# Poltergeist in my waste bin



## marcus132 (Oct 18, 2007)

I have a serious problem with my green waste bin...






I'm not going to post a detailed how-to on this, because it is a direct hybrid of two existing Monsters in a Box.

The wiring and mechanism is 99% Mark Butler's Super Easy Monster in the Box.

But instead of directly attaching the drill to the box (or can, in this case), I used the weirdly shaped cam and follower that Cindy and Bob used in their Monster in a Box, as documented here.

Here's a shot of what's in the can:









(NOTE: The cam pictured is a cardboard prototype. The actual cam is made out of plywood, like Cindy and Bob's.)

The only points I'd like to add to the how-tos above are these:

1. Try to find a drill that has a threaded hole for attaching a side handle. Mine had one and it made mounting it a breeze. I just bolted it to the wooden frame using that hole.

2. Instead of using a tape loop for the audio, I used a battery-powered mp3 player and some AC-powered speakers. The mp3 player constantly plays the audio loop, but you can only hear it when the outlet (and thus speakers) are activated by the motion sensor.

3. Instead of cutting a hole in my bin for the sensor to look through, I just spliced in a length of cable and then ran the sensor out of the top of the can and to the brick visible between the blue and black bins in the video. The sensor had a really wide range of vision (270 degrees!), so sticking it inside the cinder block narrowed its vision down to an area directly in front of it.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Ha! Nice.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

cool ..but why did it have a red color if the bulb is green?
I guess you have a peep hole in the trash can to for the motion sensor.


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## marcus132 (Oct 18, 2007)

Lilly said:


> cool ..but why did it have a red color if the bulb is green?


The red light is from the electrical fire.

Heh. Seriously though, you got me. I changed the green bulb for a red one. I also took out the strobe light, because it didn't really add anything.



Lilly said:


> I guess you have a peep hole in the trash can to for the motion sensor.


The power cable and the cable sensor both just go over the top of the can in the back. The lid is loose and flexible enough that it can still close with them pinched in it.


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## hawkchucker (Oct 5, 2007)

I really like that design. I think I will steal it from ya!!!!


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## Bloodhound (Oct 16, 2007)

I Like It!!


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

Looks great...works perfectly...Nice


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## dionicia (Aug 4, 2007)

Have you used it yet? I bet that scared the tar out of the kids. I love it.


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## marcus132 (Oct 18, 2007)

dionicia said:


> Have you used it yet?


Not yet. I just finished it. It will premiere this year. 

I've got some down time right now, and October is always busy, so I'm (as the kids today with their Tivos say) time shifting.


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## frstvamp1r (Nov 5, 2006)

marcus132 said:


> I've got some down time right now, and October is always busy, so I'm (as the kids today with their Tivos say) time shifting.


Bah on TiVo...In my house, time will not be paused, rewound, or fast forwarded...it will just pass my by like everything else. Hehe


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## grim reaper (Aug 18, 2005)

wow thats great may have to steal that idea


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## randy2084 (Feb 13, 2008)

Very nice!

How are you triggering the fogger? Or are you
having it cycle automatically on a timer?


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## marcus132 (Oct 18, 2007)

randy2084 said:


> How are you triggering the fogger? Or are you
> having it cycle automatically on a timer?


Yes, exactly. Although I did think of a hack I'll have to try to trigger it better. Stay tuned. :jol:


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## Silent Requiem (Feb 17, 2008)

cool!simple, effective, and basic enough i might actually be able to do it! i love it.


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## Ghostess (Aug 21, 2005)

Ha, thats great. I love it!


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