thunderbolt85
Thursday, May 2, 2019 7:10:43 AM
Just thought we could have a discussion on these rides if you have ever worked one, helped, or even different stories about unique models/themes that anyone has seen out there.

We didn't have one on our show, but we did book a trailer mounted Octopus one time and boy that thing would move, very fast and good air time, much more it seemed than a spider or monster.

I did work as local help with Dick Carls Crown amusements one year on their Spider. Can't remember their names but the crew was a couple of nice guys that I enjoyed working with. Simple black with black tubs if I remember correctly.

Always thought a spider looked best with green tubs or green and yellow. RD or whoever owned it had a beautiful one on PGAM's years ago.

The only portable Monster I remember was the one on Strates, it did look sharp, specially when it was next to the YoYo.

Have seen some pictures of a white colored Monster out west with multi-colored tubs, looked really sharp. I did get to see/ride a Polyp back in the 80s on the Deggeller Midway. It was flashy but wasn't going up and down like a monster, it just raised a bit off the platforms a little higher than the fence and turned along with the tub sections, guess something was working right at the time.

Any good stories about these rides, tear down/set up, funny customers?
bigjlh
Thursday, May 2, 2019 5:35:56 PM
thunderbolt,seen a monster years ago independent piece had a full floor on it yellow/black checkerboard.had covered entrance waiting to ride.typical black with orange tubs.it was a sharp piece think a man from texas owned it.it was a midwest spot cant remember where.iirc it had two trailer for tubs big piece and always loaded.they where still tearing down at day light.the floor was labor intensive.ok then thanks big jlh
ridejocky
Thursday, May 2, 2019 7:28:10 PM
First major I work on was Atlas Greater Shows first unit 8-tub puss. A lot more fun to run that the Spider or Monster. You could get the tubs spinning much better...

Red base and sweeps, blue light can with 18” white fluorescents, sweeps had white 8’ fluorescents. Royal blue steel tubs with red upholstery and a single big white star on the back. It had the nice solid sweeps, not the bridgework style. It was a good looking piece.

Had one of the tubs fly off once during tear down when I took all the diaper pins out first, rather than one at a time.

We always leveled and staked the center Used the sweeps to pull the stakes on tear down until once when a stake was a little too tight and bent the sweep into an L...

Allan wasn’t too pleased with me when he saw it in the light-plant...


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mikecroaro
Thursday, May 2, 2019 8:00:49 PM
""Have seen some pictures of a white colored Monster out west with multi-colored tubs, looked really sharp.""

That was probably the Monster that Sam Johnston booked into the CA State Fair circa 1999 or 2000. He also used the unit a a few other fairs.

Mike
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Thursday, May 2, 2019 8:13:16 PM
Conklin moved a Monster for a few years. Saw it racked in their western NY WQ.
bigjlh
Thursday, May 2, 2019 8:49:14 PM
ridejocky,did you repair sweep with heat or machine shop? or order new one or get a used one.seen guys use pvc in place of those brass bushing used on sweep ends.seemed to work at the time never thought it was a good idea.but thats the way it was at times.ok then thanks big jlh
bigjlh
Thursday, May 2, 2019 9:13:17 PM
ft worth tx based show has a spider that looks almost new.center,midsills,sweeps a cream orange color tubs are yellow inside tubs are red outside of tubs red spider web graphics all red lighting.really sharp looking it really draws your eyes to it.good looking spider never seen a color scheme like it.ok then thanks big jlh
thunderbolt85
Friday, May 3, 2019 6:56:18 AM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

thunderbolt,seen a monster years ago independent piece had a full floor on it yellow/black checkerboard.had covered entrance waiting to ride.typical black with orange tubs.it was a sharp piece think a man from texas owned it.it was a midwest spot cant remember where.iirc it had two trailer for tubs big piece and always loaded.they where still tearing down at day light.the floor was labor intensive.ok then thanks big jlh




Wow, would love to see that one, I bet the deck was labor intensive, sorta like the Huss TriStar, looked liked a lot of platforms to have to carry and load/unload.
thunderbolt85
Friday, May 3, 2019 6:58:25 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

First major I work on was Atlas Greater Shows first unit 8-tub puss. A lot more fun to run that the Spider or Monster. You could get the tubs spinning much better...

Red base and sweeps, blue light can with 18” white fluorescents, sweeps had white 8’ fluorescents. Royal blue steel tubs with red upholstery and a single big white star on the back. It had the nice solid sweeps, not the bridgework style. It was a good looking piece.

Had one of the tubs fly off once during tear down when I took all the diaper pins out first, rather than one at a time.

We always leveled and staked the center Used the sweeps to pull the stakes on tear down until once when a stake was a little too tight and bent the sweep into an L...

Allan wasn’t too pleased with me when he saw it in the light-plant...



Yeah, seen some of them staked and some not. So about the "bridgework" vs "solid" sweeps, which is better or which one is more of pain with inspections and/or R&M?
thunderbolt85
Friday, May 3, 2019 7:01:55 AM
If I remember correctly I believe I saw a 16 tub puss on AofA back in the 80s, maybe someone can remember if I remember it correctly. It was some type of Spider/Puss just remember it was different.

ridejocky, seems I remember that Strates Monster had some type of auto "gear" shift at the controls, do you remember that, just seemed funny when I saw it.
ridejocky
Friday, May 3, 2019 11:11:39 AM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

ridejocky,did you repair sweep with heat or machine shop? or order new one or get a used one.seen guys use pvc in place of those brass bushing used on sweep ends.seemed to work at the time never thought it was a good idea.but thats the way it was at times.ok then thanks big jlh



The sweep was rebuilt in-house by “Jerry the Welder Man” and his main man Jesus..,

Not sure what all went into it...


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ridejocky
Friday, May 3, 2019 11:14:16 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Yeah, seen some of them staked and some not. So about the "bridgework" vs "solid" sweeps, which is better or which one is more of pain with inspections and/or R&M?



I think the solids definitely looked better, as to which was actually better I couldn’t tell you. Second unit had one with bridgework...
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ridejocky
Friday, May 3, 2019 11:32:07 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

If I remember correctly I believe I saw a 16 tub puss on AofA back in the 80s, maybe someone can remember if I remember it correctly. It was some type of Spider/Puss just remember it was different.

ridejocky, seems I remember that Strates Monster had some type of auto "gear" shift at the controls, do you remember that, just seemed funny when I saw it.



Used to be quite a few 16 tub ‘pusses around, I think (but I am not sure) the 8 & 16 used the same sweeps with different end pieces.

Strates Monster had “hydronic” controls when he got it. Something like a like a hydraulic brake system with a lever actuated master cylinder at the control station, and a slave cylinder at the hydro-pac. I thing just one for rotation and one for eccentric. I think the spindles were electric and just off-on but not sure.

I think the hydronics were great, but someone decided to put quick disconnects on the to make it easier to move and they tuned to sh*t with constantly having to be blead (bleeded?) and whatnot. I think ultimately it was converted to POC outboard motor controls with cables.

If I remember correctly, the ‘puss I moved had solid linkage....I had a piece of stair-tread that slipped into the v-fence behind the operator for a bench-seat, I could kick-back and run it with my feet...

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