Need Help w/Practical Joke

[John6012]

When I was in the military, someone came to my office with a box and as they slid the lid off the box "a furry animal jumped out" -actually, it was on a string and as I remember, there was some type of spring that flipped the animal out. Scared the whey out of everyone. This was a homemade box. I want to recreate this for my grandson and have him laugh. Does anyone out there have any idea whatsoever on how to rig this up? Thanks

[SkipperSue]

I remember my Dad having one of those when I was little. It was a cigar box that had a rubber band attached to one side with little tacks. When the top was closed the rubber band is stretched under tension. Inside the box there was an old squirrel tail with a string tied to it on the end that was to the body originally. The other end of the string had a loop tied into it and was slid over a little hook kinda like those hooks that you can hang coffee cups up with. When you opened the box the rubber would sling the top open kinda fast and in turn it would sling the tail out, it was great!

[John6012]

Thanks, I'll try to figure out the mechanics of your dad's trick. If you have grandkids, I figured out how to make my ears wag or wiggle. I take some good tape and tape monofilament fishing line to the back of my ears and run the mono line down my shirt collar so I can pull the lines. Makes for a good laugh and I look like alfalfa. In a poorly lit room it's fantastic! Wish someone would have a separate topic area for practical jokes that are clean and non-harmful. And I'm not crazy either! Just like to laugh. Not enough laughs in this world anymore. Thanks!

[len19070]

I used a Mouse Trap to fling a piece of fur on the one I built. I used to give some ruse about it being a Mongoose and for the mark to be very careful, because it was very fast. So when I open the lid...just a little, take a quick peek. When the mark crouched down with his/her head right in front of the door.... wham! I'd let go of the door, the mouse Trap would slam shut sending a piece of fur flying out at the mark.

Happy Trails

Len

[ALAN GEDDES]

My daughter is 20 and still doesn't know how I sliced bananas befor they were peeled. And I won't tell her ever.

[John6012]

That's funny! But how in the world does the fur fly out of the box? I can't figure it out. What trips the trap? What specifically trips the rubber band? These old jokes are fun and clean.

[bledsoe3]

I going to have to do something like this. I have two daughters (5 & 8.) that I can already hear screaming running down the hall.

[madjack]

I couldn't find plans for one but did find a commercial version at http://www.ronjo.com/costume/prods/mongoosetrap.html ...to build one, you need a large rat trap that attaches to the top door to fling it open for the attacking "mongoose"
madjack

[Ira]

I've always found that plastic vomit and doody are pretty hysterical too.

[doug hodder]

Here's an easy one to do...Get a regular envelope, cut a piece of cardboard that will fit in it...hook a paper clip on both ends with 1 rubberband...stretch it around the cardboard...wind it up tight enough so that it will spin when released...label up the envelope "Danger Rattlesnake Eggs" talk it up like it's something really dangerous...If you do it right and tuck the flap in on the envelope it will stay on it's own, if not wound too tightly, till someone tries to open it...It always made the women in the office scream! When someone opens it, it takes off buzzing and making noise....ah yess...office hijinks!!! Doug

[Ira]

Here's an easy one to do...Get a regular envelope, cut a piece of cardboard that will fit in it...hook a paper clip on both ends with 1 rubberband...stretch it around the cardboard...wind it up tight enough so that it will spin when released...label up the envelope "Danger Rattlesnake Eggs" talk it up like it's something really dangerous...If you do it right and tuck the flap in on the envelope it will stay on it's own, if not wound too tightly, till someone tries to open it...It always made the women in the office scream! When someone opens it, it takes off buzzing and making noise....ah yess...office hijinks!!! Doug

I wish I could visualize how to do this..

[sjptak]

Ira,

Google "rattlesnake eggs". The first thing that came up was a neat envelope with graphics. You'll love it. Just leave them laying around in plain sight. It always gets lots of screams.

[stjohn]

Here is a pretty good camping trick make a deal with how ever your camping with in another trailer that the first one up makes the coffee then when they go to the potty house throw a hand full of wild bird seed on there RV roof you will have fresh coffee every morning while they wake at daylight to birds pecking on there roof.
Mike

[sjptak]

Mike,

I LOVE IT!!!!!

[Ira]

Stan, all I see are places to buy it.