Ron Thurmond's interactive rat

[DeathTouch]

I guess this is my way of trying to get new blood for the forum but I have a friend that is really into building Halloween props and last year he really did a nice job on one. It was a interactive squirting rat that he was able to control so it would look like the rat was watching the kids as they walked up to the door. Then the kids were really surprise when the rat stopped and its eyes turned red and started squirting water at them. He says he has some more mods for it this year. Maybe he will drop in and tell us all about it. Right Ron? Here are some photos that he emailed me today. I just had to show you the nice work that he did.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/Rat.jpg

Here are some other shots with just a link.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/IMG_3366.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/IMG_3368.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/IMG_3376.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/IMG_3380.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/IMG_3604.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/lovermonkey/Halloween/Rat.jpg

[GreenCapt]

That's sweet! Every home should have one- hope your friend does come aboard as I for one would like to see more!

[Haunted Neurons]

I created that Rat. Thanks Deathtouch for starting the thread and posting the pictures.

I have seen expesive full size animatronic props in Halloween stores and thought they would be cool in the yard but no way could I afford one. Lurking around the internet I have seen other peoples projects and how inventive people can be. So it sarted me thinking of what could I adapt into some kind of moving prop. I saw a rubber rat at Walmart that was pliable and hollow and I decided to somehow make it move. Instead of static movements I looked on ebay for a used radio control server setup, I wound up pulling them out of an old airplane I haven't used in 3 years. I threw together some aluminum channel, bolts and washers close to the inside dimentions of the rat and added the servos. It worked great then I added a waterpump from a battery operated squirtgun and some red leds for eyes. I never had so much fun moving it around from across the yard and squirting people as they walked by.

The best part of using the prop on Halloween is when people said "where did you buy that?". Anyone can buy props for their yard but its people like Deathtouch and everyone on these forums who create their own stuff and take special pride in their creations that got me started down the road of self built props.

If anyone is interested I can post more detail viewed pictures and a semi how to on how I made it.

[ruafraid]

Man that is soo Cool. You don't ever have to ask about showing more pictures and how to info that is a given here. We all want pics and more info. I have a remote control 4x4 truck would the servo that runs the front tires work on this type of project ?

[kevin242]

Too cool! Any complaints for getting the little brats wet? That would just be my luck, some rabid soccer mom chewing me out...

[DeathTouch]

Hey, I am glad you found the thread. I love that rat. You might like to know that CC is working on a new Magic Mirror. It is a skul. I might have told you already, but just in case.

[Haunted Neurons]

Too cool! Any complaints for getting the little brats wet? That would just be my luck, some rabid soccer mom chewing me out...

I was worried about that very problem. I had to use some descretion with who I got wet. I learned to avoid the very young. I got a babe in arms once who started screaming, I thought the mother was going to burn my house down. lol

[Sickie Ickie]

We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info!

[born2haunt]

Great idea. I have everything but the rat hanging around in the basement. I could have alot of fun with this.
thanks
Frank

[Haunted Neurons]

We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info! We want pictures and info!

It will be here soon, I promise.

I am new to forums, does anyone have suggestions on whether I should embed the pictures in the post or link them to photobucket. I have seen them both ways on different boards.

Thanks

[ruafraid]

To post pics you have to link to an off site location like photobucket. Its very easy to do. Remember our dial-up users and try your best to keep the file sizes as small as possible for them. Somewhere on this board is a post with the best picture dimensions I just cant recall where it is right now. Thanks for taking the time to put this info together for all of us.