking forward to seeing any other takes on this concept. I think this thread might open the creative flood gates!


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

GobbyGruesome said:


> Dave, hope I didn't step on your toes jumping in there.


Heck no, I need all the help I can get!


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## Scary Papa (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks for that info Dave, Maybe now I can post links when necessary


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