# PVC and motor for body twist movement



## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

I once saw a pvc frame with a motor mounted in the chest/waist area that would be perfect for a prop I'm thinking of building. I have been looking everywhere are can't seem to find it. It turns the upper body at the waist. Anyone know where I might find something like this?


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## Darkside (Aug 6, 2007)

I used a motor scavenged from one of my reindeer with a turning head, and mounted it in the waist area to turn the head of my gate keeper/ grave digger.


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

That's what I want to build but I prefer for the twist to be lower so that the arm holding the lantern will also move. I might be able to build without instructions but was hoping for some pics to guide me.


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## hidehoman (Sep 18, 2006)

this is what i did.








http://http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e339/hidehoman/PICT0854.jpg[/IMG]


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## ScareFX (Aug 18, 2004)

Check out Evil Bob's You Tube video in post #7 of this thread. It might give you some idea's.
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=7197


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## Darkside (Aug 6, 2007)

This is the page I used for my guide.
http://www.scarefx.com/project_witch.html


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

I know exactly the photo you're thinking of - I used it as inspiration for my own animated prop - but it seems to have disappeared. Here are some photos of my own animated werewolf prop that's still in progress. I used an oscillating fan with the fan itself removed but built the frame up from the motor so that it would be lower down in the body and not overheat. The way I have it set up the whole torso, including the arms and head, turns with the fan. The frame is PVC tubing but I used the type meant for built-in central vac tubing as it had thinner walls and was more lightweight than the standard tubing. I attached the frame to the motor with a metal hose clamp and A LOT of gorilla glue. The body form is made up from chicken wire. I have the fan hooked up to a motion detector and when it moves back and forth the body jiggles a bit adding to the motion.




























I have got some more step-by-step photos on my website and will be adding more pics as I complete him - hopefully soon!

http://www.hectorturner.com/halloween/werewolf.html


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

Oscillating fans are on sale this time of year in the Midwest. I had been thinking about asking. So this thread starts to help:

A) How to securely connect a prop to a fan
B) If the air from the fan makes the prop clothes puff out 
C) If the prop sounds like a fan or is the sound muffled by the prop clothes
D) If the motor burns out if the fan is removed
E) If people use the tall or short fans

I'm not sure the original question exactly had to do oscilating fans but it sounds like that same type of motion.

Here's a link where they had a motor burn out and this shows how they solved their problem.

I also like the pose on the grim reaper for an oscillating motion 1 minute into this video that someone linked to elsewhere.


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## hidehoman (Sep 18, 2006)

B: not for me.
C: super quiet. under all the clothes
D: I have had them burn out with out the fan.
E I have used both.


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## jim6918 (Aug 18, 2006)

I don't recommend using an oscilating fan unless it gets plenty of air movement across the motor. I used a fan last year for my witch and cauldron and it worked great in the short tests I ran pre-HW. 30 minutes into the action, the fan froze up. Boy was I pissed. This year I went the Scarry Terry route and used a wiper motor and linkage to turn the head. I've had it running for hours under load and it barely heats up. I am running the wiper motor at 5 volts on low speed and it gives just the effect I want. I can visualize doing the same thing to turn a PVC body at the waist. If anybody is iterested I could snap a pic or two of the linkage I invented.


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## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

Snap away.


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Yes please do. I just did a drawing and planned to use a fan just because the mounting seemed easier. I have a daytona motor and a wiper motor that could be used and some pics will help me figure how best to mount one of these.


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## Evil Bob (Sep 1, 2005)

buckaneerbabe said:


> Yes please do. I just did a drawing and planned to use a fan just because the mounting seemed easier. I have a daytona motor and a wiper motor that could be used and some pics will help me figure how best to mount one of these.


Did you see my video? I can take pictures of the mount and linkage if you want.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Just out of curiousity, what is the basic differences between reindeer motors, wiper motors and the Dayton? It seems people use all of them for this application. Is one more powerful/durable or does it just come down to which you can score cheaper?

ScareFX said the reindeer ones were more quiet than the Dayton as I recall.

Evil Bob, pictures of the mount and linkage would be wonderful.


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Yes, evilbob, but only if you have time, I know you must be crazy busy these days. Also could you tell me in what dept you found the lazy susan swivel thing (I know you told me what it is I just can remember right now) I went to 2 hardware stores today and couldn't find one. Thanks.


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## ScareFX (Aug 18, 2004)

buckaneerbabe said:


> Yes, evilbob, but only if you have time, I know you must be crazy busy these days. Also could you tell me in what dept you found the lazy susan swivel thing (I know you told me what it is I just can remember right now) I went to 2 hardware stores today and couldn't find one. Thanks.


I've gotten them from American Science & Surplus. http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=1058&cartLogFrom=Search


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks ScareFX, I never saw that site before. They have some great prices on motors too. I think I'll just buy my lazy susan from them, I at least spent that on gas yesterday. I'm marking that site in my favorites for sure.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Uruk-Hai said:


> I know exactly the photo you're thinking of - I used it as inspiration for my own animated prop - but it seems to have disappeared. Here are some photos of my own animated werewolf prop that's still in progress. I used an oscillating fan with the fan itself removed but built the frame up from the motor so that it would be lower down in the body and not overheat. The way I have it set up the whole torso, including the arms and head, turns with the fan. The frame is PVC tubing but I used the type meant for built-in central vac tubing as it had thinner walls and was more lightweight than the standard tubing. I attached the frame to the motor with a metal hose clamp and A LOT of gorilla glue. The body form is made up from chicken wire. I have the fan hooked up to a motion detector and when it moves back and forth the body jiggles a bit adding to the motion.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks like my fan PVC hoseclamp idea..Nice idea making it turn the whole upper torso..I like being able to have the fan in the chest area, I've had no overheating probs with my setup at all.


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

idid the same as the doc had no problems over heating (but i did leave an area where air can get in)


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

I'm a little concerned about the costume I want to put on my grave digger if I use the fan motor. I have a heavy tweed like jacket with a shirt, and some pants of course and I'm afraid if I leave the pants or shirt undone he'll look like a perv.


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## Evil Bob (Sep 1, 2005)

buckaneerbabe said:


> I'm a little concerned about the costume I want to put on my grave digger if I use the fan motor. I have a heavy tweed like jacket with a shirt, and some pants of course and I'm afraid if I leave the pants or shirt undone he'll look like a perv.


A pirate walks into a bar, and the barkeep says "Excuse me, cap'n, but did you know that you've got your ship's wheel stuck in your pantaloons?"

"Aye," says the pirate, "that thing be drivin' me nuts! Aaargh!"

Sorry, that reminded me of that joke. I can't use it in my pirate pub 'cause of the TOTs.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

Hey Dr. Morbius! Yes, your's was the one I saw through Haunt Project and studied before tackling mine. I guess it got taken off-line when you started your new web-site.

I liked how the fan was lower down in the torso but thought it would be a simpler to build it so that the whole thing moved rather than just the head. It's got a cool movement to it - it wobbles a bit as it moves which helps make it look a bit more life-like. I'm also going to follow your example and mount my speakers up underneath the torso so the sound seems to come right from him rather than off to the side. 

Although I haven't run him for a long time yet I don't anticipate any problems - he'll be positioned behind some bushes so the lower half will be out of sight. I'm just going to leave it open to the air which will keep the motor running cool. It will also be hooked up to a motion sensor and won't be running continuously all night which should also help.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

The hose clamp idea make sense. That one Dr. Morbius photo illustrates it well. I taped a remote controlled SFX speaker inside the chest of my static PVC grim reaper last year and it worked well. It doesn't sound like the noise or voice is coming directly from the prop's mouth but it's close enough. Most passers-by got the idea.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Uruk-Hai said:


> Hey Dr. Morbius! Yes, your's was the one I saw through Haunt Project and studied before tackling mine. I guess it got taken off-line when you started your new web-site.
> 
> I liked how the fan was lower down in the torso but thought it would be a simpler to build it so that the whole thing moved rather than just the head. It's got a cool movement to it - it wobbles a bit as it moves which helps make it look a bit more life-like. I'm also going to follow your example and mount my speakers up underneath the torso so the sound seems to come right from him rather than off to the side.
> 
> Although I haven't run him for a long time yet I don't anticipate any problems - he'll be positioned behind some bushes so the lower half will be out of sight. I'm just going to leave it open to the air which will keep the motor running cool. It will also be hooked up to a motion sensor and won't be running continuously all night which should also help.


Glad the fan motor thing is working out for ya! Yes, I need to update my site/links so that project is revived on Hauntproject.


Fright Zone said:


> The hose clamp idea make sense. That one Dr. Morbius photo illustrates it well. I taped a remote controlled SFX speaker inside the chest of my static PVC grim reaper last year and it worked well. It doesn't sound like the noise or voice is coming directly from the prop's mouth but it's close enough. Most passers-by got the idea.


The speaker position should be OK. The human ear can't tell the difference really.


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## jim6918 (Aug 18, 2006)

jim6918 said:


> I don't recommend using an oscilating fan unless it gets plenty of air movement across the motor. I used a fan last year for my witch and cauldron and it worked great in the short tests I ran pre-HW. 30 minutes into the action, the fan froze up. Boy was I pissed. This year I went the Scarry Terry route and used a wiper motor and linkage to turn the head. I've had it running for hours under load and it barely heats up. I am running the wiper motor at 5 volts on low speed and it gives just the effect I want. I can visualize doing the same thing to turn a PVC body at the waist. If anybody is iterested I could snap a pic or two of the linkage I invented.


Attached are the pics of my stripped down Witch and Caldron. They show the wiped motor linkage I am using to turn the head. Works much better than the fan idea, and was not much of a problem to figure out the correct linkage. Pics are self explanatory but I am willing to answer any questions.


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks for all the photos and ideas. I should be able to figure this one with all the help I got here, now to the garage.


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