# fright props air blaster



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I looked on fright props and it came to my attention that if you have a 5 gallon air tank and a solenoid valve, you could make this for half the price. http://www.frightprops.com/air-powered-noise-makers/rapid-fire-blaster.html am I right?


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Are you adding the labor? Many people aren't interested, or don't have the tools, to make some things. Figure 20 dollars an hour, for the specialized skills needed for someone to make that device (which doesn't need much in the way of specialized skills) and then assume that that person is also designing electronics, doing SEO work, creating custom props to order, acting as a representative for the company at trade shows and local get togethers, and possibly doing consulting work, if not for pro haunts, then at least for local haunts and answering tech questions directed to the site, making videos in response to customer questions, constantly improving their skills, be it welding, electronics, computer aided design, or customer service, and doing pick-and-pack work for daily orders, tracking consumables, tracking and ordering 100's of commonly sold items, working on web site improvement to increase traffic, doing "art" such as clay sculpting for master molds, life casting, faux finishing, and design and outfitting of animatronic props. That prop, and the guy that made it, is looking pretty cheap, IMO.

Half the price if you make it? Maybe. But the guy at Frightprops who made that air blaster is underpaid, I don't care what he's making. 

I mean, You are correct. But someone had to pay him to make that thing sound "just right". Its not just screwing a few pipes together. 

Well, lol, it sort of IS, but you get my meaning.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

You have a point, there's a skilled worker making these professionally and he probably deserves more than his pay. But I'm speaking hypothetically, if I took a 2 way solenoid alve, some pipe, a controller, it would come out around the same as far as operation, after some adjustments and things.


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## Palmdale Haunter (Mar 3, 2012)

Indeed, if you are willing to perform the labor,parts are reasonable enough...


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

Fright props sells 2 way solenoid valves for $20 and then shipping
Harbor freight has 5 gallon tanks for $30
A controller is optional
and the pipe would be $10-15


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Absolutely. Its way cheaper. If you can wait, you can find the same solenoids on Ali-Express, and get a few for even less.

The fun part is turning the air blaster into a launcher. I love shooting stuff across the parking lot!

Without the controller, you cant really make it a machine gun, though. You can use a PROP-1, and get the machine gun program and run a DC coil, or get a Pico-one, it doesn't have to be the AC controller they show, but yeah, the parts for the basic device aren't that much.


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

At least with the one I have, its more than a 2 way valve. 

On mine there is a 2 way valve that is connected to a dump valve. When the 2 way valve is activated its air is diverted to the dump valve which open a gate inside the dump valve allowing the air in the tank to escape.through a 3/4 inch hole.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I can launch things with my air mortar, but it isn't fast


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

stagehand1975 said:


> At least with the one I have, its more than a 2 way valve.
> 
> On mine there is a 2 way valve that is connected to a dump valve. When the 2 way valve is activated its air is diverted to the dump valve which open a gate inside the dump valve allowing the air in the tank to escape.through a 3/4 inch hole.


They make up to 4 way valves, I don't know about prices


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

The dump valve is a whole different beast. Its not opened or closed via a coil, but by air pressure from another solenoid. So you can have a low PSI holding back a volume of higher PSI air. Depending on how you plumb it. 

4 way 3/8 solenoid should be about 30 bucks.

For the air blaster, I wouldn't go under 3/8, and I would want a 1/2.

Dan, you should get a 4 way solenoid (more flexible) and play with it. So many things to make...


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I'll see what I can do


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## Palmdale Haunter (Mar 3, 2012)

The valve you want is the 1/2" one not the 1/4" ones.... It is $59 not $20....


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

I don't need one that big


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## bert1913 (Oct 27, 2011)

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/115224-100-00-air-blaster.html


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

Sure, you cam make it a LOT cheaper-but will you?

For many, (like me) it is not really a matter of $$$, I just like to build things myself!

Well, money does come into it, but you get what I mean! If I could afford to retire and then buy all I wanted, I would still build most all of it. The building is the part I enjoy the most.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

Exactly, I don't need prebuilt things, I would rather make my own. The accomplishment Is greater that way


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