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Build Your Own Carnival Ride

Posted by michael on from the you-ride-it-first dept.

SoCalChris writes "Check out these guys who are building their own dark ride similar to the ones found at carnivals and theme parks. The ride is complete with PLC's in each of the cars, and one more PLC for the entire ride. The ride also features a blocking system like professionally built rides."

23 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Carnies? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it come with a free carnie person?

    1. Re:Carnies? by kingofnopants · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's an add-on and cost extra but, i think everyone will agree that at a one time payment of only 49.99 it's worth it.

      --
      Disco Stu was talkin' to you.
    2. Re:Carnies? by NotAnotherReboot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Austin: Only two things scare me, and one is nuclear war.
      Basil: What's the other?
      Austin: Excuse me?
      Basil: What's the other thing that scares you?
      Austin: Carnies.
      Basil: What?
      Austin: Circus folk. Nomads you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.

  2. Already?! by Xtraneous · · Score: 5, Informative

    Arghhh, slashdotted, yet there is a Hope!

    Google's Cach

    --
    .noitacidem deen uoy siht daer nac uoy fI
  3. Spooky by ActiveSX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Their web server's in for one hell of a dark ride.

  4. For those who don't know what a Dark Ride is by EraseEraseMe · · Score: 5, Informative

    Visit here

    The Dark Ride and Funhouse historical Society

    --
    "Anybody who tells me I can't use a program because it's not open source, go suck on rms. I'm not interested." (LT 2004)
    1. Re:For those who don't know what a Dark Ride is by istartedi · · Score: 5, Funny

      I still don't know what a dark ride is, but the signal/noise ratio on that website was scary enough. I tried to hold out as long as I could. When I looked down at the edge of my screen and saw "loading http://www.laffinthedark.com/sounds/sal001f.wav 5 of 17" I knew I could stand the terror no longer.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  5. Does it come with.... by sheepab · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it come with an automated system that makes it break down every 15 minutes, so it truely simulates real carnivals?

    --


    In college, really poor, need a flatscreen.
    1. Re:Does it come with.... by bsartist · · Score: 5, Funny

      Does it come with an automated system that makes it break down every 15 minutes

      Well, if you wanted a true simulation of a real traveling carnival ride, you'd have to do much more than that.

      You'd also have to forgo any and all maintenance, and keep the operator supplied with enough hash (or other intoxicants) for him to be completely oblivious to the terrified screams of customers whose children are being thrown from the ride due to inadequate restraints.

      For a little added bonus, you can have the operator sell the above-mentioned hash (or other intoxicants) to passing children. This will provide an additional source of cash for you - which will, sooner or later, be necessary to pay for legal expenses and bail.

      --
      Lost: Sig, white with black letters. No collar. Reward if found!
  6. Not quite jive, but... by Aiwendel · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Check out these guys who are building their own dark ride similar to the ones found at carnivals and theme parks."


    I happen to speak a little Slashdotese. I think this translates as :

    "Kickass! Let's see how fast we can get their website over its 30gb a month transfer limit!"

  7. Convenient mirror... by Jouster · · Score: 5, Informative

    I grabbed what I could, but the site was in the middle of a meltdown.

    Grab the .ZIP file, or the .BZ file.

    Jouster

  8. While I know money is an object by mhesseltine · · Score: 5, Informative

    From the second page of the article:

    On Friday, February 15, the Chinese -made Enco metal lathe arrived. It took about 4 hours to set it all up, as it had to be hoisted and mounted upon its pedistal. The whole rig probably weighs over 1,200 pounds. Don't even think of starting a project like this dark ride unless you invest in one of these machine tools. (You'll also want a milling machine.) This unit, plus tools and digital readout (DRO) runs about $6K. It's a bit noisy and vibrates, but it's a lot cheaper than a domestic unit - and it works.
    If you are going to do something like this, please invest in a decent tool. EMCO machine tools are the sorriest pieces of crap you can find. Look at a used machinery auction and buy a good Clausing-Colchester lathe and a Bridgeport or Lagun milling machine.

    As another alternative; if you're going to drop this much money on buying machine tools, just to build one ride, contact a local job shop and work with them on making the parts.

    --
    Overrated / Underrated : Moderation :: Anonymous Coward : Posting
  9. Why not.... by paganizer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ..do it a little cheaper?
    big box on pneumatics, big screen tv on the front, 20" CRT's on the sides, and a few days rendering up something on 3Dstudio?
    would be a lot more bizarre, and cost a lot less.

    See my Stuff! web.changestorm.com

    --
    Why, yes, I AM a Pagan Libertarian.
  10. Luke, by fidget42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am your fath.. Oh, you said dark ride. My bad.

    --
    The dogcow says "Moof!"
  11. Idea for spooking people by lewko · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you REALLY want to scare people, have a monitor in the foyer with a sign on it saying "Safety Monitoring System" and a Blue Screen of Death.

    Muhahahahahaha.....

    --
    Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
  12. Re:call me anal by Elbereth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, most people would say "programmable logic controller's".

    You're not suffiently cynical yet.

  13. The use of an apostrophe is indeed. . . by kfg · · Score: 5, Informative

    accetable in pluralizing acronyms, as well as for other "non word" elements.

    It's a contraction. The apstrophe substitutes for the "e" in the suffix "es," which is an older, but still acceptable form.

    The dropping of the apostrophe in pluralizing acronyms is a modern phemonemon that comes about because of the modern practice, unjustifiable by traditional usage, of treating acronyms as if they were actually words.

    They are not. They are abbreviations.

    KFG

    1. Re:The use of an apostrophe is indeed. . . by ottffssent · · Score: 5, Informative
      The dropping of the apostrophe in pluralizing acronyms is a modern phemonemon that comes about because of the modern practice, unjustifiable by traditional usage, of treating acronyms as if they were actually words.

      They are not. They are abbreviations.


      And the word is controller. Which pluralizes to controllers, not controlleres.

      So, while you may be right in general, that doesn't make PLC's any more acceptable than before.
      --
      High-speed Road Trip (18.000KPH)
  14. Re:call me anal by LadyJessica · · Score: 5, Informative

    I agree. Can't people follow the simplest English punctuation? :-) Check out Bob The Angry Flower for a tutorial for the apostrophe impared.

    --

    -- Jessica
    The mutant geek grrl from Hell.

  15. I built a ride when I was about 15 by ylikone · · Score: 5, Funny

    My ride consisted of a grocery store shopping cart with a rope tied to it. I drove a large metal stake into the ground at the top of a ravine and tied the other end of the rope to it. Then I would place my younger sister and her friend into the cart and push it down into the ravine. The rope would stop the cart from going all the way down into the rocks and water at the bottom... but I did not think of putting seat belts on my ride so it didn't end up working that well.

    --
    Meh.
  16. Disclaimer reads: by dr_dank · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bearded lady sold separately.

    --
    Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  17. Trent Reznor Owns This by puto · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a Native New Orleanian I guess I should mention that the House of Shock where this ride is located is a Trent Reznor project.

    I worked at the ISP that kicked him his bandwidth in the day and his group were a pretty nice bunch of guys. I remember one day when I was BOFHing some tech calls and someone calls to add a couple of pop boxes for a domain and reset a pass. In my best "fuck you asshole, stupid loser that you are" voice I asked for the customers last name. When I replied "Like uh Trent" guy said yeah and I pulled the account up. Felt like such an ass.

    Course the ultimate scare would be to be the only guy in the ride with 4 300 lb female ex cons who just got outta stir and are looking for some strange. As the lights go out and the strains of the song Closer chime in.... oof gonna have nightmares about that one.

    Puto

    --
    The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
  18. Mirror by SoCalChris · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm not sure how long it will last, but here's a mirror...

    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr1.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr2.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr3.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr4.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr5.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr6.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr7.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr8.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr9.htm
    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/sd/dr10.htm