Jim's Haunted Garage
2004
[click on pics for larger view]


Sweet & Low Balloons
This year I loaded balloons with a packet of  "sweet & low" and burst them,
one at a time with a "hot wire" as each group of patrons would start through the haunt.

The balloon holder was made from PVC and was 8 ft. long, and elevated
overhead where the patrons would walk beneath it.  It was tilted slightly so that
the balloons would naturally move to the end with the "hot wire" burster.

Of course the kids were told, just before they entered the haunt, that the monster appears only if they ever get a "sweet taste" in their mouths.

Here's a couple of photos of the balloon holder:


 
 

The balloon burster was simply small diameter wire that was energized
by a 12-volt tractor battery for about 3 sec using a haunt timer.  The length
of time had to controlled since too much time would cause the wire to overheat, while to little time would not burst the balloons.


 
 
 
 

The clown DOT room:

Entrance was through a door temporarily set up in a framed partition.


 
 
 

This photo with flash shows the balls hung by rubber band and string.
Note the higher ball in rear.. it may be dropped suddenly via string
through pulley to bop patron on the head by the dot actor who resided
in the right rear corner of room.


 
 

This view is of the DOT room without flash,
it's the best a camera can do to show how it actually looked.