Potential haunted forest project in midlothian

Hi folks i live on a 48 acre farm in midlothian and my family and i have been wanting to put together a haunted hayride kinda thing with zombies graveyards general halloween wizardy businuess would anybody be interested in using such an endeavor as a canvas for their arts makery etc?

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Sounds like a kool very simple cost effective prop to make…im very into such things cheap simple effective. Id personally like to make some simple animatronics …really just pneumatic jumper props to start with, really any run of the mill halloween decoration with a ram driven frame behind it Also some fire poofers if your familiar with the mechanism.

Just to keep you out of legal trouble…
The “fire poofers” are classified as flame effects in Texas and will require state licenses, specialty insurance, and a permit from your local fire marshal.

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I believe this is the form … if not in the city limits

https://co.ellis.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/8076/Flame-Effects--Permit-Texas-Occupations-Code-21541

Other forms https://co.ellis.tx.us/92/Fire-Marshal

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However, I believe there are several pyrotechnic people in the space that may have the licenses required.

@Nick @Lampy

You know, the audience requirement of 50 or more may just save you a lot of headaches, it just isn’t something I deal with, as we always have well over that number. Please note, that while that permit packet listed above says a special effects operator license is required, that really should read flame effects operator license, they are two different things and the state is specific about that. Call your local fire marshal and have a chat with them before you go about using flame effects, as they may very well agree that you will fall under the 50 person requirement, but do plenty of research beforehand and be able to talk knowledgeably about what you are building, controlling, and what fire prevention options you have in place.

The pneumatic popup guys are always fun, I worked with some controlled by small boxes that you could easily program by pressing buttons in the sequence/length of time you wanted and worked with pressure pads for the trigger. It has been years, so I will have to look tomorrow to see if I can find the brand of them, but they worked well and could probably also work with ir beams or other sensors. If you are moving big popups with pneumatic cylinders, overbuild the frames as they will take quite a big of abuse…

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We have been focusing on the flames … I think they want people to make props.

Really, if you want volunteers to get excited, you are going to have to sell it.
Free food? Do you want workers? Free ride to Midlothian and back?
Are you just wanting props?

I will say that working at a haunted house was great fun. Something about scaring the hell out of people. :wink:

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Great points made here…as to the fire effects some of these things i didnt think about that being said i believe i am outside city limits. My only experience with them has been burning man and basically to be approved they simply had to be certified as the not going to erradically explode type. Also at this point i feel i have a pretty good with ellis county fire, as i have a 30 ft face melting christmas tree bonfire every year. Free food could be quite feasible. Currently there is no power out there that far out into the field but we have multiple generators. This is why i am bringing this up in may and not october . To see what could be done, to see what people would like to do. If fire effects get to be to much we can ommit them. Props and sets are the primary focus and if cosplayers want a place to strut more gouly stuff theres that to. I have businuess at the space soon cutting out parts. If theres plenty of interest well get together a meeting in the next week or so.

What is next?

Should I fiddle with a small model of “drop spiders”?

When this came out I thought it had great potential http://www.greathorrorcampout.com
Apparently it really just never became what it could have been.

Interesting never heard of such a thing but a great idea… and as to whats next uhm idk meet at dms plan to make stuff. Absolutely make a drop spider mechanism all i have are the semi functional components of a trashcan slammer… and a writhing spine mechanism thus far and a patch of woods. I will be at DMS definitely on sunday for a 6 axis arm work sesh.