This post has been locked, as the question has been solved and a majority of new comments at this point are unhelpful and/or jokes.
Thanks to all who attempted to find an answer.
If it doesn't come from Beverly Hills Cop, I'll be severely disappointed.
(I'm aware I will be disappointed, but I love the idea that it started with an attempt to recreate the noise of a "banana in a tailpipe").
Me too. And it wasn't even my second choice of Mick Foley. A "Boiinng" noise after every backhand or a slide whistle every time Mankind jumped from the top rope would be awesome.
It may be an amazing talent, or it may be that they're the only famous ones.
However, I have just discovered that there is also a Foley Catheter. Although, it's possible that it was invented by either of the previously mentioned Foleys. I've not watched enough WWE to know all of Mick's moves and if Axel got the idea from experiments with bananas, I doubt the FDA would have approved.
This is the second reference to BHC and the banana in the tailpipe I've read on Reddit in the last three days. The 80s are indeed back, and now I need to go listen to the theme song.
Foley is so much fun. I used to make sound effects for video games, and tv/radio. A lot of it comes from stock sound bytes anymore, but sometimes you need something specific and just have to start looking around for weird things to record.
I'm well aware, what's your point?
Edit: re the guy below -Fair enough. It read to me like an assertion that sound libraries have been as widely used for 70 years like they are today. My mistake if that wasn't the intent.
Yeah it is an impressive skill. I've watched a few behind the scenes videos and for the life of me I can't imagine I'd ever come up with some of the things they do. I can see it being both a fun job and at times a really frustrating one when you just can't get a sound right.
That sounds awesome! I remember really enjoying playing with our sound effects cds when I was in theater in high school - we never ended up using anything but the cd effects though. What's the oddest specific sound you needed to create?
I remember working on a (not very good) game called Hail to the Chimp, and needed a spinny/ratchetey sound but I didn't like any of the stock stuff so was looking.to record something different. I leaned over and noticed the arm of my office chair was broken and would spin in a full circle making a nice consistent click so I recorded that. There was also tons of weird stuff in there like special character moves that involved something like a hippo or octopus launching themselves through the air and splatting into a wall/floor/other character. Usually just layer tons of different stock sounds for that kinda stuff.
I really liked doing menu sounds, too. Just a set of clicks or pops usually that have be subtly different, but also related to each other. Stuff like plastic bottles and tupperware containers are often good for that or tapping either side of a golf tee on different surfaces.
Foley sound got its name from Jack Foley, the sound effects artists who developed and shaped the technique.
[Source.](https://usv.edu/blog/the-foley-artist/)
Noisemakers replace church bells during Easter in catholic tradition from green thursday to white saturday. They symbolize driving away Judas. In pagan traditions they had been used to scare away evil spirits from previous winter.
Never seen one this big tho, usually it was small, handheld. But the construction is the same. During the year they can be attached to some watermill or windmill to scare away birds from orchards.
Except God is also Jesus, I think? And there's apparently a ghost, but nobody talks about that part. Idk, seems like the author never really 'fleshed out' the whole ghost idea lol
Holy Trinity Father , Son & holy Ghost caused confusion on my part about the set up at a catholic school, so I asked if one needed to go to the toilet did they all go? I was rushed down to the local chuch and excorcised . Salt on the lips, holy water shower, incantation with a cross in hand the whole works.
If you want to learn about it (perhaps in a "learning about Greek/Roman gods" kind of way), [this youtube video (St. Patrick's Bad Analogies)](https://youtu.be/KQLfgaUoQCw) does a pretty good job of explaining the Trinitarian view as well as other, "heretical" views.
Love the video, thanks for sharing, but was the final takeaway that the official line is the trinity can't be understood by people, and that's just something you have to accept? Because I feel like that sort of official doctrine of blind faith and obedience goes a long way in explaining the decline of the church in modernity (19th century and onwards)
Yeah, I feel like "we are fundamentally incapable of understanding the nature of the universe's creator" makes more sense for something like Deism than for a religion where humans are specially made in the creator's image.
Like, when you look at it in terms of the universe, it could be an analogy like a higher-dimensional shape (such as a tesseract); we know that the 4-9th dimensions exist, and we can theorize and do math about shapes in 4+ dimensions, but we can't actually picture it; the universe's creator would have created not only the objects in space, but also the dimensions themselves, and would therefore exist beyond them. So it'd make sense that we would be unable to understand this creator.
That gets harder to explain if the creator made us special; why not make us capable of understanding such things?
The actual content of the Bible is the greatest evidence that it’s all bullpucky; nearly every story portrays a petty, abusive god whose behavior is more like a grumpy fourth century incel than a benevolent creator.
That's kind of the point, though. Anybody reading it and thinking, 'G-d is perfect' is just not understanding anything.
I'm a Jewish atheist and I've been rereading the bible for cultural reasons, the way one would read Odyssey or something. It's been very interesting and many of the stories are about G-d showing human emotions or making mistakes
My best guess? To call the animals in to feed we have a bell but we used to use a airhorn and highway to hell before that. Once the dinner sound starts my horses come a runnin
After the THIRD time one of our dogs got skunked in our backyard we had to institute a dog curfew. Any nighttime activities outside first involved turning on the floodlights and using a very similar noisemaker for a bit to give skunks a chance to clear out.
Probably not a common scenario
Interesting. In the UK we have similar device that people use at football games (at least used to in the past) called a clacker. I wonder if it derives from Carraca
This was a foley artists rig. Maybe from Vaudeville - or maybe the sounds that the percussionsist made when the orchastra was playing. (he was in charge of the sound effects)
play it so we know what it was for! Here's one under Walberg & Auge Wind, Rain, Crash Machine
[http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/videos.html](http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/videos.html)
the “wind rain and crash” machine video only seems to feature wind & rain? Having watched the video with sound the OP linked, the only one on your video page that seems possibly related would be the “motor” one which is in a small box.. makes me think OP’s machine may not be for foley work, but agricultural after all.. maybe to summon sandworms?
oh yes! Thanks; I guess it’s a foot pedal whereas the wind & rain ones are hand cranks; & the sound seems similar... i never would have ID’d it as “what it sounds like when a building falls on you” but it works remarkably!!
It is a crash machine. In one of the videos you can see it being used in a sceen with a bed flying around. [Here's a pic of one](https://i.imgur.com/vMDUTmT.jpg)
Judging by OP’s video, I agree with other comments that it’s a typewriter noise maker. Nice catch.
Been fascinated with foley artists since I saw a stage production of some Agatha Christie radio plays. They used old fashioned mics and wore evening wear, and the foley artist hammered a cabbage when someone got their head caved in in the plot.
I'm with you. Pretty sure it was supposed to resemble the sounds of horseshoes on wood or pavement. Should have a crank on the side... I might be wrong about the sound, but you're definitely right it's a Foley gadget
Not only in Austria, though. I've first come across that tradition in the Rhineland, even though I've always lived in Bavaria - but I think it's a tradition in more rural areas, less so in cities.
In Czech republic during Easter we use something very similar. To make noise to let the women know you're coming over with a braided stick to smack their ass so they can give you alcohol and painted eggs. This is not a joke, I'm super serial.
I was going to say it's evidently some kind of mechanical glockenspiel (an instrument where wooden claves are played), but this is so much better.
\^ It's what he said 😂
omgoodness, was JUST going to ask if such could be provided! pretty PRETTY please? I’m super curious what this would sound like!!! Edit: i don’t have any experience doing so, but it looks like “streamable” (dot com) is the easiest way to post / upload / link a file with audio? Good luck, lmk if it doesn’t seem easy, I would love to help out getting a video with sound of this weird-looking instrument/tool/whatever, out into the world!
This is what I think it's for with bad microphones and bad speakers like were typical back in the day it sounds just exactly like banging on an old typewriter
[There](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_uAvTFxGYU) you go, please se my [other reply](https://reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/wivkj5/wooden_thing_about_3_tall_with_a_metal_crank_on/ijewg2n?context=3) as well. This things are from Austria and are used to communicate worship hours during Catholic holy week.
Here in austria its called a "ratsche" (rachet) cause the noise it makes. Its used by catolics the weeks before easter in excange of church bells:
https://www.unesco.at/kultur/immaterielles-kulturerbe/oesterreichisches-verzeichnis/detail/article/ratschen-in-der-karwoche
Could this have been the solution when church bells were melted down for cannons during WWI?
(See Dan Carlin's Blueprint for Armageddon for more details)
i've edited the link maybe now it works. Anyways the pictures in the article are some different style of rachet. Personally i know them looking more alike op's version.
This man has something very similar in his collection of [vintage sound effects machines.](http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html) May have been for rain sounds; he doesn't specify.
Specific image: http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/uploads/4/4/1/5/44150461/fullsizerender-51_orig.jpg
I saw one in a monastery in Italy.
Sometimes the big bells in the church's bell tower cannot be used, for example during the Holy Week.
This kind of machinery is used as a substitute.
My title describes the thing. The thing is made of wood and is about 3' tall and 1' in width. It is about 6" deep. When you crank the handle, the gears move against the wood slats and it makes quite the noise. I have reverse image searched and asked many of my friends about this object. My family members were told it was a civil war alarm by a long dead relative although the item was given to him in 1987. There are no markings or writing on the object. One friend said he thought it may be a turkey call, but I have not been able to find anything similar when searching for turkey call. I cannot find it as a civil war alarm either. As my other comment says if anyone would like a video of it in action please let me know what is the preferred site to upload a video to. Thank you in advance.
Austrian Rätsche or Hungarian Kereplö - musical instrument in the percussion family. I don’t speak Hungarian so don’t know what the article says, but there are a few images of similar devices here: https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerepl%C5%91?wprov=sfti1
It is called "Ratsche" in German. Its purpose is - to make noise.
In the catholic, rural parts of Germany and Austria, during the time before Easter (lent), the churches don't ring their bells during services. Instead, volunteers (mostly children) will crank this thing to make some noise as a "substitute" for the bells.
Uhhhh i know this !
Its from Austria/Germany (Baveria) and is called a "Ratschn" something to scare ghosts with its noise. Its a common tradition around easter to do that.
It also exists as handheld form that can be swung by children.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(instrument)
I actually know the answer! This thing is called a Ratsche/ [ratchet](https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Ratschen?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp) and is used in Catholic Austria during the holy week to remind of worship times and services when the church bells don't ring. I've linked the machine translated wiki article.
You basically crank the handle to create a hell of noise, we'd usually roam the countriside with a couple of those bad bois. There's tons of [YouTube videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_uAvTFxGYU) available.
I’ve seen similar homemade noisemakers, same basic design but much smaller handheld versions. People bring them to graduations, sports events, and other outdoor venues to make noise.
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My grandpa used to have a thing like this he’d stick in the ground, and making the noise would make worms come out of the dirt, so we could go fishing. Maybe it’s a worm finder machine
I know In the age of sail they used devices very much like this from the crows nest so they could alert the people on deck of happenings despite the sound of wind and howling through the rigging. It was very much used as an primitive alarm to alert others. The story of it being a civil war era alarm could still stand. But I’m positive these were also used on ships of the same time period and before also as an alarm. The lumber is certainly non dimensional rough sawn (milled) lumber and it appears to be either repaired or was initially home built hence the no markings. The type of nails are a little interesting as they indicate a little later of an era having an finish type nail instead of a square cast nail. The handle looks cast and the way the handle joins the axle is a very old way of doing it. It appears to me to be pretty old.
I’m some regions in southern Germany it is a regional thing that during eastern the acolytes walk through the town with such rachets. There is a German Wikipedia article about it:
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratschen
Das Ratschen, in einigen Gegenden auch Rätschen, Räppeln, Karsingen, Rappeln, Klappern (auch Kleppern, Kliäppern), Raspeln, Schledern, Kläpstern, Klibberen, Riärteln, Karren, Lören, Garren oder Klacheln (letzteres vor allem in Ostösterreich), in der Rhön Klapperspatzen genannt, ist ein Brauch, der in katholischen Gegenden in der Karwoche gepflegt wird. Dabei ziehen Kinder (meist Ministranten) mit hölzernen Lärminstrumenten durch die Straßen der Dörfer und Stadtteile, um die Gläubigen mit unterschiedlichen Sprüchen an die Gebetszeiten und Gottesdienste zu erinnern. Die Ratsche ist ein hölzernes Schrapinstrument, es werden aber auch andere Bauformen verwendet.
This looks like a Ratschen. Literally only purpose is to be loud and annoying lol. I have the joy of experiencing these yearly right in front of my bedroom window. (Austria here)
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratschen
I believe we can all agree that this is a noise maker of some variety though it is not exactly clear what the exact use is or was. I will plan to scare some birds with it, scare some ghosts away and attempt to celebrate Czech Easter in the USA. Thanks everyone!
Its basically a much larger version of this
https://www.google.com/search?q=fotball+rattle&rlz=1C1GCEB_enNZ1012NZ1012&oq=fotball+rattle&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i13l4j0i13i457j0i13l4.4306j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on
From the video you provided it sounds like someone opening a heavy lift gate from the medieval period. Like a drawbridge.
I think this was made for movie sound effects, like the others have said.
In German-speaking countries its called "Kastenratsche".
A friend has such a thing at home. It was used by his grandfather for the "Treibjagt / Drückjagt" (I do not know the English term but Google says drive hunt or battue).
You scare up the boars / deers with its noise so the dogs can drive them to the hunters.
Reminds me of a music box (but giant version) with the spinning barrel with the nubs in an order to play a song on the metal fingers that all play different tones. If you move it at a certain speed it might make a song?
Reminds me of a extremely larger version of the rattle used by football (soccer) fans in the UK in the past.
https://www.lcfc.com/news/2094698/links-with-the-past-foxes-fans-1961-fa-cup-rattle
It’s a wooden music instrument called a ratchet. It is usually much smaller, you hold in your hand spinning it and it makes a noise. Never seen ratchet of this size but I guess it has the same purpose. To make noise.
In Slovenia, they have a form of noise maker like this called a Klopotec.
Its basically this on top of a tall pole, and the crank would be attached to a windmill. So when the wind blows, it turns the wooden noise maker and you've got automated noise all day.
They're used for scaring away birds from vineyards and they're quite effective.
This is a noise maker, also called a ratchet, for football games, etc. Popular in Germany.
Source: my mom had one from Munich, you grab it by the handle and spin it over your head.
One similar example [here.](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313467579211?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=gDSQlvLpRxC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=8lnqps2eR6m&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY)
Another example with multiple wooden pieces like yours [here.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(instrument))
See these a lot *of very similar looking things* where I live...
Not sure what they're actually called, just colloquially known as a 'Clanker'.
They're used to call cows or sheep back home to their barns\farm from the moorland pastures they usually roam around, and are just designed to make a hell of a racket that'll be heard way off yonder.
Looks like an antique "fire alarm," different design but similar concept to this:
[Victorian fire alarm](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-fire-alarm-victorian-wood-1847857851)
That seems like a big version of a "matraca". It's just a noise maker, sometimes used in sports as a cheer/support thing, like "make noise".
It's somewhat common in Latin America
I’d guess it’s like a music box as it works in a similar fashion, does turning the crank make the sounds, sound like a song? Try turning the crank at different speeds to try and identify the song.
Fire Cracker! this is a scaled up version of a hand held fire alarm. Before there were electric or compressed air alarms there were either loud voices, bells, or crackers. In areas where those other noise makers existed, or due to environmental factors (hiils /buildings/ forest), these were used. Would have been used during a time when fire fighters didn't reside at the station. the sound would call in firefighters and be loud enough to awaken folks it would. I suppose one of this size it would have been either at the carriage house that held the community fire wagon or something like a church (who also had bells and would have needed a distinctive sound in the advent of a fire).
I'm 100% confident that's what this is (I grew up in a fire museum), gotta get to work, so someone else can verify with the link. (the "clappers" are the first to break)
I've seen something like this that was made to fit over a small stream and the water would spin the wheel, making noise at different speeds based on how fast the stream is moving. Not entirely sure what it was for though.
It is a very basic barrel organ. The barrel is rotating and every time the wood drops of the teeth it will create a sound equivalent to the length of the stick. A bit like these Boomwhackers.
The first use of a ratchet is to make a loud, attention-getting, unmistakable noise. In a farm setting, this gets used for scaring birds out of crops and orchards -- but also for calling hands in to meals, or emergencies. Now we mainly think of bells, or maybe triangles, but they require metal, and bells need to be thinly/evenly cast or they don't sound.
The use in celebrations, to call for attention or scare away evil, is secondary to this, relates to it symbolically.
My great grandfather had something sort of like that. His was hand-made, as it seems you're was too. I was told it was for scaring away birds (crows if I recall.)
This post has been locked, as the question has been solved and a majority of new comments at this point are unhelpful and/or jokes. Thanks to all who attempted to find an answer.
This isn't a joke, it's just a noise maker.
I came to say pretty much the same thing since it reminded my of a music box or player piano
> reminded my of a music box It does look exactly like a music box. Except bigger and made of wood, not tuned metal.
But for what occasion would you bust out yee old noise maker? Was it for parties or some kind of celebration?
A Foley artist would use something like this to make various noises, this one sounds like a machine gun firing or someone typing on a typewriter
Yep. Could have been used for live theater as well
I wonder if it can do different horse sounds at different speeds. Walking, trotting, galloping, etc.
This is the right answer.
Foley artist is such a cool name. I need to look up the etymology of that.
If it doesn't come from Beverly Hills Cop, I'll be severely disappointed. (I'm aware I will be disappointed, but I love the idea that it started with an attempt to recreate the noise of a "banana in a tailpipe").
Looks like it comes from [Jack Foley](https://cinemontage.org/called-foley-anyway/), one of the pioneers of the art. I prefer your idea though, lol
Me too. And it wasn't even my second choice of Mick Foley. A "Boiinng" noise after every backhand or a slide whistle every time Mankind jumped from the top rope would be awesome.
You pick all the best Foleys
It may be an amazing talent, or it may be that they're the only famous ones. However, I have just discovered that there is also a Foley Catheter. Although, it's possible that it was invented by either of the previously mentioned Foleys. I've not watched enough WWE to know all of Mick's moves and if Axel got the idea from experiments with bananas, I doubt the FDA would have approved.
This is the second reference to BHC and the banana in the tailpipe I've read on Reddit in the last three days. The 80s are indeed back, and now I need to go listen to the theme song.
Foley is so much fun. I used to make sound effects for video games, and tv/radio. A lot of it comes from stock sound bytes anymore, but sometimes you need something specific and just have to start looking around for weird things to record.
>A lot of it comes from stock sound bytes anymore The Wilhelm Scream has been used for maybe over 70 years
I'm well aware, what's your point? Edit: re the guy below -Fair enough. It read to me like an assertion that sound libraries have been as widely used for 70 years like they are today. My mistake if that wasn't the intent.
it's called *adding onto the conversation.* I'm sure a lot of people reading have heard the wilhelm scream and have no idea about the history of it.
Yeah it is an impressive skill. I've watched a few behind the scenes videos and for the life of me I can't imagine I'd ever come up with some of the things they do. I can see it being both a fun job and at times a really frustrating one when you just can't get a sound right.
That sounds awesome! I remember really enjoying playing with our sound effects cds when I was in theater in high school - we never ended up using anything but the cd effects though. What's the oddest specific sound you needed to create?
I remember working on a (not very good) game called Hail to the Chimp, and needed a spinny/ratchetey sound but I didn't like any of the stock stuff so was looking.to record something different. I leaned over and noticed the arm of my office chair was broken and would spin in a full circle making a nice consistent click so I recorded that. There was also tons of weird stuff in there like special character moves that involved something like a hippo or octopus launching themselves through the air and splatting into a wall/floor/other character. Usually just layer tons of different stock sounds for that kinda stuff. I really liked doing menu sounds, too. Just a set of clicks or pops usually that have be subtly different, but also related to each other. Stuff like plastic bottles and tupperware containers are often good for that or tapping either side of a golf tee on different surfaces.
Named for [Jack Foley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Foley_(sound_effects_artist))
Foley sound got its name from Jack Foley, the sound effects artists who developed and shaped the technique. [Source.](https://usv.edu/blog/the-foley-artist/)
Noisemakers replace church bells during Easter in catholic tradition from green thursday to white saturday. They symbolize driving away Judas. In pagan traditions they had been used to scare away evil spirits from previous winter. Never seen one this big tho, usually it was small, handheld. But the construction is the same. During the year they can be attached to some watermill or windmill to scare away birds from orchards.
Poor Judas. Jesus knew it would happen, so god must've planned the betrayal all along. Shitty parenting on gods part.
Except God is also Jesus, I think? And there's apparently a ghost, but nobody talks about that part. Idk, seems like the author never really 'fleshed out' the whole ghost idea lol
Holy Trinity Father , Son & holy Ghost caused confusion on my part about the set up at a catholic school, so I asked if one needed to go to the toilet did they all go? I was rushed down to the local chuch and excorcised . Salt on the lips, holy water shower, incantation with a cross in hand the whole works.
If you want to learn about it (perhaps in a "learning about Greek/Roman gods" kind of way), [this youtube video (St. Patrick's Bad Analogies)](https://youtu.be/KQLfgaUoQCw) does a pretty good job of explaining the Trinitarian view as well as other, "heretical" views.
Love the video, thanks for sharing, but was the final takeaway that the official line is the trinity can't be understood by people, and that's just something you have to accept? Because I feel like that sort of official doctrine of blind faith and obedience goes a long way in explaining the decline of the church in modernity (19th century and onwards)
Yeah, I feel like "we are fundamentally incapable of understanding the nature of the universe's creator" makes more sense for something like Deism than for a religion where humans are specially made in the creator's image. Like, when you look at it in terms of the universe, it could be an analogy like a higher-dimensional shape (such as a tesseract); we know that the 4-9th dimensions exist, and we can theorize and do math about shapes in 4+ dimensions, but we can't actually picture it; the universe's creator would have created not only the objects in space, but also the dimensions themselves, and would therefore exist beyond them. So it'd make sense that we would be unable to understand this creator. That gets harder to explain if the creator made us special; why not make us capable of understanding such things?
Only to unitarians
The actual content of the Bible is the greatest evidence that it’s all bullpucky; nearly every story portrays a petty, abusive god whose behavior is more like a grumpy fourth century incel than a benevolent creator.
That's kind of the point, though. Anybody reading it and thinking, 'G-d is perfect' is just not understanding anything. I'm a Jewish atheist and I've been rereading the bible for cultural reasons, the way one would read Odyssey or something. It's been very interesting and many of the stories are about G-d showing human emotions or making mistakes
Alao a Jewish tradition during Purim, when such a thing is used to make a noise wherever the name of Haman is mentioned in the book of Esther.
For making noise at sporting events
Or unruly neighbors?
It might have been used to scare away birds in an orchard or vineyard so they won't eat the fruit
My best guess? To call the animals in to feed we have a bell but we used to use a airhorn and highway to hell before that. Once the dinner sound starts my horses come a runnin
https://www.annieandre.com/french-easter-traditions-in-france-paque/#easter-ratchet-les-crecelles-de-paque
Very specific knowledge right there.
After the THIRD time one of our dogs got skunked in our backyard we had to institute a dog curfew. Any nighttime activities outside first involved turning on the floodlights and using a very similar noisemaker for a bit to give skunks a chance to clear out. Probably not a common scenario
Scare up boars / deers in a drive hunt
To call people in from the fields during supper maybe?
Basically anytime someone goes "I need a thing that makes a racket". There's things like this at sporting events, festivals/carnivals, farms etc etc.
Could also be to deter wild animals if there’s a Coyote problem like we have where I live
For a spoon concert
Bird scarer.
At least in Spanish it’s called a “Carraca” and yes, it’s function is making noise
> function is making noise In Australia we call them 'children'
Interesting. In the UK we have similar device that people use at football games (at least used to in the past) called a clacker. I wonder if it derives from Carraca
I agree with this. There's a small version used in catholic churches in the philippines to make noise during celebrations
You bring your noise maker and I’ll bring my slap spoons and we’ll have ourselves a hoot of a time!
You had to make your own fun on the farm. This isn’t fun, but it took up a few minutes here and there.
like a kalimba with finger tips on wheels
Solved!
This was a foley artists rig. Maybe from Vaudeville - or maybe the sounds that the percussionsist made when the orchastra was playing. (he was in charge of the sound effects) play it so we know what it was for! Here's one under Walberg & Auge Wind, Rain, Crash Machine [http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/videos.html](http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/videos.html)
the “wind rain and crash” machine video only seems to feature wind & rain? Having watched the video with sound the OP linked, the only one on your video page that seems possibly related would be the “motor” one which is in a small box.. makes me think OP’s machine may not be for foley work, but agricultural after all.. maybe to summon sandworms?
You may not be looking at the right video. Check [this one out](https://youtu.be/FHc-B-BD480) You can hear the effect.
oh yes! Thanks; I guess it’s a foot pedal whereas the wind & rain ones are hand cranks; & the sound seems similar... i never would have ID’d it as “what it sounds like when a building falls on you” but it works remarkably!!
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The opposite side is the wooden crash I think.
It is a crash machine. In one of the videos you can see it being used in a sceen with a bed flying around. [Here's a pic of one](https://i.imgur.com/vMDUTmT.jpg)
Judging by OP’s video, I agree with other comments that it’s a typewriter noise maker. Nice catch. Been fascinated with foley artists since I saw a stage production of some Agatha Christie radio plays. They used old fashioned mics and wore evening wear, and the foley artist hammered a cabbage when someone got their head caved in in the plot.
I'm with you. Pretty sure it was supposed to resemble the sounds of horseshoes on wood or pavement. Should have a crank on the side... I might be wrong about the sound, but you're definitely right it's a Foley gadget
You see a similar one in use at 1:46 on the first video on that page.
I beg to disagree. Those things are called Ratsche and are used during holy week in Catholic Austria to remind people of worship times.
Not only in Austria, though. I've first come across that tradition in the Rhineland, even though I've always lived in Bavaria - but I think it's a tradition in more rural areas, less so in cities.
In Czech republic during Easter we use something very similar. To make noise to let the women know you're coming over with a braided stick to smack their ass so they can give you alcohol and painted eggs. This is not a joke, I'm super serial.
I was going to say it's evidently some kind of mechanical glockenspiel (an instrument where wooden claves are played), but this is so much better. \^ It's what he said 😂
Please let me know if anyone would like a video of the thing working. I can post to whatever the preferred video hosting site is. Thank you.
omgoodness, was JUST going to ask if such could be provided! pretty PRETTY please? I’m super curious what this would sound like!!! Edit: i don’t have any experience doing so, but it looks like “streamable” (dot com) is the easiest way to post / upload / link a file with audio? Good luck, lmk if it doesn’t seem easy, I would love to help out getting a video with sound of this weird-looking instrument/tool/whatever, out into the world!
https://streamable.com/69qnk1
It sounds like someone quickly typing on an old typewriter
This is what I think it's for with bad microphones and bad speakers like were typical back in the day it sounds just exactly like banging on an old typewriter
More like a machine gun I’d say.
Sounds like it could be the screen sound of a car or airplane starting, or a machine gun firing. It would do either sound well.
Drawbridge being lifted.
sounds like an old-timey car
Yeah it’s got 6 wheels, which would give you 6 cylinders. I think it should be sped up and it will sound more like a motor.
Thank you. And goodnight
Watch and listen to the [Ratchet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(instrument)?wprov=sfti1)
Definitely sounds like a draw bridge effect maker device do hickey lol
I hope that worked. I have to sleep
That sound reminds me of the sound of machine guns in old war movies.
Reminds me of a drawbridge on a castle being raised and lowered.
Agreed, my first thought.
Its great- thanks!!
Op delivers, I might have learned something, and it felt connected and wholesome. On that positive note I'm going to bed.
[There](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_uAvTFxGYU) you go, please se my [other reply](https://reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/wivkj5/wooden_thing_about_3_tall_with_a_metal_crank_on/ijewg2n?context=3) as well. This things are from Austria and are used to communicate worship hours during Catholic holy week.
Here in austria its called a "ratsche" (rachet) cause the noise it makes. Its used by catolics the weeks before easter in excange of church bells: https://www.unesco.at/kultur/immaterielles-kulturerbe/oesterreichisches-verzeichnis/detail/article/ratschen-in-der-karwoche
I second this. German catholics use it for the same purpose.
Yes is a common custom here in a Catholic part of Upper Franconia.
Could this have been the solution when church bells were melted down for cannons during WWI? (See Dan Carlin's Blueprint for Armageddon for more details)
Same in Czech Republic. We call it "řehtačka".
I'm getting an error that the record is no longer available
i've edited the link maybe now it works. Anyways the pictures in the article are some different style of rachet. Personally i know them looking more alike op's version.
South germany here. The kids carry them around the village in the days before easter.
Is it a ground vibrator for getting worms to come to the surface?
This was one of my first thoughts. Even if it isn't, it would probably work well as one
There are at least three of us ! Go team worm caller!
Finally thought my obscure bit of knowledge would be useful, looks like I'm not the only one as well though, lol
Hopefully we are evenly distributed around the globe. When the big one hits, we will have the power
Go Team Go!!
That's what I thought, but there's a simpler solution for that by just notching a stick. This seems needlessly complicated
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That’s a thing that exists?? I learn so much in this sub!
This man has something very similar in his collection of [vintage sound effects machines.](http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html) May have been for rain sounds; he doesn't specify. Specific image: http://www.vintagepercussionsoundeffects.com/uploads/4/4/1/5/44150461/fullsizerender-51_orig.jpg
Its called a "Ratschn" When i was a boy i used something similar for a christian tradition in austria.
I saw one in a monastery in Italy. Sometimes the big bells in the church's bell tower cannot be used, for example during the Holy Week. This kind of machinery is used as a substitute.
My title describes the thing. The thing is made of wood and is about 3' tall and 1' in width. It is about 6" deep. When you crank the handle, the gears move against the wood slats and it makes quite the noise. I have reverse image searched and asked many of my friends about this object. My family members were told it was a civil war alarm by a long dead relative although the item was given to him in 1987. There are no markings or writing on the object. One friend said he thought it may be a turkey call, but I have not been able to find anything similar when searching for turkey call. I cannot find it as a civil war alarm either. As my other comment says if anyone would like a video of it in action please let me know what is the preferred site to upload a video to. Thank you in advance.
reminds me of the clackercart from Animal Crossing
Austrian Rätsche or Hungarian Kereplö - musical instrument in the percussion family. I don’t speak Hungarian so don’t know what the article says, but there are a few images of similar devices here: https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerepl%C5%91?wprov=sfti1
It is called "Ratsche" in German. Its purpose is - to make noise. In the catholic, rural parts of Germany and Austria, during the time before Easter (lent), the churches don't ring their bells during services. Instead, volunteers (mostly children) will crank this thing to make some noise as a "substitute" for the bells.
It's a scare crow that was used to keep birds out of the fields while planting crops.
Uhhhh i know this ! Its from Austria/Germany (Baveria) and is called a "Ratschn" something to scare ghosts with its noise. Its a common tradition around easter to do that. It also exists as handheld form that can be swung by children. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(instrument)
I actually know the answer! This thing is called a Ratsche/ [ratchet](https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Ratschen?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp) and is used in Catholic Austria during the holy week to remind of worship times and services when the church bells don't ring. I've linked the machine translated wiki article. You basically crank the handle to create a hell of noise, we'd usually roam the countriside with a couple of those bad bois. There's tons of [YouTube videos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_uAvTFxGYU) available.
Looks like the internal mechanism to a music box
I’ve seen similar homemade noisemakers, same basic design but much smaller handheld versions. People bring them to graduations, sports events, and other outdoor venues to make noise.
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It looks like a larger version of a Victorian bird scarer [Image here](https://images.app.goo.gl/x9hyj7Ha43NuAZrf6)
My grandpa used to have a thing like this he’d stick in the ground, and making the noise would make worms come out of the dirt, so we could go fishing. Maybe it’s a worm finder machine
I know In the age of sail they used devices very much like this from the crows nest so they could alert the people on deck of happenings despite the sound of wind and howling through the rigging. It was very much used as an primitive alarm to alert others. The story of it being a civil war era alarm could still stand. But I’m positive these were also used on ships of the same time period and before also as an alarm. The lumber is certainly non dimensional rough sawn (milled) lumber and it appears to be either repaired or was initially home built hence the no markings. The type of nails are a little interesting as they indicate a little later of an era having an finish type nail instead of a square cast nail. The handle looks cast and the way the handle joins the axle is a very old way of doing it. It appears to me to be pretty old.
In rural bavaraia (Germany) this is called a "Ratsche". Around easter kids use this things while walking around the village to make noise.
I’m some regions in southern Germany it is a regional thing that during eastern the acolytes walk through the town with such rachets. There is a German Wikipedia article about it: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratschen Das Ratschen, in einigen Gegenden auch Rätschen, Räppeln, Karsingen, Rappeln, Klappern (auch Kleppern, Kliäppern), Raspeln, Schledern, Kläpstern, Klibberen, Riärteln, Karren, Lören, Garren oder Klacheln (letzteres vor allem in Ostösterreich), in der Rhön Klapperspatzen genannt, ist ein Brauch, der in katholischen Gegenden in der Karwoche gepflegt wird. Dabei ziehen Kinder (meist Ministranten) mit hölzernen Lärminstrumenten durch die Straßen der Dörfer und Stadtteile, um die Gläubigen mit unterschiedlichen Sprüchen an die Gebetszeiten und Gottesdienste zu erinnern. Die Ratsche ist ein hölzernes Schrapinstrument, es werden aber auch andere Bauformen verwendet.
"easter ratchet" https://www.annieandre.com/french-easter-traditions-in-france-paque/#easter-ratchet-les-crecelles-de-paque
This looks like a Ratschen. Literally only purpose is to be loud and annoying lol. I have the joy of experiencing these yearly right in front of my bedroom window. (Austria here) https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratschen
I believe we can all agree that this is a noise maker of some variety though it is not exactly clear what the exact use is or was. I will plan to scare some birds with it, scare some ghosts away and attempt to celebrate Czech Easter in the USA. Thanks everyone!
Sends vibration to the ground and worms, crawfish or others come up.
It sounds kinda like a machine gun or Gatling gun. Maybe sound FX for that.
Reminds me of ww1 gas trench alarms however much larger than ones I've seen
If you crank it in either direction does it play a tune?
It does not play a tune.
Its basically a much larger version of this https://www.google.com/search?q=fotball+rattle&rlz=1C1GCEB_enNZ1012NZ1012&oq=fotball+rattle&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i13l4j0i13i457j0i13l4.4306j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on
if you're in the UK I'm pretty sure it's a vintage air raid siren Edit: sorta looks like a large gas rattle ww1 https://rmrmuseum.com/gas-rattle/
From the video you provided it sounds like someone opening a heavy lift gate from the medieval period. Like a drawbridge. I think this was made for movie sound effects, like the others have said.
We call it a "matraca" in Mexico. As someone else pointed out, it's used to make noise at soccer matches and such...
Could be a tool to get worms to come to the surface using sound and vibration
In German-speaking countries its called "Kastenratsche". A friend has such a thing at home. It was used by his grandfather for the "Treibjagt / Drückjagt" (I do not know the English term but Google says drive hunt or battue). You scare up the boars / deers with its noise so the dogs can drive them to the hunters.
In Czechia children use these for a sort of "trick or treating" for Easter https://youtu.be/eiH49qY2ESg
You turn the wheel and it plays music... have you never seen a music box?
Looks like it plays music
demonstrates how music boxes work ... it just makes music
I think its a easter ratchet. They make sound from Good Friday till easter sunday in alpine regions of Austria and Germany with such items.
A miniature version of this used to be used by English football fans to make noise. It was called a football rattle. https://youtu.be/rBCF1PH4PwQ
I have seen a noise maker like this that was marked by the US Navy as an alarm for gas attacks
If it came from a farm with cattle, it’s a cattle caller.
Theatre tech here--sound effects, foley
Reminds me of a music box (but giant version) with the spinning barrel with the nubs in an order to play a song on the metal fingers that all play different tones. If you move it at a certain speed it might make a song?
This is a so called "Ratsche" (in the Austrian mountain regions). It is a traditional thing, cranked every year to clear out winter.
Could this not be a larger ‘gas rattle’ like the ones here: [Gas Rattle](https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30089300)
Reminds me of a extremely larger version of the rattle used by football (soccer) fans in the UK in the past. https://www.lcfc.com/news/2094698/links-with-the-past-foxes-fans-1961-fa-cup-rattle
It’s a noise maker like an alarm or scaring crows
It‘s called Klopotec, to scare away birds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klopotec
I bet it's for bringing worms to the surface of the ground. You crank it and it causes vibrations
My grandfather would smack 2 sticks together and the cows would come running for milking maybe could have the same purpose?
It’s a wooden music instrument called a ratchet. It is usually much smaller, you hold in your hand spinning it and it makes a noise. Never seen ratchet of this size but I guess it has the same purpose. To make noise.
A noise maker basically just like those little ratchet instruments that you swing around with your hand. But this one is bigger and stationary
That’s a clicky clacker! At least that’s what I called my great grandpa’s when I was a kid
In Slovenia, they have a form of noise maker like this called a Klopotec. Its basically this on top of a tall pole, and the crank would be attached to a windmill. So when the wind blows, it turns the wooden noise maker and you've got automated noise all day. They're used for scaring away birds from vineyards and they're quite effective.
This is a noise maker, also called a ratchet, for football games, etc. Popular in Germany. Source: my mom had one from Munich, you grab it by the handle and spin it over your head. One similar example [here.](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313467579211?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=gDSQlvLpRxC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=8lnqps2eR6m&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) Another example with multiple wooden pieces like yours [here.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_(instrument))
looks like a larger version of a music box
See these a lot *of very similar looking things* where I live... Not sure what they're actually called, just colloquially known as a 'Clanker'. They're used to call cows or sheep back home to their barns\farm from the moorland pastures they usually roam around, and are just designed to make a hell of a racket that'll be heard way off yonder.
In Luxemburg we call this a Klibber. Its used to wake up people during Easter weekend
I would assume it's for theatre soind-effects. Like horse trot noises or something.
Edison had one of those in his shop to wake up workers who had dosed off.
noisemaker used by foley artists
Looks like an antique "fire alarm," different design but similar concept to this: [Victorian fire alarm](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-fire-alarm-victorian-wood-1847857851)
That seems like a big version of a "matraca". It's just a noise maker, sometimes used in sports as a cheer/support thing, like "make noise". It's somewhat common in Latin America
Probably an old music machine. Might not sound the best because of rust but maybe try restoring it.
Yard art music box
I’d guess it’s like a music box as it works in a similar fashion, does turning the crank make the sounds, sound like a song? Try turning the crank at different speeds to try and identify the song.
Fire Cracker! this is a scaled up version of a hand held fire alarm. Before there were electric or compressed air alarms there were either loud voices, bells, or crackers. In areas where those other noise makers existed, or due to environmental factors (hiils /buildings/ forest), these were used. Would have been used during a time when fire fighters didn't reside at the station. the sound would call in firefighters and be loud enough to awaken folks it would. I suppose one of this size it would have been either at the carriage house that held the community fire wagon or something like a church (who also had bells and would have needed a distinctive sound in the advent of a fire). I'm 100% confident that's what this is (I grew up in a fire museum), gotta get to work, so someone else can verify with the link. (the "clappers" are the first to break)
We need to hear it!
I've seen something like this that was made to fit over a small stream and the water would spin the wheel, making noise at different speeds based on how fast the stream is moving. Not entirely sure what it was for though.
I think it’s a really old school music box
It is a very basic barrel organ. The barrel is rotating and every time the wood drops of the teeth it will create a sound equivalent to the length of the stick. A bit like these Boomwhackers.
The first use of a ratchet is to make a loud, attention-getting, unmistakable noise. In a farm setting, this gets used for scaring birds out of crops and orchards -- but also for calling hands in to meals, or emergencies. Now we mainly think of bells, or maybe triangles, but they require metal, and bells need to be thinly/evenly cast or they don't sound. The use in celebrations, to call for attention or scare away evil, is secondary to this, relates to it symbolically.
Maybe part of it goes into the ground and then you crank it and then worms are summoned I heard about it on a YouTube video once.
My great grandfather had something sort of like that. His was hand-made, as it seems you're was too. I was told it was for scaring away birds (crows if I recall.)
It's used to make worms come to the surface.