# Source needed for FCG 6rpm motor???



## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

I am trying to find a good source for the 6rpm gear motors used for flying crank ghost. Does anyone have a source with reasonable prices? I thought monsterguts used to carry those but I'm not seeing them on the site anymore.
I would buy one if anyone has a spare to part with. 

Thanks!


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

None of the suppliers we've used in the past have had any in stock for a long time.


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

RoxyBlue said:


> None of the suppliers we've used in the past have had any in stock for a long time.


That's not good news! I found the Dayton replacement, 1mbf5, on amazon but it's $93! Will that be my best and only option?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

You might check eBay as well, but the options have definitely become limited.


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

RoxyBlue said:


> You might check eBay as well, but the options have definitely become limited.


So are there no alternatives to the standard type motor? This will be my first FCG so I'm a little disappointed that the motors are so difficult to locate. It was only a few months ago that monsterguts had some for sale, I think around the $60 range. I sure wish I'd pulled the trigger and bought one then!


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## bfjou812 (Aug 15, 2008)

Try this , it's 5 rpm but there is also a10 rpm motor. Grainger also has some but a bit more expensive.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#6142K43


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

I was going to suggest McMaster-Carr as well. I've had the best luck with them for stock and price. Even if they are still around $60.

You can also try a rotisserie grill motor like this one for $15. Though you might have to get creative with the shaft.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grillmark-R...323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a3aa0e103

Not sure if anyone has tried a reindeer motor before either. Im not sure if they have enough torque to move a FCG.

Good luck!


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

If it is hidden you could use an ice cream machine motor. Lots of power and made to keep running. It may be a little fast though.


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## Aquayne (Sep 1, 2008)

I used one like this. I mounted a muffin fan on it to keep cool and ran for days. It never overheated on me. Your mileage may vary.
http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/SPG-Co/6-5-RPM-115-VAC-GEARMOTOR-2051746-5-1770.axd


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## scarybill (Oct 7, 2012)

I used a motor from a grill rotisarie. Its that time of year there might be some sales


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

Aquayne said:


> I used one like this. I mounted a muffin fan on it to keep cool and ran for days. It never overheated on me. Your mileage may vary.
> http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/SPG-Co/6-5-RPM-115-VAC-GEARMOTOR-2051746-5-1770.axd


That looks like a winner right there Aquayne. Bookmarked!


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

They also have these which are about half the price, nice flat on the shaft to attach a coupler, and should not need a fan to keep cool.

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands/ECI/6-RPM-120-VAC-SYNCHRONOUS-GEARMOTOR-5-1702.axd

As mentioned, there are a flood of similar motors on ebay. Also, if you have access to any type of a scrap yard / used electronics, etc, most microwaves have a turntable which runs at a fairly slow RPM, and likely has a similar motor. They also have a mode stirrer (think 'ceiling fan for microwaves' in the top) which might be another source of a low RPM motor.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I have used the motor Corey linked to in several FCGs, including some with extra movement and demands on the motor. This motor runs a little hot, but I have never had trouble with it. I think the key to a good fcg is counter balancing the weight of the body with extra weight in the hands, that reduces the strain on the motor a great deal.


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

bfjou812 said:


> Try this , it's 5 rpm but there is also a10 rpm motor. Grainger also has some but a bit more expensive.
> 
> http://www.mcmaster.com/#6142K43


Ok, I'm liking this motor and the price seems fair. Plus, I've read that some people think the 5rpm motor looks better for this application as opposed to going with a faster motor. So, which power supply would work with this motor? I plan on ordering a couple of these today but am unsure how tower them.

I appreciate all the input and experience available on this forum!


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

Don't need one bfjou812, these are 115VAC so you can go to the dollar store and get a cheap 5' extension cord, cut the female end off and wire it up!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I love FCG's, and I feel compelled to speak up here. You can spend $47 on an FCG motor if you want, but you don't have to. I have several FCG rigs (and more) built from cheap wood, not expensive aluminum, that run on low RPM gear motors that cost in the $5-$15 range. They have run for hours and hours around Halloween and have worked for years. See 



 for example. This shows an enhanced FCG rig with a fair amount of weight, using the motor Corey and I mention above, without counter weight. Okay, I will step off the soap box now, good luck with your ghost!


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

S L A M said:


> Don't need one bfjou812, these are 115VAC so you can go to the dollar store and get a cheap 5' extension cord, cut the female end off and wire it up!


That I can do! Thanks SLAM!


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

heresjohnny said:


> I love FCG's, and I feel compelled to speak up here. You can spend $47 on an FCG motor if you want, but you don't have to. I have several FCG rigs (and more) built from cheap wood, not expensive aluminum, that run on low RPM gear motors that cost in the $5-$15 range. They have run for hours and hours around Halloween and have worked for years. See Cloaked FCG for example. This shows an enhanced FCG rig with a fair amount of weight, using the motor Corey and I mention above, without counter weight. Okay, I will step off the soap box now, good luck with your ghost!


I didn't see this post until now and I'm all about saving a dollar if I can. I wish I could see the video but for some reason on my iPad all I get is sound with a black screen. What do I need to change in order to view it?


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

Just my luck...surplus center is out of stock on that motor.


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## S L A M (Apr 14, 2014)

Johnny your FCG has much more movement than any others I've seen. That is awesome!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

An alternative are these http://www.ebay.com/itm/TYC-50-ROBUST-SYNCHRONOUS-MOTOR-12V-AC-5-6RPM-CW-CCW-Torque-4Kgf-cm-Gear-Motor/161247430483. Full disclosure, I have not used one yet, however I am using one in my current build, and my understanding is that this is the motor used in the animated rein deer motor (see http://www.halloweenforum.com/for-sale-by-merchants/126189-ac-5-rpm-motors-like-deer-motor.html?highlight=deer+motor. I have used rein deer motors plenty of times in ghost props, but you have to be a little more careful about counter-weighting or they can reverse on you.


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## Dead Things (Apr 4, 2009)

heresjohnny said:


> I think the key to a good fcg is counter balancing the weight of the body with extra weight in the hands, that reduces the strain on the motor a great deal.


I never thought of that. I thought that in order to counterbalance the body you needed to do that with another pulley behind the body. It makes perfect sense, will do that to mine this year.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Dead Things said:


> I never thought of that. I thought that in order to counterbalance the body you needed to do that with another pulley behind the body. It makes perfect sense, will do that to mine this year.


Yeah, I used to do that also, then I went "duh, just add weight to the hands" . A lot easier than dealing with an extra pulley and line, and a lot less prone to tangle. If you have room, strap a couple of 16oz plastic coke bottles to the arms, near the hands but hidden by the cloth. Then you simply add water until everything balances, and close the caps. I have also used a wire loop, stringing on fishing weights onto the wire then twisting the wire closed.


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

Well, even though I realize it's overkill, I went with the 5rpm motor from mcmaster. I liked the ones suggested that surplus center had, but a quick phone call confirmed that they were no longer stocking those and didn't have any others currently near the rpm's that I needed. I also opted for the aluminum frame version per instructions from the Rocky Mountain haunt club website. The frame is finished, the ghost armature is built, and I'm just waiting for the motor which should arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out! 

Btw, I would like to do one of the cloaked variety with the black face. Any suggestions as to what fabric is used to cover the face? I assume you just put something over the face/wig head to create the look?


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I have several versions of cloaked ghosts on my blog. If you are using treated cheese cloth in black light you can use black cloth, or anything painted flat black. My favorite approach is the use a coat hanger to form the cloak opening, then I use black cloth to form enough of an armature to hold the cheese cloth in place.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Here is one version with the cheese cloth just starting to go on.


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

heresjohnny said:


> I have several versions of cloaked ghosts on my blog. If you are using treated cheese cloth in black light you can use black cloth, or anything painted flat black. My favorite approach is the use a coat hanger to form the cloak opening, then I use black cloth to form enough of an armature to hold the cheese cloth in place.


So there's no styrofoam head in there at all? I like the idea of using a coat hanger to fashion the cloak opening and the black cloth armature underneath the cheesecloth. Do you use some type of fabric stiffener as well? I would have thought all that fabric would add touch weight? Or am I misunderstanding the technique?


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## Spoonhead (Jan 14, 2014)

Those hands look great too. Much better than the ones made from cardstock. I really didn't want to go that route but wasn't really sure how to fabricate nice hands for my FCG?


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Spoonhead said:


> Those hands look great too. Much better than the ones made from cardstock. I really didn't want to go that route but wasn't really sure how to fabricate nice hands for my FCG?


Here is a link to how I make the hands
http://johnnysghost.blogspot.com/2010/08/hands-head-and-forms.html


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Spoonhead said:


> So there's no styrofoam head in there at all? I like the idea of using a coat hanger to fashion the cloak opening and the black cloth armature underneath the cheesecloth. Do you use some type of fabric stiffener as well? I would have thought all that fabric would add touch weight? Or am I misunderstanding the technique?


Here is another hands example http://johnnysghost.blogspot.com/2012/09/animated-cloaked-ghost-part-ii.html and 
http://johnnysghost.blogspot.com/2012/09/hey-everybody.html

The best view I have showing the cloak is the first video I posted in this thread. All of this does add weight, but you add weight to the hands to counter the weight you are adding to the ghost. I do use fabric stiffener as described in the links above. Hope this helps!


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Ok, this looks awesome and I love the way the frame works. The final on your site http://johnnysghost.blogspot.com/2012/09/animated-cloaked-ghost-final.html is simply amazing.

I have a standard FCG I bought from Xtreme a few years ago and the motor died last year so I was on the forum looking to figure out where to get a new motor and saw this. Now I want your version ha, ha. The movement is just incredibly cool!!! Beautiful work! Truly eerie!


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