# Complete Newbie



## MyNightmare (Jan 8, 2011)

Alrighty then,

What would yall say it the easiest simplest cheapest most idiot proof project with pneumatics to start? I have a general understand of plumbing and electrical and lots of time for trial and error.

Thanks in advance,
Rebecca


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## mroct31 (Nov 10, 2007)

I would say a pop up of some sort. Something like this one:
http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home/halloween/csolsen/toxic2002.html


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## Azirithdorr (Jan 8, 2011)

I agree with roct31 - a simple pop-up is about as basic as you're going to get for the mechanics of a prop. Depending on how ambitious you are, and how much you want to spend too, you can experiment with all sorts of 'addon's' to a simple pop-up such as:

Adding a remote trigger mechanism - a step-mat, an IR sensor, and all the way up to a controller board.

Adding more cylinders, and thus different movements.

Adding fog, sound, lights, etc etc

But all of those can build on the basic pop-up, so it's a really good place to start!


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## TheOneAndOnlyKelly (May 7, 2009)

I'm going to stick my head in here since I'm an absolute newbie at pneumatics myself... Is there anyway to do it so that the durn things don't hiss loudly?? That is very off-setting...


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## Azirithdorr (Jan 8, 2011)

There are mufflers you can add - mainly to the exhaust that can cut down the noise some, but really, the movement of air like that creates more sound then one expects. When there is music or sound effects going, they tend to cover up the sound.


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## MyNightmare (Jan 8, 2011)

Okay, came across and older gentleman whose wife has passed away and he has closed his forklift repair business. He has given me the following and has a ton more of stuff for me as well. What is this thing in the first photo and how can i use it or can i even use it. There are several of the small circular cylinders but they don't pop out very far what should i use those for? Secondly he is giving me several air tanks, can I just fill those and run something off of it?  He has a ton of valves, solenoids and filter too. Where can I find a basic diagram of how to use all of these? Oh and I picked up a few new dishwasher motors from him, what on earth could i do with those??????























Thanks!!!!!
Rebecca


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## MyNightmare (Jan 8, 2011)

okay photos here:


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## Azirithdorr (Jan 8, 2011)

MyNightmare said:


> Okay, came across and older gentleman whose wife has passed away and he has closed his forklift repair business. He has given me the following and has a ton more of stuff for me as well. What is this thing in the first photo and how can i use it or can i even use it.
> 
> - As far as I can tell, it's a bank of solenoids on a manifold. The two things on the left side of the picture are mufflers, as you were asking about, and the thing between them, I would hazard a guess, is a manual switch of some kind ( but that's purely a guess ).
> 
> ...


Hope that helps a bit - I'm no expert, but that's my two cents. I'm sure some of the other members here will be able to really point you in the right direction :jol:


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Those little cylinders are great for small subtle movements, like arms moving on an organist or such. A great dvd to get you started with pneumatics is from 2 scary guys, you cannot beat the $30 price for it. I learned a ton from that dvd.

http://scaryguys.com/dvdpneumatics.html


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## Azirithdorr (Jan 8, 2011)

kprimm said:


> Those little cylinders are great for small subtle movements, like arms moving on an organist or such. A great dvd to get you started with pneumatics is from 2 scary guys, you cannot beat the $30 price for it. I learned a ton from that dvd.
> 
> http://scaryguys.com/dvdpneumatics.html


I love both their videos. I'd buy more if they come out in a heartbeat.


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