Jeffrey Sherrard's Page

I am quite pleased that one of the persons who inspired my passion for haunting thinks so, no doubt! :D

I'll give you a little heads up for the raven's audio, so that you can be ahead of the game a bit.  I will be running the audio from my micro server, but any mp3 player will do.  I am using Halstaff's Picaxe-08m, sound-to-servo driver.  Mostly due to the ridiculous price that Sparkfun has placed on the newest revision of the Tenda triggerable mp3 player.  It doesn't even come with a power supply, and at 5x the cost of the original version?  No sir, I don't think so.   Also, Halstaff's board is 1/8th the size of the Scary Terry board, which is excellent with consideration to size & weight constraints. For amplification, I have several bare bones Dayton Audio 15 watt per ch., class T amplifiers, one of which will be used to drive the speaker in the ravens back.  They are inexpensive, very clean sounding, high quality amplifiers.  Probably overkill for a haunt prop, with respect to sound quality, but I got a great deal buying in a lot of 10.  IME, overkill is probably just enough for a satisfying result!  :D

My take on the prop floater worked perfectly for three years without a problem. Albeit, when I moved into my new home, I wasn't able to make use of it last year unfortunately, due to a design change I made to the frame.  I used a horizontally oriented A-frame, to allow attachment to a tree above a persons sight line  (No decently scaled trees in my new homes front yard for that sort of thing).   Although I do want to revamp the fan contact design to incorporate a set of brushes & brush housings from a Mabuchi 550 style motor for easy maintenance.  Here's a pic from right after initial testing, way back when:

You'd probably enjoy knowing that I have a design that incorporates your prop floater, with a McLaurin Floating lantern design.  The goal is a free ranging, multi-axis movement for a ghostly figure.  Think of a mobile hung over your infants crib, and I'm sure you'll get the idea. :D

The bad part of the equation, is that I can't use the idea until I do a massive landscaping project to my back yard.  Frankly, to lessen the dangers caused by extraordinarily soft top soil and people sprinting in fear (I'm fairly certain my homeowners ins. would kill me over the idea).  I am quite disappointed that I can't use the back yard for what traditionally was the teen & adult oriented portion of my haunt.  Which in itself is a shame, because I have several massive, moss covered old growth oaks back there.  The perfect haunting grounds, if it weren't for the ground itself. :/

If you're looking for info on my animated raven tutorial, you can find it here:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutorials-step-step/113907-ravens-take-animatronic-raven.html

I haven't completed it yet, mostly due to the fact that I used a nonstandard sized piece of tubing (4.5 mm o.d.) that I had left from an unrelated project for the torso pivot bar. ABEC took such a looooong time getting getting the made to order bearings to me, that I started on my arch/gates/columns project instead.  So it's waiting in the wings, so to speak, at least until I get this huge project knocked out.  

Oh I'm really not new around here, but thanks for the welcome  :)  I've been perusing the original GoE site off & on since 2005.  I just never signed up for the forums until last year. ;)

Wait, I just saw your floating candelabra prop. Are you the owner of the Ghost Songs site?  No kidding!  I built a variation of your prop years ago, pre-prop-1 version.   Very, very nice to meet you indeed sir.  :D  I've admired your work for a long time. 

Hi Jeff, thanks for the request.  Graciously accepted of course :D   If you'd like to take a look at my newest work, I have a decently sized thread located @ http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/115366-ravens-new-cemetery-arch.html#post1262796

-Scott

I know how you feel about the lack of storage.  Most of our haunt stuff is in the attic, but big things like our toe pinchers are in the backyard along with pieces of our crypt.  Imagine our grass cutter's surprise the first time he walked into our backyard ;) There's also foam board crammed in closets, under a bed and behind a dresser. It's funny really, but enoughs enough :)  We have to sacrifice taking a big vacation this year to have the shed built, but it'll be worth it :)

Hey Jeff!  Thanks for the compliments and for the add.

Yes, I have quite a few things in the works all ready for Halloween 2012. Actually, I'm in the process of having a shed built, which will give me a better place to work on my props in :)  No more foam and paper mache lying around the house!

Most of our 2012 stuff is in the planning stage, but I have begun work on one of my new cemetery residents, the Raven Reaper.  I have a few pictures of my progress up on my page and I'll post more as I go.

I'll be lurking around your page, checking out all of your cool stuff :)

Thanks for the info. Appreciate your links on your page, I'm going to have to check them out. 

On a side note, noticed your from Hollywood Ca. I'm originally from Hollywood Fl., a world away. Crazy.....

Checked out your photos. Nice woodworking on the monument. Love the halloween counter. Could something like that on the web page I'm working on. Did you create it or find it?

Thx sir!That pic is actually of a abandoned asylum...I do u/e & r/e...love it :-)

and thx for the welcome!We were at the MHC and got tons of inspiration to bump up our haunt:-)

Thanx For the nice welcome Jeffrey. I won't be shy if I have questions I will ask! When I can offer help to others I will do that also! I have kept my haunt simple so far. It will grow in time as with most haunters i have many ideas in my head!

In time I will upload some pics of some of the props I have built and pics of my haunt. Although what I have seen built by others is amazing! Your candleabra is awsome and the Midnight Syndicate soundtrack is perfect for it. Thanx again for the warm welcome, Best Regards, Larry

Was thinking that too.

End of June the fall stuff starts to appear in small spots in Michaels and other stores. tick tock.