51 High-Tech

Practical Jokes for

the Evil Genius

Evil Genius Series

Bionics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-It-Yourself Projects Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius: 57 Lessons with Projects Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: 28 Build-It-Yourself Projects Electronic Games for the Evil Genius

Electronic Sensors for the Evil Genius: 54 Electrifying Projects 50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius 50 Model Rocket Projects for the Evil Genius 51 High-Tech Practical Jokes for the Evil Genius Fuel Cell Projects for the Evil Genius

Mechatronics for the Evil Genius: 25 Build-It-Yourself Projects MORE Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius: 40 NEW Build-It-Yourself Projects 101 Outer Space Projects for the Evil Genius 101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius

123 PIC® Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Genius 123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius PC Mods for the Evil Genius

Radio and Receiver Projects for the Evil Genius Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius 25 Home Automation Projects for the Evil Genius

51 High-Tech

Practical Jokes for

the Evil Genius

BRAD GRAHAM

KATHY MCGOWAN

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“I don’t know about that Graham boy”— Concerned parent This page intentionally left blank

About the Authors

Brad Graham is an inventor, robotics hobbyist, Netware Engineer, a Microsoft Certified

founder and host of the ATOMICZOMBIE.COM

Professional, and a Certified Electronics and web site (which receives over 2.5 million hits Cabling Technician.

monthly), and a computer professional. He is the Kathy McGowan provides administrative, co-author, with Kathy McGowan, of 101 Spy logistical, and marketing support for Atomic Gadgets for the Evil Genius, Atomic Zombie’s Zombie’sTM many robotics, bicycle, technical, Bicycle Builder’s Bonanza (perhaps the most and publishing projects. She also manages the creative bicycle-building guide ever written), and daily operations of a high-tech firm and several Build Your Own All-Terrain Robot, all from web sites, including ATOMICZOMBIE.COM, as

McGraw-Hill. Technical manager of a high-tech well as various Internet-based blogs and forums.

firm that specializes in computer network setup Additionally, Ms. McGowan writes articles for and maintenance, data storage and recovery, and e-zines and is collaborating with Mr. Graham on security services, Mr. Graham is also a Certified several film and television projects.

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

This page intentionally left blank

Acknowledgments

Our Evil Genius collaborator Judy Bass at

Evil Geniuses, bike builders, and robotics junkies.

McGraw-Hill has always been our biggest fan and We sincerely appreciate your support, friendship, we can’t thank her enough for believing in us and feedback. You’re the best creative “krew” in every step of the way. A heartfelt thank you to the world.

Judy and everyone at McGraw-Hill for helping to There are many projects, a blog, videos, a builder’s make this project a reality. Thanks also to all of gallery, and support at ATOMICZOMBIE.COM.

you who contact us, especially members of the We always look forward to seeing what other Evil

“Atomic Zombie Krew,” our international family of Geniuses are up to. Hope to see you there!

Cool stuff, cool people!

ATOMICZOMBIE.COM

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

This page intentionally left blank

For more information about this title, click here

Contents

1 Introduction

1

6 Evil Abounds!

91

Warranty Void!

1

Project 22—Voices from the Grave

91

Basic Electronics

2

Project 23—Evil-Possessed Doll

95

Project 24—Telephone Devil Voice

98

2 Truly Annoying Devices

17

Project 25—Evil Lurching Head

101

Project 1—The Dripping Faucet

17

Project 26—Give Us a Sign!

104

Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing

20

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board

107

Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker

24

Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine

28

7 Shock and Awe!

113

Project 28—The Barbeque Box

113

3 Critters and Beasties

33

Project 29—Simple Induction Shocker

115

Project 5—Alive and Breathing

33

Project 30—Strong Pulse Shocker

117

Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider

36

Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper 120

Project 7—Carpet Crawling

40

Project 32—Hissing Gas Container

124

Creature

Project 33—Radiation Detector

127

Project 8—Universal Critter

44

Launcher

8 Machine Hoaxes

133

Project 9—Trash Can Troll

48

Project 34—The Magic Light Bulb

133

Project 35—Coin-Minting Machine

136

4 Mechanical Mayhem

51

Project 36—See Through Walls

142

Project 10—Remote Control

51

Jammer

9 Mind Benders

147

Project 11—Radio Station Blocker

54

Project 37—Rigged Lie Detector

147

Project 12—Video Fubarizer

57

Project 38—The Dog Talker

149

Project 13—Audio Distorter

59

Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter

153

Project 14—Phone Static Injector

61

Project 40—Subliminal Audio

157

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure

63

Mind Control

Project 16—Serious Car

68

Project 41—Subliminal Video

160

Troubles

Mind Control

5 Things That Go Bump in the Night

71

10 Halloween Horrors

165

Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes

71

Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat

165

Project 18—Computer Audio

76

Project 43—The Haunted Ghost Mirror 170

Nightmare

Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar

172

Project 19—Rats in the Walls

82

Project 45—Universal Motivator

176

Project 20—Footsteps in the Night

84

Project 46—Sound-activated Switch

179

Project 21—Giant Shadow

86

Project 47—Flesh-eating

181

Projector

Jack-O-Lantern

xi

11 Fluffy Attacks! Scare Them Silly!

187

12 Digital Fakery

203

Project 48—Spring-Loaded

188

Editing Software

203

Launch Pad

Original Photo Quality

204

Project 49—Trap Door Cage

190

Warping Effects

204

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger

193

Making Hoax Photos

206

Project 51—Fluffy’s Body

198

Adding Reflections and Shadows

212

Index

221

Contents

xii

51 High-Tech

Practical Jokes for

the Evil Genius

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Chapter 1

Introduction

If you have never cracked the case on an

Warranty void!

electronic device, or have never wielded the unlimited power of the almighty soldering iron, This book was written for all those who feel the then fear not—I have not used any rare parts or irresistible urge to break open the case to see what special tools, just hardware store parts, common makes that appliance or electronic device work.

appliances and basic tools. To gain the most from

“There are no user serviceable parts inside,” or this book, don’t be afraid to alter the projects to

“disassembly will void the warranty” are phrases suit your needs. You can mix and match different that simply fuel the fire for us hardware-hacking projects to create thousands of new devices to Evil Geniuses. The ability to make an electronic perform your evil bidding. This is hacking after all, or mechanical device do things that it was not and it would be unbecoming of an Evil Genius to intended for is a skill that is easily learned by fully follow the instructions. Another thing you anyone who is not afraid to put his or her crazy may notice that is missing from this book is a rigid ideas to the test, and possibly blow a few fuses or parts list. Rather than specifying a “50-megawatt fry a few circuits along the way. You do not need ruby laser” (only available from a particular an engineering degree or a room full of sophisticated website or store), I have tried to use only the most tools to become a successful hardware hacker, just common parts found by butchering standard easy-the desire to create, a good imagination and a large to-find appliances or parts found off the shelf from pile of junk to experiment with.

any hardware store. Also, many of the parts can be substituted for similar parts that will do the same A warped sense of humor can be a venerable

job and, as you get better at hacking and inventing, force when mixed with the ability to turn evil you will be able to turn just about any pile of junk mechanical ideas into real-world working devices.

into something wonderful. This way, you can work I believe that if you are planning to do something, with what you have available without breaking you should make it count. As all of my once-your budget in the process, or spending weeks unsuspecting friends can attest to, this attitude waiting for some overpriced exotic part to arrive in applies to my practical jokes as well. Of course, the mail from afar.

you must remember the “golden rule,” and expect that your practical joke victims will some day turn For those who are just starting a career as an the tables on you. You never know who might have Evil Genius hardware hacker, take your time and a copy of this book, and a list with your name on don’t give up if things don’t turn out the way you it! Of course, all of the evil ideas in this book are expected on the first try. Hey, we all have to start designed to be harmless, even though some of at the beginning, and thanks to the Internet, you them may be quite elaborate in nature. Knowing should be able to find the answers you seek very when not to launch a prank, and learning to weed easily. There are hundreds of in-depth tutorials that out those who have no sense of humor is also a can help you understand basic concepts that may skill that should be practiced, and you will have a not be familiar to you, such as LED theory, using great time with the projects in this book.

transistors, or just basic polarity and electrical theory. You may consider joining a few electronic 1

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

forums on the Internet, as there is a wealth of allow you to understand even the most complex knowledge, and many experienced members who

designs. I am not going to dig as far down as may be willing to answer your questions. If you atomic theory or how the various components are are a “newbie,” don’t let that fact discourage you manufactured since that would double the size of from seeking answers; even the brightest electronic this book and bore you to tears. I will, however, engineers could not identify the positive terminal cover each of the most basic semiconductors that on a capacitor at one point in their early careers.

form the building block of many larger circuits as Well, that pretty much sums up my introduction.

well as the tools and techniques that you will need Just take your time, feel free to experiment, and to work with them. If you want to dig deeper into don’t be afraid to put your ideas into motion! The electronics theory, then find a nice thick book basic electronics theory that follows covers most loaded with formulas or spend some time on the of the technology used in this book, and can be Internet researching the areas that may interest used to create just about any electronic device you—the wealth of knowledge on the Internet

imaginable, since many large circuits are nothing regarding electronics and hardware hacking in more than many smaller simpler circuits working general is as far reaching as the ends of the galaxy!

together.

Now, let’s start by covering the mandatory tools and techniques you will need for this hobby.

Basic electronics

Basic tools

If you do not already have a soldering iron, then Electronics is the art of controlling the electron, drop this book and head down to your local hobby and semiconductors are the tools that make this or electronics store and get one because you will possible. “Semiconductor” is the name given to not be able to build even the most basic circuit the vast quantity of various components used to without one. Of course, like any tool of the trade, generate, transform, resist and control the flow you can get a basic model for a few bucks, or go of electrons in order to achieve some goal. If you for the deluxe model with all the bells and whistles have ever had the chance to look at a large main such as digital heat control, ergonomic grip and board from a device such as a computer or video who knows what else. The soldering iron shown in player, then you would have seen the vast city of Figure 1-1 would be considered medium quality, semiconductors interconnected by thousands of and it comes with a holster and basic heat control.

tiny wires scattered around the circuit board that holds them all in place. At first glance, this I will admit that I have never owned anything intricate city of complexity may be overwhelming more than a $10 black handle soldering iron and and impossible to understand, but in reality, all of have built some very small circuit boards using these semiconductors do a very basic task by surface-mounted components without any real

themselves, and these tasks are not hard to

problem. I am not saying that you shouldn’t spend understand once you know the basics. Even a very the money for a quality soldering station, it is complex integrated circuit with hundreds of tiny indeed worth it, but not absolutely necessary to get pins, such as a 1 million gate FPGA, is nothing started. To feed your soldering iron, you will need more than a collection of smaller semiconductors a roll of “flux” core solder, which is probably the such as resistors and transistors densely packed only type you will find at most hobby or

into a microscopic area using state of the art electronics supply outlets. Flux is a reducing agent manufacturing processes. Having an understanding designed to help remove impurities (specifically Introduction of the most basic electronic building blocks will oxidized metals) from the points of contact to 2

Introduction

improve the electrical connection between the tin and lead in the solder. With a decent soldering semiconductor lead and the copper traces on a iron and a roll of flux core solder, you will be able circuit board. Flux core solder is manufactured to remove and salvage semiconductors from old as a hollow tube and filled with the flux so that it circuit boards or create your own circuits from is applied as you melt the solder. Solder used for scratch using pre-drilled copper-plated boards or electronics work is not the same as the heavy solid by simply soldering the leads together with wires.

type used for plumbing, which is meant to be There is one more soldering tool which I find applied with a torch or high-heat soldering gun.

to be a lifesaver, especially if you do a lot of The solder you will need will only be a millimeter circuit design and do not like waiting for days in diameter and probably come on a small spool or for some oddball value semiconductor to arrive in coiled up in a plastic tube with a label that reads the mail. This tool, shown in Figure 1-2, is a something like 40/60, indicating the percentage of spring-activated vacuum and is commonly

called a “solder sucker.”

When you are salvaging components from old

circuit boards, it can be very difficult to extract the ones that have more than a few leads by simply heating up the solder side of the board as you pull on the component, so you will have to find a way to extract the solder from each lead to free the component. The solder sucker does a marvelous job of removing the molten solder by simply

pressing down on the lever once the spring has been loaded to create a vacuum, which draws the molten solder into the tube and away from the circuit board and component leads. Using this simple heat and suck process, you can remove parts with many leads, such as large integrated Figure 1-1

Soldering iron with heat control

circuits, with great speed and ease, and without Figure 1-2

A solder sucker tool

3

Figure 1-3

Removing an integrated circuit with the

solder sucker tool

much risk of overheating the component or fine Figure 1-4

A basic multi-meter for electronics work copper traces. Figure 1-3 shows the solder sucker removing the solder from the last leg of an 8-pin op amp of some defunct DVD player main board.

When you build up a nice stock of circuit boards, multi-meter will have these functions. Of course, you will save a ton of time and money when

you can find a lot more in a desktop multi-meter, you want a part that would normally have to be and it usually boils down to how much you are ordered.

willing to spend vs. what you really need. I have Considering a typical DVD player or VCR main a basic hardware-store variety digital multi-meter board could have 500 resistors, 100 capacitors, (Figure 1-4) that can measure AC and DC

50 transistors and diodes, and hundreds of other voltage, amperage, resistance, capacitance and useful components, this handy solder sucker can frequencies up to 10 MHz. This unit is considered turn a discarded electronic appliance into hundreds entry level, and does the job for 90 percent of of dollars worth of semiconductors, so collect as all the analog and digital projects that I tinker many old circuit boards as you have room for.

with. When I really get deep into the high-speed Most of the semiconductors used for the various circuitry such as radiofrequency devices or

projects in this book came from old circuit boards, high-speed microcontrollers, I find myself

and it is not very often that I have to order new using an oscilloscope to examine microsecond parts unless working on a cutting-edge design or timings and extremely weak analog signals,

something really non-standard.

but for basic electronic circuits such as those Now, there is one last tool you will need to have presented in this book, an oscilloscope will not in your electronics toolkit, and this is a multi-be necessary.

meter, which can measure voltage, resistance, and So there you have it—with a soldering iron, a possibly capacitance and frequency. It’s pretty hard roll of solder, a solder sucker, a basic multi-meter, to troubleshoot a failing circuit without some kind and a pile of old circuit boards, you can build just of voltage test, and you will certainly need to about anything you want as long as you have the measure impedance when checking the values of basic know how and patience. Now, let’s have a semiconductors such as resistors, coils, transistors look at what the most common semiconductors do, and diodes. Even the most basic and inexpensive and learn how to identify them.

Introduction

4

Introduction

V1

R1

Figure 1-6

Resistor schematic symbols

rather than by letting a fat resistor burn away the energy as heat. On the other hand, small-value resistors are very common, and you will find yourself dealing with them all of the time for simple tasks such as driving an LED with limited current, pulling up an input pin to a logical “one”

state, biasing a simple transistor amplifier, and Figure 1-5

Several typical resistors

thousands of other common functions. On most common axial lead resistors, like the ones you will most often use in your projects, the value of the Resistors

resistor is coded onto the device in the form of four colored bands which tell you the resistance in Resistors, like the ones shown in Figure 1-5, are

“ohms.” Ohms are represented using the Greek the most basic of the semiconductors you will be omega symbol (Ω), and will often be omitted for using, and they do exactly what their name

values over 99 ohms, which will be stated as 1K, implies—they resist the flow of current by

15K, 47K, or some other number followed by the exchanging some current for heat, which is

letter K, indicating the value is in kilo ohms dissipated through the body of the device. On a (thousands of ohms). Similarly, for values over large circuit board, you could find hundreds of 999K, the letter M will be used to show that 1M is resistors populating the board, and even on tiny actually 1 mega ohm, or one million ohms. In a circuit boards with many surface-mounted

schematic diagram, a resistor is represented by a components, resistors will usually make up the zigzag line segment as shown in Figure 1-6, and bulk of the semiconductors. The size of the resistor will either have a letter and a number such as generally determines how much heat it can

R1 or V3 relating to a parts list, or will simply dissipate and will be rated in watts, with 1⁄4 and have the value printed next to it such as 1M, or 1⁄8 watts being the most common type you will 220 ohms. The schematic symbol on the left of work with (the two bottom resistors in Figure 1-5).

Figure 1-6 represents a variable resistor, which can Resistors can become very large, and will require be set from zero ohms to the full value printed on ceramic-based bodies, especially if they are rated the body of the variable resistor.

for several watts or more, like the 10-watt unit A variable resistor is also known as a

shown at the top of Figure 1-5.

“potentiometer,” or “pot,” and it can take the form Because of the recent drive to make electronics of a small circuit-board mounted cylinder with a more “green” and power-conservative, large,

slot for a screwdriver, or as a cabinet-mounted power-wasting resistors are not all that common in can with a shaft exiting the can for mating with consumer electronics these days, since it is more some type of knob or dial. When you crank up efficient to convert amperage and voltage using the volume on an amplifier with a knob, you are some type of switching power supply or regulator turning a potentiometer. Variable resistors are great 5

for testing a new design, since you can just turn allowing the selection of resistance from zero to the dial until the circuit performs as you want it to, full. Several common variable resistors are shown then remove the variable resistor to measure the in Figure 1-7, with the top left unit dissected to impedance (resistance) across the leads in order to show the resistor band and wiper.

determine the best value of fixed resistor to install.

As mentioned earlier, most resistors will

On a variable resistor, there are usually three leads: have four color bands painted around their

the outer two connect to the fixed carbon resistor bodies, which can be decoded into a value as inside the can, which gives the variable resistor its shown in Table 1-1. At first, this may seem a bit value, and a center pin that connects to a wiper, illogical, but once you get the hang of the color Figure 1-7

Common variable resistors

Table 1-1

Resistor color chart

Color

1st Band

2nd Band

3rd Band

Multiplier

Black

0

0

0

Brown

1

1

1

1 Ω

Red

2

2

2

10 Ω

Orange

3

3

3

100 Ω

Yellow

4

4

4

1 KΩ

Green

5

5

5

10 KΩ

Blue

6

6

6

100 KΩ

Violet

7

7

7

1 MΩ

Gray

8

8

8

10 MΩ

White

9

9

9

0.1

Gold

0.01

Introduction

Silver

6

Introduction

band decoding, you will be able to recognize most semiconductor that is used in electronics today, the common values at first glance without having to resistor, so we will move ahead to the next most refer to the chart.

common semiconductor, the capacitor.

There will almost always be either a silver or gold band included on each resistor, and this will Capacitors

indicate the end of the color sequence, and will not become part of the value. A gold band indicates A capacitor in its most basic form is a small the resistor has a 5 percent tolerance (margin of rechargeable battery with a very short charge and error) in the value, so a 10K resistor could end up discharge cycle. Where a typical AAA battery may being anywhere from 9.5K to 10.5K in value,

be able to power an LED for a month, a capacitor although in most cases will be very accurate.

of similar size will power it for only a few seconds A silver band indicates the tolerance is only before its energy is fully discharged. Because 10 percent, but I have yet to see a resistor with a capacitors can store energy for a predictable silver band that was not on a circuit board that duration, they can perform all kinds of useful included vacuum tubes, so forget that there is even functions in a circuit, such as filtering AC waves, such a band! Once you ignore the gold band, you creating accurate delays, removing impurities from are left with three color bands that can be used to a noise signal, and creating clock and audio determine the exact value as given in Table 1-1.

oscillators. Because a capacitor is basically a So let’s say we have a resistor with the color bands battery, many of the large ones available look brown, black, red, and gold. We know that the gold much like batteries with two leads connected to band is the tolerance band and the first three will one side of a metal can. As shown in Figure 1-8, indicate the values to reference in the chart. Doing there are many sizes and shapes of capacitors, so, we get 1 (brown), 0 (black), and 100 ohms some of which look like small batteries.

(red). The third band is the multiplier, which Just like resistors, capacitors can be as large as a would indicate that the number of zeros following coffee can, or as small as a grain of rice, it really the first two values will be 2, or the value is simply depends on the value. The larger devices can store multiplied by 100 ohms. This translates to a value a lot more energy. Unlike batteries, some

of 1000 ohms, or 1K (10 × 100 ohms). A 370K

capacitors are non-polarized, and they can be resistor would have the colors orange, violet, and inserted into a circuit regardless of current flow, yellow followed by a gold band. You can check the while some cannot. The two different types of value of the resistor when it is not connected to a capacitors are shown by their schematic symbols circuit by simply placing your multi-meter on the appropriate resistance scale and reading back the value. I do not want to get too deep into

electronics formulas and theory here, since there are many good books dedicated to the subject, so I will simply leave you with two basic rules regarding the use of resistors: put them in series to add their values together, and put them in parallel to divide them. This simple rule works great if you are in desperate need of a 20K resistor, for instance, but can only find two 10K resistors to put in series. In parallel, they will divide down to 5K.

Now you can identify the most common

Figure 1-8

Various common capacitors

7

circuits (a pF is one millionth of a µF). On most C1

+ C2

can-style electrolytic capacitors, the value is simply written on the case and will be stated in microfarads and voltage along with a clear Figure 1-9

Capacitor symbols

indication of which lead is negative. Voltage and polarity are very important in electrolytic in Figure 1-9, C1 being a non-polarized type, and capacitors, and they should always be inserted C2 a polarized type. Although there are always correctly, with a voltage rating higher than exceptions to the rules, generally the disk-style necessary for your circuit. Ceramic capacitors will capacitors are non-polarized, and the larger can-usually only have the value stamped on them if style electrolytic types are polarized. An obvious they are in picofarads for some reason, and often indicator of a polarized capacitor is the negative no symbol will follow the number, just the value.

markings on the can, which can be clearly seen in Normally, ceramic capacitors will have a three-the larger capacitor shown at the top of Figure 1-8.

digit number that needs to be decoded into the Another thing that capacitors have in common actual value, and this evil scheme works as shown with batteries is that polarity is very important in Table 1-2.

when inserting polarized capacitors into a circuit.

Who knows why they just don’t write the value If you install an electrolytic capacitor in reverse on the capacitor? I mean, it would have the same and attempt to charge it, the part will most likely amount of digits as the code! Oh well, you get heat up and release the oil contained inside the used to seeing these codes, just like resistor color case causing a circuit malfunction or dead short.

bands, and in no time will easily recognize the In the past, electrolytic capacitors did not have a common values such as 104, which would indicate pressure release system, and would explode like a 0.1 µF value according to the chart. Capacitors firecrackers when overcharged or installed in behave just like batteries when it comes to parallel reverse, leaving behind a huge mess of oily paper and series connections, so, in parallel, two and a smell that was tough to forget. On many identical capacitors will handle the same voltage as capacitors, especially the larger can style, the a single unit, but double their capacitance rating, voltage rating and capacitance value is simply and in series they have the same capacitance rating stamped on the case. A capacitor is rated in voltage as a single unit, but can handle twice the voltage.

and in farads, which defines the capacitance of a So if you need to filter a really noisy power supply, dielectric for which a potential difference of one you might want to install a pair of 4700 µF

volt results in a static charge of one coulomb. This capacitors in parallel to end up with a capacitance may not make a lot of sense until you start

of 9400 µF. When installing parallel capacitors, messing around with electronics, but you will soon make sure that the voltage rating of all the understand that typically, the larger the capacitor, capacitors used are higher than the voltage of the larger the farad rating will be, thus the more that circuit, or there will be a failure.

energy it can store. Since a farad is quite a large value, most capacitors are rated in microfarads (µF), Diodes

such as the typical value of 4700 µF for a large electrolytic filter capacitor, and 0.1µF for a Diodes allow current to flow through them in one small ceramic disk capacitor. Picofarads (pF) are direction only so they can be used to rectify AC

also used to indicate very small values such as into DC, block unwanted current from entering a those found in many ceramic capacitors or

device, protect a circuit from a power reversal, and adjustable capacitors used in radiofrequency even give off light in the case of light-emitting Introduction

8

Introduction

Table 1-2

Ceramic capacitor value chart

Value

Marking

Value

Marking

10 pf

10 or 100

0.0033 µF

332

12 pf

12 or 120

0.0039 µF

392

15 pf

15 or 150

0.0047 µF

472

18 pf

18 or 180

0.0056 µF

562

22 pf

22 or 220

0.0068 µF

682

27 pf

27 or 270

0.0082 µF

822

33 pf

33 or 330

0.01 µF

103

39 pf

39 or 390

0.012 µF

123

47 pf

47 or 470

0.015 µF

153

58 pf

58 or 580

0.018 µF

183

68 pf

68 or 680

0.022 µF

223

82 pf

82 or 820

0.027 µF

273

100 pf

101

0.033 µF

333

120 pf

121

0.039 µF

393

150 pf

151

0.047 µF

473

180 pf

181

0.056 µF

563

220 pf

221

0.068 µF

683

270 pf

271

0.082 µF

823

330 pf

331

0.10 µF

104

390 pf

391

0.12 µF

124

470 pf

471

0.15 µf

154

560 pf

561

0.18 µF

184

680 pf

681

0.22 µF

224

820 pf

821

0.27 µF

274

0.001 µF

102

0.33 µF

334

0.0012 µF 122

0.39 µF

394

(1200 pf)

0.47 µF

474

0.0015 µF

152

0.56 µF

564

0.0018 µF 182

0.68 µF

684

(1800 pf)

0.82 µF

824

0.0022 µF

222

1 µF

105 or 1µF

0.0027 µF

272

diodes (LEDs). Figure 1-10 shows various sizes current it can handle before failure, and this and type of diodes including an easily

information will be specified by the manufacturer recognizable LED and the large full-wave rectifier by referencing whatever code is printed on the module at the top. A full-wave rectifier is just a diode to some data sheet. Unlike resistors and block containing four large diodes inside.

capacitors, there is no common mode of

Like most other semiconductors, the size of the identifying a diode unless you get to know some diode is usually a good indication of how much of the most common manufacturers’ codes by

9

and on LEDs, there will be a flat side on the case nearest the cathode lead. LEDs come in many

different sizes, shapes, and wavelengths (colors), and have ratings that must not be exceeded in order to avoid damaging the device. Reverse

voltage and peak forward current are very

important values that must not be exceeded when powering LEDs or damage will easily occur, yet at the same time, you will want to get as close as possible to the maximum values if your circuit demands full performance from the LED, so

read the data sheets on the device carefully.

Larger diodes used to rectify AC or control large Figure 1-10

current may need to be mounted to the proper heat Several styles of diodes

sink in order to operate at their rated values, and often the case style will be a clear indication due D1

LED

to the metal backing or mounting hardware that may come with the device. Unless you know how much heat a certain device can dissipate in open air, your best bet is to mount it to a heat sink if it Figure 1-11

Diode schematic symbols

was designed to be installed that way. Like most semiconductors, there are thousands of various sizes and types of diodes, so make sure you are memory, so you will be forced to look up the data using a part rated for your circuit, and double sheet on the Internet or in a cross-reference catalog check the polarity of the device before you turn on to determine the exact value and purpose of

the power for the first time.

unknown diodes. For example, the NTE6248 diode shown in Figure 1-10 in the TO220 case (left side of photo) has a data sheet that indicates it is a Transistors

Schottky barrier rectifier with a peak reverse-voltage maximum of 600 volts and a maximum

A transistor is one of the most useful

forward current rating of 16 amps. Data sheets will semiconductors available, and often the building tell you everything you need to know about a block for many larger integrated circuits and particular device, and you should never exceed components such as logic gates, memory and

any of the recommended values if you want a

microprocessors. Before transistors became widely reliable circuit. The schematic symbol for a diode used in electronics, simple devices like radios and is shown in Figure 1-11, D1 being a standard amplifiers would need huge wooden cabinets,

diode, and the other a light-emitting diode (the two consume vast amounts of power, and emit large arrows represent light leaving the device).

wasteful quantities of heat due to the use of vacuum tubes. A vacuum-tube-based computer

The diode symbol shows an arrow (anode)

called ENIAC was once built that used 17,468

pointing at a line (cathode), and this will indicate vacuum tubes, 7,200 crystal diodes, 1,500 relays, which way current flows (from the anode to the 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors and had more cathode, or in the direction of the arrow). On many than 5 million hand-soldered joints. It weighed small diodes, there will be a stripe painted around 30 tons and was roughly 8 feet

Introduction

× 3 feet × 100 feet,

the case to indicate which end is the cathode, 10

Introduction

and consumed 150 kW of power! A simple

The emitter (E), base (B) and collector (C) on computer that would rival the power of this power both the negative-positive-negative (NPN) and hungry monster could easily be built on a few positive-negative-positive (PNP) transistors do the square inches of perforated board using a few same job. The collector/emitter current is controlled dollars in parts today by any electronics hobbyist, by the current flowing between the base and emitter thanks to the transistor. A transistor is really just a terminals, but the flow of current is opposite in each switch that can control a large amount of current device. Today, most transistors are NPN due to the by switching a small amount of current, thus fact that it is easier to manufacture a better NPN

creating an amplifier. Several common types and transistor than a PNP, but there are still occurrences sizes of transistors are shown in Figure 1-12.

when a circuit may use a PNP transistor due to the Depending on how much current a transistor is direction of current, or in tandem with an NPN

designed to switch, it may be as small as a grain of transistor to create a matched pair. There is enough rice or as large as a hockey puck and require a transistor theory to cover ten books of this size, so I massive steel heat sink or fan to operate correctly.

will condense that information in order to help you There are thousands of varying transistor types and understand the very basics of transistor operation.

sizes, but one thing most of them have in common As a simple switch, a transistor can be thought of is that they will have three connections that can be as a relay with no mechanical parts. You can turn called “collector,” “emitter” and “base,” and will on a high-current load such as a light or motor be represented by one of the two schematic

with a very weak current such as the output from a symbols shown in Figure 1-13.

logic gate or light-sensitive photocell. Switching a large load with a small load is very important in electronics, and transistors do this perfectly and at speed that a mechanical switch such as a relay could never come close to achieving. A audio amplifier is nothing more than a very fast switch that takes a very small current such as the output from a CD player and uses it as the input into a fast switch that controls a large current such as the DC

power source feeding the speakers. Almost any transistor can easily operate well beyond the frequency of an audio signal, so they are perfectly suited for this job. At much higher frequencies like those used in radio transmitters, transistors do the same job of amplification, but are rated for much higher frequencies sometimes into the gigahertz range. Another main difference between the way a Figure 1-12

Various common transistors

mechanical switch and a transistor work is the fact that a transistor is not simply an on or off switch, it Q1 NPN

Q2 PNP

can operate as an “analog” switch, varying the C

E

amount of current switched by varying the amount B

B

of current entering the base of the transistor. A relay can turn on a 100-watt light bulb if a 5-volt current E

C

is applied to the coil, but a transistor could vary the Figure 1-13

NPN and PNP transistor schematic

intensity of the same light bulb from zero to full symbols

brightness depending on the voltage at the base.

11

Amplifier Transistors

NPN Silicon

P2N2222A

MAXIMUM RATINGS

Rating

Symbol

Value

Unit

Collector-Emitter Voltage

VCEO 40 Vdc

Collector-Base Voltage

VCBO 75 Vdc

Emitter-Base Voltage

VEBO 6.0 Vdc

Collector Current—Continuous

IC 600

mAdc

Total Device Dissipation @ TA = 25°C PD 625

mW

1

Derate above 25°C

5.0

mW/°C

2 3

Total Device Dissipation @ TC = 25°C PD 1.5

Watts

Derate above 25°C

12

mW/°C

CASE 29–11, STYLE 17

TO–92 (TO–226AA)

Operating and Storage Juntion

T

−

J,Tstg

55 to +150

°C

Temperature

Range

THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS

Collector

Characteristic

Symbol

Max

Unit

1

Thermal Resistance, Junction to Ambient

RθJA 200

°C/W

Thermal Resistance, Junction to Case

RθJC 83.3 °C/W

2

Base

3

Emitter

Figure 1-14

Data sheet for the common 2N2222 NPN transistor Like all semiconductors, the transistor must be speed—don’t expect a 100-MHz transistor to

rated for the job you intend it to do, so maximum oscillate at 440 MHz in an RF transmitter circuit, current, switching voltage and speed are factors since it will have a difficult enough time just that need to be considered when choosing the reaching the 100-MHz level.

correct part. The data sheet for a very common NPN transistor, the 2N2222 (which can be

substituted for the 2N3904 often used in this book) Breadboards and circuit boards

is shown in Figure 1-14.

From this page, we can see that this

Once you find a project and the parts needed to transistor can switch about half a watt (624 mW) build it, you will need to connect all the leads from with a voltage of 6 volts across the base and each semiconductor together in order to create the emitter junction. Of course, these are maximum completed circuit. A commercial product will ratings, so you might decide that the transistor will have a printed circuit board, perfectly made with work safely in a circuit if it had to switch on a one or more layers, and could contain thousands 120-mW LED from a 5-volt logic level input at the of semiconductors of all sizes including surface-base. As a general rule, I would look at the mounted devices, each with hundreds of pins

maximum switching current of a transistor, and per package. A circuit board of this magnitude never ask it to handle more than half of the rated is well out of reach for the average hobby

maximum value, especially if it was the type of builder, so unless you want to spend a few hundred transistor designed to be mounted to a heat sink.

dollars to have a single circuit board made, you The same thing applies to maximum switching

will need to find another way to get those

Introduction

12

Introduction

Figure 1-15

Perforated board is great for making circuits semiconductors connected. Sure, you could send the board, but in reality, it is a very simply circuit, your design to one of those fast turnaround printed and all those wires connect the 32 LEDs to the circuit board manufacturers that charge under a LED driver chip. In the early days of computer hundred dollars for a few boards, but what if you design, entire 8-bit computer systems were built decide to change something, or realize one of the using this same technique, although they had parts you planned to use is now in a different thousands of wires. If there is a problem with a package layout? The best way to build a single part, or some of the wiring, then just get out your circuit board is by simply hand wiring it to a bit of soldering tools and fix it. The same easy repair perforated board, especially if the parts count is would not happen on a printed circuit board, which low and there are now extremely high frequencies can become a real problem for those who mass in use. Every project in this book that has a produce electronic devices. This perforated board schematic diagram was built by placing the

can be purchased at any electronics supply or semiconductor leads through the holes on a bit of hobby shop in squares ranging in size from a few perforated board, and then soldering the underside inches to a foot or more, and you can just snap off using either the leads of each component, or as much as you need for whatever circuit you plan a bit of wire. Figure 1-15 shows one of my

to build. There are also prototyping circuit boards

“perf. board” projects built by dropping all the available that have solder pads on one or both sides semiconductors on the board and wiring them on so you can make a more permanent circuit board the underside. This device includes a

with a lot less hand wiring by connecting the pads microprocessor with custom software that

together with solder. An example of this type of magically draws an image in mid-air using

prototyping board is shown in Figure 1-16 with the 32 pulsed LEDs as you wave the unit back and components for one of my robot stepper motor forth like a flag. If you want to know how a device drives on it.

like this works, search Google for “scanned LED”, You can also get “proto boards” with solder pads

or visit www.atomiczombie.com and check out

connected in rows: a very easy design, with

LED scanner in the electronics projects section of minimal wiring, as well as specially shaped blank our gallery.

cards for designing and testing circuits that might This circuit may seem to be very complex,

need to plug into a computer slot, or satellite dish.

especially with all that wiring on the underside of The fact is, there are plenty of ways to build most 13

simple projects without having to spend a ton of the professionally made circuit board when it money and time trying to acquire a professionally comes to easy modification, and require a lot more made printed circuit board. You could even go as work. If you are designing a circuit from scratch, far as etching your own copper boards into printed or want to try a schematic found on the Internet, it circuit boards, and there are numerous Internet may be a lot of work to solder all the components resources that will show you how to do this, or sell on a perf. board or proto board just to see if the complete kits based on chemical etching, or photo thing even works, so many hobbyists start without etching of copper plates. I rarely use the etching any soldering at all using what is called a

technique since it will have the same downfalls of

“breadboard.” A typical breadboard will have many strips of interconnected electrical terminals, known as “bus strips,” down one or both sides, either as part of the main unit or as separate blocks clipped on to carry the power rails. This allows you to simply press the semiconductor leads into the breadboard and interconnect the circuit using small bits of wire with the insulation removed at each end. To make changes, simply move the wiring around. Figure 1-17 shows the solderless breadboard I used to develop all the circuits in this book and many hundreds of other projects.

Also shown in Figure 1-17 (inset) is the

relationship between the connected strips and the holes in the board. The Atmel processor plugged into the top of the board would have every leg Figure 1-16

A solder pad prototyping board

connected to a vertical strip of five interconnected Introduction Figure 1-17 A solderless breadboard 14

Introduction

Figure 1-18

Breadboard wiring

holes, so you can place a wire in any of the four works perfectly in all breadboards that I have used open holes and make a connection to the pin on over the years.

that strip. Breadboards are a hobbyist’s best friend, It is a good idea to cut up many various lengths and I certainly recommend that you purchase one of breadboarding wire ahead of time so you can or more of them if you plan to make anything concentrate on designing your circuit. Try to avoid more complex than an LED flasher circuit. I have stranded wire as well, since it will be difficult to learned one important thing after owning several insert into the holes and may tend to bunch up and different models of breadboards—purchase a

make a faulty connection, which could be a real quality unit with a metal base or your high-speed problem to track down.

circuits will fail. If you have a microprocessor clocked over 4 MHz, or any RF circuit on a

Well, that’s it! With a handful of semiconductors, breadboard, it will act glitchy on a cheap

a breadboard and soldering iron, you should be breadboard with no metal base due to stray and able to create just about anything you like. Don’t unpredictable capacitance. I have run processors give up every time blue smoke pours out of

over 40 MHz on my breadboard and designed

transistor, or when a circuit does something working RF transmitters in the 500-MHz range completely unexpected, it’s all part of this game.

with few problems other than a slight re-tuning Learn as you go, using the Internet, reference after moving them to a real circuit board. Another books, and other people’s designs as a guide and, tip that will save you a lot of messing around is before long, you will be able to whip up any type that the perfect wire for these breadboards can be of circuit without any reference material at all.

found by cutting up some CAT-5 network cable as shown in Figure 1-18. This solid core copper wire Let’s start building some truly annoying devices is inexpensive, easy to strip, color coded and to help you hone your electronics skills.

15

This page intentionally left blank

Chapter 2

Truly Annoying Devices

Project 1—The Dripping Faucet

This device makes the sound of dripping water. It’s cash registers, computers, digital watches

very difficult to find because it only makes a sound (the back cover is the piezo element), and

in complete darkness. The unit is very sensitive to practically any device that makes a beep or blip any amount of light, so even the faint glow from a sound. A piezo element is easy to identify, and it nearby night light will make it go silent, causing may come in several varieties as shown in

great frustration for the person who is trying to Figure 2-1.

find the source of the leak. Build the unit into a As shown in Figure 2-1, plastic-encased piezo small plastic box, or conceal it in a familiar elements come in sizes from less than an inch in kitchen or bathroom object, such as a cup or tissue diameter to several inches. The unit on the top box, to make finding the device even harder. The right of the picture is the bare element, which can dripper will run for days on a single 9-volt battery, sometimes be found glued directly to the cabinets and will certainly drive anyone mad trying to of some electronic devices such as telephones, toys locate it.

or even the backs of digital-watch covers.

The unit is made using two common 555

Sometimes it is easy to confuse an encased piezo timers—one that sends out a series of timed pulses element with an audio buzzer, since they often when the lights are out, and another that makes a look the same. An audio buzzer is designed to high-pitched chirp each time the pulse is sent. The make a sound as soon as power is applied, and rate of repetition can be set from several seconds because it already contains an audio oscillator, will to a few times per second so that the unit can be often have a voltage rating or pin polarity stamped made to sound like a slow leak or a type of insect.

on the case. If you are not sure, just apply 5 or The chirp frequency can be adjusted as well to 9 volts (take note of the polarity if it is indicated tailor the sound to both the container used to hold on the case), and listen for a sound. A piezo the device and the type of “piezo element” used to element will only make a single pop, whereas a produce the sound.

buzzer will produce a sound. Piezo elements are A piezo element is nothing more than a

not polarity sensitive, so it does not matter which bit of piezoceramic material glued to a metal disk pin is positive or negative. Have a look at the so that it will resonate when a current is applied.

schematic for the dripper as shown in Figure 2-2. I A piezo element by itself cannot generate any will explain how it works and how you can alter it sound, which is why the second 555 timer is

to make different sounds.

used as an audio oscillator. Piezo elements are easy As stated earlier in this section, there are two to find at any electronics supplier, and in many 555 timers used. The function of timer 1 is to electronic appliances such as microwave ovens, create a series of pulses that vary between several 17

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

Figure 2-1

Several piezo elements

+9 V

R3

VR1

R2

VR2

R1

R4

555 timer 1

555 timer 2

+ C1

C2

CDS cell

Piezo buzzer

Gnd

VR1: 5K

R1: 1K

C1: 100

µF

VR2: 5K

R2: 1M

C2: 0.01µF

R3: 1K

R4: 22K

Figure 2-2

Dripping faucet simulator schematic

Project 1—The Dripping Faucet

18

Project 1—The Dripping Faucet

seconds each and several pulses per second. The battery, but can run from as low as 5 volts, and as pulse rate is controlled by setting variable resistor high as 12 volts without a problem.

VR1 to the desired rate. Timer 1 will only begin to Figure 2-3 shows the completed circuit ready to send pulses if there is no light in the area, since it be engaged for hours of great fun at the expense of is controlled by the CDS cell shown on pin 2, someone’s good night sleep! The circuit is simple which will almost short the pin to ground when enough to hand wire on the underside of the

any light strikes its surface. When there is no light perforated board using some hookup wire and a present, the CDS cell reaches a megaohm or more soldering iron. Then, it was tested with a fresh and the timer can resume its job of sending out battery and the lights off. If you find that the unit pulses on pin 3, which feeds the second timer.

will not start when the lights are out, test first to The second timer is a basic audio oscillator that ensure that there is sound output by removing the can be set to various high frequencies by adjusting CDS cell completely, which will cause the unit to variable resistor VR2. The output of timer 2 is sent start dripping. When you reinstall the CDS, the directly to the piezo element on pin 3 to produce a unit will stay quiet until there is absolutely no light very short duration high-pitched noise that sounds at all in the room. Even the smallest bit of light a lot like a water drop or a pest. If you want to will silence the device, so if your target room has play around with more varying sound frequencies any ambient light, you will have to add a resistor and timing rates, then you can mess around with in series with the CDS cell in order to make the the values of VR1, VR2, R1 and R3 to make some unit less sensitive to ambient light. Try a 50–100K

very interesting sounds. Another thing that can alter resistor or a variable 100K resistor in series with the sound is the type of enclosure used. Sound the CDS cell to help the unit switch on in a dimly waves will resonate differently depending on both lit environment. A little experimentation may be the shape and material used to make the enclosure.

necessary, but once working, the dripper will The dripper can be built on a bit of perforated spring into action as soon as the light is off and board and hand wired as shown in Figure 2-3. It become silent as soon as someone turns on the will run for many days connected to a good 9-volt light to investigate.

Figure 2-3

The dripper circuit assembled

19

Figure 2-4

The dripper circuit assembled

Where to hide such a device? Well, there are so Figure 2-5 shows the completed dripping faucet many possibilities. I found that an empty

device ready to ruin a good night’s sleep when the deodorant case worked perfectly as shown in

light goes out. This unit can even detect the Figure 2-4. There was enough room for the battery, hallway light, so it really is difficult to track down the piezo element, and the circuit board. Owing to unless you have night vision goggles! In Figure 2-5, the extreme sensitivity of the CDS cell and slightly you can see the small switch that I added in series opaque plastic, I did not even have to drill a hole with one of the battery connections to turn the for the CDS cell. The sound was also loud enough device off when it is not in use. If you want to that a hole for the piezo element was not needed, expand the vocabulary of this device, you could especially since my covert container could exist in add two cabinet mounted variable resistors for direct sight without detection. When you are VR1 and VR2 to allow it to be turned into a

cramming all of the guts into the enclosure, be cricket, mouse, fast drip, or just about any similar careful that the underside of the circuit board does sound by simply turning the two knobs. Speed up not touch anything conductive like the piezo metal the chirp, and hide the unit in a tent to simulate or battery casing. Wrapping the circuit board in a an insect infestation, or hide it in the trash can.

bit of paper towel or fastening all the parts to the Yes, the ways you can annoy your friends with this plastic may be a good idea, especially if you plan simple device are truly endless!

to move the unit around.

Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing

The evasive beeping thing is appropriately named, difficult to locate because of the way that high since it dutifully does exactly what its name frequencies can penetrate objects and trick our ears.

implies: it sends out a 5-second high-pitched beep You have probably encountered something similar Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing every few minutes. The source is extremely in the real world such as a failing appliance, noisy 20

Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing

Figure 2-5

This annoying device eludes detection

video screen, or even a beeping wrist watch buried 4 to 16 ohm with very little power output. The deep in a couch. As you know, high-pitched sounds speaker on the bottom left was the loudest of the seem like they are coming from all directions, ones that I tested since it was an actual tweeter which makes tracking them to the source a real removed from a small boom-box cabinet, and

chore. Add the fact that the sound only happens strictly designed to pass high frequencies. The once every several minutes, and it may drive a speaker shown on the top left was the one I

person loopy as they spend all day looking for the decided to use in the final design though because it source of the sound. Well, that’s our goal anyhow!

fit nicely into the cabinet I chose to help disguise To generate the high pitch audio wave, a small the evil device. Now, let’s get on to the design of speaker like those found in tiny electronic devices the electronics that make this unit work.

(cell phones, transistor radios or a tweeter from a Figure 2-7 shows the schematic of the beeping small speaker system, etc.) will be connected to a thing, and you may recognize some similarities simple audio oscillator set to a frequency near the between this schematic and the last one, as they upper limits of our audio capabilities. The

are based on similar parts and principals. In the oscillator is triggered to run for approximately five schematic, the 555 is set up so that its output will seconds every few minutes by a 555 timer circuit turn on the two transistor audio oscillators formed with its output connected to the oscillator. The by the pair of NPN transistors. Just like most higher the frequency rating of the speaker, the 555 timer circuits, the timing cycle is controlled farther the high-pitched sound will travel, which is by the two resistors on pins 6, 7 and 8, and by the why a two- or three-inch diameter tweeter is capacitor connected to pins 1 and 2. If you play optimal for this project. The small speakers shown around with the values of the two resistors, you in Figure 2-6 are perfect for this project, and I can control the duty cycle of the timing pulses in included a piezo buzzer as described in the last order to alter both the off time and on time of the project, as it can also be used with a simple cycle to create more or less beep each time the modification of the oscillator circuit.

cycle repeats. The capacitor controls the actual The rating of the small speaker is not important, frequency of the timing pulses, and the larger since the audio oscillator will drive speakers from the value, the longer the duration between each 21

Figure 2-6

Several small high-frequency speakers

+9 V

R5

R6

R1

R2

Q1

C2

Q2

C3

555 timer

R3

R4

+

8 ohm

C1

speaker

Gnd

Q1: 2N3904

NPN

R1: 1M

R4: 100

ohm

C1: 100

µF

Q2: 2N3904

NPN

R2: 100K

R5: 10K

C2: 0.01

µF

R3: 1K

R6: 10K

C3: 0.01

µF

Figure 2-7

Evasive beeping-thing schematic

Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing

22

Project 2—Evasive Beeping Thing

Figure 2-8

Installing the parts into a case

timing cycle. In a really large room, you might that was OK since the top of the box simply

want a longer beep and a longer cycle, so a 220 µF

snapped together and I could simply unclip the capacitor could be used, and the 100K resistor battery. The unit will run for many days on a full could be swapped for a 220K resistor. For a

battery, and if you strategically place the beeper, it smaller room, where it may be easier to locate the may take that long for the unsuspecting victim to device (e.g. a friend’s office), the capacitor could find it! If you plan to use a wall wart cabinet for be changed to 47 µF and the 100K resistor to a the device like I did, ensure that there is no 10K for a very short beep. The best plan is to connection between the plug prongs and the AC

simply build the unit as is and then fine tune the lines. It is a good idea to remove them completely.

components until you are happy with its operation.

Some other good hiding places might be a pop can, And yes, a variable resistor would be easy to adjust.

lunch box, wall clock, tissue box, or you could Now, where do you hide the beast? Well, since even install it into a working appliance. A solid this unit emits hard-to-locate high frequencies, your cabinet will need a small hole for the speaker to options are endless. The high-pitched sound will optimize the distance that the sound will travel.

exit through the smallest hole in whatever box you I found that a quarter-inch hole was large enough place the parts into. I decided to cram the works for the tiny two-inch speaker I used. As I mentioned into an old wall adapter that has all of the guts earlier, you can also use a piezo buzzer instead of a removed, including any connection to the AC lines.

speaker, which would make the unit even smaller The little speaker fits nicely into the top of the box, and possibly louder owing to the very good high-and there was just enough room for the 9-volt pitched operation of the piezo element. To use a battery and small circuit board. Figure 2-8 shows piezo buzzer in place of the speaker, connect the completed circuit going into the wall wart box.

resistor R4 (which used to connect to one of the speaker terminals) directly to the +9 line, where There was just enough room to get all the parts the other speaker terminal used to connect.

inside, so I could not install an on-off switch, but 23

Now you can place the piezo buzzer in parallel with R4 to make it function. The reason this is done is because the piezo element will offer very high resistance as compared to the very low

resistance of the speaker, and the current from the battery needs to flow to transistor Q2’s collector.

The final product shown in Figure 2-9 looks at home just about anywhere there is a wall socket, and can be easily hidden under furniture or inside another appliance for truly covert mind-warping annoying fun and games. I have covered up the voltage switch from the original wall wart with black tape, and the little hole on the top of the case is barely large enough to pass a decent amount of high-pitched sound. With the component values given, the beep emits about once every three Figure 2-9

minutes and lasts for approximately five seconds, What is that annoying beeping

sound?

just enough time to entice the victim to look for the source of the sound before it goes silent. I like to drop the unit in a room, then claim that I can’t

“I don’t hear anything pal, maybe you need an ear hear any beeping. This really gets the “beeper exam, or you should stop listening to pirated music hunter” ticked off, and they try even harder to on your MP3 player. I heard that the new copy track down the evasive beeping thing to no avail.

protection can make your ears ring for days!”

Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker

This interesting project combines a little hardware head down to the surplus electronics store and try with some timing electronics to simulate the sound to find a 5- or 12-volt mechanical solenoid like the of someone knocking on a door or wall. To create ones shown in Figure 2-10.

a circuit that sounds like three or four quick A mechanical solenoid is nothing more than an knocks, a 555 timer is used as a long delay counter electromagnet with a steel plunger placed in the set to stay off for a few minutes and then send out center of the coil so that, when energized, the a pulse for about three seconds. This three-second plunger will pull itself into the coil as far as it can go.

pulse is not much use by itself, so it is fed into a Figure 2-10 shows a pair of solenoids taken

PNP transistor in order to switch on a double-pole, from a photocopier and a washing machine with double-throw relay, which is configured in such a one of the plungers removed from the

way that it turns itself on and off several times per electromagnet. The solenoid on the left is rated for second. The other relay pole is then used to bang a 12 volts, and the one on the right is rated for washing machine or photocopier solenoid plunger 24 volts, but they can both pull the plunger into the up and down against the enclosure or wall to hole when the electromagnet is connected to a simulate the sound of rapping at the door. The single 9-volt battery. At 24 volts, the larger solenoid operation of the timing hardware will be explained will snap the plunger into position with great speed Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker in more detail later, so dig into your scrap bin or 24

Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker

Figure 2-10

Mechanical solenoids

and force, but since we only want to lift the plunger about a quarter inch and then drop it, a 9-volt battery will certainly do the job. I even have a solenoid rated for 120 volts AC that works fine with the 9-volt battery. Solenoids will operate on both DC and AC, so often they are simply rated in voltage, and will range in size from about the size of a marker lid, to as large as a pop can. Do not worry about the voltage and size of the solenoid, just make sure that the plunger can lift its own weight when it is placed on a table and connected to a fresh 9-volt battery. The larger the plunger, the louder the noise it will make when released, so keep this in mind if Figure 2-11

Plunger return spring

you have a few options to choose from. Your

help release it from the electromagnet once the solenoid may also come with a plunger stopper or battery is removed. You should be able to hold the some type of linkage connected to the end of the solenoid upside down so that the plunger falls on plunger. You can remove all of this unnecessary to your workbench about a quarter inch out of the hardware in order to allow the basic plunger to come electromagnet hole, then pick it back up by

free from the hole in the electromagnet’s center.

energizing the electromagnet with a 9-volt

If your plunger travels into the hole when

battery. If your return spring is working, the energized by the 9-volt battery, it may fail to drop plunger will then bang to the desk as soon as the when the power is released due to friction or power is removed from the electromagnet,

residual magnetism from the DC power source.

which is the basis for our door-knocking

This can be remedied as shown in Figure 2-11 by sound. A little oil on the plunger may also help using a small piece of spring cut from a ballpoint release it if it seems to stick in place randomly pen, or even a tiny piece of sponge.

once pulled in by the electromagnet. When

As shown in Figure 2-11, a bit of a ballpoint pen you get your solenoid working as described, bolt spring is cut and glued to the tip of the plunger to it into some type of enclosure so that the plunger 25

is going on, but by then you will have had your fun, and pretending that you heard nothing makes it even more funny.

The timing cycle is taken from pin 3 of the 555

and fed into the base of PNP transistor Q1 in order to trigger the relays electromagnetic coil. Once the relay is engaged, it instantly charges capacitor C2, and at the same time disconnects itself from the transistor since the normally closed contacts are now open. Because the capacitor is charged first, the relay stays engaged for a few hundred

milliseconds before the cycle repeats (as long as the 555 is saturating the base of Q1). The other pole of the relay is connected in reverse, so that Figure 2-12

Solenoid installed

each time the relay is engaged, power is sent into the solenoid’s electromagnetic coil, and this is the will be lifted about a quarter inch into the magic that creates the ‘knock, knock, knock’

electromagnet, and then drop against the bottom sound. Back in the days when cars had no

of the enclosure.

electronics, this is how a signal light flasher worked; using a relay and capacitor wired up just Figure 2-12 shows my solenoid mounted inside like our mechanical oscillator. If you want to play a PVC box from a hardware store. There will be around with the speed of the knocking, simply try plenty of room inside the box for a small circuit different values for the 4700 µF capacitor, C2.

board and the battery, and the thick plastic makes a Depending on how much current it takes your

good knock when the plunger bangs against it. If relay coil to energize, the 4700 µF capacitor may your solenoid is very strong using the 9-volt give you a few knocks per second, or less than battery, then you may even consider adding a bolt one. You will have to experiment a little here, but or steel weight to the end of the plunger to further you are aiming for a knocking repetition that enhance the sound, but do make sure the plunger sounds like someone rapping at the door. If you works reliably all the time. Now, let’s build the cannot find large value capacitors, just install two-stage timer circuit, and start messing with several in parallel and add their values together to your friends’ sanity.

create a larger capacitor with a longer relay Figure 2-13 might look familiar, especially if holding time. Two 4700 µF capacitors will

you built the previous project, since the 555 timer create a 9400 µF capacitor, and this will really circuit is almost identical with the exception of the slow down the knocking repetition. While

10K value of resistor R2. With resistor R1 at 1M, experimenting with the relay oscillation cycle, just R2 at 10K, and capacitor C1 at 100 µF, the timing remove the 1K resistor, R3 from the 555 pin, and cycle will occur about once every minute and will place it to ground, rather than wait a minute for last only a few seconds. Because of this long each timing cycle, and the relay will be constantly timing cycle, it will be difficult to detect the exact activated.

location of the knocker, although if placed near the Figure 2-14 shows the completed circuit board door, will certainly sound like an invisible person tested and ready for installation. Notice the is knocking on it once in a while. After running to massive size of the 4700 µF capacitor, C2; the the door three or four times, your victim may wise larger the value, the larger the capacitor will Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker up to the ruse and simply hang around to see what 26

Project 3—Ghost Door Knocker

+9 V

Q1

R1

R2

NC

NO

R3

555 timer

+

D1

RY

C2

NC

+

NO

C1

D2

Solenoid

Gnd

Gnd

Q1: 2N3906

NPN

R1: 1M

C1: 100

µF

D1: 1N4001

R2: 10K

C2: 4700

µF

D2: 1N4001

R3: 1K

RY: DPDT relay

Figure 2-13

Ghost door knocker schematic

Figure 2-14

Ghost door knocker circuit

27

become, and mine is almost the same size as the battery. I also installed an on-off switch, and if you really want to make the unit adjustable, a variable resistor to alter the 555 timing cycle could also be useful. In fact, because the relay is the final switching device, practically any electrical device could be connected, from sound playback gadgets to household appliances. Now you must find the optimal placement for the device in order to make it sound like the ghost is actually knocking at your door.

Figure 2-15 shows the ghost door knocker

Figure 2-15

Knock, knock, knock—anybody home?

performing its duty at the front landing of our home. The solid PVC plastic case sounds just like a knock at the door when placed against the wall Where else could you place the knocking box

near the front door, of course when you answer the that would daze and confuse your victims? The door, there is nobody there, just the quiet night and possibilities are only limited by your Evil Genius that eerie feeling that the undead are restless tonight.

imagination.

Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine

This device is truly an evil invention that has formula, filling a room with that very uneuphoric to be personally endured in order to fully

smell. This time you are going to need more current appreciate its disgusting effectiveness. I have than can be supplied by a single 9-volt battery, so a tortured my nose for days devising an effective 12-volt lantern battery, security battery or 8 AA stink generator, and I can assure you that the batteries in a pack will be what you need. Figure 2-16

project presented here can fill a room with

shows my 12-volt battery pack made from 8 AA the most putrid smell you will ever have the batteries as well as the 12-volt relay, 1-watt misfortune of inhaling. Before I get into the gross 10-ohm resistor and a plastic bottle top.

details, let’s talk a little about the device and how The relay should be rated for 12 volts, but in a it works.

pinch, a 24-volt relay, or even 5 volts will probably The stink machine is another 555 timer-activated do the job as long as your battery pack can engage device that switches a relay on in order to carry a the electromagnet. The resistor used to make the somewhat large amperage directly into a low-value heat needs to be a 1-watt type with a value

resistor. It may seem silly to waste all that energy between 10 and 15 ohms, but you may want to

by feeding it directly to a 1-watt resistor, but alas, experiment with other values in order to create we are going to create heat from this process, hotter heat sources depending on your stink

exactly the same way that your stove elements formula. The plastic bottle cap will be used to hold create heat. This heat will then be transferred into the resistor and stink formula to create what I call Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine the stink capsule for a nice slow-roasting of the stink the “stink capsule,” a ready-to-go stink-generating 28

Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine

Figure 2-16

Battery pack, resistor and relay

device that simply needs to be connected to a 12-volt power source. If you want to experiment with the best resistor value, connect the resistor of your choice directly across the 12-volt power source. However, do keep in mind that the test is destructive if successful, and your resistor will turn into a smoldering blob of carbon within 10 seconds, generating a foul smell all on its own.

I found that resistors less than 1 watt burned up too quickly, and values over 15 ohms did not get hot enough to heat the stink formula properly to the smoking point. When you do find the best resistor Figure 2-17

The heating resistor installed

value, it will be soldered to a pair of wires placed through the plastic cap as shown in Figure 2-17.

Use a generous amount of solder in the resistor Of course, I wanted to take things to the ultimate leads, or wrap the wire just in case the resistor extreme, and spent days trying to figure out what becomes hot enough to melt the solder. Depending would give off the most vile and rancid smell on your resistor value, your stink machine may possible when the resistor began to shoulder. Plastic work for several waves of stink release, or could wrap was OK, cheese was decent, balloon rubber burn up within a few seconds for a quick yet was even better, but still, I wanted the ultimate.

intense release.

Finally, I had it—hair! Yes, anyone who has

Now for the fun part, brewing up the stink

played with fire and felt the fickle flames of fate formula. The resistor by itself is almost potent can tell you that burning hair or eyebrows truly enough to clear out a room, and it will send out a smell repulsive. Cat fur, dog hair, human hair—

plume of smoke that smells remarkably like burning yes, that was the magic formula that made the electronics—duh, it is burning electronics, buddy!

stink capsule a truly mighty device indeed.

29

Figure 2-18 shows my perfect mix of loose dog but I can promise you that the burning resistor and and facial hair taken from an electric razor all hair combination is enough to empty a large room nestled tightly into the plastic capsule that held the on the first wave, so be warned. Now, let’s get the heating resistor.

timer circuitry built so you can have the luxury of Where you acquire the hair is your own

not being in the room when the device comes to business, and personally, I do not want to know, life. Have a look at the schematic shown in

Figure 2-19, and you will see that, once again, the venerable 555 answers the call for a simple

repeating timer with a long delay between cycles.

This time the two timing resistors, R1 and R2, are of equal value for a 50 percent duty cycle.

This means that the relay will be on half the time, and off the other half for each timing cycle, which allows the resistor plenty of time to slow roast your stink concoction. The 220 µF capacitor C1, sets a very long timing cycle, so the machine will not come on for at least three or four minutes Figure 2-18

A truly putrid stink formula—

once the switch is engaged, making it difficult to burning hair

pinpoint the source of the stink. It also allows for

+12 V

Q1

R1

R2

R3

Stink beam

R3

555 timer

NC

NO

+

D1

C1

RY

Gnd

Q1: 2N3906

NPN

C1: 220

µF

R1: 1M

D1: 1N4001

RY: SPDT relay

R2: 1M

R3: 10 ohm 1 watt

Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine Figure 2-19 The stink machine schematic 30

Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine

plenty of time to get out of the room while your then hand wired each pin using my 10-year-old evil device runs its course. The relay is driven by soldering iron with the blunt tip. Hey, it’s not the PNP transistor, Q1, and the heating resistor is rocket science, and as long as your wiring is done connected to the normally open pins on the relay correctly, everything will work perfectly, even if directly to the 12-volt power source.

the end result is supposed to be burnt electronics.

If you are into self-punishment, then you could An on-off switch is a necessity, and you may just throw the stink capsule in a box with the consider labeling the thing so you don’t

batteries and a switch for instant stink generation, accidentally engage it in the wrong place at the but really, what kind of self-respecting Evil Genius wrong time. As for an enclosure, any old plastic would switch on a device without a timer? Again, box with plenty of room for all of the parts will do feel free to play with the values of R1, R2 and the job. You will want to make sure that the stink C1 for some timing alterations, keeping in mind capsule is vented to the outside for optimal release that larger capacitor values result in longer delay of fumes. The box shown in Figure 2-21 actually cycles. As for batteries, use only fresh alkaline or has a perforated lid, and during transport, I place a rechargeable types, since those low-cost dry cell cork into the stink capsule to hold in all of the batteries will barely have enough available current to goodies it contains.

heat the resistor. Also, before you connect the stink I don’t think I have to tell you how to use the capsule, test the circuit with a 12-volt light bulb or putrid stink machine—just flip the switch and get buzzer instead, just to ensure that your wiring is your behind out of the area, unless you plan on correct. There is no point filling your own workshop holding your breath for a while. As soon as that with the smell of decomposing yeti, now is there?

relay clicks, the smoke should begin to rise within Using my usual ultra high-quality manufacturing a few seconds (Figure 2-22), and it will only take methods, I slapped all of the components on to a 10 seconds to fill a fair-sized room with the bit of perforated board as shown in Figure 2-20, exquisite smell of roasting hair and burning Figure 2-20

The assembled stink machine

31

Figure 2-21

Ready to curl your nose hairs

Figure 2-22

Stink machine emits a putrid odor

electronics. By the time your unsuspecting

nose will turn into a siege against the ears buddy begins the painful hunt for the source of instead, ruining all that hard work and spoiling the stink, the timing cycle will probably have hit the fun.

the neutral zone, but if your heating resistor holds Now that you’ve mastered the art of creating up, you could expect several more blasts of stink truly annoying devices, let’s continue the fun by to fill the room. Just remember, don’t use this building some annoying and truly high-tech evil thing in a public area, and avoid direct placement critters and beasties.

under a fire detector, or your siege against the Project 4—Putrid Stink Machine

32

Chapter 3

Critters and Beasties

Project 5—Alive and Breathing

Small critters can sometimes be vicious

and these will also work fine, although you will spiteful varmints, especially when you cross have to find a way to push the plunger back

paths with them unexpectedly and they feel

out of the hole once it has been pulled in by the cornered. I’d rather take my chances with a

electromagnet.

dog over an angry cornered squirrel any day!

Don’t worry about the voltage rating on

That’s why this section is devoted to furry and the solenoid, just check to see that it will move hairy critters that will surely scare the bejeezes a little once you apply the power source to the out of unsuspecting humans. You could simply electromagnet. My solenoid was actually rated throw a furry mitten or small clothing item in a at 24 volts, but since I didn’t use it to move cupboard or a dresser drawer and wait for your any mechanical parts, the much under-rated

unsuspecting buddy to open it and mistake the 9-volt battery was fine, and polarity is not a fuzz ball for some small angry vermin. But, that concern with these solenoids, so connect the trick is not only old, but it will not fool them for battery to the wires in any direction you like.

very long. On the other hand, if that little furry If the solenoid makes a snapping sound when

beast was breathing or shaking, that would

engaged, just glue a bit of felt or foam between catch your victim off guard and make him or her the metal parts to dampen the sound. If you

think twice about messing with the angry little have a plunger type that does not return once monster.

engaged, then add a spring or elastic to bring it This project consists of making a blob of fur back once the power is removed from the coil.

look alive by giving it a mechanical actuator that If a solenoid seems difficult to obtain, you can will simulate breathing or quivering. It’s a very probably do just fine with a toy motor by gluing realistic illusion that appears as though the thing some type of arm to the output shaft so that it hiding in the dresser, in the closet or under the creates a bit of lever action, although it will be bed is truly alive. Practically any mechanical fairly weak. The goal is to create a small

device that will create a little bit of quiet mechanical movement that will make the fur

movement from a 9 volt battery will do the

covering look like it is pulsing or breathing, trick, and the less mechanical noise it makes the so you don’t need a lot of power. The simple better, since the noise might give the gag away.

circuit shown in Figure 3-2 uses a 555 timer As shown in Figure 3-1, I pulled a small magnetic integrated circuit, two resistors and a capacitor actuator (solenoid) from a dead laser printer to set a timing cycle that pulses the mechanical and found that the little metal plate will move actuator at a rate that you can set by altering nicely when the coil has 9 volts applied to it.

the values of the components. A larger capacitor Some solenoids have a plunger instead of a plate, will slow down the pulsing rate, and a smaller 33

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

+9 V

R1

R2

555 timer

Solenoid

Figure 3-1

A small lever-type solenoid

+

magnetic coil

C1

RY

value will make it a lot faster. Depending on the R1: 100K

C1: 10

µF

R2: 100K

size of your fake furry critter, you may want a nice Figure 3-2

slow movement to simulate breathing, or a fast Mechanical actuator timing circuit

twitch to make it look as though the critter is shaking with fear, ready to invoke the fight or flight response.

If you need a little more response from the

easily be adapted to this one so that it only runs solenoid or motor you are using, there is no when in a lit environment such as an opened closet problem running the circuit up to 12 volts, but if or cupboard door.

your actuator is very low impedance, you may Mounting the mechanics will depend on the

need to use a transistor driver circuit to source the means of activation and type of critter you plan to needed current or your 555 may get hot in a hurry.

create, which could be as simple as the small bit Since there are only four components in the circuit, of fur I used or something as complex as a

it can be built any way you like, even on a bit of wire-controlled puppet-like beastie. I wanted cardboard by soldering the leads together after something small and simple that could be easily punching them through the board. I always keep placed into a cupboard or dresser with minimal a large stock of perforated board on hand, so set up time, so I just put the parts into a box the circuit has plenty of room for expansion on with an open top so that the actuator arm stuck the 1.5-inch square board I have mounted it to out of the top as shown in Figure 3-4. This

(see Figure 3-3). Although not shown in the photo, system could be placed practically anywhere then I also added a small bit of felt to the top of the covered with a small 1 foot square bit of fur so that solenoid coil to stop the plate from slapping the mechanical parts are hidden from view

against the coil’s top so that it runs silently when resulting an what looked like a large rat or weasel the battery is installed. My system starts to run as when viewed from the side. The actuator arm

soon as the battery is installed and has no on-off pumped the top of the body up and down so that it switch, but if you look ahead a bit, the next few appeared the little beastie was breathing at a rate Project 5—Alive and Breathing projects have light-activated circuits that could of about three times per second, giving the very 34

Project 5—Alive and Breathing

Figure 3-3

Mechanical actuator circuit working

Figure 3-4

Simple cabinet installation

convincing illusion that it was actually alive. Most underside of the fur. A good place to start

unsuspecting victims who encountered this

might be an actual small stuffed animal with mechanical critter weren’t brave enough to hang the stuffing removed so that you can build a around and inspect the furry critter, or attempt to perfectly fitting actuator to place inside. The touch it.

size of the critter is also limited only to your evil If you do a little creative hacking, you could imagination, and if you find a large enough

make a much more realistic breathing movement battery block, you could drive a very large actuator by creating a tubular critter with all of the such as a windshield wiper motor to create a mechanics permanently mounted inside so that the moving beastie as large as a gorilla if you really actuator pulls directly on a strip glued to the wanted to give your buddies a good scare.

35

Of course, the tiny 555 can only source a small amount of current, so you will have to add a relay to its output in order to switch a much larger device. Figure 3-5 shows my beastie resting in the cupboard ready to startle the next person who needs a glass or mug.

This prank is very effective once your pals

begin to expect regular pranks from you. At

first glance, they might think that this is just you and your usual pranks, but once they see that the little fur ball is actually breathing, then they might believe that it is indeed real. Now, if you want more of an instant “in-your-face”

type of scare, then keep reading. I have a full bag of tricks.

Figure 3-5

What’s in your cupboard?

Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider

Nothing says “hello” better than a golf-ball-sized hairy spider right in your face after you switch on a light—yikes! Grab your soldering iron and a few components from your junk box, and let’s see how many of your normally “tough” friends will jump and screech like little girls when they are victim to this prank.

You could use a large plastic spider from the gag shop for this project, but the true Evil Genius is Figure 3-6

A small bolt and some black pipe cleaners never satisfied with someone else’s work, so I made my own massive hairy tarantula look alike for a very realistic-looking spider, but that may not from a bolt and some black pipe cleaners from a be necessary, since the mind will see a spider no craft store. Thanks to the bolt, this spider was able matter how simple the prop may be once it starts to to swing with a bit of momentum, and when it swing (as the lights are switched on), and by the smacked you in the chest, there was no question time it hits the victim, he or she will probably that this was a seriously huge insect. As shown in already be shrieking with fear.

Figure 3-6, a small 1⁄4-inch bolt and a few black Pipecleaners are like long, thin, metal wires furry pipecleaners will be used to form the body covered in hair-like strands, and can be found at and legs of the tarantula. You could also start with most craft supply or dollar stores. To make the a ping-pong ball, or try something more elaborate Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider

spider’s legs, wrap four of the pipe cleaners around 36

Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider

Figure 3-7

Wrap pipe cleaners around a bolt to form Figure 3-9

Several mechanical solenoid candidates

legs and body

using the tips of wooden toothpicks. This type of realism might be a waste though, since the spider is triggered by the light coming on in a room, and the victim’s eyes will be adjusting to the light just as the spider is attacking him or her. Not many people will be standing there trying to identify the exact species of spider after it thumps them in the chest.

As stated earlier, the spider will sit motionless in the corner of a room until the lights are switched on, at which time a mechanical actuator will release its “web” causing it to swing from its hiding place right into a doorway where the unsuspecting victim Figure 3-8

This is my pet spider, Harry

is standing. This is an electromagnetic solenoid just like the one used in the last project, or it can be a a bolt starting at the center so that there is about plunger type. Figure 3-9 shows several

2 inches at each end sticking out past the bolt to electromagnetic solenoids that would work for this create the spider’s eight legs. As shown in Figure 3-7, project, each one able to engage from a single 9-the overall size and shape of the legs and body volt battery. Since the solenoid is not doing much look similar to a tarantula, which personally, mechanical work, often a voltage rating of 24 volts I would not enjoy crawling on my body!

on the coil will be fine with only 9 volts, since this With all eight legs fastened to the bolt, take will still be enough magnetism to pull the pin or another pipecleaner and wrap it around the bolt in plate on to the coil, although with very little force.

such a way that it creates a bit more bulk around In our design, the solenoid only has to release a the body. As shown in Figure 3-8, you should have very light loop of wire, so as long as the plate or a spider with a body roughly the size of a golf ball plunger pulls inward at 9 volts, you will be fine with none of the bolt showing. Again, this spider is with any solenoid, possible even one rated at designed for instant fright, so ultrarealism is not 120 volts AC such as those found in large

necessary, but if you like to go all the way, glue a appliances. A dead photocopier or laser printer will few small black beads to resemble realistic looking have many of these small 5- to 24-volt solenoids eyes on the front of the body, and a pair of fangs inside among other great mechanical goodies.

37

Figure 3-10

A simple solenoid-activated release system Figure 3-10 shows the job this solenoid must do in order to release Harry the spider from his hiding place in the corner of a dark room. The make and style of your solenoid will determine the mechanics of your releasing device, but the simple pin-through-hole design is very easy to implement using practically any type of solenoid that pulls a pin, plunger or plate down towards its electromagnetic coil. If your solenoid has no return mechanism to push the actuator back after it has Figure 3-11

Night lights have a CDS cell in them

been engaged, then you may need to add a spring or elastic to hold the actuator in the up position if the light in a room and trigger the base of a transistor the friction from the little loop it is holding is not when light strikes its surface. Since CDS cells act enough to keep it there. In the end, you should like open switches in the dark and become resistors be able to place a loop of wire over the pin so with an impedance of about several kilo ohms when that it is held in position until the solenoid coil light strikes their surface, they work perfectly as light is energized to pull the pin through the hole and detecting switches when fed into the base of a release the loop (which will also release Harry the transistor. Most hobby shops will have CDS cells for spider). Don’t worry about the amount of noise the sale, but you could always butcher an inexpensive solenoid makes when it engages, your victim will be night light for the cell. Figure 3-11 shows a typical so busy yelping and brushing the spider off of his or night light and a few CDS cells that were removed her body that not much else will matter at the time.

from these devices. The CDS cell is easy to spot Once you have worked out the design of your

since it will have a window in front of it and look releasing mechanism using whatever parts you can like a small disk with a zigzag pattern on it.

find laying around your mad scientist laboratory, The light-activated trigger schematic shown in you will need to create the light-activated trigger Figure 3-12 is simple, containing only four

circuit. This simple circuit used what is called a components including the solenoid and battery. The Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider “cadmium sulfide photocell” (CDS cell) to monitor CDS cell is connected to the base of the NPN

38

Project 6—Hairy Swinging Spider

transistor so that the transistor is made to pass current at the room light to make it more selective. With to the solenoid coil as soon as the CDS cell has any only two semiconductors, you could probably build amount of light striking its surface. When the room is the circuit without any circuit board at all by directly completely dark, the CDS cell acts like an open soldering the leads together, but for neatness sake, I switch and no current flows through the transistor used a small bit of perforated board and built the and solenoid coil. CDS cells are not polarized, so you completed unit as shown in Figure 3-13.

can hook up the two leads in any direction you like.

Installation of the unit is very easy, and does not Just about any NPN transistor will do the job, and have to be permanent. Simply tack the launcher to if you find the circuit too sensitive to ambient room the wall using a few thumbtacks, and then do the light, then simply add a 100K variable resistor from same with Harry the spider on a piece of thin thread the base of the transistor to ground so that you can or fishing line so that it will strike the victim once reduce the sensitivity of the photocell. You could the releasing mechanism is engaged. It is easiest to also place a tube made from a drinking straw painted first rig up the spider, and then find the best position black or some electrical tape around the photocell so of the launching unit by pulling back the spider so that its field of view is very narrow, and then aim it that it forms a nice smooth arc between launcher and victim. The launcher is then placed on a wall in such a way that the tiny loop of wire connected to the CDS

thread can be set so that the solenoid arm or pin will release once it is engaged. If you have your batteries 2N3904

connected and no power switch, then you will have to do this job in minimal lighting conditions, which

+

is why in Figure 3-14, the battery clip is removed from one terminal of the 9-volt battery, acting as a Solenoid

9 V

switch. Also shown in the photo (inset) is the simple magnetic coil

wire loop that I wrapped around the thin thread to be used over the trigger pin.

Figure 3-12

Light-activated trigger schematic

Figure 3-13

Spider launcher ready for action

39

Figure 3-14

Harry the spider, ready for attack

To test your device, load the wire loop over the you, but does not leave your mind enough time to solenoid release system, turn off the room lights, process the image and get out of the way. If you and then connect the battery. Once the light switch are an unsuspecting victim at the light switch, by is turned on, Harry the spider should lurch into the time the spider is upon you, you are fully away action, making an arc between his hiding spot and of its hideous form and shear size, and can do your body to end his journey with a nice thump on nothing but scream or flee! Now you can see how your chest. As you will have noticed, the image of tough your pals really are as they do battle with the spider becomes quite clear as it travels towards one of nature’s most feared creatures.

Project 7—Carpet Crawling Creature

Imagine sitting around the living room watching and a spool of thread, and depending on the size of TV with your pals, then without warning a cat-the motor you choose, can tow anywhere from a sized furry creature comes running across the few ounces to a few pounds across your floor.

carpet from under the TV directly at you and your To pull something the size of a 2-liter pop bottle friends. Of course, they all yelp and yank their feet across your floor, you will require a motor at least up for cover, but you can only sit there and laugh.

the size of a flashlight battery as shown in After all, it was you who pressed the button on the Figure 3-15. If the motor had a gear-reduction little black box that towed the creature across the system connected, a much smaller motor can be floor. Yes, with this little machine, you can drag all used, but then you would end up with a very slow kinds of scary vermin across the floor such as towing system, and this would not be nearly as rubber snakes, furry rats, giant spiders and frightening.

anything else you might think funny. This simple A good source for a medium-sized motor is

little hack is a tiny winch made from a toy motor Project 7—Carpet Crawling Creature

fast remote-control cars, or a used inkjet printer.

40

Project 7—Carpet Crawling Creature

Figure 3-16

Thread spool mounted to the motor

Figure 3-15

Motor and thread spool

Be aware of the motor voltage when looking for a suitable motor, since this unit is going to be battery powered, it would not be advisable to pull a 100-volt motor out of an appliance. The motor I used was taken from an old inkjet printer, and rated for 24 volts, although I found it to run at a good RPM and strength on a single 9-volt battery.

A 12-volt battery pack would have been much

better, but I wanted a small unit, and it only had to run once each time I planned to use it. You will also need a spool of thread, fishing line or wire fine enough not to be seen as it lays across the Figure 3-17

Towing mechanics completed

surface you plan to drag the beastie across. I like using a spool of thread because you can pick a color ensure that the bolt center is aligned with the to match the floor or carpet, the spool is included, motor shaft center so that there is no friction and it is fairly easy to “friction fit” the spool on to between the bolt and thread spool. Figure 3-17

the motor shaft. As shown in Figure 3-16, the shows a close-up view of the spool mounted to the spool of thread can be forced over the gear that was motor shaft and riding on the bolt. To replace the included with the motor, and then placed in a box thread spool with a different color, the bolt is with a bolt to support the other end of the spool.

removed and then the thread spool is forced away The bolt inside the box is smaller than the hole from the motor shaft. If your motor did not have a in the thread spool, but by only enough so that gear attached that allows the thread spool to be there is no friction. Since one end of the thread fitted, then dig around your parts box for some spool is friction fitted to the motor shaft, the other small cylindrical object that can be forced onto the end needs to turn freely around the bolt which is motor shaft that will also hold the thread spool. In used only for support. The motor will be mounted a pinch, multiple layers of heat-shrink tubing over outside of the small box due to its size, so there the motor shaft would do the job, but may make a will only be enough room in this box for a 9-volt vibrating noise from misalignment as the spool battery and switch. If you plan to use this method, winds in the thread.

41

The schematic for this device is probably the table or chair with the switch remotely connected simplest in this book so far: just a switch, a battery via wire so that you can press it inconspicuously as and the motor. However, when connecting the

your pals stare at the TV. The critter would then wiring, be mindful of the motor’s polarity so that come blasting out from whatever furniture it was your thread is wound into the spool, not the other hiding under right to the place they are sitting.

way around. The thread is pulled out of the box by I wanted the switch and box as a single unit so it hand to the area where the critter will hide and would be easy to implant in a hurry in any location then the motor will wind the thread back onto the without having to worry about wiring, so this spool when you press the button. The schematic is installation works well as long as I concealed the shown in Figure 3-18.

towing box. In Figure 3-19, you can see the

You don’t need to place the power switch in the completed towing box with a fresh spool of white actual box, and it may be easier to conceal the thread installed ready to drag my furry monster towing mechanism if the switch is remotely placed across a kitchen floor with light-colored tiles. You away from the box. For a living room scenario, will notice that the speed of the creature will place the towing box under the target couch, depend on the power of your motor, size of battery, and friction between the load and the floor. My cat-sized critter moves at jogging speed across a tiled or wood floor, but slows down to a walk on a Motor

carpet. Of course, the fact that this blob of fur is coming straight at you is usually enough to scare at any speed.

Switch

The bigger the critter, the better. Of course, with

+

a 9-volt battery and toy motor, you won’t be 12 V

dragging a life-sized grizzly bear across your floor, so you have to do some testing to see how much weight your towing system can handle. I found that an empty 2-liter pop bottle made a perfect-sized Figure 3-18

Motor, switch and battery schematic

lightweight body that would hide under various Project 7—Carpet Crawling Creature Figure 3-19 Towing system ready for action 42

Project 7—Carpet Crawling Creature

furniture with legs, and once covered in fur, looked critter a bit more evil looking for well-lit like a large rat, weasel or skunk. Some furry environments, then add some eyes or nasty looking material from a fabric store or from an old coat fangs for a truly fear-provoking experience. Some was glued around the pop bottle so that no part of other ideas for lightweight critter bodies might be: the bottle showed, except a tiny opening where the fur-covered balloons, a cardboard cylinder, stuffed bottle lid could be removed to fasten the thread.

animal with the stuffing replaced with a balloon or The thread was tied around two small holes in the crumpled paper. If the victim is in a household that bottle lid and then the lid is screwed back into the does not have pets, then obviously this critter is an bottle. Figure 3-20 shows the initial stage of my uninvited guest.

black furry beastie using a 2-liter pop bottle, a bit The completed towing device and critter is

of furry cloth and some glue to hold it together.

shown in Figure 3-21. Sure, this beastie may not The completed 2-liter critter is large enough to look that scary in this photo, but I guarantee that make an unsuspecting person run for cover, yet you will think otherwise if it came running out light enough to get some decent speed using the from underneath living-room furniture right at 9-volt towing system. If you want to make the your feet when you were least expecting it! This joke can be made to last awhile if you let the beastie run all the way across a room to disappear under the couch or chair your victim is now

cowering in. Everyone in the room will be

standing on the furniture asking each other what the heck that thing was and where it went, so you can get in on the action and point around the room exclaiming that you thought you saw its fangs glisten as it moved again. “Dude, I think it’s a rabid weasel, and it’s right under your chair!” Yes indeed, this device is guaranteed to invoke the flight response in those unfortunate enough to fall Figure 3-20

Two-liter pop bottle and fur covering

victim to it.

Figure 3-21

Critter and towing system ready to scare 43

Project 8—Universal Critter Launcher

This version of the furry beast prank takes things to the limit, and will freak out even your most hardened, prank-resistant friends. When this prank is in action, your victim won’t have time to remember that you, the Evil Genius prankster, is likely behind it, nor will there be time to access the situation. In fact, your unsuspecting victims will only have time to duck, cover and scream with fear. Because the critter will lurch from the floor directly at the victim instantly when a light is switched on, the victim will only see the rough outline of whatever it was that is now heading Figure 3-22

A gate hinge and a spring

directly at his or her face in a real hurry, so the effect is guaranteed to work. I call this the

‘universal critter launcher’ because you can set it the trick. The hinge shown in Figure 3-22 is about up to hurl any small lightweight object into the air, 4 inches in total length just to give you an idea of and the mechanics can be made as large as you how large my device was. The hinge will be bolted like. There are two parts to this system—a

to a wooden base so that it functions in a similar spring-activated hinge-launching system and an way to a swinging gate. The hinge can be locked electromechanical releasing device. The two parts into position by placing an object between the hole must be made to work together, so the amount of in the latching part and the hinge body. The spring spring force you will be able to use will be will then be placed under the hinge to create a dependent upon how much force your mechanical-pressure that will make the hinge fly open once releasing mechanism can deliver. Unlike the

released. This system is shown in Figure 3-23.

previous solenoid projects, this one will demand Drill a hole through the wooden base for the some mechanical force from the solenoid, so

spring, which is fastened on the underside of the running a 24-volt solenoid from a 9-volt battery is board using a piece of metal with holes drilled at not going to cut it. Read the entire project before each end. I used one of those 90 degree shelf you start choosing parts so you will understand brackets, and hammered it straight as shown in what will be necessary from the mechanics. The Figure 3-24. The spring could also be bolted main part of this mechanical device is the spring-directly to the wooden base without drilling activated launch mechanism formed from one or the hole, but this would limit the amount of more springs and a locking gate hinge as shown in compression on the spring, reducing the amount Figure 3-22.

of travel delivered to the hinge when the releasing The hinge and springs can be found at most

mechanism is activated. The metal plate holds the hardware stores and available in many sizes and spring in place so that it does not fly away from shapes. For a small launcher capable of hurling a the board once the hinge has been flipped as far rat-sized beastie from the floor to about 5 feet in as it could go. The goal is to hurl a fuzzy critter the air, a spring with a diameter of about half an at your victim, not metal shrapnel from your inch and a length of about 3 inches should do launching device, so it is best to secure the spring Project 8—Universal Critter Launcher

44

Project 8—Universal Critter Launcher

Figure 3-23

The hinge is now spring loaded

before attempting any circuitry, since nothing will work properly unless your solenoid has enough power to pull the pin away from the hinge once the device is loaded. As mentioned earlier, you will not get away with a 24-volt solenoid and a 9-volt battery because there is simply not enough current in that battery to energize the electromagnet, so some type of battery pack will be needed. A 12-volt solenoid with a 12-volt battery pack made of AA batteries is optimal, but you might get away with a 24-volt solenoid on the same battery pack as I did as shown in Figure 3-25. I used a bit of copper wire taken from some house wiring to

Figure 3-24

The spring is secured to the base

create a pin that will keep the hinge in the locked position until the solenoid plunger pulls it away, to the base. As shown in Figure 3-24, the spring is releasing the hinge and the critter at high speed. It held securely in place by winding it a few turns has just enough pull in the solenoid as long as the around the metal strip bolted to the underside of copper wire is carefully set like one would set a the board. You may also find that the spring may mousetrap, but the unit did fire reliably once I got need a bit of trimming if it is too long, or you will used to setting it up. You could use a pull pin made not be able to get the hinge into the locked of wire like I did, or let the solenoid pin rest position without bunching the spring up, which directly over the hinge, depending on the type and will reduce its effectiveness.

shape of solenoid you have chosen. One thing you Now for the key element in this equation—the should keep in mind is that the pin should be set to launching mechanism, which includes the

move as little as possible and be as close to the solenoid, battery pack and a hinge-release pin. It is solenoid as it can get in order to deliver the most advisable to get this part of the launcher working pulling power.

45

Figure 3-25

A releasing pin made of copper wire

CDS

switch enough current to activate the solenoid with any real force, so it lets the relay do the job, allowing the full capacity of the battery pack to energize the coil.

If you follow the path of current through the 2N3904

+

solenoid coil, you can see that it will only activate the coil once the relay has been closed by the 9 V

NO

transistor, which will only happen if enough light NC

strikes the surface of the CDS cell to switch the Relay

transistor on. The battery bank can range in Solenoid

magnetic coil

voltage from 9 to 15 volts, but should only be enough to get the job done. The simple circuit is Figure 3-26

Light-activated launcher schematic

built on to a small piece of perforated board as usual, and then bolted to the wooden base with all The farther the solenoid pin or plate has to the other parts of the launcher for testing as shown travel, the less pull it will deliver, so a movement in Figure 3-27. The launcher has just pulled the of less than 1⁄8 inch would be optimal. Test the pin to release the high-speed hinge as shown in mechanics by applying power to the solenoid to Figure 3-27. Luckily, my fingers were out of the see how well the releasing pin works, then bolt way because there was enough force there to leave down the solenoid to the wooden base once you a mark.

have everything working the way it should be. At this stage, the light-activated circuit can now be What you will launch from this evil device is added to the device to trigger the solenoid when entirely up to you, but I must admit that Harry the the room lights are switched on. The schematic spider from Project 6 sure got some great air travel shown in Figure 3-26 is much like the one shown when placed on the hinge. You will need to

earlier in Project 6, but instead of directly driving experiment with weight versus distance to get the electromagnetic coil, the transistor first things working optimally, but once you know how switches on a relay, which then connects the coil to much mass your launcher can project, there is no Project 8—Universal Critter Launcher the battery pack. The little transistor could not limit to the evil beasties that can be flung at your 46

Project 8—Universal Critter Launcher

Figure 3-27

Light-activated launcher schematic

Figure 3-28

Harry ready for launch, sir!

unsuspecting victims as they enter the prank zone.

Now, don’t forget to carefully load the hinge You may also find that tilting the wooden base while the battery pack is disconnected, or your may enhance your air travel distance, but like all launcher will soon become a finger trap. The good ballistics experts, practice will help you reach battery clip should be connected when it is dark so your target. Figure 3-28 shows Harry the spider the device, which is sensitive to very small ready for launch; destination—some unsuspecting amounts of light, does not go off in your face. An intruder’s upper body. Let’s see how fast they can Evil Genius should never fall victim to his or her get out of the way!

own pranks, you know!

47

Project 9—Trash Can Troll

Here is a simple hack that can be rigged to just Shown in Figure 3-29 is the sound record and about any appliance, drawer, trash can, fridge, or playback device as it came from the local hobby anything with a door. This device lets you record a shop minus the addition of the larger speaker for small audio clip and have it playback when a louder playback.

microswitch is triggered by the opening of the To use this device, one switch is held in while drawer to surprise someone with a silly message or you talk into the speaker to record, and the other sound. You have probably seen something similar switch is pressed to playback what was recorded.

to this in a novelty store in the form of a little The playback switch is the switch that you will be oinking piggy that sits in your fridge, but you can hacking in order to attach it to a longer wire for build this device for much less using a sound-easy hookup to a dresser or cabinet door. Since recording board taken from an inexpensive toy.

these sound devices are made as cheap as possible, Those totally annoying hand-held noisemakers that there will not be much room to solder a wire, so if let kids play back a few seconds of sound is what you cannot find suitable solder points that connect you are after, and they can be purchased for a few to the switch, your best bet is to remove the bubble bucks and easily hacked to operate from a

switch and solder the wires to the contacts under remotely wired switch. I actually found the bare the bubble. My sound board had a few resistors sound board at my local hobby shop for a few and capacitors, so I was able to trace the playback bucks, and you could even build one from scratch switch points to the legs of a few of these

using a single sound recording IC and a few

components to attach my trigger wires as shown in semiconductors. Just search Google for “sound-Figure 3-30. Be careful with the soldering iron as recoding IC” and you will find many different the traces are micro thin and easily damaged by options for recording a few seconds up to many excessive heating. Also shown in Figure 3-30 is the minutes of sampled sound using a single chip.

microswitch at the end of the implanted wires to Project 9—Trash Can Troll Figure 3-29 An inexpensive 30-second sound recorder 48

Project 9—Trash Can Troll

Figure 3-30

Installing the wires onto the circuit board trigger the playback button. I think this switch is trash troll’s comments accordingly. You’ll enjoy from the door of a washing machine, or was it a seeing the astonished look on your unsuspecting microwave oven, maybe a photocopier?

victim every time. If the installation is temporary, The microswitch should be easy to trigger with use a piece of electrical tape to hold the

very little force so you can simply tape it in place microswitch in place, since it does not take much wherever you want to trigger the sound. I call this force to activate it.

unit the trash can troll because I placed it behind There are many uses for an easy-to-setup

the garbage can so it would grumble and growl sound playback device, and it could easily be like a hungry beast each time the trash can lid was mixed with any of the projects in the book to add opened, but you can place it anywhere. The

an extra degree of realism to a prank. How about microswitch will probably have three connections recording a shrill screech and adding sound to labeled NO, NC and COM, which would indicate normally open, normally closed and common. To make a pushbutton switch, you will want to

connect the normally open and common

connections to your sound playback device. The guts can be mounted in any suitable container with venting for the speaker. As shown in Figure 3-31, I used an extremely high-quality plastic cabinet made from an empty container.

A little hot glue holds all the parts in place, then the container is included with the rest of the trash, but the microswitch is run along the outside of the garbage can and glued behind the lid so that opening the lid causes the switch to close and the troll to speak (Figure 3-32): “Feed me,” “Don’t forget to recycle,” “Thanks (burp),” “What’s up?”—

let your imagination run wild and customize the Figure 3-31

Blending in with the rest of the trash

49

Figure 3-32

Trash can-mounted microswitch

Project 8 so that when the critter springs up in the critter with a motion switch so that any movement air it has a spine tingling battle cry as well? You creates an angry growl? Yes, you will know what could probably directly replace the microswitch to do with all these wonderful devices, and I’m with the CDS cell to make a light-activated

sure it won’t be hard to find that “special” person playback device, just like the ones that taunt a who deserves a little “Evil Genius” payback!

person as when he or she opens a fridge door. If you really want to scare the bejeezes out of your Let’s leave the critters and beasties to rest for a friends, connect the output into a loud amplifier bit and move on to some mechanical devices that and have it light triggered so that barrage of will truly annoy and confuse your unsuspecting angry dogs start barking and howling as soon as victims.

they enter their house and switch on the lights.

Maybe you could put the device inside a fake Project 9—Trash Can Troll

50

Chapter 4

Mechanical Mayhem

Project 10—Remote Control Jammer

Infrared remote controls make our life so much sending a non-stop stream of zeros and ones

better, don’t you think? When I was younger, I’d at the same frequency that the remote control have to get up and walk across the bright green would normally send, but our stream will not carpet, past the 8-track player and crank the huge contain any information, so the receiver will just knob to change the channel on the television. Yes, sit there and do nothing. Because the receiver is life has improved so much since those dark days, listening to our blank pulse train, the real remote but all of that is about to change, at least for the control cannot get a signal through, so this unfortunate victim of the remote control jammer essentially blocks the remote control from

presented here. Now, before we dig right into the working, allowing you to hijack whichever channel schematic, let me explain a little bit about how you like, or simply stop anyone else from using the remote-controlled appliances work so we can

target appliance.

understand how to exploit their weaknesses for our The schematic for the remote control jammer is own evil needs. Most remote-controlled devices shown in Figure 4-2. The 555 timer is set up as an use an invisible infrared link, and they can easily adjustable oscillator with a variable frequency be identified by the one or more infrared LEDs between 30 and 50 kHz, so you can fine tune it for that stick out of the end of the remote control the most effective jamming possible. The oscillator casing as shown in Figure 4-1.

output is fed into the base of transistor Q1, which Figure 4-1 also shows a handful of

is used to switch on and off the two or more 940-nanometer wavelength infrared LEDs from my infrared LEDs.

parts bin that are the same type used in most The reason the oscillator frequency is adjustable remote control units. When you press a button on is because not all manufacturers use the same base the remote control, a microprocessor generates a frequency for their remote control protocol —

series of binary pulses, which the infrared receiver why would they? In my opinion, standardization inside the target appliance attempts to decode into would make the world less confusing, and who one of several functions. The frequency of these would want such a thing? Anyhow, the frequency ones and zeros is sent at a rate of between 38 and must be set exactly on your jammer, or the original 40 kHz from the remote control to the receiver, remote control signal may still squeak through, depending on the make and model of the unit.

since the microcontroller inside the receiver I won’t get into the protocol of the binary signal module is very good at weeding out noise and because that is not important here, just the fact that erroneous data. While you are building the circuit the base frequency is between 38 and 40 kHz. To on your breadboard, it is a good idea to test the confuse the remote control receiver, we will be 51

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

Figure 4-1

A typical remote control and infrared LEDs frequency of the unit by measuring the output on

+9 V

pin 3 of the 555 timer so that you know your oscillator is working properly, and can be set from 30 kHz to over 40 kHz by altering the

variable resistor V1.

R3

Depending on the intended use of your remote C1

555 timer

control jammer, variable resistor V1 can either be a board-mounted unit or a potentiometer bolted to D1

D2

the cabinet for on the fly adjustments. A board-mounted variable resistor (Figure 4-3) can be set to the exact frequency using a frequency counter, or R1

by trial and error in front of your target appliance, Q1

R2

and then will never need any adjustments, which guarantees it will be ready to ruin your couch V1

potato’s day by simply aiming the output at

the TV and hitting the switch. Of course, if you plan to use the jammer in several locations with Gnd

different remote-controlled appliances, you may Q1: 2N3904

NPN

R1: 22K

V1: 10K

POT

D1: Infrared

LED

R2: 4.7K

C1: 470

µF

need the ability to tweak the frequency for best D2: Infrared

LED

R3: 100

ohm

results, so the externally accessible variable Figure 4-2

Remote control jammer schematic

resistor will be better. Remember that the

frequency has to be pretty close to the target frequency expected at the receiver, and the LEDs must point towards the unit that you plan to jam, or the original remote control might still function.

The ready-to-test jammer circuit is shown

Project 10—Remote Control Jammer

52

Project 10—Remote Control Jammer

Figure 4-3

Jammer circuit ready to run

Simply flip the on switch then place the unit under a chair or table so that the output from the LEDs is aimed directly at the target appliance, and there should be a total lock out on all attempt to control the appliance with the original remote control. The jammer will work from the same

distance as the original remote, but the closer you can get to the target appliance, the better, since your enraged buddy will probably attempt to get up and point the remote closer to the set in a futile attempt to regain the power. If you want to expand on this project, you might try more LEDs and driver transistors, or higher current into the LEDs by lowering resistor R3 for extended range. Be Figure 4-4

A couch potato’s worst nightmare

careful when trying to pulse the LEDs with too completed on a small perforated circuit board in much current or they will fry. Another nice

Figure 4-3. With the jammer set to the correct modification would be a series of board-mounted frequency, and running on a fresh battery, the variable resistors that could be switched on or off, remote control signal will not get through, but be so that you can hijack multiple appliances, yet not aware that patience must be practiced when getting have to fiddle around trying to set the optimal it set up correctly, especially if you plan to use an frequency.

external variable resistor for V1. The circuit can be Well, I hope that you have fun watching your built into a small black box with an on–off switch friends curse at their entertainment system while as shown in Figure 4-4 for easy concealment under you sit there looking innocent. This unit does work furniture during stealth operations in your

great, but remember that the frequency needs to be entertainment room.

set up perfectly for maximum jamming range.

53

Project 11—Radio Station Blocker

Do you share a radio with a buddy or room mate experimenting with home-brew radio transmitters whose taste in music is about as appetizing as has been a road less traveled by many electronics tuna-chunk ice cream? If yes, then this project is hobbyists, even those with years of experience. Let for you, since it will convince your country-music-me clear this up right now. Building a small FM

loving pals that their favorite radio station is on transmitter is no more difficult than any basic the fritz’ so they might as well conform to your electronic circuit, and any coils you may need can heavy-metal ways and move that dial over to the be easily made by simple trial and error using a metal station where it should be. Maybe my

few inches of copper wire and a bolt. I promise musical interests are a little different than yours, you that if you can make an LED blink, then you but nonetheless, this project will effectively wipe can build just about any basic FM transmitter, out a single radio station on any FM radio that it is including most of the ones you find sprinkled placed next to, allowing you to “censor” the station amongst the millions of public-domain schematics you least want to hear. Indeed, this device is the on the Internet. Most of the small wireless

opposite of a radio station, since it sends an empty microphone-type transmitters, which is what our signal to the chosen frequency in order to wipe out radio station blocker is based on (AKA bugs), have the actual broadcast. Wipe out a broadcast? But, only a single coil that consists of nothing more the radio station transmits at 10,000 watts, so how than a few turns of copper wire wrapped around a are we going to compete with that you ask? Well, ferrite core, or a small screw. The copper wire can we don’t have to achieve anything close to that be taken from an old transformer or the windings power level in order to wipe out the radio station; on a toy motor, and you may be amazed at how we only need to be closer to the antenna with a tolerant the number of windings and size of the minimal (legal) amount of radio frequency (RF) coil in your circuit will actually be. For example, if output. If you did build a 10,000-watt radio station a circuit calls for “exactly 7.5 turns on a 3⁄16 inch blocker, you could certainly block out the

form using AWG #20 wire,” what this really means reception of that station for hundreds of miles, but is find an old 1⁄8 bolt, wrap anywhere from seven to dude, what fun is an electronics hobby when you ten turns around it using whatever size copper wire are doing it from prison? Yes, in order to stay you have in your junk box, then adjust it later legal, we will only transmit at the milliwatt power using a ferrite screw or a small bolt. Yes, it really level, but place our output so close to the radio that is that easy! I have made many small transmitters it appears to be the strongest station on that this way, and they always work as expected

frequency. This works much the same way that an without having to wait weeks for some oddball audio signal entering your ears does. The closer coil to arrive from the Orient.

sound will appear to be much louder than one of a Now, let’s have a look at the radio station

greater power at a greater distance. Because our blocker as presented in Figure 4-5 so I can get all tiny radio station is only oscillating at the desired nerdy and explain what makes it work.

frequency with no audio modulation, it makes the If you have any understanding of basic radio desired radio station seem like it just disappeared, electronics, then you will instantly recognize the much like it would during technical difficulties.

schematic as being a simple tuned RF oscillator.

Because of the finicky nature of radio waves If you have never looked at an RF circuit before, combined with the “dark art” of coil winding, Project 11—Radio Station Blocker

then let me tell you, this is a simple tuned 54

Project 11—Radio Station Blocker

Antenna

+9 V

L1

C1

C2

C4

R1

Q1

C3

Figure 4-6

The dark art of coil winding

R2

many turns, you can always screw the ferrite bead Gnd

in further to lower the frequency. In other words, a few turns too many is better than a few turns too Q1: 2N3563

NPN

R1: 39K

C2: 10

pF

L1: 6 turns on

R2: 10K

C3: 10

pF

little when making an adjustable coil. As shown in ferrite

core

C1: 0.001

µF

C4: 22

pF

Figure 4-6, I wound six turns of whatever copper Figure 4-5

Radio station blocker schematic

wire I had available around a 1⁄8 bolt. The 1⁄8 bolt is perfect for coil winding as it has the same threads as the ferrite bead used to tune the coil (also shown radiofrequency oscillator! Because we can adjust in the photo).

the ferrite bead inserted into coil L1, we have the The small black ferrite bead commonly used to ability to alter the transmit frequency across the adjust a coil works by effectively reducing the entire FM radio band, which starts at

number of turns in the coil as you screw it further 88 MHz and ends at 108 MHz. The values of the in place. If your circuit wants a fixed coil of four components are not that critical, and the circuit can turns, and you thread the bead halfway into a coil be built on a breadboard with decent results.

of six turns, you will probably end up with the Transistor Q1 is any type of NPN transistor that same result, which is why this method is very easy can operate beyond 100 MHz and, if you like to to experiment with. Ferrite beads can be

read data sheets, then this value is shown as substituted by small metal screws if you are in a current gain bandwidth product. The 2N3563

pinch, but ferrite beads are so much easier to transistor that I found in my parts box is rated at adjust, and can be salvaged from just about any RF

600–1500 MHz, more than enough to oscillate at a circuit board (unscrew them from metal can

mere 100 MHz.

transformers and chokes). When you are done

I will start by showing you how to wind the coil winding the copper wire around the bolt, unscrew for this project and practically any other RF circuit the bolt, cut the copper to the correct lead length, you may want to tackle in the future. The circuit then scrape the tips of the leads with a razor knife calls for an adjustable coil with six turns, but I like to remove the red or green enamel. The enamel to add a few extra turns when making an

must be removed in order to bare the conductive adjustable coil, just to play it safe. If you have too copper wire for soldering. Coils can be made few turns, then your oscillator may run at a vertically, but the horizontal method as shown in frequency higher than desired, but if you add too my completed circuit (see Figure 4-7) is much 55

Figure 4-7

Completed radio station blocker circuit

Figure 4-8

Radio station blocker ready for action

more convenient when it comes to adjusting the small ferrite bead with a plastic screwdriver, as it will be positioned on the top of your circuit board.

12 inches long will be plenty of antenna length for For coil tuning, a plastic screwdriver is much this transmitter. When you have the frequency set, better than a metal one as the metal blade will act you can throw the guts into a small plastic case as part of the ferrite bead when placed close to the with a switch and start taking command of that coil. When you think that you have the coil tuned radio. Figure 4-8 shows my completed unit, ready perfectly, removing the screwdriver will shift the to swamp out any classical, country or pop music, frequency slightly, which is highly annoying, to and let that loud, angry, head-banging metal blast say the least.

on through! Just flip the switch to the on position, The completed radio station blocker has so few and drop the box behind the target radio for hours parts that it can be built on a bit of perforated of selective radio station censorship, compliments board less than an inch squared as shown in

of the Evil Genius.

Figure 4-7, or by simply soldering all the

The simple radio station blocker is always ready components together without using a circuit board to help you out when musical interests clash and, if at all. If you built and tested the circuit on a you would like to take this project a little further, breadboard, then the coil will likely need retuning, here are a few ideas. You could add multiple coils so try to tolerate your target radio station for a few and switch them on and off for blocking more than more seconds while you turn the ferrite bead to the one station if you have a house full of radio users desired frequency.

with varying musical tastes. This will make your The small bit of wire sticking out of the circuit station blocker easier to use, since you will not board is the antenna, and it does not have to be have to open the cover to retune the coil, but it still very long due to the close proximity of the

only allows the blocking of a single station at one transmitter to the target radio. The longer the time. To make a multiple station blocker, you antenna, the further away the radio station blocker could just add more than one transmitter into a box can be from the target radio—well, at least until and let them share a common antenna so you can the signal becomes much too weak to drown out kill multiple stations with a single device. If you the original radio station. A straight bit of wire want even more freedom to tune the unit, replace Project 11—Radio Station Blocker about 3 inches long or a coiled wire approximately capacitor C2 with an adjustable capacitor with a 56

Project 12—Video Fubarizer

value between 8 and 20 pF so you can tune your Well, have fun blocking radio stations and, if transmitter just like you tune a radio. You can you decide to up the power output on this circuit, probably find a perfect adjustable capacitor in an remember NOT to mention my name when the radio old transistor radio.

police take you away in their black unmarked van.

Project 12—Video Fubarizer

This little gem will drive your television-addicted look at the extremely simple schematic shown in buddies off the deep end, especially when you use Figure 4-10, and you will see that our device it during special sporting events or their favorite simply feeds the output of the clock oscillator TV series. This device works by injecting a high-directly into the video signal through a current frequency square wave directly into the composite limiting resistor and a variable resistor that we can video signal going into your TV from any source use to set the level of interference. Since the such as a VCR, DVD player or satellite decoder.

oscillator requires 5 volts, I have included a 5-volt Sure, you could simply unplug the TV, but what regulator for operation off a 9-volt battery, but if fun would that be? A true Evil Genius must wreak you wanted to run the unit off 4 AAA batteries and havoc in a sublime way, so as to make things look no voltage regulator instead, I would imagine that like they are simply not working properly, which is the oscillator would not complain too much about what this device will do. The interference signal the extra volt.

can be set for light “fubarization,” or all-out The video in and out jacks are tied directly

“fubarization,” so you can tailor the level of together so the device can be plugged in between annoyance. Now, I will leave the definition of the the target TV and the video source. These jacks word “Fubar” up to you to figure out, but I will can be male or female connectors depending on explain the details of the device at hand so you your intended use. I made one of the jacks a don’t “snafu” the thing!

female RCA type so that the video source could be You will need a little metal can called a “clock removed from the back of the TV and inserted into oscillator” as shown in Figure 4-9. A clock

oscillator is a crystal-controlled oscillator that outputs a 5-volt square wave at a given frequency.

These oscillators only need a power and a ground connection, and will output a logic-level square wave with extreme precision, which is why they are used in many timing intensive devices such as computer mainboards, videocards, network

adapters and most video appliances. You can find these oscillators with frequencies between several kilohertz up into the many hundreds of megahertz, although for our use, a frequency between

500 kHz and 6 MHz will be optimal due to the frequency of the composite video signal. Take a Figure 4-9

Several clock oscillators

57

+9 V

7805 regulator

In

Out

1

Gnd

2

3

100 ohm

10k Pot

Video In/out

1–10 MHz clock

oscillator

Gnd

Figure 4-10

Simple video fubarizer schematic

because this is the lowest frequency I could find in my junk box. A composite video signal contains many complex waveforms at various frequencies and, depending on the frequency of the

interference signal, you will be able to generate all sorts of annoying horizontal or vertical lines in the target video system. If your frequency is too low, you may knock out the entire video signal, and if the frequency is too high, the TV may be able to simply ignore the erroneous information. Of

course, experimentation is the key since we are using parts to do things they were not intended to Figure 4-11

Device working at 50 percent

do in order to generate signals that should never occur. The device is so simple that it can be built my device. The other jack is actually a bit of video on to a bit of perforated board in a matter of wire with a male RCA connector installed so the minutes as shown in Figure 4-12, complete with device can then be plugged back into the tagged the easily adjustable variable resistor and an on–off TV. This connector arrangement makes the unit switch.

very easy and quick to install on the target The device can remain connected to the video television set without needing any extra video system when not in use since it only interferes cables. So what does this thing do to the video with the signal when it is turned on and the signal? Have a look at the fubared screen shown variable resistor is turned up a bit. If you turn the in Figure 4-11 and try to tell me who’s winning fubarization knob a little bit, the lines will barely the game!

be noticeable, although a real video connoisseur As you can see, the video signal becomes very may notice. At full tilt, the screen will be so blurry as you inject the output from the clock messed up, it will look like grandpa’s black and oscillator directly into the line. I am using an white TV out at the cabin, and you will be lucky to Project 12—Video Fubarizer oscillator with an output frequency of 1.8432 MHz make out anything more than basic blobs and

58

Project 13—Audio Distorter

Figure 4-12

Completed fubarizer circuit

shapes on the screen. Now you can convince your partner that it’s time to purchase a new plasma TV, or you can frustrate would-be TV watchers into doing something else while you watch the channel you wanted to watch. Yes, the uses are truly endless for such a wonderful device.

The completed device shown in Figure 4-13 can be affixed to the back of a TV in seconds by simply inserting it between the video cable and video source. The level of fubarization can then be set depending on your evil plans, be it television hijacking, or a simple Evil Genius prank. Now, if you want to take this to the absolute limit, check out the next project which can be used alone or in tandem with this one for a complete and total Figure 4-13

Video will never be the same

destruction of the TV watching experience.

Project 13—Audio Distorter

This device can be used by itself or in combination my guitar and amplifier, but this time it will be with the previous project to interfere with an audio implanted between my victim’s CD player and

signal by distorting it to levels that would make amplifier to make him or her think that the

Jimi Hendrix’s amplifier sound crystal clean. Yes, I equipment or speakers are toasted. This unit works would normally install a circuit like this between by feeding the line level audio signal through an 59

operational amplifier (op amp) that has been set to original clean signal. Just like the previous project, ridiculous amounts of gain in order to distort and the video fubarizer, this device simply drops in oversaturate the signal. A variable resistor can be place by removing one of the RCA jacks that

adjusted to set the level of distortion from none to carries the audio from the source to the destination

“brutal” by limiting the amount of dirty signal and device, so it can be installed on just about any audio equipment that uses the line level RCA-style jack labeled audio in or audio output. As shown in

+9 V

Figure 4-14, the schematic is very simple,

consisting of only an LM358 op amp and a few passive components. You could get away with just about any op amp you can find in your parts box, Input

but the LM358 is very common, and easy to run 100K

from a single 9-volt battery, which is why I chose it.

LM358 OP amp

The audio source is fed into pin 2 (inverting input) of the LM358 op amp and then taken from the output (pin 1), where it is split between the 10K

original signal and amplified signal by the 100K

variable resistor. Pin 3 (non-inverting input) is tied 470 pF

Output

to ground through a 10K resistor in order to set the gain of the device, which is way too high for the 1-volt audio signal fed into it. The 470 pF

capacitor limits the output signal so that it is not at a voltage level that the receiving audio device Gnd

cannot handle, although fully distorted. Well, that’s Figure 4-14

Audio distortion schematic

all I can say about this device, so grab a bit of perf.

Project 13—Audio Distorter Figure 4-15 Audio distorter ready for use 60

Project 14—Phone Static Injector

board or simply wire all the parts together and test the unit by installing it between any line level audio source and target appliance such as a TV

and VCR, or CD player and stereo amplifier.

Figure 4-15 shows the completed unit ready for testing.

The results of this device set to full distortion is hard to describe, but I can tell you that nobody will be able to sit there and not notice how bad the sound is when the unit is installed. On a stereo system, the distorted audio will sound much like a blown speaker, and on a TV, the audio will sound like a very distorted copy of a movie or as if the broadcasting station was having serious technical Figure 4-16

Audio distorter completed

difficulties. Over 25 years ago, you may remember the horrible audio sound on those fifth-generation Betamax movie tapes that you borrowed from

interfere with both the audio and video, then both your buddy—yes, that’s the sound! Anyhow, in devices could be built into the same box and keeping with my usual standards, I finished the powered from a single battery. Once you are done device using Y.A.B.B. (yet another black box) driving your couch-potato pals completely around construction techniques as shown in Figure 4-16.

the bend, try plugging the unit between your The case is the exact same design as the video guitar and amplifier for a truly thick and muddy fubarizer, since it uses the same input and output distortion that would make any grunge fan

jacks, variable resistor and switch. If you want to ecstatic.

Project 14—Phone Static Injector

There is nothing worse than sharing a single phone This device injects a crackling, hissing sound line with a chatty room mate, or siblings who like into the phone line so that the incessant gabbers to gab for hours while you are waiting for a call simply have no choice but to keep their calls short.

from one of your pals. Now, if you were a typical You can control the amount of noise on the phone person with manners and such, you might just ask as well as tweak the type of noise by changing the offender to cut the call short so you can use the variable resistors V1 and V2. The noise is

phone, but I can bet that this type of behavior is generated by exploiting the noisy characteristics of not your style! Why not use your Evil Genius the common LM386 1-watt audio amplifier IC,

skills to “hack” the chatter bugs off the phone? I and by feeding its input with its gain control pin—

can’t think of a single person who would want to yikes! Hey, if it’s noise you want, then it’s noise yap on a phone with an extremely noisy line, you’ll get. The source of the noise sounds much especially if the noise is so bad that you can’t hear like a cordless phone out of range, and depending the other person. Enter the phone static injector!

on how far you crank V1, will sound like a slight 61

+9 V

V1

ON

+

LM386

C2

C1

+

Phone

jack

R1

V2

Figure 4-18

Cutting up a standard phone cord

soldering the end may be a bit difficult, but with a Gnd

little patience it can be done. As shown in

V1: 10K

Pot

C1: 10

µF

R1: 10

Ohm

V2: 1MEG

Pot

C2: 100

µF

Figure 4-18, the red and green wires (center pair on my cable) are stripped of insulation and

Figure 4-17

Phone static injector schematic

soldered so they can be used with my circuit.

hiss to a total loss of signal, causing an abrupt end The circuit is very simple, with a minimum parts to the call you are hijacking. The schematic for the count, so it can be built any way you like. I used phone static injector is shown in Figure 4-17.

my trusty perf. board again as shown in Figure 4-19, Since this device must plug into any phone jack just before I soldered the phone jack in place. Do on the wall in order to make noise on all of the not work on the circuit while it is plugged into the phones using that line, you are going to need a phone jack because, when your phone rings, there standard phone cord to cut up and use as an

will be approximately 100 volts emitted across the interface cable. This phone cord can take the form line, and I guarantee that you will feel a serious of a double-ended cord to connect a phone base or jolt if your fingers are holding on to both wires.

modem to the wall, or it can be a phone extension To test the device, switch it on and slowly crank up cord with a male and female jack at each end.

variable resistor V1 to begin injecting the noise Regardless of the type of cord you butcher, it will source into the phone line.

have at least two conductors, and as many as four, You must be listening to a phone (cordless or although only two of them are being used. You corded) connected to the same line somewhere in need to cut one end off the cord so that you have a the house in order to test the unit, of course. The length of cable with one male telephone jack at other variable resistor V2, can be used to tweak the one end and bare wires at the other. The two wires noise from a nice smooth hiss, to some unreal half-you want will be red and green, and the other two digital, half-analog crackling that will surely make wires that are not needed will be black and yellow.

someone get off the phone in a hurry. Also, when Cut away the black and yellow wires, then

you are done annoying the phone users, remember carefully strip the insulation from the red and to switch off the device, or unplug it from the wall green pair so you can solder the tips. Whatever you or you may not get any more incoming calls,

do, never cut the red wire (sorry, I just had to say especially if V1 is turned up enough to take the Project 14—Phone Static Injector it)! The wire may be a funky braided material, so phone line to the “off the hook” state. The phone 62

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure

Figure 4-19

Static injector circuit assembled

static injector will run for a very long time off a 9-volt battery, and looks sophisticated with a few control knobs and a black box for a cabinet as shown in Figure 4-20.

Keep in mind that your phone company would

definitely not approve of this device and,

depending on where you live, it may be against the law to connect such a device. Whose rules? As with every Evil Genius device, check the laws of the land where you live. Well, I will leave that up to you to figure out, but as usual, don’t mention my name if the phone police manage to get past your laser perimeter security and haul you away for some friendly “questioning.” Have fun!

Figure 4-20

Can you hear me now?

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure

This practical joke is extremely effective and it of silence, then three clunks again, over and over will fool even the most hard-core computer nerd, until you realize the horrible truth—your warez owing to the amount of detail put into making it collection is history, dude! What makes this prank sound real. If you have owned a computer long work is the fact that we will be using an actual enough, then you have likely heard the tell-tale hard disk to re-create the sound of the arm striking sound that a hard disk drive makes when it has the stopper as it does when the heads or disk failed—clunk, clunk, clunk, pause, clunk, clunk, surface have failed. This sound is unique, and clunk. Yes, three clunks followed by a few seconds difficult to re-create, but since a failed hard disk 63

drive is easy to find, we will just rip out all the hard disk drive as shown in Figure 4-22. At the top hard drive’s guts and make a simple circuit that left there is a pair of magnets that create a strong whacks the arm against the stopper just like it did magnetic field for the electromagnetic voice coil, when it failed. Because of the extreme realism of which is placed between them. This voice coil is the failure sound, this prank is perfect for the mounted on the end of the arm that carries the computer lab, and will always fool anyone who drive’s read/write heads from one side of the has heard this doom sound before, especially if platter(s) to the other, much like an old record they lost data due to inadequate backups.

player operates. Yes, I used to have vinyl records.

You do remember to backup your data regularly, When a drive fails, often this arm is moved back don’t you?

and forth several times across the entire radius of Anyhow, find a hard drive, any hard drive, dead the disk platter in a futile attempt to read some or alive, and rip the cover off. This may seem easy data. Of course, owing to the nature of the failure at first but, because many hard drive manufacturers (often in the read/write heads), no data are ever compete with each other to see who can invent the found, and the arm clunks off the small stopper, weirdest and most annoying screw head, you may which prevents the heads from traveling too far off need to resort to using pliers to get those oddball the disk platter. It is this clunking sound that we bolts to loosen up. As shown in Figure 4-21, I want to recreate, so the easiest way to do so will forced the top cover bolts loose by gripping them be to use the actual drive mechanics.

with pliers so I can finish taking them out with a The only parts of the drive we will be using are screwdriver that somewhat fits into the star-shaped the voice coil and read/write head arm, so you can head. Use any means necessary to get those bolts keep removing those annoying bolts until that is all to loosen up, including vice grips or side cutters if that remains. Remove the controller board from the you have to. Oh, and yes, this certainly voids the underside of the drive, and then remove the motor drive’s warranty.

and platters by taking out the five or six bolts that Once you manage to get the top cover free

hold the plates and platter to the motor spindle (don’t forget about the bolts hidden under the (more annoying bolt heads). When you are done, sticker), you will see the innards of a once-working there will be plenty of room left inside the drive Project 15—Hard Drive Failure Figure 4-21 Beginning the hard drive autopsy 64

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure

Figure 4-22

Inside a typical hard disk drive

Figure 4-23

Only the arm mechanics remain

casing for your battery and circuit board for a nice in order to send power to the voice coil

compact unit. Do not remove the little board that electromagnet. If you are lucky, the wiring will be attaches the thin ribbon cable connected to the arm easy to follow from the two fine wires coming to the base of the drive casing, as we will need to directly from the voice coil, down the ribbon cable solder a pair of wires to the end of that cable, and out to the underside of the drive casing where where the controller board once sent power to the the controller used to connect. If you have to do it voice coil. Since the voice coil is allowed to travel the hard way like I did, then get a 9-volt battery freely between the two magnets, applying power to with two bare wires coming from it and randomly the coil will send the arm all the way to one side, test the 12 or more points in pairs until you hear causing it to bang off the stopper, making the the drive arm pop to one side. It may take a bit of desired noise we are after. Figure 4-23 shows what trial and error, but you will eventually find the is left after all the unnecessary parts have been correct pair, and maybe if you’re lucky along the removed from the hard disk.

way you will get to see the drive head burn up The only hard part in making this project work when you short it with the battery—yeah, that’d be is finding the two points that need to be connected cool. When you do find the two points that make 65

Figure 4-24

Voice coil electromagnet connection points the voice coil work, solder a pair of wires there, The schematic also has a 5-volt regulator to and then tape them to the drive casing so that they allow operation from a 9-volt battery, and is do not break off. Figure 4-24 shows the two points necessary owing to the 5–6-volt requirement of I needed to connect to in order to get the voice coil the 4017 counter. I tried running the works from to activate, and wouldn’t you know it, they were a 9-volt source to make things simpler, but it the last two points I tested. Thanks Murphy of doesn’t work, trust me. The three diodes connected Murphy’s Law, whomever you are.

to each output pin stop current from feeding back Now on to the good stuff, the circuit that makes into the 4017 outputs as they switch on and off in this device do its duty. As shown in Figure 4-25, sequence. LEDs could be used in place of the the schematic for this device looks a bit complex at standard diodes if you like, and would give you a first, but it is relatively simple, consisting of a visual feedback of which pins are active, almost simple 555 timer set to oscillate at about 120 cycles like a simple light chaser. Feel free to experiment per minute, and a 4017 decade counter, which with component values to see what happens. It’s allows us to set the “rhythm” of the drive clunking.

all about hacking and learning by trial and error, A decade counter counts to ten by sending a 5-volt right?

“logical one” to one of ten output pins for every The computer hard-drive failure simulator is clock pulse that is sent to its input in pin 14. If we shown in Figure 4-26, ready to make some poor, simply connected the voice coil directly to the unsuspecting, computer nerd head for the nearest 555 timer’s output, it would bang off of the stopper backup server to make sure the most recent backup non-stop about twice every second, and that would has been made. Yes, indeed, this little device not fool the true computer nerd who knows the sounds like the real deal when it is placed behind a sound of a failed hard disk drive. By connecting computer cabinet or even inside the cabinet if you the voice coil to only the first three digits of the really want to go all the way. A few additions to 4017 counter, we get three clunks, followed by make this prank even funnier might be a remote seven blanks, effectively creating a rhythm from trigger running from your victim’s desk to yours the incoming clock pulses that sounds exactly like so you can be there when it goes down (literally).

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure a failed drive.

If you know your way around a computer, and are 66

Project 15—Hard Drive Failure

+9 V

LM7805

Out

In

2

Gnd

1

3

D1

D2

D3

R1

R2

Hard drive

voice coil

555 timer

74HC4017 decade counter

+

C1

R1: 100K

D1: 1N4001

D3: 1N4001

Gnd

R2: 100K

D2: 1N4001

C1: 1

µF

Figure 4-25

Voice coil “rhythm” circuit

Figure 4-26

Computer drive clunker ready to scare

not afraid to do a little hacking, you could power even more realistic, open up a full-screen

the unit from the 12-volt line on one of the free command prompt and type some horrible failure power connectors inside the computer so that the message like, “Error reading cluster 956431, hard clunker begins to work once the computer is

disk drive controller failure.” I’m sure that you will switched on. If you only have a small window of come up with ways to horrify your computer

opportunity to plant the device, but want to make it buddies. After all, you are the Evil Genius.

67

Project 16—Serious Car Troubles

This project is a simple mechanical device that the larger the motor, the louder the sound will be.

makes a load banging sound much like a “monkey I have chosen a common 3–6-volt toy motor that wrench” thrown into a finely tuned machine with I will be running at 9 volts to get some serious many large gears. OK, that may be a little far bang out of my device. A larger motor such as the fetched, but this thing sure can make a lot of noise type found in remote controlled (RC) race cars will that sounds like serious engine or transmission make a serious amount of noise, but will also troubles requiring immediate attention. If you slip require a much larger battery than a simple 9-volt it under the seat and flip it on just as your type. The choice is yours, and will most likely unsuspecting buddy starts the vehicle, it will depend on what’s in RC your scrap parts pile.

certainly make a disturbing sound as though

Also shown in Figure 4-27 is a bolt and the

something has just gone awry with the engine. Of inside of a large twist connector. This will be my course, a device like this could be used for more method of adding the out-of-balance weight to the than just engine troubles, and it will enjoy banging end of my motor shaft, and again, this is just a away just about anywhere there is a machine with hack, so use whatever means you like to get some moving parts that normally does not sound like a type of out-of-balance weight on to the end of that bucket of bolts caught in a blender. For this simple motor shaft. The size of the weight will depend on mechanical project, you will need a DC motor of the power that the motor can deliver and the type some type and some way of connecting a weight of cabinet used, so don’t try to swing a bowling on the end of the motor shaft. The weight will ball around with a 200-milliamp toy car motor.

throw the motor off balance since most of the mass Also, if the weight sticks out too far off the motor is on one side of the shaft, causing all kinds of shaft, it may not fit into your enclosure, so take beautiful clanking and vibrating, depending on the this into account when you are testing the parts.

nature of the mounting and cabinet used to contain My bolt and fastener, shown in Figure 4-28, is this evil work of art. As shown in Figure 4-27, about the largest weight I could get away with on a common small DC motor will do the job and, this size of motor and, when powered by a 9-volt battery, the bolt spins around and vibrates the Project 16—Serious Car Troubles Figure 4-27 A small DC motor and weight Figure 4-28

Mounting the weight to the motor shaft

68

Project 16—Serious Car Troubles

motor so much that it’s almost impossible to hold The rest of this project is easy. Just solder some on to.

wires to your motor, a switch and the battery so Once you have some type of weight attached to you can turn the horrible noise-maker off once the the motor shaft to create a good vibration, fasten joke is over. Figure 4-30 shows how I mounted the the motor to some type of cabinet to contain the parts on to the lid of my cabinet so that the guts unit. There are two ways to do this, but each will can be dropped into the box when the lid is

give a different result and type of clunking. The installed. If you choose the spring-mounted motor simple method is to fasten the motor to the inside system, ensure that your wires are securely

of whatever cabinet you plan to use so that the soldered to the motor terminals, and try to use a weight is allowed to spin freely while the motor is wire that can take the repetitive flexing it must held solidly in place. This method will not make endure as the motor vibrates all over the place.

much noise, but will vibrate the cabinet and Some careful tweaking of the motor mounting

whatever it may come in contact with so that the position in the cabinet may also be necessary to noise is generated by the actual shaking of your avoid having the weight come too close to the target machine. The second method, which is the one that I used, makes a lot more noise by letting the motor flail all over the place while randomly striking the sides of the cabinet with the spinning weight. This method makes a truly nasty sound that will make your victim’s eyes light up when he or she hears it. This noisy method requires the motor to be mounted on some type of spring or rubber pad so that it can jostle around a bit, letting the weight strike the insides of the cabinet randomly. Figure 4-29 shows my spring-mounted motor mount made from a pair of bolts, a spring and a wire wrap. Again, use some creativity, and whatever parts you have collected to make your system work.

Figure 4-29

A spring mounted motor for serious noise Figure 4-30

Parts ready for installation

69

inside walls of the cabinet, or it may simply get stuck. What you want is some good striking action, but also some good motor revolutions to get the weight up to speed.

The cabinet is basically empty, but that little motor bounces around so much that I needed all of that room to keep the weight from becoming stuck inside the cabinet. Figure 4-31 shows my final product, ready to make anyone’s car, motorcycle, photocopier or even school locker sound like it has become possessed by 1,000 angry demons. Yes, this device can really throw a monkey wrench into Figure 4-31

The noise this thing makes is exquisite

the gears, or so it would sound.

I hope that you enjoyed the mechanical mayhem After all, getting even with your buddies for chapter. I know I had a great time building and previously played pranks is war, my friend, and testing out all these wonderful devices on my you must fight! But, remember, it’s all in good fun.

unbelievably patient friends. Feel free to mix and match some of the technologies and ideas

In the next chapter, we will create more mayhem presented in these and other chapters to create your with various devices and things that go bump in own truly evil arsenal of high-tech practical jokes.

the night.

Project 16—Serious Car Troubles

70

Chapter 5

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes

Have you ever seen those funny scenes in cartoons have to dice up a pair of them to get two blank where a person is trapped in the dark, then all of a halves. The ping-pong balls are very thin and rip sudden glowing, blinking eyes pop out of

easily, so start by digging a small hole in the side nowhere? Well, that’s what this next project is all along the equator using a drill bit turned by hand about, but it works in the real world. This prank so you can have a place to start cutting. Place the works best in a large dark room, or at night time tip of a very sharp small scissor blade into the hole outside in a forested area because the eyes will and try to cut along the visible equator, dividing look very realistic at a distance, especially when the ball into two equal parts. You will probably they start to blink. The key to this project is the have to trim the ball down a little more to get the pattern that an LED will make on a diffused

best LED pattern on the inside, but it’s best to start surface such as a ping-pong ball that looks like an with half a ball and remove a bit more material iris from some nocturnal animal reflecting the later. Take one of your LEDs and power it up with moonlight. The added realism of the blinking a small 3-volt button cell so you can see how far shutters will make most people turn around and away from the inside of the ball the LED should be run if they spot the eyes from across a dark room to project the best-looking “iris” on to the surface.

or peering at them from the dark surrounding As shown in Figure 5-2, the beam of light from the forest. Strap the eyes to a tree behind the outhouse, LED will project a pupil and iris on to the diffused or place them at the end of a long dark hallway, surface of a ping-pong ball when held at an inch or and watch your friends scatter in fear!

so away from the top of the ball. Don’t worry For this project, you will need two white

about overdriving the voltage on the LED with a ping-pong balls and two bright LEDs, preferably button cell, as there will not be enough current of the high-intensity white variety. Any color available in the battery to hurt the LED, and it will ping-pong ball and LED will indeed work, but probably not be nearly as bright as it would be only the white LEDs and surface will look like real with proper power supply and less voltage.

eyes in the night, unless your friends believe in Next, find a suitable plastic box that can hold red-eyed demons. Figure 5-1 shows the parts used the two LEDs and ping-pong ball halves at a

for this project—the two bright white LEDs and a distance of between 5 and 6 inches apart, as well as pair of white ping-pong balls.

having room for a small circuit board and 9-volt The ping-pong balls will be cut in half to be battery. The LEDs will be mounted to the cabinet used as diffusion screens for the LEDs, but since through holes drilled in the top and then the two most of them have a logo on one half, you will ping-pong ball halves will be glued over the LEDs.

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Some experimentation will be needed in order to find the perfect depth to cut the ball halves in order to project the best-looking iris once the LEDs are mounted in the cabinet, which is why it’s best to start with exactly half a ball and then trim a bit off until you have something that looks good. I found that the ping-pong balls needed about 1⁄4 inch off past the equator for the LEDs I am using, but keep in mind that the field of view on an LED can vary quite a few degrees, so test this for yourself. Usually, the brighter LEDs (rated in millicandela (thousands of candela)) will project a sharper iris, but require less Figure 5-1

Two white LEDs and ping-pong balls

distance from the surface of the ball, owing to the narrow viewing angle. As shown in Figure 5-3, the LEDs are mounted through holes in the plastic box, and the position of the ping-pong balls over the LEDs has been traced using a black marker.

Now let’s create the mechanical eyelids to make the evil eyes look much more convincing. Sure, you could just strap the glowing eyes to a tree like they are, but they may only fool the most paranoid of victims, so the addition of a little mechanical motion will be sure to get them all. The eyelids are nothing more than dark shutters that are repulled over the glowing eyes at a rate controlled by a timer circuit, but at a distance in the dark they do indeed look like blinking eyes. The shutters are made by forming what looks like the frames of a Figure 5-2

Projecting an iris and a pupil on to

pair of eyeglasses using a bit of copper wire taken the ball

from some house wiring. The shutters connect to Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes Figure 5-3 Mounting the LEDs in the plastic box 72

Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes

the box at each side by sticking the end of the wire evil and angry, just like those cartoon eyes I was into a pair of drilled holes so the can freely move talking about earlier.

up and down over the ball halves. The eyelid parts The actual eyelids are made from black

of the shutters are made by soldering two small electrical tape cut around the shape of the eyelid loops of the same copper wire on to the main wire wires as shown in Figure 5-5. Actually, any dark so it ends up looking something like the one I material that you can tape or glue to the eyelids made in Figure 5-4. Feel free to make the eyelids will work, as long as it blocks out all of the light any shape you like to convey a little emotion.

when placed in front of the ball halves. Also Angled upwards, the eyelids make the eyes look shown in the photo is an elastic band tied around Figure 5-4

Making the eyelid shutters from some copper wire Figure 5-5

Eyelid covers and elastic band installed 73

Figure 5-6

Connecting the motor arm to the eyelids

the center of the shutter so that they can be pulled power applied to the motor to lift the actuator arm.

up and down by the motor actuator that will be This wood screw stops the eyelids from dropping installed shortly. Cut a small elastic band in half, below the eyes to create a more natural blinking then tie one end to the center of the shutter.

illusion. If you have trouble tying the elastic to The up and down movement of the eyelid shutter either part of the wire, just do your best, then use a will be delivered by a high-tech rotary actuator bit of hot glue to secure it in place. Now, your with a right-angle drive system—this is also motor should be able to lift the eyelids up and known as a “toy motor” with a bit of copper wire down at levels that look like realistic blinking from soldered to the shaft. You can use any motor with a distance in the dark. Avoid dropping the 9-volt enough power to lift the shutters up and down battery directly across the motor at this point, or using the elastic band as a towing wire, so look for you may bend or loosen the copper arm from the a small electric motor from a kid’s toy. As shown torque. It’s best to try the motor on less voltage or in Figure 5-6, a small actuator arm is made by through a current limiting resistor of 10 or wrapping a bit of copper wire around the motor 20 ohms. The schematic for the eye blinker is shaft then soldering it in place so it does not slip.

shown in Figure 5-7, and it uses a simple 555 timer The elastic is then tied to the end of the actuator circuit to drive the motor for about half a second arm so that, at full rotation, the eyelids uncover at and then repeats the cycle about once a second.

least 80 percent of the ball halves, and when no This timing cycle can be altered by changing the power is applied to the motor, the shutters drop values of resistors R1 and R2 or by increasing the back over the eyes. A little experimentation with value of C1 for much longer blink cycles.

the length of the copper wire arm and the elastic Resistors R3 and R4 limit the current to both the will be necessary, so make things longer than they LEDs and the motor, and should be chosen based need to be at first and trim them down as needed.

on the components you plan to use. If you do not Also shown in Figure 5-6 is a small wood screw know the current capabilities of the LEDs you placed at one side of the box to restrict how far have, then start with a higher value for R3 such Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes down the shutters will travel when there is no 1K, and work your way down to increase the

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Project 17—Glowing Blinking Eyes

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brightness of the LEDs if necessary. Keep in mind that brighter is not always better or your eyes will not look like they are reflecting moonlight—they will look like obvious fakes. The eyes should be R1

R2

visible at 20 feet away, but not shine so bright that R3

they look like yard lights. In my design, I drove the LEDs at about 1⁄10 the brightness level they were capable of if full current were applied. R4 also 555 timer

Motor

limits the current that will be delivered to the motor, and since the 555 is directly driving the motor, this is necessary. Normally a 555 timer R4

would not be used to drive a motor, owing to LEDs

limited current sinking capabilities, but we only

+

want enough torque to lift the shutters so the C1

copper arm does not slam in the box cabinet when it reaches full rotation. Also, the motor will be in the stall position for a small amount of time, but Gnd

that also creates a large load on the timer, another R1: 2.2K

R3: 470

ohm

C1: 10

µF

R2: 10K

R4: 10 ohm 1 watt

reason why R4 is very important. If you find that the timer warms up after a few blink cycles, or the Figure 5-7

Eye blinker timer schematic

eyelids pop open with way too much force, then increase the value of R4 until things are working properly. The simple circuit is assembled on a bit of perforated board as shown in Figure 5-8, ready for installation into the little black box.

Figure 5-8

Circuit board ready for installation

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A decent-sized magnet glued to the back of the cabinet will make mounting the object on metal surfaces very convenient, as well as a pair of hooks at each side of the case for wrapping it around a pole or tree. The best height for the device is about 4 feet off of the ground to simulate the size of a wolf or some other large nocturnal creature that can hold its ground against a full-grown human.

Another little trick you could use to make the Figure 5-9

Are you looking at me?

illusion even more convincing for outdoor use is the installation of the device on a spring-loaded bit loud, then you could try increasing the value of pole so that it wavers a bit in the wind, making it R4 to limit the motor current a bit more, or try look as though the creature was trying to get a adding a bit of sponge at the points where there is distance bearing on its prey (you) before attacking.

mechanical contact to lessen the click. At 20 feet or Figure 5-9 is a shot of my blinking eyes as they so, the unit does not make any noticeable noise, peer back at me deep in the dark corner of the and this seems to be a perfect distance to make the storage room. Would you hang around to

eyes look real. So next time you are out at camp investigate?

telling stories of blood-thirsty wolves and man-Besides the faint clinking noise that the eyes eating bears, add these glowing, blinking eyes into make when they blink, the illusion is pretty eerie the mix for a real good scare. The first person to look at, and at a distance, there would be no brave enough to use the outhouse at midnight will audible noise at all. If you find that the motor is a be back in a real hurry, I bet!

Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare

This project may seem overly simple compared to little fun with a buddy who was watching our some of the projects in this book requiring

house for the night, since I owed him one for some hardware hacking or electronics work, but I find it other prank that was played on me in the past.

to be so effective that I just had to include it. You I recorded what sounded like a crazed lunatic will only need one thing for this project, a smashing through the window and then added

computer with sound capabilities and any

some pitch change effects to make it sound as evil microphone, and the entire prank is done using as possible. The speakers on my computer were tools already built into the operating system. This cranked up very loud so that, when the sound was project is called the computer audio nightmare triggered at 3 am, the “fake home invasion” would because it uses your personal computer (PC) to sound like the real deal. Apparently, the prank playback a loud audio clip in the middle of the went over so well that I am expecting payback any night, running your victim’s peaceful slumber and time now!

making it sound as though they are being invaded Let’s start with what you need to record sound by a SWAT team, or attacked by evil minions of into your PC—a microphone with a jack

the night. I came up with this project to have a compatible with the input on your sound card.

Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare

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Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare

As shown in Figure 5-10, most PCs will have a so there may not be an external connector, but that 1⁄8 stereo plug for a microphone or input device, is OK, as long as there is some way to record and will often have a photo of a microphone or an sound into the computer. If you are familiar with arrow pointing towards the jack indicating that this multimedia software and sound recording, then is the plug for your microphone. I don’t know if you are probably already thinking about ways to there are any color standards, but the microphone create scary sound effects for this gag, so feel free jacks on the PCs in my house have a pink outline.

to browse ahead now that you understand what this Some PCs and many laptops may have a

project is about. If you have never tried to get microphone built right into the case somewhere, sound into your computer before, then find a microphone that will fit into the microphone or input jack on your computers sound card. Often, these simple microphones are included with the computer, and can be purchased at any computer store for under $10 (they are called multimedia microphones). Once you have the microphone

plugged into the input jack on the computer’s sound card, open up the volume control by double clicking on the little speaker icon at the bottom right of your task bar. These instructions are based on Windows XP, since it is the most widely used operating system at the time this book was written, but you will be able to follow along with just about any operating system (Windows Vista also has the same programs and controls we need). Figure 5-11

Figure 5-10

A microphone input jack

shows the panel that will appear once you double Figure 5-11

Sound record and playback control panel

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click on the volume icon, or engage it from the enough recording. Start by moving the microphone start menu.

slide all the way up and then click on “Advanced”, As shown in Figure 5-11, start by clicking on if your panel has such a button, to reveal the

“Options,” then click on “Properties,” and finally microphone boost panel, if available. Again, crank click on “Recording” so you can make sure that all sliders to the max, and check off “Microphone the button “Microphone” is checked off, indicating Boost”, if such a button is available on your that the microphone input is the currently active system. Now you can click “OK,” or apply through sound input port on the computer’s sound card.

all of the panels in order set and close your Once “Microphone” is selected, press OK to bring microphone properties. Your microphone is set to up the microphone input properties panel as shown be the default sound input device, and its volume in Figure 5-12.

level will be set to the maximum level so you do not have to scream at the top of your lungs in order The control panel shown in Figure 5-12 lets you to make a decent recording, although you may adjust the input levels for your microphone, and want to anyhow! Now, let’s start up the basic you will want to ensure that everything is

sound recorder that is built into your operating

“cranked” to the limit in order to get a loud system so you can test your microphone and make Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare Figure 5-12 Recording input controls 78

Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare

Figure 5-13

Running the basic operating system sound record program basic recordings. As shown in Figure 5-13, click on “Start,” then “Programs,” then “Accessories,”

then “Entertainment,” and finally on the program called “Sound Recorder.”

This sound recording program is as basic as it gets, but will be more than enough to record whatever horrific yelps, screams, or barks you want to use to wake your slumbering pals up in a hurry. You can even add a bit of echo, or slow the Figure 5-14

Recorded sound is shown as a wave

sound down to make it sound like it came spewing from an evil demon by lowering the pitch of the plug, everything should be working fine, but if recording. The sound recorder program will open a there is no modulation in the sound recorders tiny window with a few options such as record, window, simply try the other input lugs until you effects and file functions. Go ahead and click on see something. If that does not help, re-check the the record button as shown in Figure 5-14 to start record input control to ensure that the microphone recording sound from your microphone.

input is selected and cranked up. Practice making Any sound heard by the microphone will be

the most terrible sounds you possibly can, maybe translated into a wave shape in the little sound throwing in a bit of echo, or a pitch drop to mess recording window as shown in Figure 5-14, as I things up to the max, and then save one of the cackle and grumble into my microphone, reciting sounds using the “Save” commands on the menu my favorite lines from the Evil Dead trilogies for bar. Save the file to a place on your hard disk later playback. If your microphone is properly that is easy to find, since we are now going to run connected and your volume control set to monitor the scheduling tool to trigger it. As shown in the correct input, then you should see a nice Figure 5-15, the path to the built-in “task

saturated wave file as you speak into the

scheduler” is a long one, but I assure you that microphone at a moderate level. If something every version of Windows has one of these

isn’t connected correctly, then your PC’s hard applications, and it will let you run any program, disk drive is probably laying on the other side of sound or video file that your mouse can click on, your room in a large plume of smoke as the rest and it will do it at any time you tell it to.

of the computer incinerates in a huge red fireball.

On XP, the program is called “Scheduled Tasks,”

No seriously, unless you are in the wrong input and will bring up a new window like the one

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Figure 5-15

Starting the scheduler program

shown in Figure 5-16. All you have to do in order scheduler program. The only step left is to set the to schedule the sound to play at some specific time time you want the event to happen as shown in is to click on “Add Scheduled Task,” then

Figure 5-17.

“Browse,” and then locate the sound file you have You can set the event to occur only once

just saved, and click on it. In Figure 5-16, I have (recommended), or at any given interval if you selected the file “FBI-Raid.wav” as the sound file like, and then the actual time is entered in the last that will be blasted through the house at wee hours box as shown in Figure 5-17. Once you select a of the night on volume levels that will make it time, press “Next,” and the task will be set to run sound as though it were really happening.

as long as your PC is powered up when the chosen Normally, the task scheduler would be used to time comes around. You might want to choose a trigger an application, but you can choose a time such as 1 minute from now just to test your sound file due to the fact that your operating volume and make sure the sound is going to trigger system will spawn whatever program is

properly, as you can always reschedule the event associated with the sound file to play it back.

again by right clicking on it and entering another Basically, whatever happens when you click on time. Now your PC is ready to scare the wits out any file with your mouse pointer is what will of your buddy in the middle of the night—a true Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare happen if you choose it as the target for the task computer audio nightmare indeed!

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Project 18—Computer Audio Nightmare

Figure 5-16

Scheduling a sound file for later playback Figure 5-17

Choosing an event time

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Project 19—Rats in the Walls

If you have ever had a furry little critter invade wire I salvaged from an old solenoid and a tiny your home, then you are probably familiar with the square magnet taken from a magnetic name plate aggravating sounds that the little rodents make in of some sort. The magnet only needs to be the size your walls at night as they scurry about. Well, this of an aspirin, or even a fragment of another larger little device will closely simulate the same sound a magnet since its only job is to rattle around a bit.

mouse or rat would make in a wall, and will only To wind the coil, find a cylindrical object

operate at night, so it’s very difficult to track down.

slightly larger than the magnet with a smooth Even the light of a flashlight will make the device surface so you can wind the coil and then slide go silent, so your unsuspecting victim’s rodent if off easily when completed. For my magnet, an hunting expedition will likely fail. This project AA battery was the perfect size, and would allow uses a 555 timer set up as an oscillator that drives the wound coil to be slid off without any trouble.

its output into a small open-core electromagnet in You will want at least 150 turns in your coil, and if order to vibrate a tiny permanent magnet floating you have a lot of wire, use 200 or more turns. This inside the coil. The result is a random sound may seem like a lot of wire, but 150 turns is only resembling the sounds that a small animal would about 20 feet of wire, and it takes less than a make as it gnaws at wood or some other hard

minute to make the entire coil. Wind the wire material. For this project, you will need some thin, tightly, and leave at least 6 inches at both ends so enameled, copper wire to wind an open core coil.

you can make the connection to your circuit board.

This copper wire can be found in any small

Figure 5-19 shows the completely wound 150 turn transformer, toy motor, solenoid, relay and many coil ready to be slid from the battery used as a form.

other small electromagnet devices. You can also Be careful when you remove the coil from the purchase spools of this wire at many hobby shops form, as it may tend to unravel once the form is no for a few dollars. The exact size of the wire is not longer holding it tightly together. As shown in all that important. Figure 5-18 shows some copper Figure 5-20, a few turns around each side of the coil using some of the leftover copper wire will hold the unit together so you can handle it without it unwrapping. Now you can test your coil and magnet by placing the magnet into the center of Figure 5-18

A tiny magnet and some spare

Figure 5-19

Only 150 turns on a battery makes

Project 19—Rats in the Walls copper wire the coil

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Project 19—Rats in the Walls

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R1

R2

555 timer

Figure 5-20

Finished coil and a tiny NIB magnet

Coil and

magnet

the coil and applying power to the leads with a 9-volt battery. The magnet should jump around a

+

bit as you apply and then release it. Do not hold C1

the battery on the coil too long, or you may find it getting very hot due to its low resistance. If you find that there is not enough magnetism to move Gnd

CDS cell

the magnet even a little bit, then you may need to R1: 2.2K

R2: 10K

C1: 1

µF

make a coil with more turns, or try a much

Figure 5-21

Light-activated coil-pulsing schematic

stronger magnet. A black ceramic magnet is many times weaker than an equal size NIB (neodymium) magnet, so you may want to try one of those

but in the end, the hand wound coils worked the instead—they are usually silver in color.

best overall.

Once you are satisfied with the amount of

With the circuit working the way I wanted, the movement from your coil and magnet, build the few semiconductors and coil were transferred to a 555 timer circuit shown in the schematic

small piece of perforated board for installation into (Figure 5-21). This 555 timer will pulse the coil at the usual black box (Figure 5-23). The best way to a rate determined by C1, R1 and R2, so feel free to mount the coil and magnet for optimal noise

experiment with the values to get the most realistic making is simply to glue the coil to the base of sounding critter you can. The 555 timer will only whatever cabinet you plan to put things into and start if there is no light hitting the surface of the then glue a cap (pop-bottle lid) over the coil to CDS cell, or while it is removed from the circuit keep the magnet from jumping out of the coil altogether for testing purposes. Ensure that the 555

center. The CDS cell should be placed over an timer does not warm up while the unit is running opening in the cabinet, if it is not translucent, so or you will have to either add more turns or a the light-activation circuit will function properly.

resistor in series with the coil to reduce its When there is enough light in the room that you resistance or slow down the pulse rate to the coil can see from one side to the other, the unit should by increasing the value of capacitor C1.

not be making any noise at all. To adjust the I always like to build the circuit on a prototyping sensitivity of the device, just aim the CDS cell to breadboard as shown in Figure 5-22 before I solder the light source in the room, or to a bright any components or wiring for permanent

reflecting surface like a white wall or glossy floor.

installation. In Figure 5-22 I tested a few different The unit will not draw much current when

coils and magnets that I found in my scrap bin to the lights are on, so I did not bother installing an see which ones gave the best sound for this device, on–off switch, and removed the battery until it was 83

Figure 5-22

Prototyping the circuit before the final build time to play the prank. The device works great when hidden behind some furniture so it cannot be seen easily. If it is pressed up against a wall, the chewing noises sound as though they are coming from inside the wall due to vibrations. You have to remember to orient the device so that the magnet bounces around on the base of the cabinet. Ensure you label one side as the “top.” Now you can tell your pals all about the huge rat or mice you saw scurrying across the floor so they will have something to think about as night falls and the Figure 5-23

Components ready for the black box

gnawing sounds begin!

Project 20—Footsteps in the Night

This project is very similar to the last one, but walking along a hard surface, a motor with an instead of rodents chewing in the walls, we will be unequal length weighted T-bar is placed on the simulation the sounds of footsteps walking across shaft so it will make that well known “click-clop,”

a hard surface. This device is also night activated,

“click-clop” sound of heels or boots. Feel free to so it can be placed at the end of a long hallway, or experiment with the size and type of materials at the far side of a room with a hardwood or used to make the footstep simulator, but for concrete floor to make it sound like someone is starters, a motor, a few nuts, and a bit of copper creeping around in the dark. Of course, once the wire will be needed as shown in Figure 5-24. This lights are switched on, the sound instantly stops, motor was taken from a dismantled CD drive, and and the source of the ghostly footsteps cannot be the copper wire is a bit of house wiring with the Project 20—Footsteps in the Night found. To create the sounds of heels or boots insulation removed.

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Project 20—Footsteps in the Night

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R1

R2

555 timer

Motor

Figure 5-24

A motor, some copper wire, and two nuts

+

C1

Gnd

CDS cell

R1: 2.2K

R2: 10K

C1: 47

µF

Figure 5-26

Motor-pulsing circuit based on a

555 timer

Figure 5-25

The T-bar and weights mounted

to the shaft

whatever type of walking sounds you like. If you have a marble floor, then a tile may be better than Figure 5-25 shows how I made the unequal-a plastic box, or you may want to try different length T-bar using the copper wire and nuts to weight objects as well to get a more realistic create the walking sounds. The reason the T-bar is sounding walk for your environment. The size of longer on one side is so that the weights (nuts) hit the motor can also alter the sound, but I doubt you the surface of the device at different rates, just like will be able to power a motor much larger than the a heel and sole hit the surface of the floor at type I am using without having to add a driver different rates when a person is walking along a transistor since the 555 can only sink a small hard surface. The timer circuit will simply engage amount of current. Of course, there is no reason the motor for a split second, making the first nut you couldn’t add a large driver transistor or a relay strike the surface of the device, and then once the to engage a huge motor with an actual boot tread power is removed from the motor, the other nut mounted to a large T-bar made of wood for some will drop and strike the surface, creating the beat extremely realistic walking sounds. How about a of walking feet. In my unit, one side of the arm is windshield-wiper engine with an actual boot

about 1 inch, and the other is about 2 inches. The mounted to its arm for a large outdoor unit?

center of the copper wire is wrapped around the Anyhow, Figure 5-26 shows the basic circuitry motor shaft and then held securely with a bit of used to drive the motor directly on the small solder on the wire and motor shaft.

device I am building. Notice that it is similar to the The surface that the weights will strike can be circuit in the previous project with only a small-the actual cabinet that everything will be housed value change in capacitor C1 to slow down the in, or it can be something else to simulate

pulse rate.

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In my device, I just used a bit of hot glue to secure the motor to the outside of the cabinet as shown in Figure 5-27 since there was not enough room

inside the box for the circuit board and the battery.

Having the motor and weights outside the box also allowed easy alterations of the weights to

experiment with different walking sounds,

although the simple bolt trick seemed to sound alright at a distance.

The CDS cell was mounted on the outside of the box for optimal light reception, and would shut off the 555 timer in very minimal lighting, making the source of the footsteps very difficult to track down.

The device worked best when placed in a large room where the person you are tricking cannot Figure 5-27

Footstep simulator ready for action

clearly see the device when they flip on the lights.

A carport or large badly lit basement is optimal, The motor pulse rate is determined by C1, R1

since the footsteps will echo across the room and and R2, so feel free to experiment with the values make them sound larger than they are. If you want to get the most realistic walking sound you can.

to try some additions to this device, another good You should also take note of the polarity for your idea would be a second 555 timer circuit that only motor because, when the motor is secured to the triggers the motor cycle once every few minutes so cabinet, you will want the pulses from the 555

that the walking does not begin for some time after timer to lift the long end of the T-bar, creating the the lights have gone out. There are many ways that first strike with the weight on the short end of the you can modify this simple light-activated timer to shaft, allowing the long end to simply drop back trigger all sorts of devices, so use your imagination down to the surface to create the second strike.

and haunt your buddies after midnight.

Project 21—Giant Shadow Projector

This project uses a few bright white LEDs to wall at a party, connect the LEDs to the output of project large crisp shadows on to a surface such as an amplifier and modulate some image to your the walls of a dimly lit room or on to curtains from music, you could even add a few servos and a inside a dark room to make ghostly shadows

remote control to make a large shadow appear to appear from the outside of a house. The concept of move around the room. White LEDs are extremely this project is very simple, but you can produce bright, as you probably know after looking into the some really cool effects if you play around with end of an LED flashlight and seeing the afterimage the position of the highly focused LEDs and the for a few seconds. Every few months, a

type of shape used to cast the shadows. Project a manufacturer will announce even brighter LEDs, 10-foot skull on to your picture window for

and now you can find single units that produce Project 21—Giant Shadow Projector Halloween, cast some shadowy message on the tens of thousands of MCDs. The brightness of an 86

Project 21—Giant Shadow Projector

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Figure 5-28

Six very bright white LEDs

LED is measured in millicandela (MCD), or

thousandths of a candela. Panel-mounted indicator LEDs are typically in the 50–100 MCD range,

where as ultrabright LEDs can reach 15,000 MCD, or higher right up to a million MCD or more for Gnd

large >1-watt devices used for lighting. For this project, a few highly focused white LEDs rated at Figure 5-29

Series and parallel wiring for 9 volts

8000–10,000 MCD will be perfect since you only want to cast shadows, not light up an entire room.

Figure 5-28 shows six 10,000 MCD white LEDs I A typical 9-volt alkaline battery could probably plan to use in my shadow-projecting unit.

handle 50 or more LEDs, but this would be

Depending on the brightness of the LED and

overkill for projecting shadows and would result in size of the shadows you want to project, one only a few minutes of bright light before the LED may be enough, or you may want multiple

battery began to run down. I recommend that you LEDs, like I have used, to soften the edges of the start with only the minimal number of LEDs you projected shadows. One bright LED will produce a need to create a single series-connected string, then nice sharp shadow on a wall over an area of

add more later if you find it necessary. Because the 10 foot squared from a distance of about 15 feet, leads were plenty long on each LED, I simply and multiple LEDs will cast several shadows, each drilled the appropriate-sized hole in the mounting an inch or two apart to give a more diffused look cabinet and then soldered the leads together to to the shadow. Multiple LEDs can also be driven create the wiring shown in the schematic.

by a single battery by using the appropriate, series, Remember, your LEDs may not be the same

parallel wiring, so no energy will be wasted by a voltage as mine, so the goal is to wire as many in current-limiting resistor, which would be needed in series as needed so you do not exceed the rated a single LED circuit. The schematic shown in voltage. A little less will be much better than a Figure 5-29 is my series and parallel wiring little more when dealing with LEDs and voltage.

diagram for the six LEDs in my projector, each Figure 5-30 shows the LEDs wired for 9-volt

requiring no more than 3.3 volts. Since three of operation.

them are in series, this gives 3 volts to each LED

When switched on, the six LEDs glow at an

from a 9-volt battery, plenty of light to cast nice amazing brightness that is actually hard to

large shadows. Once you have a series-connected photograph, and painful to look at directly, string of LEDs, you can add as many of those something that is not recommended, but we feel strings in parallel as you like, as long as the battery the need to do anyhow. The little light box shown can source the necessary current.

in Figure 5-31 actually makes a great LED

87

flashlight and can light up a completely dark room paper made great shadows when taped to a fine with more than enough light to get around safely.

wire and placed a few inches away from the LEDs When aimed at a lightly painted surface in the as shown in Figure 5-32. If a fan is placed near the dark, the LED projector was great at producing projected object, it would move around as if large sharp shadows from any small object placed coming to life as the fan blew it around on the fine within a few inches of the LEDs.

wire that held it in place. Projected against some Simple shapes that are printed on a standard light curtains at night, I could make it look like inkjet or toner printer, and then cut from standard Figure 5-30

Using the LED leads as wires

Figure 5-31

LED light projector completed

Project 21—Giant Shadow Projector Figure 5-32 Projecting a large devil skull 88

Project 21—Giant Shadow Projector

evil entities were moving around the house as also want to try mounting the light box to a servo viewed from outside, a great Halloween light show motor to animate the shadows, making them come indeed. There are hundreds of ways that you can to life as if projected by real objects. At night, you cast interesting or eerie images into a dark room, can create a simulation that appears as though so use your imagination and whatever junk you people are in the home for a simple home security might have laying around to experiment.

device. Well, I will leave you to come up with Certain translucent objects can enhance the

interesting ways to scare your pals when the clock image with shades of gray, or even color, and if strikes midnight. Hope you aren’t afraid of the dark.

you have a printer that can print on to

transparencies, you can make some very cool

In the next section, we will create and summon shadows that look like very real objects. You may supernatural powers to bring objects to life!

89

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Chapter 6

Evil Abounds!

Project 22—Voices from the Grave

Here is a device that will magically receive and some other hobby case. I thought the TV

whispers and voices from beyond the grave, or at remote would be a good way to hide the unit, so least it will seem so as you roam around the house that it can be placed in any room without looking listening to the voice fade in and out. The real suspicious as wannabe “ghost busters” try to track magic behind this device is an invisible beam of down the eerie voices from the grave. If you plan infrared light that carries an audio signal generated to use a TV or VCR remote control for parts, by the stealthy transmitter, which can be plugged ensure it has an infrared LED sticking out the end into any audio source used to generate the ghost or it may be an RF remote, which will not work sounds or voices. Because the audio signal is for this project. Most remote controls are of the carried on a beam of weak infrared light, the infrared variety, such as the one I am about to received audio will seem to fade in and out with a dismember in Figure 6-1.

ghostly static, as if the voice from beyond is trying To send audio through the air on an invisible hard to communicate. The unit will also pick up beam of light, we need to modulate the infrared kinds of bizarre buzzing and crackling sounds LED with some audio source feed through a low-from stray light sources, adding to the effect that power audio amplifier. The LM386 1-watt audio there is really something out there trying to amplifier IC is perfect for this job, and will require communicate. The transmitter unit is disguised as a only a single resistor to limit the LED current and TV remote, since we will use parts from it to a capacitor to remove any DC voltage from the generate the infrared light, so it is almost audio source input. As shown in Figure 6-2, the impossible to track down the source of the ghost schematic for the modulated infrared transmitter is signal. A commercial example of this device can ghostly simple. You can feed audio into the

be found by looking at any wireless headphone transmitter from any MP3 player, computer output system that uses infrared LEDs to transmit the or any audio device that has a line output, so your signal instead of radio frequencies. Our device is ghost voices can be made on practically any audio not nearly as complex as a wireless headphone appliance.

system, so it suffers signal dropouts and a lot of If you have gutted an old remote control to hide noise interference from ambient light sources, the transmitter parts in, then you may need to making it perfect for this project.

remove the original circuit board if there is limited You can start with an old TV or VCR remote to space for the 9-volt battery. You could try the get the infrared LED like I did, or simply build the original 3-volt battery source that came with the transmitter from scratch using a new infrared LED

remote, but you may find that the output from the 91

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Figure 6-1

A typical infrared remote control

transmitter is very weak and may only have a

+9 V

range of 10 feet or less. The 9-volt battery is an optimal power source for the LM386 amp and

should allow the receiver to work across a large open space, and even around some corners if the 100 ohm

wall is able to reflect the invisible infrared light.

LM386

The 100-ohm resistor can also be swapped for a Audio

input

lower value between 10 and 50 ohms if you want Infrared

LED

to try pumping up the output from the infrared 0.1 µf

LED, but try the original value first before you start pushing the upper limits of current capacity for an LED. This circuit is so simple that I didn’t bother with a circuit board and just soldered the Gnd

legs of the components together right on to the top Figure 6-2

A very simple infrared audio transmitter of the original remote control’s circuit board. You must cut the traces on the original circuit board where the LED is connected if you plan to build MP3 player. “Carol Ann, come into the light Carol the unit this way. Figure 6-3 shows my lazy

Ann.” Yes, you know the routine!

method of building the circuit without any circuit Now let’s build the infrared receiver, which board.

strangely enough uses the same LM386 1-watt

If you do the direct solder method, add a bit of hot audio amplifier IC to get most of the work done.

glue to the components after the unit has been tested Starting with the schematic shown in Figure 6-5, so the parts don’t shift around once you put the you can see that the LM386 drives a pair of

remote control back together. Now your invisible headphones or a small speaker this time rather than light transmitter is ready for operation, and you can an infrared LED like it did in the transmitter. The start building the receiver in order to test both parts input now takes the form of an NPN

of this project. Figure 6-4 shows the infrared audio phototransistor, which will create a modulated transmitter sending some creepy sounds through the voltage on the input pin of the audio amplifier as it Project 22—Voices from the Grave air as they are played into the device through my receives the modulated infrared signal sent from 92

Project 22—Voices from the Grave

Figure 6-3

No circuit board. It’s ugly but effective Figure 6-4

Audio traveling on an invisible beam of light the transmitter unit. Because of the extreme switch, battery and a volume control if you choose sensitivity of the phototransistor to any light to add one. A 50K variable resistor in series with changes, it will also pick up all ambient light one of the headphone wires will become a volume sources, resulting in some ghostly yet cool sounds control, if you would like the ability to lower the from AC lights, arc lights or even video screens.

audio output while using the device. You could The ghost voices being sent from the transmitter also drive a small speaker directly with the will be the loudest sounds heard as long as the LM386, which is why the output jack is a good transmitter and receiver are pointed in each other’s idea, and makes the device more fun when

general direction at a distance of less than 30 feet.

showing several people how haunted your house The 10 µF capacitor can be removed from the

really is. The only other requirement is that the circuit or added to a switch if you find that the photo transistor window be mounted through a receiver’s output is too loud, as this controls the hole in the cabinet so you can aim it towards the gain of the amplifier.

transmitter or some other light source while you The receiver circuit has a few more components are snooping around the room looking for sounds.

than the transmitter, and warrants a circuit board With the receiver completed like my unit shown in and a proper cabinet for the output jack, power Figure 6-6, you should be able to apply the power 93

+9 V

transmitter and placing the infrared LED a few inches away from the phototransistor. If both units are working, the audio source will sound loud and

+

clear on the receiver with minimal distortion or 100 µf

noise at this close distance. If the audio is extremely loud or oversaturated, then try lowering the output

+

NPN photo

10 µf

LM386

transistor

level on whatever audio source is feeding the transmitter because you are probably overdriving the input. An MP3 player set on volume level 3 is about right. Once you have both parts of this project working properly, put the receiver into a box and test to see how much range you can get in a lit room Headphone

jack

and then a dark room. You will see that a clear line Gnd

of sight or light-colored wall will give the strongest reception, but as the distance increases between the Figure 6-5

Infrared receiver schematic

transmitter and receiver, other sources of modulated source and hear all sorts of pops, and humming light will start to overpower the signal. Figure 6-7

noises as you point the photo transistor towards shows my completed receiver ready to baffle my different light sources in your room. TV screens haunted house guests with all sorts of

will be exceptionally noisy as well as any lights communications from the “other side.”

that are on dimmers, so you can tell your guests If you have a computer in a room that will allow that the ghosts are trying to break through the the transmitter to cast its light into a large area of fourth dimension when you hear the strange

your house, then playing back your ghost voices buzzing sounds.

directly from the hard drive may be the best way to The receiver should be tested together with the go since you can have a very long sound

transmitter by inputting some audio source into the continually looping. For living room use, just mix Project 22—Voices from the Grave Figure 6-6 Infrared receiver ready 94

Project 23—Evil-Possessed Doll

Figure 6-7

Who ya gonna call?

down your evil audio track to an MP3 player then only noise, explaining that you think the device use that as a source, although you will have to find must be a hoax. As you get closer to the

a way to either loop the track or press play when transmitter, the eerie sounds in your recording will nobody is looking. Invite your skeptical guests start to fade in and out, which should certainly over and show them the cool ghost voice receiver wake up your non-believers in a hurry. When they that you rented from the local exorcist, explaining tell you they heard something, have a listen but that you are not sure what to do, which is why you pretend not to hear anything. Now they can run need their help. Start scanning at the far end of the around the house thinking the ghosts are only house well out of range from the transmitter so communicating through them as long as you can you only hear pops, hisses and ambient noise from keep a straight face. If you hear real dead people nearby light sources. Have them listen as you hear with this device, please do not call me—ever!

Project 23—Evil-Possessed Doll

Remote control (RC) servos add proportional

search for animatronics or humanoid robot, and mechanical remote control to many remote-you will find many examples of amazing

controlled vehicles such as race cars, boats and animatronic robot faces or multi-legged walking aircraft. Proportional control means that the servo’s robots based on nothing more than a few servos output shaft moves proportionally with the remote-and some circuitry to move them. A four-channel control joystick so you can have fine motor control RC remote-control system that includes the remote over whatever the servo may be connect to. For a joystick, RC receiver and four or more servos can ground vehicle, this will allow fine control over be purchased from most hobby shops for under steering and acceleration rather extreme speed $100, and will make a great addition to your hobby fluctuations often found on very cheap RC toys.

parts arsenal, especially if you are interested in For this reason, RC servos are often used in androids, animatronics or robotics. This project is robotics, animatronics and many movie props that only a simple example of how easy it is to make need to be controlled remotely. Do an Internet things come to life using RC servos and a remote 95

control, but it sure can startle an unsuspecting bystander when an inanimate object begins to move around on its own. My RC set is an aircraft type with a six-channel receiver and a joystick with two dual-axis controllers. I often use this setup to control my long-range spy robots, but it is perfectly suited for animatronics as well, although in my simple possessed doll gag, I will only have two servos in use. Figure 6-8 shows my common RC setup including the transmitter, receiver, battery pack and two of the six standard size RC servos.

Standard RC servos can move a few pounds of

weight, which is pretty impressive considering their size. In animatronics, you will often want to move much smaller objects, such as plastic eyeballs, a plastic jaw, or create subtle facial expressions by pushing and pulling small levers glued to the inside of a rubber or latex facial mask. Some extremely realistic humanoids have been made using a dozen servos, a latex mask and some type of computer Figure 6-8

A typical hobby RC joystick and servo

setup

program to sync the motion of the servos to a Figure 6-9

Soon this doll will have revenge

calculated series of movements. My possessed doll one of those classic rag dolls, but dude, those is certainly nothing that looks at all realistic, but it things already creep me out, and there is something can look around the room and then make thrashing truly devious about those pitch black eyes, the arm movements while welding a deadly plastic way they watch me, silently plotting my inevitable butter knife! Like many cheesy slasher movies, this destruction. Umm, anyhow, I pulled out the arms prop is both creepy and banal at the same time. To and head out of the plastic doll (Figure 6-9) to start with, I found an inexpensive plastic doll that retrofit the joints with a pair of servo motors to looked as harmless as possible in order to make this move an arm up and down and the head left

prank more humorous. My original plan was to use to right.

Project 23—Evil-Possessed Doll

96

Project 23—Evil-Possessed Doll

You should have no problem directly attaching did not self-decapitate when threatening my

the arms to the servo mounting plates as long as paranoid friends. After installing the head

they are not extremely heavy or as large as life-

(Figure 6-11), I noticed it was up a little too high sized mannequin limbs. A typical servo could for the doll’s clothing to hide all of the servo parts.

easily move the arms and head of most plastic This problem could have been remedied with a dolls or stuffed animals, so it’s just a matter of little more body modification, but for this simple finding the best way to attach the servo body and prank, I just left it as is. Luckily, there was just its mounting plate. As shown in Figure 6-10, I cut enough room inside the doll body for the battery the back out of the body to install the arm servo, pack and transmitter, so no visible wires would be battery pack and receiver, but did not have enough hanging out, making the doll look somewhat

room for the head servo, so it was mounted inside normal when it wasn’t thrashing about.

the head. For non-permanent yet sturdy mounting With the animatronics ready for action, I added a of the servo parts, a bead of hot glue will usually little black scarf around the doll’s neck to hide the do the trick without any damage to the body or servo parts. If you want to reclaim the servos for another project, the glue will let go with a little tugging and can be picked away from the servo parts without any trouble. The servo mounting plates are available in multi-packs of all sizes and shapes, so just experiment a little to see which ones fit into the limbs with the least amount of effort. The round servo plate shown in Figure 6-10

fits perfectly into the arm once a bit of the plastic was cut away.

The doll’s head was the heaviest part, and

although the servo could have handled a lot more weight than that, I decided to install the mounting Figure 6-10

Not exactly Terminator, but a robot

plate using woodscrews just to make sure the doll nonetheless

Figure 6-11

A doll with a bionic neck and arm

97

servo mounting plate and then got silly with my black marker and a plastic butter knife. This once innocent-looking doll had a twisted, evil look and wielded a plastic knife in the most threatening manner. Now I could place the doll on a shelf and keep the remote control nearby to bring it to life when it was least expected. Sure, an evil-looking baby doll wielding a plastic butter knife is indeed twisted, but if you’ve seen the things that I have in my lab, then you would understand that the doll was one of the more normal items in the room, and went unnoticed for the most part. Of course, when a person notices the doll and goes in for a closer look, a few flips of the joystick makes him or her jump as the doll begins to look back and forth while thrashing the knife up and down. A gag like this might be a good implant for a night of ghost stories or a séance, if that is your bag. Have a friend hide in another room and only make small and slow movements on the stick, so the person Figure 6-12

Move over, Chucky. Evil has a new look!

you are pranking is not sure if they are losing their sanity. When they tell you what the seen, have the you will see many interesting ways to mount, doll stop moving until you are not looking, then modify and control these inexpensive and

taunt them some more with your evil-possessed extremely useful servos. If you are good with doll. Oh yes, the more evil the prank, the more sculpting or mask making, your animatronic

fun it is!

project could really dive into the “uncanny valley”

If you want to take the whole RC servo-hacking with a few servos controlling facial expressions or project to the next level, search the Internet for small limbs. Just remember, don’t ever build a robot and animatronics projects done by others and robot or android that you can’t outrun.

Project 24—Telephone Devil Voice

There are many cool computer programs available while others are just plain whacky and fun. If you that will let you speak into a microphone and change type “voice changer” into Google, then you will find your voice in all sorts of weird and wacky ways. You many computer-based voice changers available, can turn a man’s voice into a woman’s, sound like a many of them free or available as a time-limited chipmunk or a demon, or even make robot-like demo. At the time of writing this book, one of the voices like those Cylon raiders from the movie most widely used voice changers available for

‘BattleStar Galactica’. Some of these voice changers download is called AV VCS, a voice changer with are so powerful that law enforcement use them to many cool features such as robot voice, pitch Project 24—Telephone Devil Voice disguise voices in ways that are not even noticeable, bending and even gender changing. I call this project 98

Project 24—Telephone Devil Voice

“Telephone devil voice” because I had the most fun of unwanted feedback, so we will create a very making prank calls to my buddies while using the versatile little box that will allow you to interface software to change my voice to sound like the dark just about any audio source into the telephone.

lord himself. There is just something creepy about A typical telephone system uses a simple two-wire picking up the phone at 3 am and having the devil cable to send and receive audio, but there is nothing proclaim that you must now pay in full the contract in common between a telephone system and a

that you signed in order to become a rock star (or so typical audio patch cord, so care must be taken I am told). Of course, you could also crank up the when attempting to interface the telephone to any pitch to sound like a twisted gremlin, or use some of type of audio equipment. When the phone is on the the more subtle gender-altering controls to morph hook, there will be 40–50 volts DC presented your voice into an unrecognizable yet believable across the wires and, when it rings, this voltage will character to pull one over on your unsuspecting pals.

peak at 90–100 volts AC, which is more than

Regardless of your intentions, you must first obtain enough voltage to wake you up if you happen to be some voice-changing software and play around with stripping wires with your teeth while your circuit is it to see what it can do. Figure 6-13 shows some of live (not recommended)! The current available on the controls on the VCS voice-changing software the telephone line is minimal, but still, neither your running on my computer.

body nor your sensitive electronic devices will Now, you could just crank up your computer

appreciate a direct connection to 100 volts. When speakers and hold the phone up to them while you the phone is off the hook, or in use, the voltage speak into the microphone, but this would not only drops from 50 volts to somewhere between 5 and sound terrible, but most likely end up creating a lot 15 volts depending on how many devices there are Figure 6-13

VCS voice-changer software

99

connected to that line. Obviously, we are going to The capacitors remove any DC from the

need some type of isolation to send or receive telephone line and allow for “invisible operation”

audio from this hostile pair of wires. This simple on the phone system. Invisible operation means that device can connect the phone line to practically any the device does not load down the phone line at all, audio device to either playback audio into the so it will not be detected as an in-use extension or phone line, or record the audio from the phone line, cause the phone to go off the hook. The 1:1 audio so it has many uses beyond the one presented in the transformer further isolates your equipment from project. Before you get out the soldering iron, you the phone line by electromagnetically coupling the should know that there are only two wires used in a two devices together. The variable resistor is used typical single-line residential phone cable, although to control the input–output level to the audio the cable will most likely have four wires. If you transformer just in case your source device can’t do follow any of the phone boxes wiring back to the this. All of these devices can be salvaged from main terminal, you will notice they all connect to a practically any defunct telephony device such as a main block using only two of the four wires—a red modem, fax machine, answering machine and, of one and a green one (yellow and black are not course, a telephone. As shown in Figure 6-15, a used). The green wire is specified as “tip,” and the red wire is specified as “ring,” and although this Phone Jacks

polarity is very important in most telephone Audio Input

equipment, it means nothing in our simple

interface, as it is non-polarized, meaning you can connect it either way to the phone system and it will work the same. Take a look at the schematic in

.1 µf

50K

Figure 6-14, and you will see that only five basic components are needed for the telephone audio

.1 µf

.1 µf

interface—three 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors, a 1:1

Transformer

audio transformer and a variable resistor.

Figure 6-14

Schematic for the telephone audio interface Project 24—Telephone Devil Voice Figure 6-15 56K modem sacrificed for the greater good 100

Project 25—Evil Lurching Head

prehistoric 56K modem is sacrificed for this project, as it contains all of the capacitors, the dual phone-line jack and the audio transformer (large block in the center) that will be needed.

The audio transformer is easy to identify, as it will be the largest component that looks like a block of approximately 1 inch squared, with two or three terminals at each side. Unsolder the transformer and measure the impedance across the two terminals at each side of the device. If there are three wires, ignore the center one. The impedance at each end of the transformer should be equal, since the number of turns in each winding is the same, which is why it is called a “1:1 transformer.” The dual phone jack is optional, but if you plan to connect this interface to a phone line that already has a phone connected to it, then there will be no need for a Y-adapter, since the dual phone jack will fill that function. The circuit is very simple, so it can be built to a minimal Figure 6-16

Telephone audio interface shown in two

bit of perforated board, or right into a telephone flavors

extension box as shown in Figure 6-16. The

back some music or while you speak into the

telephone box installation (top photo) is convenient microphone. The other phones sharing the same line because you can plug directly into the phone line, should not be affected and free from any buzzing or and then plug your phone back into the box without AC hum when your device is connected to the line.

needing a Y-adapter.

If there is a problem with buzzing, or the phones are If you intend to use the audio interface with a off the hook (no dial tone) when your unit is computer sound card for either input or output, then plugged in, then disconnect the interface and you can leave out the variable resistor and simply re-check the wiring. If everything is working OK, control the volume level with your computer mixer.

set your voice changer the way you want, and have To use the device with a software-based voice a great time pretending to be someone or something changer, simply connect the input of the transformer else while you call your buddies in the wee hours of to the output of your sound card and then plug the the night. You can also have the voice changer ready phone cable into the phone jack in your wall. Listen and waiting so the next time you get assaulted by a on the phone while you set the audio level on your telemarketer, the joke will be on them as they try to computer for a clear and loud level while playing sell their wares to devils, gremlins or robots!

Project 25—Evil Lurching Head

This project is guaranteed to make your victims are because when a life-sized head pops out of the jump clear out of their shoes and cling to the least expected place, they will jump or screech ceiling! It doesn’t matter how tough your buddies every time. This spring loaded head can be placed 101

Figure 6-18

Foam disks glued and ready to cut

Figure 6-17

A few foam disks will form a head insert behind furniture, a shrub, building, or outside a window for activation by remote, wire, or light, depending on how you decide to trigger it. Since the concept is very simple and easy to build, you can easily adapt the device to suit your particular application, be it indoors or outside. Feel free to mount whatever you like at the end of the spring-loaded arm, but keep in mind that the heavier the object, the larger the spring that will be needed in order to make the object pop into view quickly.

A foam head used to display wigs and sunglasses Figure 6-19

The head is mounted to the swinging arm

are perfect and can be covered in masks or even The arm used to swing the head into place

dressed up to look somewhat realistic. I did not have should also be as light as possible, so a wooden a Styrofoam head at my disposal, so I simply found stick about the same size as a broom handle will some packing foam and traced out four 6-inch be perfect. The length of the stick will depend on diameter disks to create my own simple head. My your target installation, so it must be made long idea was to make a crude head-shaped foam insert enough to place the head over the object that it is to fill the black balaclava as shown in Figure 6-17.

hiding behind. For outdoor use behind a window, The foam disks were crudely cut and then glued the length of the arm is not critical since you will together using some spray adhesive. A talented have to place the base of the launcher on top of a sculptor with a sharp knife could have carved up a ladder or tall object to bring it up to the window very realistic head from the foam block, but since I height anyhow. A 3-foot long arm should be just was just going to throw the mask over it, a basic about right for most furniture if you just want to human head-sized globe was fine. The foam block make an all-purpose lurching head. The arm

is very lightweight, so it should spring up very should be fastened to the head using a few long quickly, and not cause a problem if it is allowed to woodscrews and some glue as shown in Figure 6-19.

thump off a window during outdoor attacks.

If you are covering up the foam, a little duct tape Figure 6-18 shows the four foam disks ready to be around the head and arm will hold it very securely, cut after the spray adhesive has set.

and there will be no chance of a spontaneous Project 25—Evil Lurching Head

102

Project 25—Evil Lurching Head

decapitation when the head swings into place.

Figure 6-19 also shows the foam head after

chopping away the corners for a little more human-like appearance.

The launching mechanism is very simple,

consisting of a small hinge and a 6-inch long spring from the hardware store. The spring is about the size of a large marker, and can be pulled apart by hand without needing a great deal of force. If the spring is too strong, your lurching head will become a cranium-launching trebuchet, which would certainly Figure 6-20

The spring-loaded arm and mounting base

be cool, but not the goal of this project. If you can’t Figure 6-21

Loaded and locked by the finishing nail

find an appropriate spring, then a few large elastic the next project. Another good mechanical launch bands or even a chopped up bicycle inner tube could system that uses an electromagnetic solenoid was fit the bill as well, but you will have to experiment shown in Chapter 3, Projects 6 and 7, if you want to get the perfect amount of force and speed from to automate the lurching head. The nail or pin that the swinging arm. Figure 6-20 shows how the

releases the arm should come free with almost no swinging arm is mounted to a wooden base that friction, so make sure the hole in the wooden arm allows it to be pulled into the upright position by the is slightly bigger than the actual pin.

spring. Also shown is the small eye hook that allows The base of my lurching head unit is quite small, the device to be locked into the loaded position by so I have to weigh it down with a few pounds placing a finishing nail through the hole of the eye when I set up the device or the action of the hook into a hole in the arm.

swinging head makes it fall over. In outdoor Figure 6-21 shows the arm in the loaded

installations, it can be tied down to the top of a position, held in place by the finishing nail, which ladder or bucket so the head will pop up smack can be easily pulled out to send the arm flying dab in the center of a window, scaring the wits out back into the upright position. The actual trigger of the person inside as it thuds against the glass.

mechanism can take many forms from a simple

The foam-filled balaclava does not look all that thread that is manually pulled to a remote-realistic on second glance, but it certainly gets the controlled servo system like the one presented in initial shock factor prize. In Figure 6-22, the 103

Figure 6-22

Waiting silently for the right moment

ping-pong ball-eyed lurching head awaits its next for triggering devices in dimly lit rooms or outdoor victim, patiently waiting behind a filing cabinet for settings because it is extremely difficult to see and the next person to open the door and pull the can be strung hundreds of feet without any

launch pin. Notice the three-pound rock I used to problem. The most effective ways to get someone hold down the base to keep the head from jumping with the lurching head is to have them trigger the off the platform right over the cabinet. In this launching mechanism on entering a room by direct

! installation, a length of sewing thread was connection to a door or light switch, or by

connected to the door to the room so that opening manually launching the unit with a hidden string at a cabinet drawer simply pulled the launching pin.

the opportune moment for maximum hair-raising The lurching head can also be triggered by a impact. Having the head pop up in front of a light-activated solenoid like the one shown in window at night after telling your buddy that some Chapter 3, Project 6, or by the remote-controlled twisted evil-looking figure just hobbled across the servo system shown in the next project for an all-yard would certainly be a good setup, especially out haunted house setup. Fishing line is also great after watching four hours of gory movies!

Project 26—Give Us a Sign!

The next time you are sitting around a candle-lit covertly, each capable of pulling a few pounds, there room in dark robes with your pals trying to conjure is no end to the ways you can creep out your friends up spirits from the nether world, make them think in your haunted house or room. In this project, I will you have really made contact using this funny use the device to prove that I have made contact prank. This remote-controlled mechanical lever with ghostly spirits at a séance by calling out “give system is really a multi-purpose device for secretly us a sign,” and receiving a few knocks on the walls moving objects, knocking on walls, flipping on and just as the lights mysteriously go out all by off lights, or triggering other mechanical devices.

themselves. Of course, all this magic happens as I Project 26—Give Us a Sign With the ability to move four or more levers secretly move the joystick hiding under my chair or 104

Project 26—Give Us a Sign

Figure 6-23

Heat-shrink mounted bolts

Figure 6-24

Everything is mounted on to an

on the floor while nobody is looking, which activates aluminum plate

two of the servos I have on my four-channel receiver.

easy installation just about anywhere by simply The same commonly available RC servo and

tacking the unit to a wall. The servo can also be transmitter set used earlier in this chapter are at work made to turn on a light dimmer by connecting the again, but this time as levers that pull and push to shaft to the dimmer knob, but this would be easy create a mechanical reaction on some other device.

to spot if the light switch was in full view of your Shown in Figure 6-23 is the simple method of heat guests. Clear fishing line or light-colored thread shrinking a long bolt to one of the plastic servo hides very well, but in order to make a good photo,

!

plates that come with the servo motors.

I used dark thread for my photo of the light switch The bolt in the left of the photo has been heat hook shown in Figure 6-25. The thread is set tight shrinked to one of the servo plates and carries a while the bolt connected to the servo is at 90

metal weight at the end so it can knock against degrees to the wall so that it will pull down on the walls or wooden objects as the servo is activated light switch as soon as it is moved down in the slightly. An effective wall or door knocker is made same direction. It may take a bit of tweaking to get using a 4- or 5-inch long bolt with a large nut or the right thread tension, but this is easily done by marble tapped to the end as a weight that will strike wrapping the thread around the bolt to make it the surface. The servo only needs about 1⁄4 inch of tighter, or by repositioning the device on the wall.

travel in order to make an effective knock, so there The device is shown held to the wall by two

is not much servo noise or lag time as you activate thumb tacks in Figure 6-26. Placing the device as the joystick. My setup is currently using only two close to the floor as possible will help keep it out of of the six available RC receiver channels, one to view and, if needed, a cover that looks like a knock on the wall, and the other to pull down on wastepaper basket or some other object that does the light switch, but I could easily add more servos not look out of place can be used. The RC receiver as I come up with haunting ideas to freak people has a very long range, so no antenna will be needed out. As shown in Figure 6-24, the dial servos, RC

on the receiver, and the remote control antenna can receiver and battery pack are simply tie-wrapped to be collapsed all the way down without any problem.

a small aluminum plate (box lid), which can be With a little ambient noise or music in the room, the tacked to a wall under a light switch out of view.

servo noises will probably not be noticeable as the The flipping of the light switch using a hook and knocker or light switcher is activated, but if you thread is pretty crude, but it does allow instant and think they may be too loud, then install a noise 105

Figure 6-25

The servo can now pull the light switch off baffle made out of cardboard and tissue paper over evil contraptions. The remote control can be the servos to keep them silent.

mounted under your chair using a bit of Velcro®

!

Well, there you go, now you have a multipurpose tape for easy access or simply placed under a table remote-controlled room haunting device ready to so you can control the stick with your feet.

switch lights, knock on walls, yank pictures off the Because the action will take place on the other side wall, move objects, drop objects or trigger other of a room or at some other distant location, you Figure 6-26

Wall knocker and light switcher working

Project 26—Give Us a Sign

106

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board

will not be the center of attention, so moving the entire haunted house and have your paranoid

joystick will be easy to do without being noticed.

guests running out the door as you awaken

Using all six servo channels, you could rig up an mysterious forces from the other side.

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board

I can’t count how many times I have heard silly planchette, which is used to reveal the message by stories of Ouija boards flying across the room or pointing to letters or words on the board.

spelling out evil phrases without any human

The general idea is that answers come from the interaction. Now that the world is connected via spirit world, or as some believe, the “dark side.”

the Internet, I dare you to type in the search phrase Whoa, I’m getting goosebumps! Some believe that

“Ouija dangers” and spend a few minutes reading the messages are spelled out due to something some of the warnings posted by superstitious called the “ideomotor effect,” a psychological people who think that these simple toys are like phenomenon wherein a subject makes motions

gateways to a dark universe full of angry spirits.

unconsciously. Personally, I think it’s just hocus No really, I highly recommend you spend a few pocus, like every other ghost story, and people just minutes reading about the all-powerful Ouija board like to pass them on. This time, however, there will before you dare touch one; it’s for your own be no second guesses. When that planchette stands safety—doh! OK then, you are still reading, which up all by itself and starts to twirl, there will be no proves that you are not afraid to unleash angry doubt that evil spirits have manifested themselves demons into your living room by moving a bit of into the game, or at least that’s what it might look plastic around a 12-inch piece of cardboard that like. The magic we are going to use is called you bought in the toy department, so let’s begin.

“magnetism,” and I guarantee you will not have to You will obviously need a Ouija board like the one wear a black robe and boil up a cauldron of newt shown in Figure 6-27 in order to pull off this tongues in order to make it work! There is a bit of prank. The board is about the same as any board danger involved though, since you are going to be game and comes with a plastic device called a handling extremely powerful NIB (neodymium)

Figure 6-27

A classic Ouija board

107

Figure 6-28

A stack of seriously powerful NIB magnets magnets, which can really make you sorry if not handled with extreme caution. If you have never had the chance to work with large NIB magnets, then let me warn you that they are like no other magnet you have ever played with, not even close. Each magnet in the stack shown in Figure 6-28 measures 1 by 3 inches, and can easily lift a large filing cabinet by itself. It takes a great deal of force to twist one of the magnets away from the stack, and must be done wearing gloves in order to avoid having a finger pinched if one of the magnets slips while handling it.

I have had the joyous opportunity to experience first hand what it feels like to have a finger slammed between two of these magnets, and I can Figure 6-29

Foolish magnet tricks, not recommended

tell you that I now have a new respect of them!

Yes, a purple fingernail for 3 months is a clear which have a moderate amount of pull for an inch reminder that these things can really be dangerous.

or two, the large NIB magnets are extremely

Now that I have warned you, just like the Internet powerful up to 6 inches or more and can move store where you might purchase them from will, large objects through solid table tops with ease. In we can move ahead and get back to the project.

Figure 6-29, some foolish dude is demonstrating You will need at least one large NIB magnet, and how easily the magnets clamp against his wrist as either a few smaller ones to hide under the original he tries to shake them free without success by Ouija board’s planchette, or another large NIB

flailing his arm up and down. Yes, like I said magnet to hide inside a home-brew planchette. The before, they are crazy powerful, so keep them large magnet will be worn strapped to your leg so wrapped in cloth, or at opposite sides of your you can secretly manipulate the planchette (which workbench when they are in storage.

will contain another magnet, or several smaller ones), making it move to certain chosen board If you want to use the original Ouija planchette, locations, or make it jerk wildly, flipping around or then you could install a few small NIB magnets Project 27—Flying Ouija Board completely off the board. Unlike normal magnets, under the plastic, or right into one of the three small 108

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board

tubes that hold the felt legs in place. Figure 6-28

shows two smaller cylindrical NIB magnets stuck to the pile which would be perfect for mounting directly under the original planchette using a bit of hot glue or tape. The only disadvantage of this method is that it will be difficult to hide a large magnet under the plastic planchette, and a really small magnet will not let you make any wild

movements or flying effects. I chose to fashion a crude planchette from a slab of wood I found in my garage that was large enough to conceal the 1 by 3 inch NIB magnet right inside the body so it would Figure 6-31

Magnet installed and hidden under felt

not be seen if a suspicious person were to flip it over for observation. I traced the original shape on Figure 6-30

Cutting a new planchette

to the wood and then cut the new planchette with a the felt lining that would not only conceal the jigsaw and drilled, like the original plastic design.

magnet but allow a smooth, friction free movement The thick wood is better than the plastic for this over the board. Consider adding a thin piece of project because it will easily survive a journey to the wood or plastic glued over the magnet in the shape floor as it flies off the table if you really want to of the planchette to further seal the magnet in wake up your séance participants. Figure 6-30

place, just to be safe. Spend a bit of time sanding shows the initial planchette cut from a bit of scrap the rough wood and paint or varnish the new

2 by 6 inch board. The viewing window was also planchette to make it look like it is actually part of made so that the small plastic disk from the original the original game. The viewing window can be planchette could be installed.

popped out of the original plastic planchette and Using a hammer and a flat-head screwdriver as a installed in your home brew unit to further make it chisel (what else are they good for), I gouged out a look like the real deal. Figure 6-31 shows the rectangular hole into the new planchette that would rough-cut hole, which now hides the magnet right hide the NIB magnet. The magnet was then sealed before covering the bottom of the planchette with with some hot glue just to be safe before adding black felt.

109

To manipulate the new magnetic planchette,

the belt. Figure 6-32 shows the camera bag strap strap one or more large NIB magnets to your leg I glued to the backs of the magnets, which

so they are under your pant leg just above the I also sealed with duck tape.

knee. This allows you to covertly move the

With the NIB magnets strapped to your leg just planchette to any place you like by lifting your leg above your knee, practice moving your leg around so the two magnets are less than 6 inches apart.

to manipulate the new magnetic planchette. You If you have the leg magnet set to repel the

will want to mark the belt magnets “repel” or planchette magnet, the planchette will move to a

“attract” once you figure out which side does what random place on the board by lifting your leg so so you can either control or repel the planchette.

the magnets are about 5-6 inches apart. If you The repelling motion seems to be the most

come a lot closer, then the planchette will move dramatic effect, and it can cause the planchette to very quickly away from the repelling magnet, and literally stand on end and spin depending on how may even fly right off the table, or flip around and fast or close you move the leg magnet. If you stand on its side, for a truly evil-looking effect.

really want to mess with your superstitious séance To increase control over the planchette, strap on participants, then the magnetic attraction system the leg magnet so it attracts the planchette magnet, will be more fun as you get to spell out words and then it will follow your knee with precise

take total control over the direction and position movements so that you can spell out words. If you of the planchette any time you like. Another thing come very close to the table top with your knee, to practice is looking innocent while you move you can make the planchette feel as though it were your magnetic leg, using as little upper body glued to the table top, creating an eerie feeling for movement as you can. If the table top is low those that are trying to move it. An old camera or enough, lift off with your toes so your body sits laptop bag strap makes a good magnet strap if you still in the chair, and nobody will ever see you do glue one side of the strap to the magnets to hold it. With a little practice, you will have your Ouija them in place. You can also use a belt or dog collar board spelling out complete words with ease, and to hold the magnets to your leg, just keep in mind the next time your buddies feel like telling ghost that the strap should not cut off your circulation stories, they will be able to do it without lying.

nor should it allow the magnets to come free from Figure 6-33 shows my new magnet planchette

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board Figure 6-32 Installing the magnets to the leg belt 110

Project 27—Flying Ouija Board

Figure 6-33

The Evil spirits are angry tonight!

flying into action just before standing on end and but I’m sure that a true Evil Genius like yourself spinning around like the dark lord himself had can dream up a host of new devices that will bring control over it. You’d better call a priest to do an the “dark side” to life for that perfect gag to unleash exorcism!

on the superstitious to whom you owe one. Evil is abound! In the next section, we will inflict some All of these projects will certainly help you harmless, but effective “shock and awe” projects to conjure up some evil spirits to fool your friends, bring your evil deeds to a new level.

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Chapter 7

Shock and Awe!

Project 28—The Barbeque Box

Shock your buddies silly with a simple barbeque the hole in the sheet metal frame where it lives.

starter? Who would have thought it? Yes, it’s true The wire at the end will simply pull off to expose that the little red button that ignites your gas grill the high-voltage output terminal. Since the igniter can deliver several thousand volts, and will run is easy to remove from the barbeque, it can be indefinitely without requiring batteries. It may reinstalled once you are done using it for your evil seem odd that you can generate thousands of volts bidding, so you won’t have to singe off your with a marker lid-sized device that uses no

eyebrows when summer comes and you feel like apparent power, yet you can only get a meager firing up the old gas grill. Of course, you can 120 volts directly from the outlet on your wall. Of always find replacement igniters from any store course, the electricity from an outlet is emitted at a that sells gas grills, as they are pretty universal in lethal amperage level, whereas the high-voltage design. Feel free to test your igniter’s output by output from the barbeque igniter contains such holding the two terminals while you pop the button little amperage that it is similar to a powerful down in order to smash the crystal and release the carpet shock, which is why it is harmless. The angry electrons into your fingers. You will feel a igniter generates high-voltage when a spring-sharp pain much like a very large carpet shock loaded hammer smashes against a crystalline

delivered after 10 minutes of rubbing your wool material such as quartz, causing a charge

slippers against the carpet on a nice dry day. You separation to occur (piezoelectric effect). If you will discover that the shock isn’t enough to make have built some of the audio projects in this book, you cling to the ceiling, but it does wake you up, then you will be familiar with the “piezoelectric especially if it wasn’t expected, which is the key to effect,” since this is the same process (in reverse) this prank. To effectively deliver the voltage to the that makes the piezo buzzer vibrate when a voltage victim’s fingers and help disguise the igniter, we is applied. These piezoelectric igniters can also be will need to connect two wires to the device—one found in some lighters; however, they are

to the output terminal at the end, and the other to somewhat too small to generate a large enough the ground wire as shown in Figure 7-2.

spark for this purpose.

It may be difficult to solder the wires to the A piezoelectric igniter is easy to identify as terminals since they are not the type of material shown in Figure 7-1, since it will be nothing more that solder will stick to, so you can simply wrap than a round tube with a large red button at one end.

the bare end of the wire around the contacts, then To remove the igniter from the barbeque,

secure them in place with tape or hot glue. The squeeze the two wings together and pull it from output voltage is so high that even a bad

113

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Figure 7-1

A piezoelectric barbeque igniter

Figure 7-3

Installing the igniter in a case

Figure 7-2

Connecting wires to the two terminals

connection between the output terminal and

connecting wires will result in voltage travel, since voltage at this level can jump across small gaps with ease. With your igniter connected to the Figure 7-4

Need your pulse checked today?

output wires, your job will now be to concoct creative ways to disguise the device so that the of lower voltage wiring. As seen in Figure 7-3, high-voltage discharge is least expected, which I installed the igniter in a small black box with a always seems to make it more of a “shock.” My pair of terminals placed far enough away from favorite system is some type of generic-looking each other that there is no chance of a spark black box that I can stick a label on to convey jumping the gap.

some useful purpose other than blasting a few The terminals can be bolts, banana plugs, or just thousand volts into an unsuspecting hand. However about any metal object that your friends will not you choose to conceal the device, ensure that the be afraid to grab on to. If you are a constant two output wires do not cross or come within an practical joker, then a box with two bare wires inch of each other. Even though there is insulation hanging out of the end is certainly going to scare on the wire, the high voltage will easily jump away anyone who knows your Evil Genius ways, Project 28—The Barbeque Box across a gap of up to an inch, ignoring all the rules so try to be as subtle as possible in design. I chose 114

Project 29—Simple Induction Shocker

to disguise my barbeque box as a pulse checker my final design, which is so simple that it hurts that supposedly measures your cardio fitness level (literally).

once you place you fingers on the end of each Well, there you have it, a few thousand volts terminal. I like to wait a few seconds before without any electronics or even a battery! Of hitting the button so I can ask the unsuspecting course, after a while you can snap that little red person holding the device if he or she can hear the button all day and not even twitch as you get used beep yet. Once your victim is concentrating for to the extremely low amperage shock delivered. If the audible beeps that never occur, let those you want to light up your life a little bit more, then beautiful volts fly, and once again deliver another read on, I will show you a few more ways to make successful Evil Genius prank. Figure 7-4 shows the sparks fly with a lot more power.

Project 29—Simple Induction Shocker

In 1831, Michael Faraday found that the

shown in Figure 7-5 and will have two sets of wires electromotive force (EMF) produced around a

coming from each side of the body. On one side of closed path is proportional to the rate of change of the transformer (the primary winding), there will be the magnetic flux through any surface bounded by only two wires, which would normally be

that path. Of course, that description of induction connected to the 120-volt AC supply. The other side is a bit “nerdy” for my liking, so let me put it to (secondary winding) might have between two and you in a context that much better suits this book. If six wires, depending on what voltages the small you throw a 9-volt battery across the windings of a appliances needed, although three wires on the transformer, you will get a shock if your fingers secondary winding is typical. An AC transformer are touching the wires when the power is released.

will change voltage between the primary and

This induction effect is a bit strange, since the high secondary windings depending on the ratio of voltage is only delivered as the power is removed windings from the primary to the secondary.

from the windings, but this is due to the way electromagnets work, and great for creating fast shock pulses that feel a lot stronger than the one produced by the piezoelectric igniter presented in the previous project. For this project, you will need a small appliance transformer and a 9-volt battery as shown in Figure 7-5.

The exact size and number of wires protruding from the transformer are not really important; as long as you rip one of these from a small appliance, it’s guaranteed to do the job. A great source of these small transformers is old boom boxes (also known as “ghetto blasters”), AC wall adapters, video appliances, coffee makers with timers, and so on. The transformer will look similar to the one Figure 7-5

An AC transformer and a battery

115

In small appliances, the primary winding of a the other wire of the primary goes to another output.

transformer is connected to the 120-volt AC line You might think that this odd circuit may seem like and will contain many more turns than the

it does nothing, since no current is flowing in the secondary winding, which is why there is a much open circuit, and you would be correct. If you take smaller voltage produced on the secondary

each output terminal (one in each hand) and connect winding. Typically, small appliance transformers them together to close the circuit, the primary will reduce 120 volts to less than 20 volts to power winding will be energized, but still nothing happens the electronics. All you have to do is identify the at this exact point. It’s when you disconnect the two primary winding for this project, since it will be terminals that things become interesting—a nice used to create a high-voltage induction when snapping sound and a good shock will flow through connected to the battery. As stated before, the your body. When you open the circuit, the energy primary winding will be the two wires sticking out stored in the electromagnet collapses back through of one side of the transformer, and often they are the now open circuit and sends a high-voltage the same color. The schematic diagram for this induction into your fingers. So simple, yet so device is extremely simple as shown in Figure 7-6.

effective! Figure 7-7 shows the simple wiring In the schematic, one wire of the primary winding needed to connect the battery to the primary coil as is connected to a battery and then to an output, and indicated in the schematic diagram.

The unused transformer wires should be taped off, but feel free to play around with the other

+

Output

wires to see how the shock effect is different. You 9 V

will likely find that the primary windings will offer B

the greatest shock, whereas the secondary

windings will make a louder spark, but with much less shock factor. Now, once again you are faced with some creative thinking tasks in order to disguise your device in order to deliver it to your Secondary

Primary

rightly suspicious friends effectively. This project Figure 7-6

Simple induction shocker schematic

lends itself to hundreds of cool designs, since the Project 29—Simple Induction Shocker Figure 7-7 Induction shocker wired and ready 116

Project 30—Strong Pulse Shocker

Figure 7-8

You will always fail this balance test!

goal will always be to touch the two wires or holding out your arms.” Of course, when they terminals together. You could wrap the guts into a finally get those bolts together, the joke is on pair of tinfoil balls and tell you victim that it is them! This device will run for a very long time on almost impossible to touch them together, or put a single battery since the circuit is only closed for the unit into some type of fake strength-testing a few seconds at most. However, make sure that device that closes the circuit during use. I came up when the device is not in use that the bolts or wires with the balance testing machine as shown in are not touching each other, or your battery will be Figure 7-8, and it is very effective at getting the drained in a few minutes. Another fun game to operator’s attention away from the inevitable shock play with shocking devices is what I call the that will soon come.

“gladiator circle.” Have several people joint hands The balance tester is a great shock-delivery and then the person at the end of each chain has system, since the user is so preoccupied with one bolt or terminal each. Complete the circuit to standing on one foot that they always get caught deliver the electric shock, then see who lets go off guard. “Hey dude, check this impossible

first, so they can be eliminated one at a time until balance test out, you have to jump up and down on only the last two gladiators are in the circuit. To one foot then try to touch the bolts together while make the shock more intense, wet your fingers, or move on to the next project.

Project 30—Strong Pulse Shocker

This version of the induction-type shocking device your battery, which will create a much higher has two advantages over the last unit: it is much voltage on the primary when the induction takes more powerful, and it has semiautomatic operation.

place. It’s kind of like reversing the operation of the The output from this device is a lot stronger transformer to give back a few hundred volts rather because we will be using the transformer the way it than reducing the voltage. The other advantage to was intended to operate, just in reverse. The this setup is that the shock can be triggered by a secondary winding will be fed the voltage from motion-sensitive switch, so you can just let the 117

Figure 7-9

Transformer, battery, and motion switch

Figure 7-10

Mercury switch (bottom) and ball

shocker sit around waiting for a curious victim to switch (top)

pick it up and get an unexpected wallop. You will need the same type of transformer as used in the last project, a 9-volt battery and some type of

+

Output

motion-activated switch, such as a mercury or ball 9 V

switch. The components are shown in Figure 7-9.

B

A motion switch will close the circuit when it is Motion

tilted or shaken, so it is a perfect solution to give switch

this project automatic operation. These switches can be ordered from electronics supply stores or found in older dial-type thermostats and electric Secondary

Primary

heaters with automatic tilt sensors. You can even Figure 7-11

Pulse shocker schematic

make your own crude motion switch by hanging a bolt on a spring so that it hits a metal ring if tilted.

reversing the job that this transformer was once I find that the mercury switch is the best solution, doing in the appliance it was taken from. Depending since they are completely silent, never wear out on the ration of windings, you could expect

and can be easily mounted to the enclosure using a anywhere from 100 to 500 volts on the output, and tie wrap or bit of tape. Ball switches also work I promise you that the strength of the jolt will very well but are not quite as sensitive to motion.

certainly be more intense than the last version of Both types of motion switch are shown in

this project. Again, the current is very low, but you Figure 7-10: the mercury switch on the bottom will indeed feel the sting of many angry electrons and the ball switch on the top. Keep in mind that through your joints. As shown in Figure 7-11, the mercury is a toxic substance, so avoid breaking motion switch momentarily completes the circuit so the glass casing that contains the mercury ball.

that the primary winding is induced with a large As shown in Figure 7-11, the pulse shocker

voltage, which is delivered directly to the hands of schematic is not much different than the last project the unsuspecting user. Also note that often the using the same transformer, but we have added the secondary winding will have several wires, with secondary winding into the works. By applying three being the most common. We are looking for power to the secondary, we induce a much higher the pair of wires with the least amount of turns, so Project 30—Strong Pulse Shocker voltage across the primary windings, essentially you can either measure each pair with an ohm meter 118

Project 30—Strong Pulse Shocker

Figure 7-12

Wiring completed

to determine the pair with the lowest resistance, or simply look at the color coding of the wires.

A three-wire transformer secondary will often have two wires of the same color and another different colored wire. If this is the case, use the different colored wire, and either one of the same colored wires for the highest power output.

Wiring is very easy, as shown in Figure 7-12—

just a battery and a switch connected to the transformer. Notice that one of the secondary wires is simply unused, so it can be taped off out of the way. Test the unit on yourself before putting the guts into a case to make sure it’s working properly.

You should feel a strong single-pulse shock that makes your muscles twitch for a split second as the induction occurs. Hey, I told you it would hurt more than the last unit, didn’t I? Remember, if you can’t handle the shock from your own evil

inventions, then don’t expect anyone else to—it’s Figure 7-13

Shock delivery plates

the golden rule of making shock devices, pal. Next, motion switch is activated so that they get a shock.

conceal the internal components so that you can see If they hold one wire per hand, then the shock will your good buddies jump like pole-vaulting athletes.

travel through both arms and seem a lot more The delivery of angry electrons to the victim’s intense than if it was delivered only to one hand hands is similar to the last project, but we are not through both wires. But make no mistake, they will requiring the connecting of the two wires since this jump nonetheless. I opted for the shock-to-one-is done automatically by the motion switch. The hand option since it was simpler to implement and idea is to ensure that both output wires are took up less space. As shown in Figure 7-13, a touching the operator’s hand or hands when the small plastic PVC box from the hardware store has 119

a pair of metal plates bolted to the sides so that anyone picking up the box will be in contact with both of them. I could have used four plates, but two plates seemed to do the job perfectly. A few alternate ideas may be: a pop can with a few strips of metal used for terminals; a computer mouse with plates on each side; a TV remote; or even a book. The possibilities are endless with this device, and because it can be hidden so easily, even the most suspicious pals can be tricked into picking up the shocker for a good jolt.

Figure 7-14 shows my idea for concealing the pulse shocker in such a way that it is almost impossible not to grab the box to see what it is. I set the mercury switch to about 45 degrees so that the Figure 7-14

Who can resist the temptation of

unsuspecting victim of Pandora’s box will have it in Pandora’s box?

his or her hand for a few seconds before tilting it far Yes, curiosity can be a bad thing sometimes, so enough to cause the circuit to close. I also padded be careful when you pick up an odd-looking box, the mercury switch in a wad of tissue since the especially in the presence of an Evil Genius with a shock almost always makes the operator instantly twisted sense of humor. OK, tough guy, if you drop the box like a smoldering hot potato. Since this dare venture into the next project, I will show unit works unattended, you don’t even have to be in you how to build a zapper with an output so

the same room when the prank goes down, but why much stronger that it makes these previous units would you want to miss out on all the fun?

look tame.

Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper

Before you dive right into this project, let me warn what gives this project such a nasty output. OK, if you that the amount of pain you will receive from you are not afraid to zing yourself with enough this zapper is hundreds of times greater than any of voltage to light up a florescent tube (yes, it can), the previous shocking devices. If you thought the then let’s forge ahead.

last few projects were not effective enough, or if As shown in Figure 7-15, all you need is a

you have one of those buddies who laughs at pain, disposable camera with a built-in flash unit.

then this one will deliver the goods, I promise—at A camera flash works by charging a high-voltage 300 euphoric volts, 1000 times per second! Yes, pulse capacitor through a high-voltage inverter.

this tiny circuit can send pulses many times Once the voltage is high enough, a flasher circuit stronger than the last shocker at ridiculous rates of indicates this to the user via a flashing red LED or 500–1000 times per second, and I guarantee you, small neon lamp. When the user presses the trigger there will be no question that you have been on the camera, all of the capacitor voltage is zapped! Again, the current levels are very low, but thrown across a xenon flash tube, which is

Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper the constant repetition of high-voltage pulses is triggered by yet another stepped up pulse across a 120

Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper

Figure 7-16

Removing the camera casing

still have a few hundred angry volts ready to find Figure 7-15

Opening a disposable camera

their way to your nervous system. If you do not know what the photo flash capacitor looks like, high-voltage transformer. We will eliminate the read this entire section before you gut the camera.

capacitor and feed the high-voltage charging This will be your last warning. The two plastic circuit directly into the zapper’s output terminals.

halves should come away easily if you ply at them Let’s begin by snapping the plastic covers away with a screwdriver (Figure 7-16), but feel free to from the lovely innards of our disposable camera.

get nasty if you need to, it’s not like this is an As shown in Figure 7-15, these camera casings just expensive camera.

snap apart for easy removal of the tasty innards.

As shown in Figure 7-17, the circuit board will Now be careful not to touch any of the wiring, or come free from the rest of the camera as one wear gloves to be safe just in case that capacitor is sparsely populated board with only a few

storing energy. The capacitor can hold many

components. It’s a truly amazing device considering hundreds of volts for weeks at a time, and you will what it really does in order to charge the capacitor, not enjoy an unexpected shock from it.

alert the user and trigger the flash tube. The photo Crack open the two plastic halves and toss away flash capacitor will be the round cylinder about half all of the plastic bits that fall out. These parts are the size of the AA battery labeled, you guessed it, not needed. What we want is the battery (it will photo flash. You will want to short the two leads out still be good even after the camera is used), and to drain any leftover high voltage using a

the main circuit board. Let me warn you again screwdriver or some bit of metal. Do not use your before you dig right in; do not get your fingers into favorite screwdriver, and close your eyes when you the leads of the photo flash capacitor, or you will cross the leads, if there is a charge, there will be be digging your head out of the ceiling when you sparks, beautiful sparks. The capacitor is able to fly out of your seat. If you have no clue what I am store a dangerous level of current and voltage, talking about, remove the circuit board wearing which is more than enough to make the unit

work gloves—trust me. The photo flash capacitor hazardous, and we will not be using it in the will maintain a charge for a long time, and even shocking device, so cut it from the circuit board and months after the last photo was taken, and it may add it to your parts box for some other device.

121

Figure 7-17

Short that flash capacitor!

By removing the flash capacitor, we also remove the ability of the camera to store up dangerous levels of voltage and current in trade for an even higher voltage output with no dangerous current to worry about. Our goal is to press a button to deliver an instant shock to the target, and the photo flash capacitor will not allow this because it takes several seconds to charge it up to any serious voltage level. This high voltage is, however, available from the charging circuit, and we do not need the capacitor to harvest the power for our own use. In fact, without the capacitor connected, there is almost three times the voltage available at Figure 7-18

Replace the capacitor with a pair of wires the points where the capacitor was once connected.

although it isn’t at any level dangerous to a healthy OK, if this is really the case then what is the point person, it sure hurts! The output from this zapper of the capacitor, you ask? The amount of amperage will hurt a lot more than if you stuck two metal that the camera flash charging circuit can deliver is screwdrivers directly in your AC wall outlet, the miniscule, and although the voltage is plenty high, difference is there is no dangerous current. Oh, and there just isn’t enough power to make the xenon now that the flash capacitor is not in the circuit flash tube pop. The capacitor is capable of storing anymore, you can take off the gloves. Find a pair a large voltage and decent amount of amperage, of wires and solder them to the points where the more than enough to set off the flash tube, but it photo flash capacitor used to live as shown in has to collect it slowly from the charging circuit, Figure 7-18. These will be the output wires that which is why it takes several seconds to charge connect to the terminals that make contact with between flashes. The charging circuit minus the your unsuspecting victim.

capacitor can deliver about a thousand volts from You will also need to install a pair of wires for the the 1.5-volt battery at very low amperage, and Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper

trigger and the battery, so take note of which one of 122

Project 31—Disposable Camera Zapper

the small metal clips was the positive side of the for the trigger switch, which will start the charging battery. The trigger switch is nothing more than a circuit. The only important wire to keep in mind is bubble switch that has a small round disk taped over the positive battery wire, as reverse installation of the a pair of contacts directly on the circuit board. In battery will make the unit fail, and could damage the Figure 7-19, I installed the wires for both the battery transistor that drives the oscillator circuit.

and the trigger switch, and the small trigger-switch You will need to find a 1.5-volt AAA battery disk can be seen at the bottom of the photo. Now holder so you can reinstall the battery as shown in you have six wires coming from the camera circuit Figure 7-20. If you can only find a dual battery board—a pair of high-voltage wires coming from the holder, then solder a wire across one of the battery points that once held the photo flash capacitor, a pair compartments and use that. Hmmm, what about

of wires for the 1.5-volt battery and a pair of wires using two batteries you wonder? Well, before you Figure 7-19

Battery and trigger wires installed

Figure 7-20

Terminals and trigger installed

123

Figure 7-21

You feelin’ lucky, punk?

start modifying this zapper, try to take a shot with a And let’s not forget the golden rule—if you can’t single battery and then tell me it needs to be twice handle the output, then it’s too powerful to be used as powerful—go ahead, what are you waiting for?

on anyone else. Want to show off the awesome Yes, indeed the circuit will run with 3 volts or more power of your new toy but can’t find anyone brave for a seriously high-voltage output, but I doubt that enough to grab a hold of the output terminals? Try you will want that after hitting yourself with only a these cool experiments that don’t require a human single battery. Also shown in Figure 7-20 is the victim. Connect the output to a large fluorescent small box I plan to install the guts into, a pair of tube and it will light up. Place the output terminals bolts used as output terminals, and a push button on some fresh bread and it will start to sizzle and trigger switch, which is hidden from view under the burn after a few seconds. Carefully charge up the box. Do not use sharp points as output terminals, a original photo flash capacitor by connecting it to set of small bolts or banana clips will work just fine.

the output terminals for a few seconds then drop it The completed zapper is shown in Figure 7-21, across a dime to hear an extremely load crack and ready to deliver the lightning to anyone foolish a huge spark; it will leave a nice pit where the enough to get caught between those terminals. Did metal was blown away.

your pals claim that the shock you gave them from This concludes the “shocking” part of this chapter.

the other projects didn’t really hurt (even though Now, I will show you some less painful ways to their eyes were as wide as saucers)? Well, that confuse and scare your good friends for some Evil won’t happen this time, you can be assured of that.

Genius payback that you might owe them.

Project 32—Hissing Gas Container

Here is a project that is guaranteed to make even is strikingly realistic looking and sounding, yet the most hardened skeptic wonder if they should 100 percent harmless. The hissing gas container is Project 32—Hissing Gas Container laugh or turn and run. This effective little gag exactly what its title implies, but instead of any 124

Project 32—Hissing Gas Container

pressurized gas leaking from the container, we will just feed a piezobuzzer with some high-pitched white noise. The result will be what sounds like a spray can letting off its contents. By placing the piezobuzzer inside the container, it will sound extremely convincing. I don’t know about you, but if I walked into a room that had a hissing container that looked like it contained some high-pressure gas, I would be heading for the hills without a second look! Let’s build it!

You will need a piezo element (refer back to Chapter 2—Truly Annoying Devices for a detailed description on these), a few basic electronic components and a container that looks as though it Figure 7-22

could contain high-pressure gas or liquid. It will also Find an appropriate container to

contain the parts

add to the effect if the piezo element can fit inside the container so that even the closest inspection will junction of a common NPN transistor will provide a make it seem as though the hissing sound was good source of white noise. This noise signal is then actually coming from the container’s opening. The amplified by transistor Q2 and then fed into the LM

perfect container for this project is a metallic 386, 1-watt audio amplifier IC to produce a strong thermos or water bottle, since these look a lot like output to the piezo element. You could actually use small high-pressure cylinders, and offer plenty of a small speaker instead of the piezo element, but the room to insert the electronics. In a pinch, you can cut hissing will not sound as authentic owing to the away the bottom of the container to install the guts, lower frequencies the speaker will pass.

but if they fit directly into the container, then the Go ahead and put the circuit together on your final product will look more realistic. Figure 7-22

breadboard so you can test component values and shows the top of my spun aluminum water bottle audio output. Since we are forcing Q1 to do things with just enough room for the piezo element, 9-volt that it’s not really designed for, some fiddling may battery and small circuit board to fit inside.

be in order to produce the best sounding white To make a sound like a hissing gas leak, we will noise. I found that common 2N3904 transistors need a source of white noise. White noise (like the worked well, but feel free to try any type you may sound of an unused section on the FM radio band) have laying around your junk pile. Another thing is a combination of all possible frequencies at you may have to mess around with is the values of random intensity levels. The sound of ocean waves C4 and R5. If you find the white noise sounds too is a good example of white noise. The circuit shown synthetic, then try some other values, or even add in Figure 7-23 will generate white noise, which is another 2.2M resistor in series with R5. The white fed into the piezo element so that only higher noise should sound like a fresh bottle of pop frequencies are given off, making a sound very hissing as you unscrew the lid, not like an audio much like a hissing gas leak. The odd-looking oscillator gone bad. When you do have your white circuit shown in Figure 7-23 seems to contain an noise hissing brilliantly, reassemble the circuit on a error, since the collector of transistor Q1 is not bit of perforated board that is no wider than your connected to anything and the emitter is hooked up 9-volt battery so the entire unit can fit through the backwards. Well, this is no error, and it exploits a opening of the container. Figure 7-24 shows my little-known fact that the reverse-biased emitter-base completed circuit board ready for installation.

125

+9 V

+

C5

LM 386

C6

+

R1

C1

R2

Piezoelement

R5

+

C3

C4

Q1

Q2

R4

+

R3

C2

C2: 10 µF

C3: 10 µF

R1: 680K

R4: 100K

C4: 56 µF

Gnd

Q1: 2N3904 NPN

R2: 4.7K

R5: 2.2 MEG

C5: 10 µF

Q2: 2N3904 NPN

R3: 1K

C1: 100 µf

C6: 100 µF

Figure 7-23

White-noise generator schematic

Project 32—Hissing Gas Container Figure 7-24 Completed noise-generator circuit 126

Project 33—Radiation Detector

Figure 7-25

The last thing you want to see hissing!

I didn’t bother with an on–off switch because it’s (Figure 7-25). Yes indeed, a hissing container with just as easy to drop in a fully charged battery and a biohazard warning on the label. Even those who let it run for hours of fun.

know your evil ways may think twice about taking The piezo element should face the opening of a closer look at this baby!

the container so the sound is as loud as possible, The hissing biohazard container is always a hit and a good way to ensure this is by placing the at parties, and is a sure method of making an circuit, battery and piezo element into a tube that is entrance if the bottle comes rolling into a room simply inserted into the container. If the container right before you do. This gag is so easy to set up is conductive, then ensure that your circuit board is as well. Just hide the bottle in a quiet room or insulated, or there will be some real toxic fumes cupboard and wait for the next person to find it.

leaving that bottle as your transistors fry. Now I’m Glove compartments, sleeping bags, refrigerator, sure an Evil Genius like yourself needs no

packsacks, all good places to put a surprise!

assistance in coming up with a label for your For our next prank, we will be closer to the front hissing container, but let me show you mine

lines, with a hand-held radiation detector.

Project 33—Radiation Detector

The true Evil Genius can turn ordinary junk into recipient has no idea that you are the ultimate Evil amazing works of art designed to deliver a good Genius prankster, since it requires a little bit of practical joke with precision. Once in a while you setup, possibly done by another friend in on the may need a sophisticated-looking bit of machinery prank. This fake “fallout” detector is nothing more to help you pull it off. In this case, our ruse is a than a variable resistor-controlled audio oscillator fully working radiation detector, or at least so it that makes cool sounds as a “radiation level” meter may seem. This prank works great when the

moves around just like the real McCoy, of course, 127

Figure 7-26

A large analog meter and enclosure

it cannot detect anything, so don’t try to use it meter I found at a surplus junk store and the anywhere you might suspect of being

enclosure I plan to use. The most effective

radioactive—just run!

placement of the meter will be in full view of the To set up this prank to seem convincing, have a fallout victim, so a strap that allows you to wear friend bring the victim to an area where you are the detector box around your neck would be ideal.

waiting with the device, or show up at the friend’s Also shown in Figure 7-26 is an old coil-type location wearing some official-looking outfit and phone handset cord that will look good as a

knock on the door, claiming that there has been a connection cable between the radiation detector radioactive material spill into the sewage system or handle and the main unit. There really won’t be something silly like that. Wave the wand over your much on the inside of the enclosure and hand-held friend’s body and let the machine make a little part, but the more “industrial” everything looks, the noise by only turning the hidden knob slightly more convincing the effect will be, so choose a

“Whew, you are safe, luckily.” When you get to the heavy enclosure and good solid switches and cables.

victim, crank the knob so the machine screeches The analog meter can be pulled from an old volt like mad while the radiation meter pops over to the meter, stereo amplifier, battery charger, as well as danger level, and give your best look of terror as many old electrical test devices. These meters will you start asking questions like, “Where have you normally respond to a few volts in order to set the been?”, “What did you touch?” You could also just needle flying across the entire range, so just about show up on the scene and detect fallout on people any type of meter you find can be adapted to work or objects as well for that spur-of-the-moment gag.

in this circuit. The first thing you will want to do is Feel free to build the machine any way you like. As snap apart the plastic cover to remove the current long as the control knob is hidden from view and indicator plate in order to replace it with something easy to operate, you will have loads of fun finding much more ominous looking. “DC amperes,” or

all that radiation at levels that would make a badly

“Decibels”, is not a label that will scare anyone, so I maintained nuclear waste dump look clean!

pulled my meter apart as shown in Figure 7-27 in To build this device, you will need a large

order to convert it into something much more evil.

analog meter (the bigger the better), a cabinet to The plastic front window will probably just pop place the meter and components into, and a few right off with a little twist of the screwdriver, and odds and ends to fabricate a crude radiation the plate with the indicator numbers may be held Project 33—Radiation Detector detector wand. Figure 7-26 shows the large analog on with a small screw. Be careful not to bend the 128

Project 33—Radiation Detector

Figure 7-28

Printing out the new meter panel

Figure 7-27

Removing the original meter panel

Figure 7-29

The main unit controls mounted

delicate needle or damage the return spring when matter what it happens to be measuring. The next you hack into the meter, just carefully take out the step is to secure the meter to the main unit along current panel as shown in Figure 7-27 if you can.

with the cord that will connect the radiation Some smaller meters may be glued together, so you detection wand and the on–off switch. Mounting will have to slip your new printed label into place the visible parts was easy since my enclosure came and then tape it secure. As shown in Figure 7-28, with a removable aluminum top that could be cut

“Radioactivity detector” looks much better than and drilled. As shown in Figure 7-29, I cut the hole

“DC amperes” as it was labeled on the original for the meter body, bolted it in place then added an meter. I simply printed the new label from a on–off switch, indicator LED and a hole for the graphics program, then traced around the paper wand cord, which will be connected to the hidden using the old panel as a guide. The new panel is potentiometer that controls the unit. You could get then taped right over the old one.

fancy and add a few other gadgets into the wand The plastic window is replaced on the meter

such as a cool light system, or even another once the new panel is installed, and now you have oscillator circuit or buzzer for extra show. This a brand new meter that looks like the real deal, no design can take on any form your imagination can dream up. I decided to keep things simple and 129

+9 V

V1

R5

R1

R3

Analog

meter

Gnd

Q1

C1

Q2

C2

R2

R4

8 ohm

speaker

Gnd

Figure 7-31

Components mounted

Q1: 2N3904 NPN

R1: 10K

R4: 100 ohm

C1: 0.01 µF

Q2: 2N3904 NPN

R2: 1K

R5: 10K

C2: 1 µF

R3: 10K

R6: 100K POT

from zero to the maximum. Depending on the

amount of voltage it takes to max out your meter, Figure 7-30

Audio oscillator and meter drive

you may have to play around with the values of V1

schematic

and R5 in order to get a good balance between how high the audio pitch gets as your meter swings plain looking, just like a real military-style Geiger to the full end of the scale. Other than that, feel counter would look.

free to mess around with the component values in order to create some cool effects, or even add more Now it’s time to dig through your junk box for a than one oscillator for some really confusing pair of transistors, some resistors, capacitors and sounds as you move the variable resistor.

wires in order to cobble together the circuit that makes this unit come to life. The schematic is Once your audio oscillator and meter are getting shown in Figure 7-30, and as you can see, it is along together, move the components on to a

nothing more than a variable audio oscillator that perforated board and solder them together for can be set from a low hum to a high-pitched

mounting inside the main box. As shown in

screech by adjusting the 100K variable resistor Figure 7-31, my radiation detector is fully

V1. This variable resistor is actually mounted in functional and only needs some type of wand to be the wand so you can conceal the fact that you are fabricated in order to conceal the variable resistor manipulating it when you wave the wand around at the end of the cable. Remember, bigger and your victim’s body. Of course, you could also more complex is better when you are trying to mount it in the main box if you like, as long is it is baffle your victims with this device, so dig deep not too obvious that this is what makes the meter into your junk collection for some good parts to and sound work. The basic audio oscillator is make the detector wand from.

formed by the two NPN transistors, and the

I was trying to keep the look of my machine as variable resistor not only adjusts the frequency of clean as possible since I planned on giving it a full the audio tone, but it also makes the meter swing military-style camouflage paint job, so I just used Project 33—Radiation Detector

130

Project 33—Radiation Detector

Figure 7-32

Dude, I think you might glow in the dark!

an old flashlight for the radiation wand, drilling a friends that might know a flashlight from a real hole in the side to install the thumb-operated Geiger counter tube. Yes, you will be a real hit variable resistor. I also turned the flashlight head with your circle of friends when your real-looking around so it looked more like the end of some detector sends everyone running.

sensor than a flashlight as shown in Figure 7-32. If Well that sums up the shock and awe chapter.

you want to go all out, a flashing light show inside We have barbequed, shocked, zapped, poisoned the wand would really add to the effect, the and then radiated our friends all in the name of possibilities are endless. If you are a freak for good fun (at their expense mostly). But hey, let’s details, then do an image search for Geiger counter not forget the title of this book, and always and see how you can make this project look

remember what comes around usually goes

exactly like the real McCoy for those hard to trick around.

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Chapter 8

Machine Hoaxes

Project 34—The Magic Light Bulb

This is a classic hoax often sold in various magic The pair of CR2032 button cells worked

catalogs that you can make yourself inexpensively perfectly with my 3.6-volt white LED, and I could using some simple components. The finished

even run three batteries up to 9 volts, although that product will actually be far superior to the fake-did not leave much room inside the bulb casing to looking, plastic units that are often for sale because install everything. Now for the fun part—trying to it will look perfectly authentic, and give off a lot get into the base of the light bulb without breaking more light due to a high-brightness white LED, the bulb or yourself! You will of course, need an rather than an incandescent light bulb. You will ordinary household light bulb, and a pair of work need an ordinary screw-type light bulb, a bright gloves to perform this operation, just to be safe.

white LED, and two small coin batteries that will The plan is to grip the bulb and attempt to force fit inside the base of the light bulb. The white LED

the metal base free from the glass so that both and a pair of 3-volt CR2032 button batteries are parts are intact. This process may be extremely shown in Figure 8-1.

easy, or very difficult depending on how well the These two batteries will provide a total voltage base is glued in place, and you might have to of 6 volts when in series, but the white LED is resort to holding the base with a pair of pliers only rated for 3.6 volts, so what’s the deal you (wrapped around a cloth) if the bulb is really ask? Well, since these batteries can only supply a stubborn. The light bulb can be new, used, or even small amount of current, the LED will run just burned out because we are going to generate light fine, and could probably handle three of those tiny with the LED, so the filament’s condition is not batteries without any problem. The maximum

important here. A well-used bulb may actually be amps (discharge rate) that those batteries can easy to separate since the glue has had time to age deliver is not nearly as much as the LED can draw, and bake from the heat generated by the bulb, but so we find some balance here. If you are not sure try to avoid a dirty old bulb with a black spot in if your LED will run on the two- or three-button the center, as it will not pass the light from the cells, then just stack them on top of each other and LED as well. Figure 8-3 shows my light bulb

drop the LED leads across the batteries as shown undergoing a lobotomy as I twist it back and forth in Figure 8-2 to see what happens. If your batteries with a pair of work gloves for protection against cannot deliver enough current, the LED will only broken glass if the bulb should retaliate.

glow dimly, and if there is too much current, the The bulb should give up its base after a little bit LED may get hot in a few seconds or glow with a of muscle is applied, so hopefully you won’t have slight blue hue, indicating that it is getting too to resort to pliers, which could bend the thin metal much current.

or crack the glass bulb. When you do get the base 133

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Figure 8-1

Two small batteries and a white LED

Figure 8-3

Do the twist? Lights out Charlie?

Figure 8-2

Test the white LED with your batteries

free, pull or cut the two fine wires that connect the another bulb until you get a good base and a good base to the bulb filament so that the tube that leads bulb from your operation. You could smash a bulb to the inside of the bulb is unobstructed. This way, to get a good base, and then rip away the base with the LED can slide into that space. It may look like wire cutters to get a good bulb. When you do have the bulb vacuum is open now, but in reality, that a good base and a good bulb, you will need to tube leading into the bulb is still sealed at the end, solder a pair of wires into the base so that one wire so the vacuum is still in tact, and no air can escape is connected to the screw part and the other to the the bulb. You should now carefully scrape away point at the bottom of the base, just like the two any leftover glue crust from both the bottom of the original wires were once connected in the original glass and the inside of the base so that the two bulb. As shown in Figure 8-5, the wires need only pieces can be easily fit back together. Figure 8-4

be a few inches long, since they will be packed shows the base removed from the bulb and the into the base when you are finished.

excess glue cleaned up from both parts.

Figure 8-5 also shows the two batteries held If you have had no luck removing the base from tightly together by a plastic zip tie. This is done Project 34—The Magic Light Bulb your bulb without breaking something, then try because tape will not hold the wire and batteries 134

Project 34—The Magic Light Bulb

Figure 8-6

The bulb base becomes a switch

the LED can be switched on by short-circuiting the bulb base using a ring on your finger or some small metal object hidden in your hand. Remember which LED lead goes to the positive side of the battery when you connect the wires (the long lead).

Figure 8-6 shows the completed LED circuit, ready to be crammed back inside the light base so that it is Figure 8-4

completely hidden from view. To re-connect the base Base removed from the bulb

to the glass bulb, wrap a bit of tape around the glass so that the base has to be forced into place, or use a bit of hot glue to hold it there. Unless you use the magic bulb like a flashlight, the batteries will probably never need to be changed, so don’t worry about how well the base is secured to the bulb. The best way to perform this trick is to have the light bulb sitting around somewhere in a room and then ask someone if he or she can hand it to you. The light bulb looks and feels like an ordinary bulb, so there will be no suspicion as it is passed along to you. Now, use your metal ring, a very fine wire, or some other small hidden metal object in your hand to make a connection between the base of the bulb and the point at the bottom to close the circuit and light up the bulb. Look surprised, hold out the bulb Figure 8-5

Wires soldered to the bulb base

and let everyone see the mysterious self-powering light bulb glow like magic in your hand. As your baffled tight enough, and you should never attempt to solder friends request the bulb, they will be fully confused at a wire directly to a battery or it may get too hot and the fact that there is nothing out of the ordinary about explode. The rest of this project is easy. Wrap one of it, and it certainly does not glow when they handle it.

the base wires around the zip tie on one side of the Show them that there is nothing in your hand, then battery pack, solder the other wire to one of the LED

take the bulb back, making it light back up again. The leads, then wrap the other LED lead around the zip trick will fool a person as long as you can keep a tie on the other side of the battery. Once that is done, straight face.

135

As shown in Figure 8-7, this completely normal-looking light bulb sucks energy from the fourth dimension, and never needs a light socket. The thin metal wire I have along my finger is making the connection at the base to complete the circuit, but cannot be seen by anyone, even at close range, so this trick works flawlessly. The only thing you should remember is that this bulb should not be left lying around when you are done baffling your friends, or someone may try to install it into a light socket! After all, it does look like a regular bulb, but I can assure you, that if you put 120 volts AC

into that battery pack and LED, there will be smoke, lots of smoke and a nice spark, so hide the bulb when you are done with it. Our next machine hoax will also seem to draw energy out of thin air, so keep on reading if you like to confuse your scientist friends who should know better.

Figure 8-7

Look ma, no power!

Project 35—Coin-minting Machine

Before you consider building this project, it is a you want to fool a person, you need to baffle them good idea to check your local laws regarding the with a lot of bells and whistles in order to conceal duplication of money; in some places it may be what is really going on—it is the key to a successful unlawful to mint your own coins from metal slugs hoax. To build the coin-minting machine, you will using an old CD-ROM drive. Of course, we are not need an old CD-ROM drive, a few metal slugs

really going to mint any coins, but we will make it about the same size as the coin you plan to mint, look as though this is happening by the use of a and a bit of thin wood or plastic. The only part of sneaky internal “switcheroo” and some mechanical the CD-ROM that needs to function is the tray, since noise. The idea to make a machine look as though it will be used to load the slug and then output a real it is minting coins came to me when I was looking coin. Figure 8-8 shows the sacrificial lamb along at an online magic catalog and saw a dollar-bill with a few metal slugs and a quarter.

printing machine. This device is nothing more than A suitable metal slug about the size of a quarter a roller that feeds in a bit of money-sized blank can be found by prying the disk that plugs one of paper from the top and rolls out a dollar bill from the wiring holes on a common electrical box. The the bottom, and it is so simple to build and figure slug is slightly larger than a quarter, but you can out that I did not bother trying to make one. In true tell your onlookers that the edges will be trimmed Evil Genius fashion, I came up with an elaborate in your new coin minting machine, so it needs to machine that includes an autoloading door,

be slightly larger than a coin. The slightly larger mechanical noise maker and a hidden magnetic coin slug will also help to hide the illusion when you switcher, just to print a measly quarter! Of course, if Project 35—Coin-minting Machine

are loading the machine as you will soon see.

136

Project 35—Coin-minting Machine

Figure 8-8

A few metal slugs, a coin and a CD-ROM drive Figure 8-9

Parts for your junk bin

Let’s start by removing everything out of that old up and down the track while reading the data. Since CD-ROM drive until nothing remains except for the our machine needs to make some fake coin-printing loading tray and the motor that makes it open and sounds, the laser head motor will be perfect for this close. Start by removing every screw you can see to because it is a standard DC motor with only two split the metal cabinet open, and then continue connecting wires. Figure 8-9 shows all of the taking out all of the screws until the parts are strewn leftover parts after reducing the drive down to all over your workbench. You will not need the main nothing except for the tray-loading mechanics.

board, laser head, spindle motor, or any of the parts The loading mechanism will consist of a plastic that are not directly involved in opening and closing tray riding along a pair of sliders, one of which is cut the drive tray. Most DVD and CD drives will contain into a gear rack so that the loading motor can drive a three small DC motors: one for the tray-loading small pinion gear along the gear teeth to open or mechanism (the one we are keeping intact), one for close the tray. The motor will be the size of a pop turning the spindle, and one to move the laser head bottle lid and will be connected to a belt-drive 137

Figure 8-10

Testing the loading mechanism

Figure 8-11

Drive tray insert with slug hole in center reduction system to slow down the speed of the gear cardboard or plastic must be cut so that it can be that runs along the gear rack. If you cut the bolted to the tray where the CD or DVD used to connector off of the end of the motor wire pair and sit. The thickness of this insert should be no more hook it directly to a 9-volt battery, the tray will either than the thickness of two quarters, or it may get open or close depending on the polarity of the stuck between the drive cabinet when the door is battery. Normally, this motor runs on 5 volts, so the closed. I found that the thin wood backing found tray will open and close very quickly when

behind dressers and cheap stereo speakers was the connected to a 9-volt battery, but this is OK, and will perfect size for this job as it was about the same not harm the motor. Figure 8-10 shows the stripped-thickness as heavy box cardboard. A hole slightly down loading mechanism being tested by connecting larger than the metal slug should be drilled through a 9-volt battery directly to the motor wires.

the center of the inset as shown in Figure 8-11 (the The loading tray will now be modified to carry slug is inserted into hole). A piece of thin Project 35—Coin-minting Machine the metal slug into the unit, so a bit of thin wood, cardboard or sheet metal will need to be placed 138

Project 35—Coin-minting Machine

under one side of the hole as well so that the 9-volt battery, you can now create the magic quarter and slug do not fall right through the insert switcheroo device, which is nothing more than a hole. I used a bit of cardboard.

small magnet placed over the insert hole inside the The insert needs to be about the same thickness CD-ROM cabinet. Most CD drives will have a

as two quarters because it will carry an actual small round metal lid in the top cover placed quarter with the slug placed over the quarter when exactly over the center of the motor spindle, so this it is being loaded. The quarter is hidden from view is where we will mount our lifting magnet. This by the slug until the drive tray is fully closed at small metal lid is perfect for our device because it which time a small magnet will remove only the will allow easy removal of the hidden slug after we slug so that the quarter will be the only thing left baffle our friends with our new high-tech

in the insert hole when the tray is opened. The counterfeiting operation. Most likely, the metal lid operator will press the “coin-minting” button after will be under the manufacturer’s sticker and need a the tray is loaded and closed to make a mechanical bit of prying to remove the glue seal that holds it noise to add to the effect, but the actual switcheroo in place. If for some reason your drive casing does will happen instantly inside the machine without not have a removable lid, as shown in Figure 8-13, any noise at all. The drive tray insert will be bolted then you will have to drill or cut one yourself. The directly to the drive tray using some small nuts and opening needs to be as large as the slug so you can bolts, or machine screws as shown in Figure 8-12, remove it once the magnet has done its job.

but ensure that the bolts do not hit the surrounding The small ceramic magnet shown in Figure 8-13

mechanical parts as the tray is opened or closed.

was taken from a fridge ornament and is thin This should be tested with the drive casing

enough to avoid getting in the way of the drive tray installed over the loading mechanism to ensure that once the lid is placed back over the drive cover there are no clearance issues.

opening. This magnet does not need to be very Once you have installed your coin and slug tray strong in order to do its job, and it is better that it insert and checked it for proper operation using the is not, since you only want to lift the slug away Figure 8-12

Drive tray insert installed

139

Figure 8-13

Magnet glued to the round lid

Figure 8-14

Magnet lifts the slug not the quarter

from the quarter, not both at once. As shown in The tray motor will need to be connected to a Figure 8-14, the small magnet will easily lift the few switches in order to reverse the polarity of the slug from a distance of about half an inch, but it battery for loading and unloading the machine. The does not have enough power to lift the quarter at easiest way to do this is by connecting the battery the same time. The magnet is held in place with a through a double-pole, double-throw switch, or a bit of hot glue and then the lid is placed back over pair of single-pole double-pole switches as shown the drive casing for another clearance test. If all in the schematic Figure 8-15. As you can see the goes well, your slug and quarter will go in, and two switches labeled “direction switches” simply only the quarter will remain once the tray is reverse the polarity of both battery lines so that the Project 35—Coin-minting Machine opened; this is the real magic behind this hoax.

motor can be made to open or close the tray. I did 140

Project 35—Coin-minting Machine

Tray

Load

motor

Direction

switches

+

Noise

9 V

motor

Run

Figure 8-15

Wiring diagram for tray and noise motor

Figure 8-16

Switches and noise motor inside a PVC cap not have a double-pole, double-throw switch

handy, which is why I ended up with a pair of With the switch box mounted over the round lid double-throw, single-pole switches instead. The in the drive case, your coin-minting machine is operation using the two switches is exactly the ready for use. Next time your buddy needs to same but you have to engage both in the same borrow a quarter for the phone, or when you need direction to reverse the polarity. The other switch some parking change, bring out the machine and connected to the tray motor is a momentary push surprise them with your elaborate plan to never run button to activate the motor once the direction has out of spare change. The best way to set up this been set. Simply set the direction switches to open hoax is to have the real quarter and a slug between or close, then press the momentary switch to make your fingers so that the quarter cannot be seen.

the tray drawer open or close. The other switch Now, hand your buddy another slug to look at labeled “run” activates the noise-making motor, while you place the hidden quarter and slug into which makes some grinding sounds much like an the device, keeping the real quarter out of sight.

old dot-matrix printer running. Tell your onlookers Now that the quarter and slug are safely loaded, that the slug is being cut by some high-tech laser explain that your new machine will cut a quarter mechanism inside the box.

out of the slug using a high-power ruby laser Figure 8-16 shows the completed wiring of the mounted to a series of X and Y plotter motors operation switches placed inside a PVC tubing (make up something good). Now, move the

cap. This cap will be held over the slug-loading direction switches to the close position and press lid with a bit of Velcro so the slug can be easily the tray button to bring the slug and quarter into removed after the coin has been minted. Notice the device. The slug will now be picked up by the that the noise-making motor is also hidden inside small magnet, and you can press the noise-making the PVC cap, and it is positioned so that the motor for a few seconds while you explain how the included bevel gear can rub directly against the laser is etching the surface of the slug into a nice inside of the cap, making a familiar cutting and new quarter. By this time, your buddy may be grinding sound when the “run” switch is pressed.

quite impressed by all of the noise and technical The two wires that exit the cap will connect jargon that you have spewed while the quarter is directly to the CD-ROM tray loading motor

being cut by the machine. When you are ready, through a small hole in the cabinet.

move the direction switches to the open position 141

Figure 8-17

Three steps to never-ending spare change and press the tray button to reveal a nice new replace the front plastic tray cover with something quarter, freshly minted by your fantastic invention!

of your own design, and enclose the drive and Figure 8-17 shows the machine at work.

operating switches into another cabinet with more The machine is very convincing, and will baffle lights, bells and whistles. With a little mechanical your friends every time you can’t seem to find imagination, the unit could be made to pull the needed spare change. If you want to make the switcheroo on other objects as well such as printed machine look less like a CD-ROM drive, then

money, credit cards, even food!

Project 36—See Through Walls

This device is so simple to build that you won’t The video player is placed in a box that looks like even have to warm up your soldering iron, but the some kind of bizarre video camera, and then you end result is a hoax that will fool just about simply copy the motion that you made while you anyone, even those technical skeptics who should were recording the original video. This may sound know better. This machine will convince an

simple, but I can tell you that this hoax is one of onlooker that you are looking directly through a the most convincing hoaxes I have ever contrived, wall and can be used indoors or outdoors with and it fools everyone the first few times they see it, equally good results. This hoax requires nothing even those who know such a device could never more than a portable video player that can be exist. Just stand in front of your house one day and loaded with your pre-made clip of the device let the neighbors look at the “view screen” of your Project 36—See Through Walls scanning a wall, then the space behind the wall.

device in pure amazement as the image changes 142

Project 36—See Through Walls

from the front of your house to your living room as if it were looking right through the wall. The effect is even more convincing due to the fact that the image is moving back and forth as you scan your house from left to right in sync with the playback image. The instant that the video changes from the outside of the house to the inside can be made more realistic by inserting some cool video effect on your computer editing program if you have one, and you can have as many clips on the video

player as there is room for, allowing you to look through multiple walls, houses or buildings. The two key components you will need are a portable video player and some type of lens from a security Figure 8-18

A portable video player and a lens

camera, or optical device as shown in Figure 8-18.

Figure 8-19

Mounting the lens to the enclosure

The lens can be any size and shape you like, and up the device and play the first video clip, so I only it does not have to perform any other function needed a single hole in the cabinet in front of this besides looking like a lens, so use your imagination button. Once you have found an enclosure that will for a parts’ source. Any video player will work for contain the video player, find a way to attach the this hoax, and no modifications or damage will fake lens to the front of the box as shown in occur to the device, since we are simply going to Figure 8-19. The lens should be at the opposite mount it in a cabinet so that it looks like part of the side of the cabinet to where the view screen will be, covert spy machine. You will need a cabinet that just like any video-recording device.

will contain the video player in such a way that the Once the lens is mounted, insert the video player view screen is easily visible and so that you can get into the cabinet so you can mark the holes that access to whatever buttons you need to press in need to be cut. Place a piece of paper placed over order to power up the player and get the video clip the video player and trace around the video screen to play. On my device, the play button will power and control buttons to make a template that can be 143

used to mark the holes in the cabinet. This way you will avoid scratching the video player. If you want to cut a nice square hole, you can use a handy notching tool that takes small rectangular nibbles from plastic or thin metal; these can be purchased at most hardware stores, and make this job a lot easier than using a jigsaw of file. Figure 8-20 shows the video screen and play button holes cut out of the enclosure so that I can just drop my video player inside anytime I want to do this hoax.

Since I wanted the ability to easily remove the video player when the hoax was over, I just placed Figure 8-21

the player into the cabinet and stuffed it with toilet Video player mounted in a non-permanent fashion

paper so it would hold the player in the correct place Figure 8-20

Enclosure holes cut for the video player without the need to fasten anything in a permanent OK, now let’s make the video that will convince fashion. If the device really could see through walls, everyone that you are really looking through the then I would have no problem sacrificing the video walls with your invention. Take your video camera player to the cause, but alas, I have yet to invent such and choose a target wall to look through. If you a device! As shown in Figure 8-21, a wad of toilet want to baffle the neighbors, use the outside of paper is bunched up and stuffed into the box to hold your house, and for indoor hoaxing, pick a wall in the video player against the side of the cabinet where your living room that has a bedroom on the other the cutouts have been made. The view screen and side. Stand in the place you plan to perform the play button holes line up perfectly with the video hoax and record 5 seconds of still video and then player, and there are no signs of the original video make two or three slow and steady passes from left Project 36—See Through Walls player hidden inside the device.

to right along the wall while keeping the video 144

Project 36—See Through Walls

camera about eye level and parallel to the ground so that it ends on the last pass along the wall (this motion will be easy to duplicate). Now, stand before you hit pause to move to the other side of on the other side of the wall and do the same thing, the wall. Now, clean up the second clip the same trying to keep the motion as fluid and steady as way and drop it on the timeline so there is a nice you can. Once you have these two video clips, clean fade between the two clips and what appears download them to your computer editing program to be the same left to right motion. When you play and bring them into the timeline as shown in this back, it will seem as though the camera was Figure 8-22 so you can crop and merge the clips never moved and that the wall simply faded away together. If you have never used the simple editing to reveal the room on the other side. If you are software that came with your video camera, then good with your editor, try a lightning bolt, or some get out the manual and go for it. It really is easy.

caustic melting as a transition to make it look like The goal is to mix the two video segments

the wall was digitally faded out of the video. No together so it looks as though the camera that matter how you do it, just make sure that the left-made them had the ability to focus from the wall to-right panning is smooth through the entire video you are looking at instantly to the room on the clip before you save it. Save the mixed video, then other side. Start by trimming the first video clip of use the conversion utility that came with your the 5 seconds of still video and outside wall video player to import it into the device. You are footage so that there are no jumps at the start and now ready to convince your buddies, neighbors Figure 8-22

Mixing the two video clips together

145

Figure 8-23

Privacy is a thing of the past with this device and family that you have the ultimate spy device.

the room, they can say “Did you see me? I was Figure 8-23 shows the device in action as it looks waving my hand.” This will make the entire hoax through my hallway wall (left photo) right into my seem so realistic that you may find the “men in computer lab (right photo) in an extremely

black” knocking at your door if you show this to convincing manner.

the wrong people. Oh, and don’t forget that your If you want to make the effect look even more helper should be wearing exactly the same

realistic, have a helper get in on the hoax and clothes on when you shot the original footage.

include them in the video as well. You could There you have it, the ultimate invasion of

have a partner run into the room on the other side privacy machine that will fool anyone, and make of the wall you plan to look through, and then them think you can watch them through their

record them waving their hand or something on walls any time you like. The neighborhood will the edited video. When they come back out of never be safe again!

Project 36—See Through Walls

146

Chapter 9

Mind Benders

Project 37—Rigged Lie Detector

A lie detector (also called a “polygraph”), is a detection by simply sliding a finger over the sensitive electronic device that measures

appropriate screw hole. You could paint over the electrodermal activity (skin resistance), respiration conductor, since there will still be enough potential rate and blood pressure. Rumor has it that an expert difference to trigger the op amp as long as your can read the output from a polygraph and determine finger is directly over the touch-switch area. The if the subject is telling the truth by comparing the LM385 op amp is a good choice for many projects data with a set of test questions given to the because it has a wide operating voltage range, only subject. There is much debate whether these

needs a single supply, and is a common and

devices are accurate, and research by some experts inexpensive part. Practically any LED can be in psychology indicates that it only takes minimal directly connected to the op amps outputs without effort to control your body responses and fool the requiring any current-limiting resistor, or you device. Of course, none of this debate matters when could add a switching transistor to drive a larger using the lie detector presented here, since it is the load, such as a buzzer or relay, to make the results operator who actually determines the outcome.

of your device a little more dramatic. There are so Ironically, this device uses the same principles as a few parts that it’s almost not worth using a circuit lie detector. It uses the operator’s skin resistance to board, but to keep things neat and clean, I added trigger a hidden touch switch so that the truth or lie the op amp and dual resistors to the small bit of indicators can be controlled covertly. The

perforated board as shown in Figure 9-2.

schematic for this extremely simple device is Also shown in Figure 9-2 are the two screws that shown in Figure 9-1, and at first glance it may fasten the plastic box lid being used as

seem like there are a few components missing. The touch-switch points for covert operation. For the two tabs labeled “lie on” and “true on” are simply indicator LEDs, a bright red LED for “Lie” and a conductors that, when touched, will create a green LED for “True” were used. They were

voltage and capacitance change on the input pins sufficiently bright, even though the op amp can of the LM358 operational amplifier IC causing the only source a minimal amount of current. The appropriate LED to light up.

actual probes that your fibbing friend must grab on These two touch-switch terminals can be made to can be made from anything you can find in your from any conductive material, which makes

scrap pile since there is no electrical connection to concealment very easy. In my design, I connected the circuit board. You are secretly in control of the the touch-switch wires to the small metal screws device, so the lie detector probes can take any form that hold the plastic enclosure together so they are you like, from an elaborate set of probes connected completely hidden and can be used without

to the subject’s body, to a fanciful-looking space-age 147

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

+9 V

10K

10K

Lie on

True on

LM358

Figure 9-3

You won’t fool this lie detector

Figure 9-1

The lie detector schematic

Figure 9-2

Lie detector circuit assembled and ready helmet that reads brain waves. I opted for a set of the subject and bystanders that the device is really probes cut from a defunct multimeter, and simply working. “Are you human?” “Are you wearing a inserted the wires through holes in the plastic blue shirt?” Then when it comes time to prove that cabinet then tied a knot to keep them from being the subject is telling lies, the effect will seem more pulled out. To operate the device, turn the power convincing since the unit did seem to have the switch on, have your deceitful buddy grab on to ability to distinguish between obvious truths and the probes, then secretly slide your finger on to lies during the test questions. Figure 9-3 shows my one of the touch-switch contacts to control the simple lie detector with the multimeter probes and outcome of the lie detector. If you want to set up indicator LEDs. The two rear screws are connected the prank to make it seem more realistic, run to the touch-switch wires so I can slide my fingers through a few test questions so you can prove to over the appropriate one while out of view.

Project 37—Rigged Lie Detector

148

Project 38—The Dog Talker

With this lie detector in hand, no amount of Now you can reveal the truth (your version of it) psychological training can be used by the subject to in any situation, regardless of what lies may be fool the device, since the operator is in total control.

spewing from your subject’s mouth!

Project 38—The Dog Talker

This fun device can be used for a prank in which If you plan to make the Dog Talker or need to you need a simple way to transmit your voice or hide the receiver in a small area, then look for the some recorded message to a remote location. I call smallest walkie-talkie set you can find so it can be it the Dog Talker because it was initially designed easily concealed. The units I hacked are a bit on to allow our pal, DJ Dogster, to communicate with the bulky side, and I have seen inexpensive sets a us humans. The little device which is worn around quarter the size, but since DJ would have no his collar is simply labeled “K9 Translator” in big problem carrying the 2 × 5-inch box on his collar, bold lettering in order to grab the attention of these units will do just fine. In this project, one of anyone interacting with our K9 buddy. Once they the units will become a permanent receiver,

start to check out the box, I can either talk directly reduced to the smallest possible footprint, and the through the radio receiver hidden inside using a other unit will become a permanent transmitter, microphone, or play some prerecorded message always transmitting so that the receiver never from files saved on the computer. The device can hisses when there is no signal. The transmitter will also be used in “stealth mode” without the obvious also be modified so you can plug in a better quality label so that it is hanging under his collar and not microphone or connect it directly to some audio very noticeable. This way, DJ simply strolls up to source for playing back prerecorded or timed one of his human buddies and begins to talk. If we messages. Dig right into one of the walkie talkies, have company over, I can set my computer to play removing the plastic cover so that you have only some funny wave files through the device at preset the circuit board, battery and speaker remaining. If times so it seems as though DJ himself were

the speaker is glued to the cabinet like mine was, doing the talking. “He, he, he, he … Scooby

then unsolder the wires first, so you can pry out Snacks”—you get the idea. Of course, this easy-the speaker without having the circuit board in the to-make transmitter and receiver combo can be way to avoid damaging any of the components.

used to project sound for many other funny pranks, There may also be an electret microphone included and because it has an audio input, any audio device in the cabinet that will also need to be pried loose, with a line output, such as a computer, radio or so do the same thing with it. In Figure 9-5, I MP3 player, can be used as the source audio. You reduced the completely functional receiver to the will need a set of inexpensive kid’s “walkie circuit board and speaker.

talkies” in order to build this project. Practically If you want more than a 20- or 30-foot range, any set will do, and they all work on the low-then you may need to install an antenna back on power 27-MHz or 49-MHz license-free band, so the receiver, but you may be surprised at how well you won’t have to worry about the “radio cops”

a 2-inch piece of wire will work when compared to busting down your door if you mess with them.

the original antenna that was included in the Figure 9-4 shows the $5 walkie-talkie set that I plastic casing. My unit actually had the same range found at a bargain shop for hacking.

without any antenna connected to the receiver as 149

Figure 9-4

A set of kid’s walkie talkies

Figure 9-5

Removing the plastic cabinet

long as the transmitter was placed in a good spot be the battery and speaker, so keep that in mind without any metal object between it and the

when searching for a plastic box to contain the receiver. With your receiver unit gutted, try to pack unit. If you find the speaker a bit too wide for the everything into the smallest possible container you cabinet, it may be a good idea to install a smaller can find so the unit will be easy to conceal and unit, but you will lose a bit of volume in the process.

Project 38—The Dog Talker lightweight. The largest parts of the receiver may With a little searching, I found a plastic box that fit 150

Project 38—The Dog Talker

Figure 9-6

Re-fitting the receiver in a smaller box the circuit board, battery and speaker perfectly, and it the smaller units, and if there is no free room is shown going together in Figure 9-6. The original inside the case, you can run the wires through a plan was to sew the guts into a doggie vest, but this small hole and solder the jack outside the case. I little plastic box would make the Dog Talker more managed to find a tiny space for the jack between fun to use because people could notice it from a the battery compartment and then unsoldered the distance and come to investigate out of pure wires from the unit’s built-in microphone and curiosity.

soldered them to the new jack. Now another

Now that the receiver is ready to go, let’s modify microphone or external audio source could be the transmitter so it is always transmitting and will plugged into the walkie talkie, making it an all-never hiss due to signal loss. We will also solder purpose audio transmitter. One annoying factor an external input jack in place of the internal was that the transmit switch would have to be held microphone so your voice can be projected to the down in order to transmit, so I decided to trace the receiver with much better clarity and this will also contacts with my multimeter and solder them in allow external sound sources to be used. A 1⁄

the transmitting position so the unit would always 8-inch

stereo jack, like the type you find on the end of a be sending the signal to the receiver. This constant headphone, will be the best type of jack to install transmission will also stop the receiver from due to its common use in audio equipment and hissing when there is no signal, a dead giveaway small size. It is very easy to find a microphone or that a transmitter is being used. Figure 9-7 shows dubbing cable with this end so you can connect the new 1⁄8-inch audio jack installed in place of the directly to your computer’s sound card or an MP3

walkie talkie’s built in microphone.

player. There are two types of walkie talkies: those If you cannot figure out which pins to short in that include an electret microphone and those that order to fix the transmit switch so that it is always use the speaker as a microphone when the transmit engaged, you can force it closed with some hot button is held in. It does not matter which type of glue or shrink wrap, and then remove the plastic unit you have, since you will remove the

knob so it no longer sticks out of the casing. If you microphone or speaker, and run the two wires to have no microphone for testing the new input jack, the external input jack. Try to find a space on the use the original microphone that came with the original plastic casing where you can drill a hole to unit by soldering it to a male 1⁄8-inch jack. You can install the jack. This may be a bit of a challenge on also feed the output from your computer or

151

Figure 9-7

External input jack installed

Figure 9-8

Ready to transmit any audio signal

MP3 player with the volume down low into the give the most surprise, especially if you are hiding transmitter to see how the audio sounds on the out of view and watching the action. You could receiver unit. When everything is working, put the watch through a window as someone you know

transmitter back together, and you are ready to use comes up to pet your K9 friend, and then bark your new broadcasting station. Any time you need

“Hello!” through the transmitter, or prepare some to send an audio signal a few hundred feet, this funny prerecorded message to playback from your system will be ready to perform, and it can be used computer or MP3 player. Placing the box out in like a low-power pirate radio broadcaster to send plain view and calling it a translator is also fun, your tunes to the garage, or even as a simple room since it will make some people curious and

bug to monitor a remote location. The transmitter encourage them to come over and talk to your dog.

is connected to the output of my computer’s sound

“Whatcha got there pal?” they might enquire as card in Figure 9-8, sending some funny “dog talk”

they bend over to pet your buddy. “Woof! What’s to DJ’s collar as he roams about in the front yard, up, dawg,” your canine pal responds. Yes, it can be talking at surprised passers by.

quite entertaining to interact with curious humans If you want to play the talking dog prank, then who are surprised that your canine talks! You can there are several options. Hiding the receiver under also have the transmitter hidden in your pocket, Project 38—The Dog Talker a collar or sewing it into some doggie clothing will connected to an MP3 player or some sound

152

Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter

Figure 9-9

Woof! I make this look good!

playback device so you can have your dog talk to good buddy DJ Dogster sports the receiver on his people as you meet them while out on a walk.

collar before heading outside to communicate with There are a few voice output ICs on the market the humans (Figure 9-9).

that can spit out a few hundred English words by Well, I hope you have fun with this project, and simply sending the correct serial data, so you could find many uses for this simple audio transmitter. It’s have a world of fun talking to humans through always a hoot when things start to talk or sounds your pet. To demonstrate the “K9 Translator,” my come from places that they normally wouldn’t.

Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter

Now you can have the same power that talkshow a secret number or color, and then telepathically send psychics, divine healers and those memory gurus his or her thoughts to the person with the receiver have—the power of a hidden radio transmitter! Yes, hidden on them. Now, you might think that it would the “magic” they have is usually hidden in a shoe or be difficult to communicate with a simple system inside a tiny earpiece so they can be fed instructions, like this, but for simple mind-reading games where or data about the person whom they are trying to the receiver only has to guess colors or numbers, it is convince that their psychic abilities are genuine. Our perfectly suited. Many casino cheaters use a system transmitter will not take the form of an earpiece similar to this, sometimes hidden in their shoe, and audio transmitter, which would be too obvious and they have no problem transmitting numbers and card expensive to make for home-grown magic. Instead, names in a hurry, so it can be done. Morse code can we will create a system that can be completely also be used with this system, if you are up to the hidden under clothing that will allow the sender to challenge of learning it, although you could still just press a button and transmit a mechanical tap to the tap out the number representing the letter you want receiver. The person with the transmitter will be told to send (1-26) for short words.

153

This project can take on many forms, depending The transistor that turns on the motor will have on where you plan to show off your telepathic enough capability to switch a tiny solenoid, relay abilities and what type of clothing you plan to wear coil or another motor used as the mechanical at the time. For impromptu indoor use, a simple activator that taps the person carrying the receiver.

belt system worn by the hoaxster is easy to use and In my unit, the power wires were red and black, will allow the sender to covertly tap a hidden and the motor wires were white and blue, so the switch under a short. For outdoor use, a shoe-color coding was obvious, but don’t assume this to mounted tap switch might be better and would always be the case or you will end up frying some certainly be very difficult to detect, just like the electronics. The motor that powered this RC car would-be casino cheaters use, but don’t get any was so tiny that I decided not to use it as a bright ideas pal, the house always wins! I decided mechanical activator because soldering wires to it to use the guts from an inexpensive mini RC car to would probably destroy it, and it probably would make this unit, owing to the fact that all the not have enough torque to make a noticeable tap electronics are already made and the system is very on the person wearing the receiver. Figure 9-11

small. I needed to reduce the transmitter to the shows the disassembled RC car, a new motor I smallest package possible and then modify the little decided to use as an activator and the tiny

car electronics to move some mechanical device rechargeable battery that was inside the car.

that would allow the receiver to feel the taps I could have used the tiny battery that was

against his or her body. Figure 9-10 shows the little included in the car, but then I would have to RC car and transmitter before hacking surgery.

recharge the receiver whenever I wanted to use the Remove the car’s cover to get access to the small unit, which would be annoying and not allow the receiver circuit board. Be careful not to rip any receiver to operate for long periods of time. Since wires off the board when you remove the casing, this tiny battery was 1.2 volts, I decided to replace since you will need to know where the battery, it with a single 1.5-volt AA battery that would run motor and antenna wires connect in order to

the unit for days at a time, allowing the prank to connect them again. The two wires that lead to the be set up hours before showing off our new

main drive motor are the ones you will need.

telepathy magic. The antenna wire can also be cut down to an inch or two, and should still allow enough range to have the transmitter and receiver in separate rooms to truly baffle your audience.

Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter Figure 9-10 A micro-sized RC car and transmitter Figure 9-11

Tiny RC car autopsy completed

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Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter

Figure 9-12

New battery and activator installed

For an activator, any electromechanical device that The receiver circuit board was wrapped in a bit of can be felt if pressed against your waist or leg will electrical tape and then placed inside a small round do the trick, and this could be a tiny motor with a container along with the motor and activator arm.

counter weight, pager vibrator motor, relay with The battery was installed outside the container so the cover removed, or even a home-brew coil with the unit could be shut down when not in use by a magnet floating around the center. All you have removing the battery. Both the battery and

to make sure of is that there is enough current container were then tie-wrapped to a belt that coming from the two wires that are used to run could be worn on the body of the telepathy

the RC cars motor to power the device you

receiver so that the activators arm would strike plan to use. The activator should also be silent them when the remote control was engaged.

and easily canceled to avoid detection when

Figure 9-13 shows the completed receiver belt doing your telepathy act. Figure 9-12 shows the unit ready to fool everyone the next time we are new battery and activator made from another toy invited on national TV to show off our amazing car motor with a bit of copper wire soldered to telepathy and mind powers.

the shaft to make an arm that would strike the I was originally planning to gut the RC

receiver’s body.

transmitter and install it on another belt, but since I could now switch on the RC transmitter and make the activator arm swing around and strike the table as I engaged the “drive” button on the remote control. There wasn’t a great deal of force driving the activator, but it was easy to feel the strikes when placed on a belt and worn around the waist or leg, so it would work perfectly. I could have made the receiver a lot smaller by finding a way to use the original tiny motor and rechargeable battery, but since this unit will be worn under loose clothing, its current size should not be a problem.

Figure 9-13

Telepathy receiver belt ready for use

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it was already installed in a nice small package, operate and difficult to detect, that way you can I decided to simply solder a microswitch to the efficiently tap out your messages to the receiver.

two terminals that would activate the receiver so Figure 9-14 shows my very basic remotely wired that I could place the transmitter in a pocket and touch switch system using the original remote-then run the microswitch to a convenient place on control body intact.

my body. The microswitch could be run along the Now you can rehearse your telepathy magic with user’s leg and placed in a shoe, or strapped behind a partner to become efficient at sending messages the knee so that leg flexing would activate it, or it with the telegraph-like device you have just could even be replaced by a tilt switch ad placed created. If you know Morse code, then the

just about anywhere. The receiver was so small it possibilities are endless, and you can engage in a could also be strapped to the body under some conversation in very little time by tapping out the clothing to avoid detection, so this wired

words while the receiver speaks them out to the microswitch system would work out very well.

amazement of everyone watching. For simple

The microswitch should be as sensitive as

communications, have a bystander write a series of possible and not make an obvious click when

numbers on a page then hand it to you for

activated. You can pull these tiny switches from telepathic transmission. Simply tap out the

many small appliances, such as printers and

numbers in sequence with a long pause between telephones, or you could use your imagination to them so the receiver can pencil them down. You create your own pressure-sensitive switch. A nice could also code colors using numbers, or simply flat switch that can be worn in the shoe might be count out the position of alphabetical letters to made from two copper pennies insulated from

transmit simple words such as “cat,” which would each other at the ends so that stepping down a bit become three taps, pause, one tap, pause, and then might close the circuit, or you might try making ten taps for each letter. There are many ways to some type of switch that can be activated by prove your telepathic abilities, or cheat at games flexing a leg muscle inconspicuously as you

(did I say that?), so I will leave you to your own transmit your secrets telepathically to the receiver.

evil devices on this one. Have fun, and remember The only goal is to make the switch easy to

to mention my name when you are on national TV.

Project 39—Telepathy Transmitter Figure 9-14 Remote-control transmitter and microswitch 156

Project 40—Subliminal Audio Mind Control

Project 40—Subliminal Audio Mind Control

I do not believe there are any “holy grails” of mind this simple editing any program that will allow you control, maybe except for the CIA’s “MK-Ultra”

to record and mix sound files will work. Start by project. But, seriously folks, there must be recording your spoken commands so that the

something to subliminal mind control (also known recording level is smooth without clipping, distortion as “advertising”), because billions of dollars are or background noise. Speak your commands as if spent bombarding our senses with product logos, you were giving instructions to a hypnotized person, slogans, patterns and familiar scents into our using slow and steady tones, making each word as brains. However, some “subliminal” advertising is clear as possible. Keep your instructions simple and blatantly obvious, playing on our most basic short, such as “you will pay back the money your instincts, and some is so well hidden that it is borrowed to Jack” or “it is time to upgrade the usually only discovered by accident. Do a Google computer.” You will want to repeat the message search and type in the phrase “subliminal

multiple times during the song to implant the advertising pop cans” to see one of the most message, but keep it so subtle that the listener is famous cases of subliminal advertising to see what unaware of the message. Figure 9-15 shows the I mean. Subliminal mind control is not only

sound mixing software open with two audio clips, limited to visual objects, it can also take the form one of the songs I plan to implant the message into of hidden audio tracks conveying verbal messages, (bottom clip) and the spoken message itself (top clip).

hypnotic alpha-beat frequencies embedded in

Notice that the sound sample does not saturate audio, ultrafast words displayed between frames in the top and bottom of the sample window, which video, and even certain smells purposely vented would indicate distortion and clipping. The spoken outside an establishment to draw people in. Yes, sample appears to be at the same volume level as these tactics really work, and I will show you how the song sample, which indicates a good recording.

you can experiment with subliminal messages

Once you are satisfied with your spoken audio encoded in both audio and video clips by using clip, select all of it or part of it by highlighting the your computer and some basic editing software.

wave file in the window, then right click and select If this experiment really does work for you, then

“Copy.” Almost all audio editing software has this imagine how much fun it will be to encode the basic function, and you can also select “Copy”

message “wear a yellow raincoat to school today”

from the toolbar if it is not available on the right on your buddy’s MP3 player.

mouse click. This will copy the highlighted portion Let’s begin with embedding a hidden voice

of the source audio file to the clipboard so it can message into an audio file so that your every wish be pasted on to a new or existing audio track or can be fed directly to the minds of your subject clip. Now select the place in the destination audio through an MP3 player. In addition to the basic clip by clicking the mouse button in the clip mixing software, you will also need a copy of the window. This will become the place that the

music they typically listen to, access to their player subliminal message will be mixed in, so try to or music directory, and some way to record your choose a place that has a lot of sound, not the intro voice into the computer, such as a multimedia or end of the music piece. With the audio position microphone. For a good description on getting a marker clicked into position, you will be able to microphone plugged into your computer, refer back right click and either select “Mix” or “Paste”

to Chapter 5, Project 18. I use a very popular sound-depending on your editing tools. For Sony Sound editing program called Sony Sound Forge, but for Forge, the best choice is “Mix” as shown in

157

Figure 9-15

Song and subliminal message open for editing Figure 9-16, as it allows you to choose a source and mix, choose “Save As” from the file menu and see destination volume as the clips are mixed together.

if your editing software can directly encode an Remember that the subliminal message should be MP3 file. As shown in Figure 9-17, Sound Forge very difficult to hear, even if you know its there, so allows MP3 files to be saved at 96 Kbps, a perfect choose a low mixing level, such as 10 or 15

format for direct upload to the MP3 player without percent, and test the playback. You should barely be having to use the player’s import software tools.

able to hear the voice commands that you inserted, Don’t forget to save the original song so you can but they should also be subtle enough that, if you revert it back the way it was once you have

weren’t listening for them, they would be

delivered your subliminal message to the subject undetectable. Now you have a true subliminal and had all your evil wishes completely fulfilled.

message. Depending on your goals, you may want Now all you have to do is wait a few days to see to insert more messages throughout the song to if your subliminal message takes hold as your ensure that you have total delivery of the “package”

unsuspecting subject gets his or her groove on. If over the course of the song. Just make sure that you your message is perfectly mixed and the commands don’t paste the subliminal message over any dead aren’t too outlandish, you just never know what spots in the song, or your ruse will be discovered.

might happen. Of course, if you are commanding It’s a good idea to play back the entire song to hear your buddy to buy you a new entertainment system if the subliminal message is well blended before and then run down the street wearing nothing but a you save the song for import back into your

tutu and a pair of flippers, then you might not get buddy’s MP3 player. When you are happy with the what you want! Doesn’t hurt to try, though.

Project 40—Subliminal Audio Mind Control

158

Project 40—Subliminal Audio Mind Control

Figure 9-16

Mixing the subliminal message with a music file Figure 9-17

Outputting the newly mixed song

159

Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control

Embedding very short text messages or images with them because it is not difficult to insert these into movies or television broadcasts is an effective ultrashort messages into downloaded movies or method used in advertising. Decades ago,

burned DVD videos. We will use basic video

advertisers tried inserting a single frame of editing software, which is often included with subliminal video in a television broadcast so that digital cameras and video appliances. The video the mind had only an extremely short glimpse of editing software needs to have basic cut and paste the message because there were 30 full frames of functions (most of them do), and some type of video drawn every second on a TV set. At such a simple text or title generator so you can insert your short duration, the message was not even

millisecond message into the movie or video clip.

noticeable, even if you were looking for it, but Again, I use a product from Sony called Vegas some “scientists” had determined that the mind Video because they make good software, which is could actually absorb the message directly into the reasonably priced.

subconscious. Of course, these types of

Start by choosing a video clip or movie that you manipulative things are not done any more (so they will show to the hoax victim. You might want to say), but I thought it might be cool to play around rip a DVD to your computer and then recode it Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control Figure 9-18 Importing a video clip for editing 160

Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control

back to disk, or simply alter an existing video clip.

into two segments at that point. In Sony Vegas, the Whichever method you choose, the first step is tool is called “Split” and is found on the “Edit”

importing it into whatever video editing software toolbar as shown in Figure 9-19. This tool will you plan to use. As shown in Figure 9-18, I

break the video clip at the exact position of the imported a short video clip on to the timeline of a cursor on the timeline. Almost all video editing crazy dude riding an undersized electric mini-bike software has this basic function, although it may at dangerously high speeds.

be called something different.

Now you must choose a position in the video

Once the splitting or razor tool has sliced the clip where you would like to insert the subliminal clip into two parts, click the rightmost segment and message. This should be somewhere in the movie slide it to the right so you can open up some space or clip where you know the observer will be

to insert some text-generated media (your

watching intently. In a movie, there may be several subliminal message). Nearly all video editing places you would like to insert the message for software has some ability to insert text or titles, optimal effect, such as suspense scenes or any and again it may be called something other than other place in the clip you know will have the

“text media” as it is in Sony Vegas. As shown in viewer’s attention. In the timeline, click on a Figure 9-20, I chose text media from the “Insert”

position you would like to insert the message and toolbar and then typed a one-line message using a then use the razor, split or cut tool to break the clip big font. The message “order a pizza now” was Figure 9-19

Splitting the video clip to insert a message 161

Figure 9-20

Choose a short message in bold type

generated at the cursor on the timeline as a short Now we need to shrink the text clip to the

clip in the space left over after cutting the original smallest possible segment, then sew up the entire clip in half. For optimal results, keep the message clip by sliding all three parts back together without very simple, use big block text, and make sure the any gaps. As shown in Figure 9-21, I made the text colors are high contrast like black and white. At clip last only a fraction of a second by shrinking 1⁄30th of a second, the message “Give me back the its length handles on the timeline, and then I comfy chair,” and “Get me a cold drink while you moved all three clips together so there would be no are up” will likely not register in the subconscious gaps between the text and video parts of the file.

unless your viewer is a speed reader.

The resulting playback is an extremely small burst Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control Figure 9-21 Shortened message now inserted 162

Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control

Figure 9-22

Saving the completed subliminal video

of text that is almost unnoticeable if you are not

“Render As” from the File menu and then entered expecting it. There will be a tiny gap in the sound a filename and type as shown in Figure 9-22. For as well because the text message has no sound DVD quality playback, it is best to choose a track, but at such a short duration it will be quality compressor with very little loss, such as practically unnoticeable during playback. If your DV or AVI, so that your DVD re-authoring

subliminal message is easily seen, then it is too software can make the best decisions based on a long, so keep shortening it until you can barely clean file. If you plan to upload your file to the notice it. To the unsuspecting viewer, it may only web or send it by email, then a higher

appear as a slight glitch in the video file, if they compression, such as WMV or MPEG, would

notice anything at all.

probably be better. To get the best results, you will Once you are happy with the playback and have have to do a little experimentation if you are new inserted your message in one or more places in the to video editing software, and if you are really brave, video file, you will need to re-encode it back to refer to the software manufacturer’s manual. After your hard drive for playback or burn to a DVD

you save your video file, take a quick look at the disk. There will usually be an export dialog located section that should have the subliminal message on the file or edit menu where you can choose to just to make sure it is there, although it may only export your newly edited video clip in one of many look like a frame glitch unless you can play the file compression formats. In Sony Vegas, I chose

back in slow motion with your media viewer.

163

Now you are ready to have your friends over for companies spend megabucks to experiment with a movie night they will never forget! Before long, this type of subliminal messaging, so there must be the entire world will be under your complete something to this.

control, carrying out all of your commands with In the next section, we will create some scary precision! OK, that may be far-fetched, but don’t goblins and gouls that come alive to frighten underestimate subliminal advertising until you unsuspecting hoax victims during the Halloween have had the chance to try it out. A lot of

season, or all year round!

Project 41—Subliminal Video Mind Control

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Chapter 10

Halloween Horrors

Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat

You know what irks me? Friendly-looking spooks holding up a decent amount of weight. The trolley and smiling ghouls. When did Halloween, “Night is only needed for one of the smaller pulleys. Drill of the Living Dead,” become so watered down?

or hammer out one of the pins that hold them into But, when you come to our house, you’d better be the frame to extract the pulley. Now, find a bit of prepared to jump because the place is rigged like a threaded rod or a bolt with a length of about haunted Fort Knox, and you won’t find one

8 inches that will fit in your drill chuck. I used skeleton with a smiley face anywhere! What you some 3⁄8 threaded rod, and I had no problem

will find are talking mirrors, lurching zombies, sliding it into the chuck on my hand drill, but you bloodthirsty Jack-O-Lanterns and flying vampire should check this ahead of time, since the motive bats like the one presented next.

power for this project comes from the drill, which As we all know, bats are creatures of the night must connect to this threaded rod or bolt. Once that fly around looking for prey, striking without you have found an appropriate length and size of warning to leave victims lifeless and fully

threaded rod, drill a hole through the small pulley exsanguinated. OK, that’s actually a load of bat that you took from the trolley so the threaded rod guano, but it sure sounds good on the one night can fit through it to form an axle as shown in that we get to scare people without consequence.

Figure 10-2.

This project can be used to “reel” a small object Once the threaded rod is inserted through the hole back and forth across your yard to make it seem as in the pulley, a bolt on either side will lock it firmly if something is flying towards a person, so it’s to the axle so that you can use it as a drive pulley by perfectly suited for giving the vampire bat flight grasping one end of the threaded rod in your drill while would-be trick or treaters invade your chuck. The two bolts holding the pulley in place are property looking to gobble up all of your goodies.

shown in Figure 10-2, but do not crank them down Let’s start by fabricating the towing system that just yet, since the axle will need to be adjusted and can be used to make little beasties fly across your placed through the support blocks that will be made yard towards visitors. You will need a clothesline next. The support blocks shown in Figure 10-3 are pulley and one of those hanging trolleys as shown made by cutting a few pieces of 2 × 4 wood, tall in Figure 10-1. The trolley is only needed for one enough to hold the drive pulley in place so that it of the small pulleys, so if you can find one by does not rub on the surface the blocks are placed on.

itself, that will also work.

In other words, the drive pulley should be easy to Also shown in Figure 10-1 is a spool of heavy turn when held in place by the two support blocks fishing wire, which, when strung across your yard once you drill the hole in each block for the axle.

at night, will be completely invisible yet capable of The washers are placed between the bolts that lock 165

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Figure 10-1

A large clothesline pulley and trolley

Figure 10-3

Axle support blocks made from pieces of

a 2 × 4 wood

their position. Keep in mind that the two support blocks should hold the axle in place without causing any friction, so do not sandwich the pulley too tight with the support blocks. Two long

woodscrews placed through the underside of each support block will hold them to the 2 × 4, but you might want to pre-drill the screw holes with a small drill bit first to keep the support blocks from cracking as you tighten up the woodscrews.

You can now connect your hand drill to the drive axle as shown in Figure 10-5. I added a back plate made from some scrap plywood to secure the drill in place while it is being used to drive the pulley, but that is optional. The drill should also be Figure 10-2

Bolts hold the pulley and trolley in place variable speed and reversible or you will only have the pulley to the axle and the support block to keep a bat that can fly one way across your yard at high the bolt from rubbing against the wood. The axle speed! The support plate for the rear of the drill is hole should also be drilled a little larger that the nice to have as well because it allows for a one-diameter of the axle (threaded rod) so it can turn handed operation, rather than having to hold on to freely in the hole with little friction.

the drill handle at all times when driving the Both axle support blocks are held to a length of pulley. If you do plan to support the drill on the 2 × 4 as shown in Figure 10-4, so that one end of 2 × 4, make sure the drill body is in alignment the 2 × 4 has enough room for a drill to sit. The with the axel and has a bit of freedom to move so drill side of the axel should also have at least you do not stress the drive axle or the drill chuck.

2 inches of axle sticking out past the support block A little-known fact is that your 120-volt

so it can be securely held in the drill chuck while it AC-operated drill will also run on a DC voltage as is driven. Tighten the two nuts on either side of the low as 12 volts. If you would like to keep the drive pulley, add the washers, and then place the speed and torque of your pulley to a minimum, just Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat two support blocks on the long 2 × 4 to mark out connect the power cord from your drill to a large 166

Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat

Figure 10-4

Pulley and support blocks mounted to another 2 × 4

Figure 10-5

Supporting the drill body for one-handed operation 12-volt battery, such as a security or car battery, Heavy fishing wire can easily support a few pounds and it will turn with 10 times less speed and force.

of weight safely, which would allow the creation of With the drive side of this project ready for action, any number of Halloween creatures such as ghosts, you need to create the idler side, which will carry bats, or caped creatures. I decided to create a the weight of the flying object and wire across lightweight black furry vampire bat with glowing your yard. The idler pulley shown in Figure 10-6

red eyes, which would allow me to use very thin was designed to do this exact job, and can easily fishing wire that would become invisible as soon as be adapted for mounting to any pole or wall by the sun started to set. I made the bat by bending a placing it on a board. The idler pulley mounting coathanger into the wing shapes shown in

board has a hole drilled in each corner so a rope or Figure 10-7 so they could be covered in black bungee cord with hooks can be used to wrap it cloth, then fastened to a small plastic box which tightly to a tree or pole across your yard.

will also be covered in fur. The small black box You could probably drag practically any creature will also carry a 1.5-volt battery to light the two across your yard as long as the cable you install on small red LEDs to give the bloodthirsty vampire the pulleys can take the weight of the object.

bat a little bit more of an evil look.

167

Figure 10-8

Bat wings and glowing eyes added to the

plastic box

Figure 10-6

Large idler pulley bolted to a board

Figure 10-9

Ready for flight and ready to attack!

Figure 10-7

Forming wings by bending coathanger wire The black stretchy material was first glued to one actually think the bat was the real McCoy, well side of the coathanger wire using a hot glue gun and maybe not with the glowing red eyes.

then it was stretched around the other side and glued Installing this project is best done in the light to form the wing. Black paper or tissue paper will before the unsuspecting trick or treaters head out also work, and you could simply lay the wire wing so you can make sure it functions properly and get down on the paper to trace the area to be cut using a used to setting the proper drill speed. Start by marker. Secure the wings to the small plastic box by fastening the drill to the drive pulley system and placing each end of the coathanger through a hole then secure it to a table or chair in a place that drilled in the side of the box and then bend the end allows a clean cable run to the target pulley across of the wire so it cannot be pulled out of the hole. The your yard. Cables need to be out of reach of people completed wings are shown in Figure 10-8 fastened and high enough so the bat will seem to come in to the black box along with the two red LEDs that from above as if dive bombing the victim. Your will pierce the night with an evil red glow.

drive system should also be in a place that does not The completed vampire bat is shown in

look obvious yet allows a clear view of the yard Figure 10-9, ready to fly across the yard towards and target area so you can know when to launch visitors entering the yard in search of Halloween the bat. You could also place the idler pulley at the treats. The bat may not look very realistic close up, target destination and run the drive system from but it does put on a good show when it appears to the other side of the yard for a more covert and fly across the yard all by itself with eyes glowing quiet operation if you have another person handing Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat red. At a distance of several feet, you might out the treats. My drive system was strapped to the 168

Project 42—Flying Vampire Bat

Figure 10-10

Securing the drive system to a workbench Figure 10-11

Evil bat waiting for victims

workbench in my garage as shown in Figure 10-10, done on a clothesline. The bat or flying critter can where I can wait on Halloween night to hand out be fastened to the wire using a screw or hook tricks rather than treats. When you are installing placed on the top of its back, which will allow a the fishing wire, make two or three wraps around point to tie the wire. Now, you can test your the drive pulley to start so there will be sufficient flying creature by running the drill in both friction to keep the wire from slipping. From there, directions to make a back and forth trip across the you will just unspool as much wire as you need to yard. Start by using a slow speed on your drill, make it to the idler pulley and back.

and slowly work up to the desired speed just to The idler pulley is strapped to a tree or nailed make sure there is no excessive friction or

to a post across the yard so that the bat will travel anything rubbing on the wire that may cause a from above to the target destination. The wire breakage. Figure 10-11 shows my evil vampire does not have to make multiple wraps around the bat ready to lurch from the top of the tall fence idler pulley, since it is not required for drive, so directly across the yard as trick or treaters head to just place the wire around it once like it would be the door expecting to see more friendly ghosts 169

and smiling ghouls. Won’t they be shocked when is one house in the neighborhood where adults as the bat with glowing red eyes does a fast flyby as well as kids can sometimes find themselves

they approach the front door where many other jumping for cover—but that’s what Halloween is evil machines await their arrival? Yes, indeed, this all about.

Project 43—The Haunted Ghost Mirror

This haunted ghost mirror is another fun Halloween prop that allows you to interact with those who are brave enough to venture up to your door after dealing an onslaught of evil trickery in the front yard. At first glance, the mirror looks like a typical black mirror that a practitioner of dark magic might use for

“scrying” (watching someone to control or influence them), and since there is no reflection in the dark glass, the trick or treater might ask what the mirror is for. At this point, the mirror seems to come to life as an evil face fades into view as if manifesting from the very darkness. To further surprise the

now-captivated mirror gazer, the face in the mirror Figure 10-12

A 12 × 12-inch mirror with a large begins to have a conversation with them, just like the wooden frame

fabled magic “mirror, mirror, on the wall.”

For this project, you will need a mirror with at slightly smaller so there is no visible border. As viewing area of approximately 12 inches squared, shown in Figure 10-13, I used an old 14-inch color since there will be a video screen placed behind it monitor with a composite input so that my video eventually. The mirror itself will be taken out and camera could display the image directly. Also replaced with a plate of clear glass or plastic, so shown in the photo is a small black and white you may simply want to make your own mirror

security camera, which also works perfectly for frame instead of taking one apart. A large border is this project since image quality and color is not also nice to have, so you can paint it up with important. Any video screen that can display the symbols to look like a real authentic tool of dark image live from your camera will work, and this magic. Figure 10-12 shows the rather plain-looking could be a security monitor, television set with a square mirror I decided to convert into my haunted line input or RF modulator, or even an LCD

ghost mirror.

screen, which would be very easy to conceal.

The ghostly image will be projected through the If your video camera has any special effects such black mirror by cranking up the brightness and as negative or mirror image, then you can spice up contrast on an old portable video monitor or the image on the screen to make a truly bizarre security monitor so that only the highlights appear display. Connect your camera to the video screen through the dark cloth behind the glass. For this and then increase the contrast and brightness reason, your mirror glass should be about the same until you have the brightest possible image with a Project 43—The Haunted Ghost Mirror size as the video screen you plan to use or just lot of definition between the light and dark spots.

170

Project 43—The Haunted Ghost Mirror

Figure 10-14

Scary faces from out of the darkness

Figure 10-13

A monitor that will display a live

camera image

Since the mirror fabric will only pass the highly contrasted image, detail or even focus is not important here. A little black and white makeup can make you appear very creepy when viewed through the highly contrasted mirror material, so you have a lot of room to experiment, making your face look as evil as possible. The material that you will use to cover the video screen should allow the highly contrasted image to show through, but fade off to pitch black very quickly as the light or brightness of the image fades, this way you can sit in front of a bright light and fade in and out of view like a Figure 10-15

Securing the material over the clear

ghost. A bit of black stretchy spandex seems to glass front

work very well when stretched over the video screen, as shown in Figure 10-14. In this photo, I the spandex material around the frame to give it a am sitting on a chair with a 600-watt floodlight on bit of stretch, allowing a bit more light from the my face for maximum brightness, and when I back video screen to pass through it. Now, your mirror up a little bit, it seems like my face is fading into can be painted to look more like an official tool of the darkness as the image completely disappears.

witchcraft and then placed in front of your video Some of the other materials that gave cool effects screen on a table top for your Halloween visitors.

when placed over the video screen were: dark The video screen is simply covered up with a bit nylons, white paper, florescent lighting lenses, and of dark cloth and then surrounded by various objects, many other thin semitransparent materials.

such as candles or other interesting objects that will When you find a material that gives you an effect keep attention focused into the center of the screen.

you like, remove the original mirror from the frame If you like to go all-out on Halloween, then a false and replace it with a clear plate of glass or a bit of wall that will allow the ghost mirror to be hung over plastic. The material you plan to use will then be a video screen opening will make the effect look placed behind the glass as shown in Figure 10-15, very realistic, fooling many who encounter the using whatever method works best for you. I stapled mirror. A simple false wall can be made from a 171

Figure 10-16

I am the ghost in the mirror!

4 foot by 8 foot piece of wall paneling, or even On Halloween night, the ghost mirror will be painted or wallpapered drywall to make it look like placed on a false wall and my voice will be

part of your house. The video screen can sit on top lowered to sound like a demon by running the of a ladder or chair behind the false wall so that the audio output from the video camera through a image is projected through a hole in the wall which pitch-change effect normally used for guitar. The is covered up by the ghost mirror. You, the actor, can special effects on the video camera will make my sit anywhere out of view that will allow you to hear image negative for a more eerie-looking ghost what visitors are saying into the mirror, so you can face, and I will also add a strobe light for respond appropriately. If you want to make it seem additional effects. The ghost mirror and wall will like the mirror is talking, just run the audio output be placed at the front of the house where trick or from your camera to a pair of computer speakers treaters are greeted, and I will be sitting around the hiding near the ghost mirror, setting the volume loud corner so I can hear what they are saying, allowing enough for visitors to hear your voice without any for a fully interactive conversation to happen feedback. Figure 10-16 shows the most basic ghost between bewildered guests and the ghost face in mirror setup, using a dark towel to conceal the video the mirror. Once again, the only interesting monitor behind the mirror as some twisted individual Halloween display on the entire block will belong hams it up in front of the camera.

to the Evil Genius, bwa ha ha ha!

Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar

Have you ever seen some of those twisted gore a human brain that has been kept alive in a glass flicks that air in the wee morning hours, where jar can be given a new body? Yep, this is a prop some crazed mad scientist attempts to re-animate from one of those movies—the classic brain in a a hideous creature using a combination of crude jar. Place this creepy prop on your candy table at Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar mechanical devices and living body parts so that Halloween, and those greedy hands will take

172

Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar

smaller handfuls after having their appetites grapefruit. The opening on your jar will determine challenged by the gooey-looking organ floating in the size of brain that you can squeeze into it, so the jar before them. With 20 randomly flashing keep that in mind when looking for a vessel. You LEDs protruding from the brain and a handful of will also need some type of waterproof material that wires leading to a “life support” box, you can tell can be “squeezed” from a tube in order to form your visitors that your experiments have been a what will look like a real brain. I found that white success, and the brain is actually alive and aware caulking worked great for making the brain, and a of their every move. Add an amplifier or voice single tube as shown in Figure 10-17 along with the changer so that a helper can speak “through” the large glass jar was plenty to make the brain.

brain, and you can send your Halloween visitors Search on the Internet for some brain photos to running back down the sidewalk in fear of

get an idea of the object you are going to attempt becoming unwilling Evil Genius organ donors!

to model using the caulking, which is perfect for For starters, you will need some large glass jar or forming the snaking tube-like structures that form fishbowl that can hold an object at least as large as a the brain. I found it easier to model each

hemisphere separately, which would make wiring the LEDs a lot easier, and allow the two halves to be put together inside the jar, resulting in a brain that was twice the size of what could be fit through the opening in the jar I had. Although not the optimal shape, a pair of 4-inch by 2-inch plastic boxes would create a brain about the same size as a human brain when the two halves were covered in caulking and placed back together. It was also easy to mount the 20 LEDs (ten LEDs per hemisphere) to the plastic boxes as shown in Figure 10-18 by drilling two small holes for each LED so the leads could be glued in place. Having a hole for each LED lead kept the leads from Figure 10-17

A large glass jar and a tube of caulking Figure 10-18

Each box will have ten LEDs

173

shorting and made it easy to solder wires to them on the inside of the plastic box.

The LED sequencing circuit will step through 10

LEDs in sequence, but my plan was to wire them randomly so the LEDs would flash with no

particular pattern as well as inserting them into the plastic box in a somewhat random position. Each LED sequence will control two LEDs (one on each hemisphere) but, owing to the random order of the LEDs on each side, it will seem as though there were two sequencers running. The LEDs are stuck into the holes in the plastic box so there is enough of each lead to allow a wire to be soldered and then Figure 10-19

Have you ever had to “make” up

they are glued into position using some hot glue.

your mind?

The LEDs will eventually be held solid by the caulking, so you don’t have to use a lot of glue at this point. I also placed the LEDs at random angles Notice how each of the ten decade-counter outputs and positions on the plastic box, but tried to keep drive two LEDs, one for each hemisphere.

them at the same height so the caulking could be The 500-ohm resistor that serves as a common applied easier when forming each hemisphere. The ground connection for all the LEDs will also limit caulking tip is cut so that you can squeeze a line of the amount of current to the two LEDs that will be caulking that is about as round as your index finger on at one time, and you can lower its value if you with your caulking gun. Try to work around the think your LEDs can take a bit more current, making box so that the caulking forms a continuous but them brighter. When you are building the circuit on random looking line all around the box like the to a bit of perforated board, make room for all the organic structures in the brain. Try to coat the entire LED connecting wires that will have to reach from box as evenly as you can, but be careful not to the center of the brain, through the jar lid and back cover up any of the LEDs while you squeeze out to your circuit (life support device). The LEDs will the caulking, making what currently looks like a be fine under water, since the resistance of clean birthday cake with LED candles (Figure 10-19).

water is very low, but the 4017 and 555 timer would When you have made both hemispheres, give the not, which is why the circuit is built outside of the caulking at least a day to set, since you oozed out brain, which would be very difficult to make some pretty large chunks at a time, much more watertight. The external box also adds to the than would be typically used when sealing a

“coolness” of the prop, since the 11 wires entering bathtub. You can now work on the LED sequencer the jar make it look more technical, and you can tell while the brain dries undisturbed overnight.

everyone the box is a life support system, or even As mentioned earlier, the sequencer will light up jazz it up by building it into a larger box with many ten LEDs, one after the other, but since the best unnecessary knobs, switches and gadgets to make it effect is a random one, the connections between look more complex. If you plan to have a hidden the 4017 decade counter and LEDs is completely helper speak through a microphone to have

randomized. Figure 10-20 shows the LED

conversations with your visitors, you might consider sequencer circuit, which is a 4017 decade counter installing the speaker into the life support system, to driven by a 555 timer that generates the clock make it seem like the voice is really coming from the pulses that advance the sequence to the next LED.

brain in the jar. Now to all those wires!

Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar

174

+9 V

Project 44—Living Brain in a Jar

LM7805

Left and right LEDs

Out

In

2

Gnd

1

100K

100K

555 timer

74HC4017 decade counter

+

1 µf

500 ohm

1/4 watt

Gnd

Figure 10-20

A ten LED sequencer schematic

After at least one night of curing, the caulking should be rubbery and dry to the touch, so that the brain hemispheres can be handled without a

problem. You might also need to take a sharp knife or razor to free the caulking around the base of the box since it has probably set to the surface you put the boxes down on. Solder all of the LEDs as shown in the schematic so that each

output from the 4017 drives an LED on each

hemisphere, this way you only need to run 11

wires into the jar, 10 for the each LED sequence, and one for the common ground connection. Also, make sure the wires will reach from the bottom of the jar to your life support box as shown in Figure 10-21, or you will have to mount the box on the top of the jar.

The completed brain in a jar (Figure 10-21)

Figure 10-21

One day this may actually be possible!

actually looked pretty good considering it was 175

made from nothing more than a pair of plastic experiment. Use your brain (not the one in the boxes covered in bathroom caulking. The LEDs jar) to jazz up this project, adding some extra flicker randomly, giving the perception that the wiring, back lighting, or a handful of useless but brain is busy processing some evil deed, kept complex-looking devices around the jar to make alive by nothing more than the space-age device the life support system look more baffling. More hidden inside the black box. Add a few sound switches, more knobs, and more complicated but effects or a person with a microphone, and you useless controls. Hey, it works in the consumer can have a lot of fun with those who venture electronics market, so it should work for your close enough to inspect your sinister science Halloween displays!

Project 45—Universal Motivator

The next three projects were originally designed as Once you dig a wiper motor out of an old vehicle, one project, but have been presented as three it will need to be cleaned up and stripped down to separate projects because each one can function the bare motor by removing all of the wiper arm without the other or in combination with other and mounting hardware. Figure 10-23 shows what projects presented in this book. The universal the actual motor will look like once you clean up motivator is an easy-to-build mechanical project all the grease and remove the support hardware.

that will allow you to give motion to your larger There will likely be some strange-looking

Halloween or scare pranks. This device is easily connector on the end of the motor wires, but you adapted to lift objects, shake trees, open or close can simply cut that off and bare the two or three doors, move simple animatronic displays and add wires that come directly form the motor. Most repetitive movement to just about any prop you can wiper motors have two speeds, so there will be a imagine. Because this “motivator” uses a

common negative connection and one for each

commonly available windshield wiper motor, it can speed. Testing the wire combinations with a

be powered from a battery for installations far from 12-volt battery or battery charger is the best way AC power lines and will be capable of pushing or lifting several pounds without any problem.

A windshield wiper motor is a small 12-volt DC

motor connected to a gear-reducing box so the output shaft will turn between 100 and 300 RMP

with considerable torque. If you connected a pair of vice grips to the output shaft of a windshield wiper motor and tried to hold it back while it was connected to a medium-sized 12-volt battery, you would not be able to—they have a lot of power.

Acquiring a windshield wiper motor is not difficult or expensive, just go to the scrap yard or auto recycle and remove one from an old car by taking out the two or three bolts that hold it in place.

Figure 10-22 shows the dirty old wiper motor I have yanked from some huge gas-guzzling beast Figure 10-22

A typical medium-sized windshield

at the local scrap yard.

Project 45—Universal Motivator

wiper motor

176

Project 45—Universal Motivator

to figure out which pair of wires will run the motor are very powerful, and require a minimum of a few with the most RPM and torque, and this is done by amps just to start turning, so a 9-volt battery is not trying all possible combinations. One pair of wires going to cut it here. If you ended up with some of will make the output shaft run at the highest speed the mounting hardware still attached to the wiper and without any pauses between rotations, so these motor like I did, then see if you can reduce it to the are the two wires you want to connect. Also shown minimal size and shape needed to securely fasten in Figure 10-23 is the control rod, which will your wiper motor to the board as I did in

connect to the wipers drive arm.

Figure 10-24. If you look back to Figure 10-22, you The wiper motor will need to be mounted to a can see how the original mounting hardware was cut sturdy platform made of wood or metal with enough down to what is essentially an L-shaped bracket to room to carry whatever 12-volt battery you plan to bolt the motor to the board. If you don’t have any use. The battery will also become the weight that mounting hardware, you will have to make your own will hold the board in place, and should be no motor bracket from some shelf-mounting hardware smaller than a motorcycle or recreational battery and or a bit of angle iron by drilling holes for the motor have a rating of 12 volts. Windshield wiper motors shaft and mounting bolt holes.

With the wiper motor cleaned, tested and

mounted to a sturdy platform, all you need to do is add your battery and a way to switch on the power and you will now have a mechanical motivator to move your Halloween displays. A pair of quick-connect terminals in place of an on–off switch will allow you to run a long wire from the motivator to your “control center,” so you can run multiple displays from a single location well out of view.

The simple schematic shown in Figure 10-25 will allow any type of pushbutton, flip switch or automatic activator (shown next) to engage the motor, adding life to whatever it may be connected Figure 10-23

The bare wiper motor cleaned and

to. Polarity of the battery is not important here tested

Figure 10-24

The wiper motor mounted on the wooden base 177

Switch

terminals

Wiper motor

12 V

battery

Figure 10-25

Wiring diagram for a remotely located

switch

because the motor movement is reciprocating

(back and forth), and will not be any different no matter which way the motor shaft is rotating.

The wire you will use should be at least as

Figure 10-26

The completed universal motivator

heavy as a typical AC electrical cord, since the wiper motor will draw between 5 and 20 amps

depending on how much you load it down. If you try to use the thin wire you normally use for low-power projects, then you may be adding a bit of smoke to your Halloween show as the wires get hot, like toaster coils from a current overload.

Figure 10-26 shows my completed motivator,

including a 30-amp hour wheelchair style lead acid battery and the heavy-gage wire used to connect Figure 10-27

A steel rod adapted to the motivator

the motor to the power source. To start the

motivator running, the two quick connect terminals plastic, or metal like the one shown in Figure 10-27.

simply need to be shorted together, which is done The rod can be interchanged by simply removing manually via a remotely wired on–off switch, or the two bolts and replacing it with another rod or by some automatic activator like the one presented some other device that will deliver the movement next.

from the wiper’s arm to your prop or display.

The actual movement generated by this

The bolts used to connect the rod to the wiper arm motivator will be transferred to your display or shaft should not interfere with the mounting hardware prop by either a rod or a wire connected to the or your electronics when the motor makes a complete output arm of the gearbox connected to the wiper revolution, so test this before setting up your display.

motor. This arm is typically 3 inches in length, so The end of the original control arm that is now you will end up with a total movement of 6 inches connected to your steel rod will be held to the wiper’s as the arm makes one complete revolution. Six drive arm by some type of easy-to-remove C-clamp inches of movement is a lot, especially considering or a cotter pin, which will prevent it from falling off the amount of push or pull this unit can deliver, so as the motor rotates. Figure 10-28 shows the rod and your Halloween displays can be made large and all supporting hardware connected and ready to push heavy for maximum viewing impact. To connect a and pull whatever may be connected to the other end rod to the motivator, cut one end from the original of the steel rod. Some extra weight besides what is wiper control arm and bolt it to whatever length of offered by the heavy battery may need to be added to Project 45—Universal Motivator rod you need. This rod can be made from wood, the platform as well, especially if your target prop is 178

Project 46—Sound-activated Switch

mounting platform made of steel or with enough room for several bricks for ballast.

With the universal motivator, you can add life to your Halloween displays, making huge bats that flap their wings up and down, ghosts that wave back and forth, witches that constantly stir the cauldron, or even indoor displays like my flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern presented in Project 47.

The motivator can be further expanded for fully automatic operation by inserting a relay-operated circuit in place of a manually operated switch on the motivator’s output jacks. Presented Figure 10-28

Motivator ready to push or pull a large

next is a very simple device that will switch object

on the motivator any time a sound is played, so large and heavy. The windshield wiper motor is more you can sync your prop to some pre-recorded

than capable of dragging a 50-pound weight around, music or sound effects, making it jump to life so you might want to consider an even heavier without having to flip a switch on or off

manually.

Project 46—Sound-activated Switch

If you have your entire yard rigged up on Halloween device, whatever load is connected to the relay will like a horror movie set, then you won’t need a way be switched on when the sound begins or reaches a to activate all your props and gags automatically; certain level. By adjusting the level of the 100K

you can just sit back and enjoy the look on your variable resistor, you can even make the relay visitors’ faces as they flee from your yard in a panic!

respond to drum beats or heavy bass in a music or The universal motivator presented in the last project sound file.

is a perfect candidate for automatic sound control, so you can simply connect it to your prop and let your Audio input

Switched output

music or sound effects trigger it when needed. The

+

−

sound-activated switch presented in this project can NC

also turn on lights and many other AC or DC loads NO

9 V

any time there is sound fed into it, and it can even do a bit of synchronization depending on the nature of

+

the sound. The sound-activated switch schematic presented in Figure 10-29 is simply a relay driver 2N3904

Relay

100K

that energizes the relay’s electromagnetic coil when the sound level fed into the base of the transistor reaches a pre-set level. If you feed the output from an MP3 player or computer sound card into the Figure 10-29

A sound-activated relay driver

179

Figure 10-30

The sound-activated circuit completed

The sound-activated switch runs from a 9-volt battery for many hours, and can switch on whatever load the relay you use has been rated for. A typical 5-amp relay will be large enough to activate the universal motivator presented in the last project, so you can have your displays automatically respond to your sound effects. Like any relay driver, the generic diode is placed across the relay’s coil to stop back currents from damaging the NPN

transistor. The parts are placed on a small

perforated board as shown in Figure 10-30, with a power switch and external variable resistor for easy Figure 10-31

The sound-activated switch

setup. I also added a 1⁄8 mono jack for the sound input so I could use commonly available cables to when you will have to lower the setting of the 100K

connect the sound-activated switch to my MP3

variable resistor to reduce the input sensitivity. The player or computer’s audio output.

variable resistor is also handy if you want your The circuit board and battery are placed in a audio source to share the sound-activated switch plastic box as shown in Figure 10-31, completing with an amplifier through a splitter cable so your the sound-activated switch. The two terminals on visitors can hear the sound as well.

the front of the box are the same type used to switch If you find that this simple sound-activated on the wiper motor in the last project, and they will switch works well with your mechanical displays, often be connected directly together so my music then you may even consider building a multi-can operate whatever is connected to the motivator.

channel activator so you can sync your entire To set the sound level on the audio source and Halloween show with one or more audio sources.

sound-activated switch, turn up the 100K variable Any stereo sound player will offer two independent resistor to the maximum position then slowly turn audio channels, so you could edit a “control file”

up the volume on your source audio device until the on your computer using sound-editing software, relay begins to click. It does not take much output to which would allow precise triggering of two

drive the relay, so your MP3 player or audio device synchronized channels. How about running a

may only need to be at 2 or 3 percent volume level.

microphone into a voice changer connected to the Project 46—Sound-activated Switch If you find that the relay is always on, then that’s sound-activated switch to make the jaws of a 180

Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern

flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern chomp up and down as projects combined, and I really like that flesh-you recite evil phrases into the microphone? Yes, eating Jack-O-Lantern idea, so I am going to show the possibilities are endless with the last two you how I pulled it off in the next project!

Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern

A lot of people have a Jack-O-Lantern at their piñatas, props, and various hideous dead things.

doorstep on Halloween, but only a true Evil Genius With some paint, flour, and newspaper strips, you has one that will try to attack your guests. Yes, can actually sculpt some very decent-looking large indeed, by using the universal motivator and the props around wire or balloons ranging in size from sound-activated switch presented in the last two fist size to life size. I wanted a large Jack-O-Lantern projects, you can bring that boring old vegetable to with shark-like teeth that looked like it could life with a vengeance. Normally, I would use a real swallow half an adult in one bite, so I went on a pumpkin for something like this, inserting a hinged tour of a local hardware store looking for an metal brace between the two halves to make a jaw, inexpensive round thing that could be used as the but dude, we wrote this book in the spring and our body. I found various pots and planters in the pumpkin plant was only an inch high, so we had to gardening department that were about the right size, make one from some parts found at a hardware including the two 24-inch diameter hanging planters store. You could also use one of those plastic shown in Figure 10-32, which had solid wire frames Jack-O-Lanterns, but they always seem to look and some kind of thick liner material that would be too happy for my taste. Evil—I need evil!

perfect for covering with paper maché.

Let’s start by remembering some of the art we Because I wanted the two planters to form a

made in public school using a messy yet

hinged jaw, allowing the Jack-O-Lantern to chomp inexpensive technique called paper maché, a simple its evil teeth, I had to install a hinge between the technique that is actually great for making masks, two halves by welding it to the metal screen as Figure 10-32

These two planters will form a sphere

181

shown in Figure 10-33. A welder comes in handy maché would be needed to make a rigid covering.

for these small jobs, but if you do not have one, I had to trim the liners down and tie wrap them to then fastening the hinge will have to be done with the frames so that the two halves would close, but bolts and large washers or tubing clamps. If you other than that, they were perfect. It’s too bad the plan to use similar planter frames, be mindful of liners would not fit around the outside of the the position of the wire as you orient the hinge so globes to form the outer skin, but they were just that the area you plan to cut out for eyes later will too small to stretch around, so they will have to not be obstructed by the wire frame. The

become interior liners. Figure 10-34 shows the lightweight wire frames should open and close trimmed and fastened interior liners held to the with ease once the hinge is secured to each half.

screen globes using a few tie wraps.

The mesh-like liners that came with the planters Now for the messy fun, adding a paper-maché

would also come in handy, creating most of the skin to the outside of Jack’s body to hide the wire body material, so that only a few layers of paper screen and create a paintable surface. This process can be done with regular flour, wallpaper paste, and many other combinations of inexpensive materials, so hit Google up for “paper maché” to find out which method you might prefer. As my evil helper Kathy demonstrates (Figure 10-35), you basically dip newspaper shreds into a mixture of gooey baking flour mixed with water, run off the excessive mixture between your fingers, place the gooey paper strips on to the object you want to skin, then let it harden overnight into a rigid and paintable surface that can be cut or added to later. For a more rigid final product, use three or more layers of newspaper, and for single-use objects that will not be handled, two layers will usually suffice. The wet newspaper strips are worked into each other with your hands Figure 10-33

Hinging the two wire-frame halves

Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern Figure 10-34 Interior liners trimmed and fastened 182

Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern

Figure 10-35

The messy art of paper maché in progress was taped behind each eye socket to make Jack look a little creepier. If your paper is still a bit damp, then let it dry out in the sun or under a hot lamp until it is completely dry and rigid to the touch, and if the final skin does not seem thick enough, you can always add a few more layers any time to make it thicker.

I painted Jack’s head with some pumpkin-orange spray paint and then bolted him to a large plywood base by screwing a small piece of wood down

through the inside of the lower globe to hold it there like a vice. The same type of “wood sandwich”

method was used to make a mounting place for the universal motivator end point at the back of Jack’s Figure 10-36

Anyone want to read the globe?

head as shown in Figure 10-37. An L-shaped bracket was then screwed to the wood plate at the back of until the entire surface is one big sloppy mess, Jack’s head so a bolt could connect the business end covered in paper strips and paper maché goop.

of the motivator’s push and pull rod to the top of Jack’s head, allowing his mouth to open and close Figure 10-36 shows the final result of a two-layer under motor power. The rod mounting block was paper maché covering after a night of drying. The placed high enough on the back of the top globe to final product is actually pretty rigid considering it get sufficient leverage and allow the mouth to open is made out of nothing more than newspaper strips and close approximately 6 inches with each motor and some baking goods. I took a sharp knife to trim revolution. The position of the universal motivator around the globe halves to allow the two parts to be will also determine how far Jack’s mouth will open opened once again, then added a ring of duct tape and close, since this will limit the movement of the around the “lips” just to strengthen that area before push and pull rod, making it easy to keep the mouth painting. Eyes were also cut out of the front using a open a little bit at all times.

sharp knife and then a ping-pong ball cut in half 183

Figure 10-37

The universal motivator rigged to Jack’s head Figure 10-38

Feed me! Chomp, chomp, chomp!

Once Jack was flapping his flesh-eating teeth in make the experience a little more interactive to an acceptable manner, I added the sound-activated trick or treaters that came to the door. A nice long switch to the universal motivator so I could play a evil laugh would make Jack’s huge shark-toothed pre-recorded message by pressing a single button, mouth open and close in sync with the sound, which would also control the movement of his making it seem as though he were coming to life, mouth. It was also fun to speak into a pitch ready to swallow anyone brave enough to venture Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern changer fed into the sound-activated switch to up to the door. As shown in Figure 10-38, Jack the 184

Project 47—Flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern

flesh-eating Jack-O-Lantern was an evil-looking away those who would come to your door on

beastie with enough room in his mouth for an Halloween to take away all your treats. Don’t let entire bag of candy, and maybe an adult head as this wonderful night fall victim to smiling

well! Hey, it’s all about evil on Halloween, right?

skeletons and happy ghosts, put the evil back into Well, there you have it, more evil deeds done Halloween with your Evil Genius imagination!

dirt cheap. When you put your mind to it, just In the next section, you will learn how to make about any old junk and the most unlikely materials the ultimate high-tech prank and meet our furry can come together in the Evil Genius lab to create critter, Fluffy. Get the video camera ready to works of art, scary hideous art perfect for scaring capture hilarious shrieking, running, and jumping!

185

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Chapter 11

Fluffy Attacks! Scare Them Silly!

This project is by far one of the most effective and Just as your buddy is in the “target zone,” hit the hilarious Evil Genius pranks I have ever made, and front of the cage with the beam of light to trigger although it is a bit more involved than the other the light-sensitive launch mechanism and send projects presented in this book, I assure you, the Fluffy springing from his cage in an explosive results are definitely worth the effort. Fluffy is a burst of energy, directly at your unsuspecting pal furry critter about the size of a skunk who has who will soon be cowering in fear or letting out been trapped in a wooden cage, and like all caged the magical “little-girl screech.” Fluffy’s launch animals, wants to spring free and unleash a

system can also be manually triggered for close-surprise attack on his unsuspecting captors, which range “show and tell” displays where several he indeed does with explosive action. Fluffy will people might be crowded around his cage,

sit motionless in his cage as his captors silently unknowingly becoming targets of a flying furry approach to inspect their catch, but as they get attack.

closer, he will burst from his cage, throwing the Owing to the realism involved in the cage and trap doors wide open as he flies through the air at the explosive manner of Fluffy’s launch, this a height of 5 feet or more in a surprise aerial prank is guaranteed to scare the wits out of attack.

anyone caught in his attack path, leaving the most As Fluffy is triggered by a bright light, his stone-faced, scare-proof “tough guy” running for trapdoor cage can be placed outdoors, in a garage, cover on the nearest table or chair! Because this or any other dark area where a critter might be project is more involved than many of the pranks invading, making it seem as though he has finally in this book, it is broken down into several parts been subdued. As you slowly creep up to Fluffy’s so you can make changes to suit your own evil cage with a flashlight in hand, whisper to your agenda or simply work with parts you already unsuspecting buddy that you think your trap has have on hand. There is plenty of room for

finally caught the critter that has been terrorizing modification or improvement on my original

the neighborhood. Shine the light through the wire design, but it is probably a good idea to read mesh in the realistic looking trap to reveal the through the entire project to see how all the parts black furry body that lies motionless in the back of work together before deciding on any radical the cage as you try to creep up for a closer look.

modifications.

187

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Project 48—Spring-loaded Launch Pad

Fluffy’s spring-loaded launch pad is by far the most well, or you will find the wood bending under the important part of this project, and all the other tension of the springs. As shown in Figure 11-2, components must be built around it, which is why it the launch pad is held to the launch base by the is built first. To be effective, the launch pad must be two door hinges so that there is approximately capable of hurling an object the size of a soup can 1 inch of clearance between the end of the launch to a height of about 5 or 6 feet, with enough force base and the top (unhinged part) of the launch pad.

to blow open a pair of small wooden trap doors.

The launch pad should easily travel from the down For this purpose I acquired a pair of pull springs position to more than 90 degrees with very little from a hardware store with a length of

resistance. Also note that it may not be possible to approximately 6 inches, and a diameter of about a flatten the launch pad completely against the base 1⁄2-inch. Although these springs can be pulled apart due to the hinge screws on the underside of the by hand, they do offer a lot of resistance, and can launch pad, but this will not be a problem.

be easily mounted to a bolt due to the rounded The block of wood shown on the other end of

ends. As shown in Figure 11-1, you will also need a the launch base in Figures 11-2 and 11-3 is just a pair of door or gate hinges and some 1⁄2-inch-thick bit of 2 × 4 cut to a height of 3 inches to support plywood to make some of the launch pad parts.

the launch springs. This spring support block is If you plan to follow my design closely, then the held to the end of the launch base by a pair of launch pad and cage base is made from a piece of wood screws and will easily take the force of two 1⁄2-inch-thick plywood cut to a length of 18 inches or more springs without a problem. The wood

and a width of 12 inches. The actual launch pad is screws used to hold the 2 × 4 to the wood base cut to a size of 7 by 11 inches and is also made of should be at least 1.5-inches long for strength, and the same 1⁄2-inch-thick plywood.

you may want to pre-drill the hole with a drill bit The launch pad is basically a movable paddle approximately half the diameter of the wood

held to the base by the two door hinges and pulled screws to prevent the 2 × 4 from cracking as you upwards by the spring to create the launch force. If tighten the wood screws. The two springs are then you plan to make a much larger critter and cage, fastened to the top of the spring support block as then your launch pad will have to be at least as shown in Figure 11-3, using the same 1.5-inch wide as the critter you plan to hurl and

long wood screws and a few washers or a bolt to approximately two or three times in length. For a keep the spring’s body away from the surface of much larger launch system, use thicker plywood as Project 48—Spring-loaded Launch Pad

Figure 11-2

Fastening the hinged launch pad to the

Figure 11-1

Two pull springs and a pair of hinges

launch base

188

Project 48—Spring-loaded Launch Pad

Figure 11-5

Launch springs in the loaded position

Figure 11-3

The launch springs are mounted to the

support block

pad should be pulled to at least 45 degrees by the springs when at rest and allow the springs to stretch apart when placed flat in order to launch the critter effectively. To find the optimal position to bolt the springs to the launch pad, just lower the launch pad all the way, then pull one of the springs by hand along the pad until the coils start to separate; this is the correct position of the spring when the launch pad is laying down.

The springs are held at the appropriate position on the launch pad using a pair of 3⁄16-inch nuts and bolts with the appropriate washers for spacers just as it was done on the 2 × 4 end of the springs. The washers will prevent the body of the springs from being crushed against the launch pad, which would Figure 11-4

Launch springs mounted to the launch pad cause the loops at the ends of the spring to break the 2 × 4 block. Without the washers or bolts for eventually. With the two launch springs fastened to spacers, the springs would be compressed against the launch pad as shown in Figure 11-5, you can the wooden block, and might fatigue or break over now test the launch force of your system. Place a time. This system allows the springs to move up or hockey puck on the launch pad or a baseball, then down, pivoting on the screws that hold them to the pull back on the launch pad until it is as close to block as the launch door is loaded and released.

the wooden base as it will go, releasing the payload The proper position to mount the launch springs to see how far it will travel. A small lightweight to the launch pad will depend on the length and object should easily fly across the room at a height strength of the springs you are using. In my system, of 6 feet or more, but keep in mind that this the springs worked perfectly if the mounting bolts distance will be slightly reduced once the overhead are placed 2.5 inches up from the hinged end of the trap doors are also placed into the equation.

launch pad as shown in Figure 11-4. When at rest, The furry critter in my design is just a large soup the door sits at an angle of approximately

can covered in fur, and it will easily make a 45 degrees, and is under some serious tension when 20-foot journey at a height of 10 feet or better forced down against the wooden base. Your launch when hurled directly from the bare-bones launch 189

pad shown in Figure 11-5, which would be overkill when playing around with the loaded launch pad —

for this prank. Because of the trap-door design of rumor has it that it really hurts when you swat the completed cage, this distance is effectively cut yourself in the chin by accident! Once your launch in half, so keep that in mind as you tweak the pad is working the way you like it, you can move springs for optimal performance. Oh, and be careful ahead and build the rest of Fluffy’s cage.

Project 49—Trap Door Cage

With the launch pad working correctly, the rest of shows the 1 × 2s cut to the appropriate lengths as the cage is simply a prop built around the base of described. I chose the rough-cut 1 × 2 for its rugged the launch pad to add realism to the prank. The top look, but feel free to make the rest of the cage from of the cage will also contain the barn door-style whatever scraps of wood you may have on hand.

trap doors that will be forced open as Fluffy begins The length of 1 × 2 used to make the cage frame its high-speed journey into the air like a World War sides are simply nailed to the corners of the cage I flying ace on a kamikaze mission. You can let after the bottom frame has been installed under the your artistic woodworking skills run wild on this launch-pad base as shown in Figure 11-7. The part of the project, but do keep in mind that the frame under the launch-pad base creates a very position of the trap doors above the launch pad sturdy foundation and offers plenty of room to hide must be accounted for in order to achieve an the electronics, launch mechanism, and batteries effective successful launch. From this point on, under the launch-pad plywood base. Don’t worry almost all of my cage will be made by cutting up about doing a professional woodworking job on some 1 × 2 to create what looks to be an old-this cage, since it will look more authentic if it is a fashioned animal trap built by some scary old bit rough and unfinished, just like a makeshift codger with a knarly gray beard who lives in the animal trap would be.

back woods and dines on whatever small critters The top frame of the cage is made exactly like the are unfortunate enough to cross his land (yikes)!

base, so that the outer dimensions of the frame are Anyhow, the sides of the cage are made by cutting the same as the dimensions of the launch-pad base.

eight lengths of the 1 × 2 to a height of 10 inches, The top frame is then installed flush with the top of and then the top and bottom frames will be made each of the side supports as shown in Figure 11-8 to from four pieces of the 1 × 2, which will form a create the rest of the cage frame. To keep your rectangle exactly the same length and width as the vicious rabid animal from escaping, cut and staple launch-pad base (18 × 12 inches). Figure 11-6

some wire mesh along the open sides of the cage, again adding to the illusion that the trap may indeed be the real deal. Now the cage lid will be made, which will serve as the top of the cage as well as becoming a bumper for the traveling launch pad.

The top of the cage is just another piece of 1⁄2-inch plywood, but its dimensions will determine the launch angle of the critter as it leaves the launch pad because it will become a stopper for Project 49—Trap Door Cage Figure 11-6

the launch pad. When at rest, my launch pad is 1 ¥ 2s used to form the rest of the cage frame

held at an approximate 45-degree angle, but can 190

Project 49—Trap Door Cage

Figure 11-7

Cage base and side supports installed

Figure 11-8

Cage frame and screening completed

travel much further when reaching its full range of best launch-pad breaking position by temporarily motion under tension of the springs. If Fluffy were nailing the cage top in place at different positions to be lunched without some method of restricting while you try a few test launches in order to get a the launch-pad travel, the little critter would most good height and distance. As shown in Figure 11-9, likely be slammed towards the ground rather than my cage lid will stop the launch pad at about into the air as desired. To send Fluffy into the air at 80 degrees, and is cut to a size of 12 × 6 inches.

an appropriate eye-level height at a distance of When the launch pad slams into the cage lid, it about 10 feet from the cage, the cage lid is cut so also makes a loud bang, but this just enhances the that the launch pad cannot travel more than about overall shock to the innocent bystander who will 80 degrees. You may want to experiment with the soon be jumping up on to the nearest piece of 191

Figure 11-9

The cage lid is also a launch-pad brake

Figure 11-10

Trap doors installed on hinges

furniture to avoid the ankle biting that they fear when they need to be flung open. Each of my cage will be coming next. Now all that is left to creating trap doors is 6 × 9 inches in size and held to the Fluffy’s cage is the two trap doors that will reveal top frame with a 2.5-inch door hinge as shown in his furry body and pop open when the launch pad Figure 11-10. The corners of the launch pad should sends him on his way. The two doors are cut from strike the trap doors somewhere near their

the half in plywood so they are just large enough midpoints in order to achieve an effective launch.

to cover whatever space is left open on the top of To test the launch system now, you will have to your cage. They are then held to the top frame by a poke a screwdriver through the screen at the rear of pair of small hinges so there is little resistance the cage as you press down on the launch pad to Project 49—Trap Door Cage

192

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger

Figure 11-11

Completed and painted cage

set it in the loaded position. Use the screwdriver experimentation might be needed in order to get blade to hold the launch pad down as you place a things working the way you want, but soon you glove or ball on the launch area then close the two will be watching your buddies run for cover. If trap doors. Quickly yank the screwdriver off of the everything seems to be in order, it might be a good launch pad to send the object into orbit and test the time to paint your cage if you think it needs it. As efficiency of your newly installed trap doors. The shown in Figure 11-11, I gave my cage a dark object should travel at least half as far as it did brown paint job using a spray can, which makes it with the doors open, but now the effect will seem more difficult to see what is hiding inside while much more explosive as the two trap doors are looking through the wire mesh.

flung open at lightning speed. If your trap doors Now you can move on to the next step in

were also sent to the other side of the room, Fluffy’s evolution—the light-activated or manually then dude, either your hinges were too small, or controlled launch mechanism, which will help him your springs were too big! Again, a little

become airborne.

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger

Fluffy’s triggering mechanism must hold down the the cage at a safe distance or it can be a fully spring-loaded launch pad until the innocent

automatic light-activated trigger that responds only bystander (victim) is standing in the correct place to a direct beam from a flashlight so you can work for a flying attack from the furry beast. The trigger it from a distance. The light-activated system is can take the form of a simple hidden switch placed much more fun because you can become part of at the rear of the cage that the Evil Genius (you) the prank, creeping up on Fluffy as if you are can operate while the victim is busy peering into actually afraid of what might be caught in the cage 193

as you lead your unsuspecting buddy along with how the shelf bracket will become a locking

you. Because you are also in the line of fire, there mechanism for the launching pad, then read ahead will be less suspicion than if you were simply a bit to see how everything gets put together. With trying to sneak your hand behind the cage to press the shelf bracket installed so that it can lock the the trigger button. No matter which method you launch pad to the underside of the cage base, you decide to use, including one of your own design, will now need to dig into your electronics scrap you will need the same mechanically activated pile for a suitable electromagnetic solenoid.

solenoid actually to release the loaded launch pad, As shown in Figure 11-13, I found a suitable so you must find a way to hold the loaded launch electromagnetic solenoid and bolted it to a bit of pad in place so that it can be easily released with angle iron so it can be mounted to the underside of approximately 1⁄8 inch of mechanical motion.

the cage base.

As shown in Figure 11-12, a simple L-shaped shelf A suitable electromagnetic solenoid will have a bracket is fastened to the underside of the launch plunger that pulls inward when power is applied to pad using a couple of wood screws so that, when it from a 12-volt battery back. The solenoid does the launch pad is pushed all the way down, one not have to be rated for 12 volts, but it should have end of the shelf bracket can drop through a hole in a decent amount of pull when running from a

the base of the cage into the underside where the 12-volt power source in order to reliably pull the solenoid and electronics will be hidden.

release pin. My solenoid is actually rated for The shelf bracket I used is 1.5-inches long on 24 volts, but it pulls in with a fair amount of force each side so it can easily fit through the hold in the on only 12 volts, enough so that it is very difficult cage base to allow a pin to lock it in place through to pull out the plunger once it retracts all the way one of the holes in the bracket while it is on the into the coil. The plunger will need to travel only underside where the solenoid will be located. The one-eighth of an inch from its fully retracted shelf bracket should enter the hole in the cage base position, which is why a solenoid rated over 12 volts without any resistance, so drill a hole a bit larger will probably work just fine with less power. I have than the width of the metal bracket. The easiest even tested a solenoid rated at 120 volts AC and it way to get the hole in the correct place in the cage worked fine on a single 12-volt DC power source.

base is to first install the shelf bracket to the To test your solenoid’s pulling force, pull the launch pad and then press it down to mark the plunger back about 1⁄8-inch from the fully retracted correct hole position. If you do not yet understand position then try to hold it back while you apply the 12−volt power source. If you cannot hold it Figure 11-12

A launch-pad locking system made from

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger a shelf bracket Figure 11-13

An electromagnetic solenoid and plunger

194

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger

back without a lot of force, it will probably have and place the pin through the hole, then hold the enough pulling power to release the triggering pin solenoid in place and mark the screw holes. Now reliably every time. Now you will need to make you can carefully load your launch pad by forcing the pin that will hold the loaded pad in place and it all the way down and placing the pin through the rest on the end of the solenoid plunger so that the hole on the shelf bracket attached to the launch pad plunger only needs to retract approximately one-while you let the other end of the locking pin rest eighth of an inch in order to make the pin fall out of under the ever-so-slightly retracted solenoid the hole. This process may sound complicated, but plunger. Keep in mind that the loaded cage is like a it is extremely easy to implement, and works much mousetrap—too much movement or jarring could like the way a typical mousetrap works. As shown set it off and, if your hand is in the way, you will in Figure 11-14, this locking pin is just a bit of remember not to do that again. You now have the metal that can fit through the shelf-bracket hole option of simply wiring a switch from the solenoid while it rests on the solenoid plunger when it is directly to the battery pack for manual operation, or pulled only slightly from its housing. I made my adding a light-triggered switch to allow covert locking pin by filing down a piece of another shelf remote triggering of the solenoid. Regardless of the bracket, but you could make it from any bit of method you plan to use, it’s a good idea to start scrap metal you have laying around or even from with the direct switch method first, since it will an old kitchen utensil (fork prong).

allow easy testing of the entire system, and in the Also shown in Figure 11-14 near the hole where end, you will need a master switch anyhow.

the shelf bracket enters the cage base is another bit For proper solenoid operation, you will not get of a shelf bracket fastened to the wood so the away with a 9-volt battery, or even a pair of 9-volt locking pin rests on it instead of directly against batteries wires for 18 volts, as there is simply not the wood. This bit of metal is optional, but it does enough current available in such a small battery, stop the locking pin from eventually wearing a hole resulting in a very weak solenoid pull. A large in the wood as it is released in a violent manner 12-volt flashlight battery or a 12-volt pack made when the solenoid pops its plunger out of the way.

from eight 1.5-volt flashlight batteries will be To get the solenoid in the correct position so the needed to get this project up and running, and locking pin will fit optimally, load the launch door, should yield hundreds of launches without a

problem. I chose the multiple D cell battery pack approach as shown in Figure 11-15, and had plenty of room to spare once the battery holders were screwed to the underside of the cage base. The direct switch method is so simple that I will not bother with a schematic diagram, just wire the switch in series with the battery pack and solenoid so it is activated when the switch or momentary pushbutton is flipped to the on position. With a good 12-volt alkaline power source, the solenoid plunger should have no problem at all retracting back into the coil to release the locking pin. Have you spanked your hand with the flying launch pad yet?

No? You will in due time.

The light-activated system is a bit more

Figure 11-14

The locking pin holds the loaded

complicated than the single switch method, but not launch pad

195

Figure 11-15

Installing the battery packs under the cage Solenoid

protect the transistor from any voltage spike magnetic coil

induced by the relays coil. The reason the

transistor is not connected directly to the trigger solenoid is because there will not be enough NC

current switching capacity in the small transistor to NO

pull in the plunger with adequate force. By using CDS

the relay to switch the power to the solenoid, all of the battery pack’s current will be available to the solenoid coil. Also, if you are not yet familiar with 2N3904

100K

Relay

the CD cell (photocell), then have a look back at Chapter 3, Project 6 for a good description of how

+

they work and where you can find one in a hurry.

The light-activated circuit can be built in a small 12 V

bit of perforated breadboard with the appropriate length wires for the photocell, sensitivity

Figure 11-16

Light activated trigger schematic

adjustment potentiometer and power supply as by all that much. As shown in the schematic

shown in Figure 11-17. You could actually mount a diagram (Figure 11-16), a common 2N3904 NPN

small variable resistor directly to the circuit board, transistor has its base connected to a light-sensitive but for fine tuning of the light sensitivity in a photocell so that any bright light source will bright room, it’s much easier to have access to the saturate the base of the transistor, switching on a variable resistor without having to tip over the small relay, which will in turn send all of the cage. In most cases, any setting of the variable available power to the solenoid coil. The 100K

resistor will be fine when using a flashlight to variable resistor is used to set the sensitivity of the trigger the launch circuit in a dimply lit room, but photocell so it can be used in a light or dark room in a room with a lot of ambient light, you may without a false triggering due to ambient light need to tweak it a bit to avoid false triggering. The sources. The diode across the relay can be any power switch used for testing the directly

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger commonly found diode and is simply there to connected power source will still be used to switch 196

Project 50—Light-activated Trigger

Figure 11-17

Completed light-activated trigger circuit Figure 11-18

Installing the circuit board and photocell the battery pack to this circuit because, over time, switch and sensitivity adjustment are on the rear of the transistor will eventually drain the batteries due the cage and the photocell is on the front of the to the tiny amount of current leaking through the cage. As shown in Figure 11-18, the photocell is emitter, even when the room is dark. The best way placed halfway into a hole drilled on the front of to set up this prank is to adjust the sensitivity the cage, so it is almost unnoticeable, yet very ahead of time, then switch on the unit just before sensitive to any direct bright light such as the beam your victims have arrived for their fright session.

from a flashlight. Placing the photocell only You can leave the unit running for an hour or two halfway into the hole also blocks a lot of ambient without any real drain on the batteries, but I light from any bright room light that could cause a wouldn’t leave it on for days at a time unless you false triggering.

really can’t help it.

With the circuit board and photocell properly With the circuit board completed, bolt it

installed and fully wired, test the unit by turning somewhere under the cage base and then run the on the master power switch and using a

wires to the appropriate places so the master flashlight to trigger the system. Rather than 197

loading the launch pad every time, just listen for in the off position. Did you smack yourself with the relay to click as you mess around with the the launch pad yet? Trust me, it’s coming! Now sensitivity adjustment and positioning of the you are almost ready to test your buddies’ fear cage in your target area. Once you have

of small flying rabid animals. All that is left is everything set for the room you plan to use, then the actual critter’s body and a way to hold him carefully load the system with the master power in place before launch.

Project 51—Fluffy’s Body

You can launch just about anything from this cage As shown in Figure 11-20, I removed the contents (I can hear your evil gears turning), but the most from the can by cutting away only a small section obvious thing would be a small hairy animal—after of the can lid with a pair of pliers so it would all, it does look like an animal trap. Extreme detail remain rigid and allow an area to glue the fur.

is certainly not important here because the attack At this point, I can lock and load the launch happens with such a loud bang and at such a high system, and trigger the can to fly halfway across a speed that there is only time to duck or scream, not large room by hitting the photosensor directly with enough time to identify the species of critter that is the beam of a flashlight. The cage is aimed so that heading for your neck at high speed. Also, you don’t the can flies just to the side of where I plan to have want to launch a heavy object or it will become a my victim stand so that there are no “head-on”

weapon rather than a prank, and most likely not collisions between human and beast.

travel very far before thudding to the ground. So far, Now it’s time to give Fluffy his fur. An old furry the best critter I have sent into orbit has been the mitten or scarf could be butchered for the fur, or most basic design—a large soup can with some you could head to the local fabric store and ask the fuzzy black hair glued around it. This critter also nice salesperson for a small chunk of fur that looks s Body behaves very well when sitting on the launch pad like a rabid mangy rat that has been dragged because it is held in the perfect position using a through a cesspool of toxic waste (nice). I chose magnet fastened to the launch pad. The magnet the new-fur approach and simply cut a piece of shown bolted to the launch pad in Figure 11-19 was taken from a dead computer hard drive and is very strong considering it size and weight. This magnet easily holds the metal can in place, even when covered in fur, but due to the explosive force of the launch system, does not reduce the overall range of Fluffy’s flight. You can use any small magnet that will effectively hold a soup can in place, but do make sure it is well fastened to the wood, or you will be launching more than a can of fur.

Also, do a few test launches before you

permanently fasten the magnet to the launch pad so you can make sure the critter does not strike Figure 11-19

A hard disk drive magnet holds the can

Project 51—Fluffy’ the cage lid or sides on the way out of the cage.

in place

198

Project 51—Fluffy’

Figure 11-20

A great way to deliver canned goods to your friends s Body

Figure 11-21

Extreme soup can makeover begins

fabric large enough to wrap around the entire can rolled over the glue to fasten it permanently to the as shown in Figure 11-21. Remember, accuracy can. Also, make sure to cut a piece of fabric large and detail are not important as long as the thing enough to wrap the entire can and fold in over the that flies out of that cage does not look like sides to hide any of the shiny reflective metal can.

something you would want rustling around in your Once you are done wrapping the fur around the shorts, so keep it simple.

can, add the hot glue to the ends of the can and A great way to keep the fur securely fastened to bunch it up around each end to completely bury the can so it will survive the blast through the trap the can. Fluffy is now ready for attack.

doors as it leaves the cage is by using a hot-glue If you really want to go overboard on the

gun to lay strips of glue about 2 inches apart detailing, you might consider gluing a pair of those around the entire can. As shown in Figure 11-22, a cheesy plastic fangs and some googlie eyes to strip of glue is added to the can and then the fur is Fluffy’s body just to be silly, although I doubt 199

Figure 11-22

Hot gluing the fur to the can

Figure 11-23

12 ounces of pure fear-invoking critter

Figure 11-24

Fluffy lies waiting to spring from his trap s Body

anyone will see them during its flight. The simple flashlight as I bring my buddies in for a closer look blob of fur design as shown in Figure 11-23 has at what the trap caught and say, “Whoa, it looks like been extremely effective at turning otherwise that rat that came back out of the sewer, dude. Do tough guys into quivering cowards during every you think it’s still alive?” Now I shine the light into launch, and has not suffered any damage from the rear of the cage so we can all get a good look at launching or landing.

the thick messy black fur. “How am I going to get Figure 11-24 shows what the entire system will rid of it? Did it just move?!” Building up the look like when it is completed and loaded, waiting suspense as you lead your victim into the perfect for me to lead my next victim into Fluffy’s

position right before launch always helps get the air terrifying flight path. As you can see, the springs ripe with fear! With your buddy standing in the prime and launch pad look like part of some elaborate trap place, stop moving and tell him to listen as you think that has caught some black furry critter now the thing in the cage may be making a noise.

huddling at the back of the cage as if afraid of us

“Listen—did you hear it?” Just as your friend is (yeah, right)! All I have to do is lower the light a bit concentrating on the non-existent noise you claim Project 51—Fluffy’ and avoid a direct hit on the photosensor with my to have heard, flick the flashlight across the 200

Project 51—Fluffy’

photocell to spring fluffy free from his bondage.

on top of the nearest table top. Sometimes Fluffy

“KaPow!”—the trap doors burst open with a loud lands in a place that keeps him hidden from view, bang as the lunch pad blasts Fluffy out of the cage.

so the prank can last as long as you can keep a At this point, you buddies’ eyes will be as wide as straight face or as long as the nearest table can pie plates, realizing that a black furry thing is support the weight of whoever may have jumped flying through the air directly at the space they up on it for cover. As Fluffy leaves his cage presently occupy. Figure 11-25 shows Fluffy

(Figure 11-26), I’m sure you will discover many exploding from his cage just as the trap doors fly new types of responses from your victims. I have open in a spectacular display of noise and speed.

yet to see a person just stand calmly as if nothing What happens next is always the best part of this is happening. Without a doubt, this project is one prank! I have classified my victims into screechers, of the most effective Evil Genius pranks I have crouchers and jumpers, as these three responses are ever unleashed on to those whom “I owed one” to.

the most common, although it is often a

I hope you have fun with your flying rabid

combination of them. Screechers let out the kind of critter and many of the other evil pranks presented yelp that would normally be heard coming from a in this book, I know I have. Fluffy is great for young girl who has just been introduced to a parties, camp, or simply introducing new house s Body

spider, which sounds extremely hilarious when guests to your flavor of Evil Genius humor,

coming from a person who claims to be extremely something that is often only appreciated by those tough or just looks the part. Crouchers are silent with the knack to hack.

but amazingly fast at the “duck and cover”

Congratulations—you have made it through 51

maneuver, able to make the transition from the fun high-tech practical jokes that will keep you standing position to what looks like an awkward busy planning, plotting, and creating for quite preying position with their hands over their head.

some time. Don’t be surprised, though, if your Jumpers are by far the best victims as they find a friends are skeptical about visiting you at your way from the floor where they stand to the nearest home once you’ve unleashed some of these pranks bit of furniture at such a great speed that it appears on them. They’ll have good reason not to trust as though they have found a way to travel faster you! I think that designing and building your own than light. Often jumpers are also screechers, although the screech response is usually delayed until after they are a few feet off the ground safely Figure 11-25

Fluffy has had enough of this silly cage Figure 11-26

Fluffy is on the war path, look out!

201

gadgets, and watching the reactions of

to use good judgment when selecting your

unsuspecting victims is highly entertaining, better practical joke victims. This book has been a lot of than anything on TV these days. However, not work, but also a lot of fun to put together. Hope everyone will appreciate your sense of humor.

that you have learned some new things along

Testing your creations on people you don’t know the way, and we look forward to hearing all

very well or anyone with a heart condition is about your own Evil Genius projects on the

definitely not a good idea. Have fun, but remember atomiczombie.com forum. Cheers, friends.

Project 51—Fluffy’s Body

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Chapter 12

Digital Fakery

Have you ever seen bizarre photos in tabloid career, it makes sense to use the tools the

magazines and on the Internet that look like professionals use. Because Photoshop is a high they’ve been digitally enhanced to elicit shock and quality program, and many of the good alternative awe? You have probably wondered how they are software programs are very similar to Photoshop, created, since they appear to be real, but are I will use it to demonstrate the technique of altering obviously not. Well, when you are done reading still images, which you can probably follow along this chapter, you will be able to manipulate pixels with practically any image editing software. These to create your own quality digital fakery. Armed simple tutorials are bare-bones, showing only a with some basic computer software, a few digital small fraction of what can be done to manipulate photos and a mouse, you can become a “pixel

digital images. Of course, armed with only these ninja,” putting yourself into scenes you have never basics and a lot of patience, you can alter photos in been, altering your physical appearance, swapping ways that are truly out of this world, or in subtle your buddy’s body parts, or simply messing with ways that even a trained eye could not detect the images in such a way as to shock and baffle

fakery. Many image editing programs are full of viewers. Many of the same techniques used to complex options, some of which you will find manipulate still images can also be used to edit useful and some you may never touch, so the best video, so you can have a lot of fun with just about way to learn is by actually using a tool or option to any type of digital medium, even audio. Who

learn what it does. You could spend a lot of money knows, you may pull off a true work of art and on technical manuals about your favorite program, become the creator of the next huge Internet but the reality is that nothing beats a hands-on legend, or simply get a co-worker back for a prank approach. It will cost you some time, so follow they played on you. On a more useful note, the along with the instructions, then let your mouse run skill of working with digital imaging software can wild to see what you can create. At the time of land you a great career in movie production, writing this book, there were many alternatives to advertising, or web design if you become a master Photoshop, and one of the most popular is called of the art, something that takes only practice and a Gimp, which is available for free for Windows, desire to be creative. So, let’s begin your digital UNIX and Mac operating systems. If you do not fakery lessons by doing wacky things to otherwise have an image editing package and want to see mundane photos.

what is currently available, just enter keywords such as “Photoshop Alternatives” or “Image Editing Software” in any Internet search engine. Your Editing software

digital camera may have included some free

imaging software, but beware, many times this When it comes to working with still images, Adobe software is a highly restricted version, limited to Photoshop is currently the king of the hill. Sure, simple tasks like red eye removal or adding goofy there are many alternatives, some of them even frames to photos. Before you load your PC with free, but currently, Photoshop is a standard software megabytes of “bloat-ware,” make sure the software program, and if you plan to pursue multimedia as a does something useful.

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Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Click here for terms of use.

Download a simple portrait of your own beautiful Original photo quality

mug from your digital camera, and we will start with some simple filters and effects that will Let’s get down to business. I assume that you have transform your face in ways that Picasso could a digital camera and know how to get the photos have never dreamed of. Figure 12-1 shows a

onto your hard drive. Of course, you may simply simple mug shot with a minimal background,

want to alter photos that were sent to you by email perfect for messing around with.

or found on the ‘Net, but either way, you will need Open your mug shot in the photo editing

to open them up in your photo editor for

software, and then place the image in a window manipulation. The quality of the images you plan that fills most of the screen by stretching the to mess with should be fairly high to start with. A window handles. If your image is fresh from a 320 × 200 pixel image saved as a low quality jpeg camera or scanner, then it is probably scaled down will be difficult to manipulate, since it will be to fit into the window, and will show a percentage blocky from the compression and look like an value in the window title or under some image obvious fake when you start adding clean pixels of properties window. An image with a high

effect to it. Sure, you can save a faked image with resolution like 3200 × 2400 is much too large to low compression to add to the realism and hide email or place on a website. It is best that you do some of the telltale signs of manipulation when any manipulation, color correction or changes to you are finished with it, but in the beginning you the full-size image, and then save it as a smaller must have a decent quality image or images to file afterwards as this will preserve maximum work with. Photos from your digital camera should quality during the editing process.

be initially saved in high or medium quality to preserve color information and resolution. If you are “borrowing” photos or clipart from the ‘Net, Warping effects

then search for high resolution images with

dimensions of 640 × 480 or greater (Google lets Before doing any editing or scaling, I like to do you choose image size when looking for images).

simple hue, saturation, brightness and contrast Digital Fakery Figure 12-1 I pity the fool who lets me manipulate their mug!

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Digital Fakery

Figure 12-2

The Liquify filter window in Photoshop

correction to a fresh image in case it needs it.

Often a digital camera will vary the hue of the background or skin tones, or the scene may be dimly lit depending on the automatic exposure settings, so these simple corrections are usually an automatic response. With your full size mug shot open and ready for editing, click on the window to select it and then look for the liquify or warp filter on your toolbar or editing menu. In Photoshop, the liquify filter is found by clicking on “Filter” from the main menu and then by selecting “Liquify,”

which will bring up a new editing window as

shown in Figure 12-2. Most image editing

Figure 12-3

Bloat (left) and pucker (right) applied to programs have an effect like liquify, although it the eyes

may be called something else. There are even full programs that are specifically designed for this single task, like Kai’s PhotoSoap, or Morpheus choose a brush size that is about twice the size of Photo Warper. To find these programs, search one of your subject’s eyes. To find a new tool you Google for “face warping software.” The liquify do not recognize, hover over each tool until the effect is a very smooth organic method of pushing, text tip pops up indicating which tool you are pulling, shrinking, and expanding groups of pixels, pointed at. Figure 12-2 shows the brush as a dark which is why it is very powerful and can create circle which has grown to twice the size of my results both believable and completely ridiculous eyes as the size slider is slowly moved to the right.

depending on how it is used. Fashion magazines Now only the area directly inside the brush circle will often stretch the legs of models, fatten the lips, will be affected by whatever tool you have

or warp other body parts in order to give a model a selected. Place the circular brush over one of the more perfect-looking body or face, although the eyes so the pupil is in the center and then hit the effect is used sparingly so the result does not look left button on your mouse. As shown in Figure 12-3, manipulated.

the eyes magically shrink or expand depending on In the liquify window, you will notice a toolbar which tool (pucker or bloat) you choose.

with effect types on the left and a brush option Depending on how long you hold down the button, pane on the right. From the left toolbar, select the effects range from subtle and believable to either the “Pucker” or “Bloat” tool, and then almost creepy.

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Press the “Restore All” button on the right to brush, the more pixels you will alter at once.

bring back the photo to its original state and then As you will soon see, this tool is the ultimate change the brush size and length of application to weapon against normality, with the ability to alter get the feel for this powerful shrink and expand photos in such a way that you can change a

toolset. If you want to keep certain areas from being person’s facial structure in seconds from

effected, click on the “Freeze” or “Thaw” tool from something different yet real looking, to the most the left toolbar and paint the area you want to mask outlandish goofy cartoon figure imaginable. I don’t out of the effect, this way you can expand or shrink care how old and “mature” you are, it is

using a large brush and exclude certain areas. An impossible not to giggle as you alter your buddy’s example of using the freeze tool may be when you poker-face mug into a living cartoon. A little pull want to shrink a large area around the eyes, yet keep here, a push there, and before you know it, the face the eyebrows in tact. Again, play around and get the will look even worse than mine does in Figure 12-5, feel for the tools, it is the only way to learn. When although I do think the hair is working for me!

you are happy with your pucker and bloat

Have fun, and play around with these three

alterations, click “OK” to return to the main liquify tools and you will find out that you can do interface and this will apply your changes. Now you a lot with the proper application of one or more of can re-enter the liquify filter and make more those tools. If you are working with photos that changes that can be tested and reverted just like you include a complex background, then you may have did with the bloat and pucker tool. Figure 12-4

noticed that large brushes will affect the area shows my results after bloating the eyes and nose around the subject as well, which can make the and applying a little pucker on the lips. Also shown image look obviously faked. To get around this, in Figure 12-4 is the best pixel mangling tool of all, freeze the area around your subject before

the “Forward Warp Tool.” Click on it!

applying the effect and the background will stay This tool affects the area under the brush as if it mostly unaffected. Try the liquify tools on non were a magnet dragging the pixels around in a nice living things like cars or houses as well, and you organic fashion. Again, the effect depends on the will see that you now have the power to alter size of the brush and the areas you might have reality in any way you like.

frozen, but the rules are the same; the larger the Making hoax photos

The art of compositing images to make a fake has been used since the invention of the camera, and if done properly, the result can be extremely

believable, enough so to start an urban legend (evil gears turning). UFOs, Big Foot, ghosts, fairies, and many other ideas come to mind, and because of the powerful digital editing software available today, you can pull off these hoaxes without spending days in a dark room doctoring photos with smoke,

mirrors and a paint brush. Ever since I was abducted by aliens and implanted with a mind enhancing Figure 12-4

Getting ready for round two with the

computer, I have been fascinated by images of Digital Fakery warp tool

UFOs and the people who believe they are real.

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Digital Fakery

Figure 12-5

Dude, that’s a mullet to be proud of!

I will admit to making a few really good UFO

also good, since there will be no other witnesses.

photos years back, which are to this day circulating Placing a giant cigar shaped object over Times on certain websites with captions like “is this real,”

Square at noon and trying to pass it off as real

“we are looking for the photographer,” and so on.

would be a waste of time, since there would have Why would I do such a thing you ask? Well, for been thousands of eye witnesses to the “invasion,”

the same reason you are reading this text, because yet you are the only one who happened to notice it.

we think it’s funny!

When taking the initial shot, try to imagine Let’s mock up a simple UFO sighting using

where you plan to insert the UFO so you can leave household items and some of the basic editing enough room for it. Again, the larger the image the tools that almost all image editing programs have.

better, since you will have a large clean area to The amount of effort you put into your images will start with and can later save a cropped version with directly reflect the result, and if you plan the shots, lower quality to specifically add more “foo” to the keeping obvious signs of fakery hidden, you can fight. I wanted a huge saucer shaped chrome

create an image that only a true forensics expert mother ship to appear directly over the house, could detect. Shadows, lighting, pixel edges, casting a large ominous shadow as it approached, reflections, focal length, and color are all things to so a large area of the sky was included in the be mindful of as you composite images, but with photograph. With your base photo ready for

today’s powerful graphics editing packages, many compositing, you can now create the actual UFO.

of these things are easily corrected.

There are many ways to do this, and I have used Let’s begin our UFO encounter with a boring

three methods with great success. One of the best shot of some dude standing in the front yard ways to fake a UFO is to set up your initial shot on pointing towards the sky as if signaling beings a tripod, photographing the background first and from another world to take him away (Figure 12-6).

then taking a second shot from the exact same A perfect UFO fake should look impromptu, as if location of an actual fake UFO as it is flung into the photographer just happened to be snapping the air or hung by a very thin wire. The two photos, or had to scramble to get the camera and images are then pasted together with a little take the shot. An area that cannot be identified is brushing around the UFO to hide the edge pixels, 207

Figure 12-6

The start of our UFO composite

resulting in a fake that can look exceptionally real done this way, and as you can see, often they look depending on the quality of your fake UFO model.

pretty realistic. The final option I have used quite The obvious benefits to this method are the fact often is to create a smaller, more complex UFO

that the lighting, shadows, reflections, and colors model and photograph it separately, compositing it will be perfect for both the background and the into the background photo. This approach has the UFO. The problem is making the UFO large

benefit of not requiring a full scale mother ship to enough to look menacing, and then finding a way be hung or thrown in mid air, so you can make a to get it in the air for the photograph. Throwing a very good small scale model. The downside is that silver colored lamp base up in the air to snap a the colors, shadows, reflections and field of view shot is just not going to cut it; you need something all have to be carefully matched between the more alien looking and much larger. Find smooth model and the background, or people like “The organic object to model your craft, objects that are Lone Gunmen” will figure out your fakery. Let’s not obviously recognizable. Add strange lights and use the later method to create the UFO, as I don’t accessories to the craft so the “experts” can think my neighbors will appreciate yet another 16

theorize how the antigravity engine works. “Hey, it foot mother craft hanging over their yard on a looks like a David Hamel antigravity rotator with a wire. To be silly, I stuck an LED flashlight to the Bedini Overunity Generator.” Yes, do a good fake, base of our dog’s stainless steel water bowl, held it and all the experts will have an opinion! Another up to the ceiling and snapped a photo. Figure 12-7

option is to render your UFO in a powerful 3D

shows how the bowl looks like a classic low

program with radiosity ray tracing directly over the budget film flying saucer, complete with photonic background. This technique requires a mastery of thrusters (LEDs).

some very complex software such as Maya or 3DS

Sure, this model is lame, but the idea here is Max, but can deliver some very stunning results if show the compositing techniques, not the model, Digital Fakery you know what you are doing. Most movies are which I will leave to your twisted imagination.

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Digital Fakery

Figure 12-7

The classic flying saucer

Figure 12-8

Cutting out the UFO using the lasso tool Another method that could be used here to

pointing the lasso tool in Photoshop, and since this increase the realism of the model would be to is a basic tool included in any photo editing photograph it outdoors in cloud cover that will software, it will most likely be visible on the roughly match the original scene shot, this way toolbar. When you let go of the left mouse button, overhead reflections and contrast will match. To the lasso closes and you now have the object take that a step further, print out a color page of selected. If you made a mistake, click on “Select”

the original background shot and have a helper and then “Deselect” from the menu or just draw hold it near the chrome UFO body so it reflects, as another lasso. With the UFO lassoed, click on if actually in the scene. You could even take a

“Edit” and then “Copy” from the menu, and it will separate “scene reflection” shot that would better put all the pixels inside the lasso into the memory approximate the true angle of reflection that would (clipboard). Copy and paste are also common

be seen on the UFO just to beat the forensic functions that all image editing programs will experts who would pick over your photo under have, and often they have keyboard shortcuts.

500x magnifications looking for anomalies. My UFO shot is about as bad as you can get, and it Now minimize or close the UFO model photo

even includes my thumb, but the final photo will and select or open the background photo for

still look somewhat real, although completely editing. Since the UFO is now in memory, you can laughable. Now, it’s mixing time. Open your UFO

go to the “Edit” menu and select “Paste” to drop it shot and then use the lasso tool to select it by right over your background photo. The UFO will drawing a border around the entire UFO as shown become a “layer” in your image and at this point in Figure 12-8. Do not try to lasso the edge of the will be too large, in the wrong position, and have object you are compositing or it will look truly extremely fake looking borders. Make sure “Show fake due to the sharp edge transitions and

Bounding Box” is checked off in Photoshop so you imperfect curves. As shown, I have included a can work with the UFO image as an easily

small bit of the background around the UFO body resizable layer as shown in Figure 12-9. The points in the lassoed area. There are filters and programs of the bounding box allow you to resize the UFO to specifically designed for background removal, but better suit the scene. To move the entire UFO, click unless the background is perfect, you are going to on the center point and drag it with the mouse.

get the best result by hand erasing the background Manipulate the UFO layer so it is placed and resized around the edges of the object. The arrow is in the scene in whatever manner you think looks best.

209

Figure 12-9

Using the bounding box to move and resize the UFO

Figure 12-10

Try to match hue, contrast and brightness on all layers You will notice that you can alter the aspect ratio With the UFO where you want it, you can now try of the object by moving the side points, making to match the color hue, brightness and contrast to the UFO longer or flatter. I decided to make my best match the UFO to the background, which is UFO look a little more round, and then I shrunk it necessary since it was photographed in different down and moved it into the top corner of the scene lighting. As shown in Figure 12-10, you make sure Digital Fakery so it would look like I was pointing directly at it.

the UFO layer is selected from the “Layers” toolbar 210

Digital Fakery

(far right) before applying effects to the UFO.

try to stay one step ahead of them! When you are Since the UFO was pasted over the scene, there is a zoomed in this much, you will have to move the background and UFO layer (Layer 1) created,

window sliders to center the area you plan to work which allows you to work on each image as a

on, so pick a place to start by centering it in the separate entity. Layers are very powerful, so get to window. We will now erase the background edges know them if you want to increase the quality of manually using the eraser tool. This may seem like your “Photoshop KungFoo.” With the UFO layer a ton of work, but it really does not take all that selected, choose “Image,” “Adjustments,” and then long, especially on a simple shape like this.

“Brightness/Contrast” from the menu as shown in Choose the “Eraser Tool” from the tool menu as Figure 12-10. This will pop up the adjustment shown in Figure 12-12, and then click on

sliders. The same should be done with

the little down arrow next to the brush top

“Hue/Saturation.”

open the brush panel. As you can see, there are Slight changes of brightness and contrast should many brush options and sizes to choose from, so be made, followed by changes in hue and

try to find one that is of “medium edge

saturation, and then the cycle should be repeated.

softness” and small enough to work with

This fine tuning of layers will get your UFO

at such a high zoom level. If you are new

looking like it was photographed in the same light at this, then try experimenting with the various as the background, so have patience. Yes, you brush type and sizes until you find one that lets could also select the background layer and adjust you rub out the edges without leaving an

its levels as well. Ignore the horrible edges and try obvious jagged edge or uneven line. I like a to make the UFO look like it actually belongs in smooth eraser brush with a diameter of 8-10 pixels the scene. Once you are happy with the result, for edge removal, especially at such a high

choose “View” and then “Zoom In” a few times zoom level.

until you have a large view of the edges of the Since the UFO is a layer overtop of the

UFO as shown in Figure 12-11. Edge removal is background, the erase essentially removes pixels fine work, so 300x or higher magnification should from the UFO image as if you were rubbing them be used if you want the results to be believable.

out. Take your time and try to make smooth, long Remember, your work my come under high

strokes around curves so they do not look

magnification when the cynics try to disprove it, so jagged or bumpy. It takes a bit of practice to get the feel for “mouse painting,” but with practice, you will be able to trace a border with deadly precision. As shown in Figure 12-13, I am using a very small soft brush (black circle) to erase the edges of the UFO by carefully tracing the border.

If you make a mistake, you can always use the

“Edit,” “Step Backwards” function to undo your last changes.

Carefully erase the entire border around the UFO

by centering the work area in the window a bit at a time. If you cut into the UFO with the erase, use the undo function and try again. When you are finished, unzoom the scene to inspect your work. With time, you will get better at edge tracing and find that this Figure 12-11

Zooming in for some fine detailed work

method of background removal is better than any 211

Figure 12-12

Selecting an appropriate eraser brush

Figure 12-13

Carefully eraser brush the UFO edges

other, including the chroma keying method, which attempts to do the removal automatically by

Adding reflections and

erasing a single color from the background.

Figure 12-14 shows the final UFO without any shadows

border, hovering above our house right before abducting me for another interstellar journey. You The largest telltale signs of fakery are reflections know, it drives me crazy having to advance the and shadows, which are often missing. Working time on my watch by one hour every time my alien with a small model like this does not allow real Digital Fakery friends visit!

shadows to be cast in the scene, so you are going 212

Digital Fakery

Figure 12-14

No more edges. The compositing continues Figure 12-15

Duplicating the UFO layer to make a shadow to have to fudge it using the editing software. With make a copy of the UFO layer and turn it into a a little knowledge of light and some basic tools, a shadow, so the shadow looks like it was actually very convincing shadow can be made using almost cast by the image, which will fool 99 percent of any editing program, so let’s dive right in. Trying those who are putting your photo under scrutiny.

to use a darkening brush to hand paint the shadows As shown in Figure 12-15, you must first select the in will likely result in a worse composite than one UFO layer by clicking on “Layer 1” on the layer with no shadows at all, so let me show you a little panel. Now click on “Select” and “All” to lasso the trick I use to add shadows into images. We will entire scene. Now you can select “Edit,” “Copy,”

213

then “Edit” and “Paste” to make a duplicate of the shadow, just a twisted UFO, so we need to apply a UFO layer. The second layer will be called “Layer few more common filters to fix it.

2” and most likely be dropped in the center of your A real shadow does not block all light, so it does screen.

not blank out all the features of the object which it With the new UFO layer selected, choose

is cast, so we need to add opacity to our layer to

“Edit,” “Transform” and the “Distort” as shown in allow some of the original background to show Figure 12-16, which will allow you to drag the through. To do this, make sure the shadow layer is bounding box points independently, creating a still selected, then choose “Layer,” “Layer Style”

distorted image, much like the way a showdown and then “Blanding Options” to bring up the very would be unevenly cast from an object onto a powerful and often used Layer Style panel, which surface. You don’t have to be a ray tracing expert will allow you to adjust how one layer interacts to make this effect work, just try to imagine how with another. This is shown in Figure 12-18.

the shadow would fall on whatever object you are Layers and layers styles are what give these adding it to. As long as the shadow does not look programs their true power as you will see by using too perfect, or seems to flow against other shadows them over time. In the real world, colors and light in the scene, it will probably fool anyone who interact with each other, so transparency and looks at the image.

blending is key to making your work look

As shown in Figure 12-17, I distorted the

convincing. The Layer Style panel is shown in shadow layer and moved it over the roof of the Figure 12-19, and I have reduced the layers opacity house, imagining that this is how it would look if to 50 percent, allowing a 50-50 bland between the cast by the UFO blocking the sun. When you are shadow layer and the roof of the house. There are done distorting the bounding box, click on the still a few steps needed to turn the new UFO layer move tool as shown in Figure 12-17 to apply the into a shadow, but as you can see the ability to alter transformation, which will permanently distort the opacity is extremely powerful and can be used to layer. At this point, the layer does not look like a make shadows and reflections very easily.

Digital Fakery Figure 12-16 Using the bounding box points to distort the layer 214

Digital Fakery

Figure 12-17

The distorted UFO layer soon to become a shadow Figure 12-18

Getting to the Layer Style panel for a selected layer 215

Figure 12-19

A 50 percent blend with the new layer and the background Figure 12-20

The new layer now becomes a shadow

With the shadow layer’s opacity set to a level reduced to zero (-100). The shadow is still too that looks good in your scene, choose “Image,”

sharp looking, and extends beyond the rooftop, but

“Adjustments,” then “Brightness/Contrast” to that will be easy to fix.

remove all of the original image, leaving only a Due to the nature of the source lighting in a dark shadow on the background. As shown in

scene, some shadows are extremely sharp, while Figure 12-20, the new layer now looks like a sharp others are very blunt, so we must adjust our fake Digital Fakery cast shadow once the brightness and contrast are shadow to match other scene shadows. The newly 216

Digital Fakery

created shadow is perfectly sharp at the edges exactly like the other shadows in the scene. With since it was cut from an actual layer, so it will the proper opacity and Gaussian blur, the shadow need some fuzziness around the edges in order to will look like the real deal. So far so good, but the look real. Look at the other shadows in the scene shadow seems to extend past the roof of the house to determine how sharp the edges of your fake into thin air, so it needs a little trimming. No big shadow need to be in order to blend in. Now

deal, just use the polygon or freehand lasso tool to choose “Filter,” “Blur,” and then “Gaussian Blur”

select the areas of the shadow you do not want, to bring up the Gaussian blur panel, which will do and then select “Edit” and “Cut” to trim them an amazing job of softening up the edges of your away. As shown in Figure 12-22, the lasso can be fake shadow. Gaussian blur is extremely powerful, used to cut or copy certain areas of a layer, which and available in most image editing packages, and is why it is such a useful tool.

you will find it among one of the most widely used Now the shadow looks good, the UFO is pasted tools, especially when compositing or drawing in the scene with no obvious jags around the cartoons. As shown in Figure 12-21, a little bit of edges, brightness and contrast looks good on all Gaussian blur does wonders to the new shadow layers, but there is one problem that even a newbie layer, making it look extremely realistic. Painting a would notice; the reflections in the bowl! Yes similar shadow by hand would have taken a lot indeed, the reflection of a picture frame from the more time and eye–hand coordination.

living room and my own head are tale signs of When you have the blur set the way you like it, fakery and must be fixed before I can send this press “OK” to apply the transformation. Now you photo to the FBI. Another great tool is the Healing can go back and tweak the opacity if you think it is Brush, which will sample one area of an image and needed in order to make the new shadow look

either directly replace it with another, or fudge the Figure 12-21

The Gaussian blur filter makes a shadow look real 217

Figure 12-22

Lasso areas of the shadow to be trimmed

Figure 12-23

Selecting and using the healing brush

two together to make a smoother transition.

great job of fudging out the reflections in the dog’s Besides photo fakery, the healing brush is great for bowl, I mean UFO. Make sure the UFO layer is removing litter from a photo, erasing unwanted selected, then click on the healing brush as shown graffiti, or simply hiding small objects that take in Figure 12-23 (yes, it’s a band-aid). Now choose Digital Fakery away from a photo. The healing brush will do a a brush size by clicking the little down arrow and 218

Digital Fakery

then select “OK.” To heal an area, you must first from a quality set of optics may give when

find a similar area as a sample area and then press presented with a bright light source. I find this the “Alt” key with your mouse over that area. The effect can also make cool fire balls, jet blasts, and area under the mouse is now sampled and you can can be used to wash out the lighting in a fake press the left mouse button to heal the area as if image, making it harder to detect bad edges or you were painting. It takes a little messing around mismatched contrasts. Choose “Filter,” “Render”

to get the area perfectly healed, but play around, and then “Lens Flare” to bring up the effect panel.

use the undo function and you will eventually get As shown in Figure 12-24, the effect has a few the results you want.

basic settings like lens type, brightness and I also used the healing brush to get rid of the position, so just play around until you make it look logo on the LED light that was stuck to the bottom good.

of the bowl UFO. Of course, who’s to say that When you hit “OK,” the lens flare will be applied aliens would not be proud of their brand? Wouldn’t to the entire scene, which makes it look like the NASA proudly display their logo on the hull of an light from the UFO engine is being cast into the interstellar spacecraft? Anyhow, let’s finish up this scene and on the top of the roof. Sure, the floating grand fakery with a few more simple filters to add dog dish UFO scene (Figure 12-25) is far from icing to the cake. The light cast from the photonic perfect, but the composite is pretty good. Shadows, space drive seems a little weak, especially since color, brightness, contrast, lighting and edges are none of it is being reflective onto the scene. Most not a dead giveaway, although I can’t say the same editing programs have many light casting filters for the alien mother ship! Imagine what you could and effects, but one of the oldest and most

do with a little planning and some junk laying effective is the classic lens flare. This simple filter around the house? Yes, the next urban legend could simulates the flare that a multi-element coated lens be yours!

Figure 12-24

Adding some heat to the UFO engine

219

Figure 12-25

Take me back to planet Lacidar!

I wish there was a lot more room in this book to to twist, distort and manipulate innocent pixels into explore the thousands of amazing feature of

works of deviant art. Like all skills, a hands-on Photoshop and many of the other image editing approach is the best way to learn, so start clicking programs, but that would require another 1,000

buttons with reckless abandon, who knows what pages, so I will leave you to your own evil devices you might discover!

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Index

Headings in italics indicate projects (pranks).

Page numbers in italics indicate illustrations.

jumping 44–7

A

swinging 36–40

trapped 198–202

AC transformers 115–16

Creepy Crawleys 40–3

activator, electromechanical 155

amplifier, audio 61, 91–3

Audio clips 48–50

D

Audio signal distorter 59–61

assembly 60

DC motors 68–70

schematic 60

decade counter 66

Digital fakes 203–20

diodes 8–10 see also LEDs B

distorting sound 59–61

Dog talk 149–53

Balance tester 115–17

Doll robot 95–8

schematic 116

assembly 97

ball switch 118–20

drill, electric 165–6, 167–9

Bat, flying 165–70

Dripping sound 17–20

creating the beast 167–8

assembly 19

Beep Beep 20–4

schematic 18

assembly 23

schematic 22

Brain, alive and pickled 172–6

E

schematic 175

breadboard 14–15

electric shock 113–15, 115–17, 117–20, 120–4

Breathing creature 33–5

Electric zapper 120–4

assembly 35

assembly 123

schematic 34

electromagnet 65–6, 82–4 see also solenoids embedding messages

audio 157–9

C

video 160–4

Eyes in the dark 71–6

Cadmium Sulfide cells see CDS cells assembly 75

cameras, disposable 120–4

schematic 75

capacitors 7–8, 23, 26–7

flash capacitors 120–4

value chart 9

F

Car engine troubles 68–70

assembly 69

ferrite bead 55–6

CD-ROM drive 136–42

FM transmitter 54–7

CDS cells 19–20, 38, 50, 83, 85, 196–7

Footsteps at night 84–6

ceramic magnets 83, 139

assembly 86

circuit boards 4, 12–15

schematic 85

clanking hard drive 63–7

frequency adjusting 51–3, 56

clock oscillator 57

coil winding 54–6, 82

Coin minting machine 136–42

G

wiring diagram 141

Gas leak 124–7

crawling creature see Creepy Crawleys

assembly 126

creatures

schematic 126

breathing 33–5

Geiger counter see Radiation detector

crawling 40–3

ghost mirror 170–2

221

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H

M

Hard drive, clanking 63–7

magnets

assembly 67

ceramic 83, 139

schematic 67

electromagnet 65–6, 82–4

hard drive, dismantling of 64–5

NIB (neodymium) 83, 107–10

headphones 91–3

permanent 82–4

healing brush 217–19

MCD (millicandela) 86–7

hoax photos 206–20

mercury switch 118–20

microphones 76–9

microswitches 48–50, 156

I

millicandela (MCD) 86–7

image editing software

Mind control, audio 157–9

healing brush 217–19

Mind control, video 160–4

lasso 209

Mirror, haunted 170–2

light casting filter 219

motion-activated switch 118–20

liquify filter 205–6

motors 40–2, 68–70, 74–5, 84–6, 137–8, 140, 154–5

shadows 212–17

see also servo

induction shocker 115–20

schematic 42

schematic 116

windshield wiper 176–9, 183–4

infrared

Mover, universal 176–9, 183–4

LEDs 51–3, 91–4

moving objects 176–9

transmitter and receiver 92–5

multi-meter 4

J

N

Jack-O-Lantern see Pumpkin lantern alive neodymium magnet 107–10

jumping creature 44–7

NIB see neodymium magnet

Noise nightmare 76–81

recording 77–9

K

task scheduling 79–81

noises see sounds

Knock Knock 24–7

NPN see transistors

L

O

lasso 209

launch pads 44–5, 188–90, 194–5

ohms 5

Launcher, universal 44–7

oscillators 21, 57, 127, 130

law 54, 63

Ouija board, animated 107–11

LEDs 10, 71–2, 74–5, 86–8, 133–6, 147–8, 172–6

magnet installation 109

infrared 51–3, 91–4

sequencer schematic 175

wiring schematic 87, 148

P

Lie detector 147–9

paper-maché 181–3

assembly 148

permanent magnets

schematic 148

phone jack, rigged 62

light-activated trigger 38, 44–7, 187, 193–8

photo hoax 206–20

assembly 197

photocells see CDS cells

schematic 39, 46, 196

Photoshop, Adobe 203

Light bulb, magic 133–6

piezo elements 17–20, 23–4, 113–15, 125, 127

dismantling 133–4, 134, 135

ping-pong balls 71–3, 183–4

wiring 135, 135

PNP see transistors

light casting filter 219

polygraph see Lie detector

light emitting diodes see LEDs

Pop-up head 101–4

light intensity 86–7

launching mechanism 103

light-sensitive resistors see CDS cells potentiometer (pot) see resistors, variable light switcher 104–7

pulleys 165, 169

lines 41, 165, 167–9

Pulse checker 113–15

liquify filter 205–6

Index

Pumpkin lantern alive 181–5

222

Index

speakers 20–4

R

spider launcher 36–40

spirit board see Ouija board, animated

Radiation detector 127–31

springs 44–5, 103, 188–90

assembly 130

Stink generator 28–32

schematic 130

assembly 31

radio controlled

schematic 30

car 154–5

stink formula 29–30

servo 95–8, 105

subliminal control see Mind control

Radio station blocker 54–7

swinging creature 36–40

assembly 56

switches

schematic 55

mercury 118–20

radio transmitter 153–6

microswitches 48–50, 156

Rats and mice 82–4

motion-activated 118–20

assembly 84

remote 176–9

schematic 83

sound-activated 179–81

RC see radio controlled

receiver 91–5, 149–53

schematic 94

recording and playback 48–50, 77–9

T

remote control

Telepathy 153–6

infrared 51–3, 91–3

telephone audio interface 99–101

radio controlled 95–8

schematic 100

Remote control jammer 51–3

Telephone jammer 61–3

assembly 53

assembly 63

schematic 52

schematic 62

remote switch 118–20

timers (555) 17–19, 20–4, 24, 26–7, 66, 74–5, 82–3,

resistors 5–7

85–6

color band chart 6

tools

light-sensitive see CDS cells

multi-meter 4

variable 5–6, 52–3, 61–2, 130, 196

soldering 2–4

transformers, AC 115–16, 118, 119

transformers, audio 100–1

S

transistors 10–12, 38–9, 92–4, 196–7

transmitter 91–5, 149–53

semiconductors 2 see also capacitors; diodes; resistors; schematic 92

transistors

Transparent walls 142–6

servo, radio controlled 95–8, 105

Trap door cage 190–3

Shadow projector 86–9

Trapped creature 187–202

shadows 212–17

trigger, light-activated 38

Shocking box 117–20

schematic 39

assembly 119

TV-screen 170–2

schematic 118

Signs from beyond 104–7

smell, foul see Stink generator

soldering 2–4

U

solenoids 24–7, 37, 194–6

UFO photo hoax 206–20

sound

distorting 59–61

editing 157–8

recording 48–50, 77–9

V

Sound-activated switch 179–81

video

assembly 180

clips 144–6

schematic 179

editing 160–4

sounds see also recording and playback video camera 142–6, 170–2

beeping 20–4

Video signal distorter 57–9

car engine troubles 68–70

assembly 59

clanking hard drive 63–7

schematic 58

dripping 17–20

Voice changer 98–101

knocking 24–7, 104–7

schematic 100

nightmare 76–81

voice coil 65–6

223

Voices from beyond 91–5

white noise generator 124–7

assembly 126

schematic 126

W

windshield wiper 176–9, 183–4

walkie talkie 149–53

wall knocker 104–7

Index

224

Document Outline

- a Binder1.pdf

- Cover.pdf

- Page_i.pdf

- Page_ii.pdf

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- Page_iv.pdf

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- Page_ix.pdf

- Page_x.pdf

- Page_xi.pdf

- Page_xii.pdf

- Page_xiii.pdf

- Page_xiv.pdf

- a Binder2.pdf

- Page_001.pdf

- Page_002.pdf

- Page_003.pdf

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Table of Contents

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