# Jack in the box help



## coffin_creature

I was thinking of building a jack in the box for this year but am having trouble figuring out the linkage to get the lid to open and the dude to pop out using one ram. Any ideas or links would be a huge help.
Thanks coffin_creature


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## oct31man

On my rat mailbox, I attached a piece of fishing line to the door on one end and the other to the end of the ram. The ram opened the door upon activation and the fishing line pulled it closed when it retracted. You would probably be better off using a metal linkage attached the same way. I would use screen door closer brackets and some type of flat metal stock. Attach the bracket to your door towards the hinge, and to your ram or prop somewhere.


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## Sickie Ickie

Hmmmmm...invite the troublesome teens to sit on the box and when it activates, they'll be launched far from your yard!


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## DarkShadows

Build a 4 Bar Mechanism, then put a vertical bar on top of the swing arm. Then attach the vertical bar to the lid and bam! I'll draw you up a pictrure


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## gorn7

Here is a picture and a diagram of the Jack in the Box I made last year. I used a bungee cord to make the clown pop up and a string w/a gate latch to trigger it manually(it had to be reset each time). You could use the same configuration but use a cylinder instead of the bungee cord. You would just have to figure out the best way to mount it. I hope this helps...


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## coffin_creature

a picture would be great DarkShadows thanks my brain doesn't seem to be working too well as of late.
cheers coffin_creature


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## jrzmac

something like this might work. a simple 4 bar mechanism with an extra bar to lift the lid???


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## DarkShadows

My concept was the same one jrzmac posted. I seen someone build one like that with the extra bar and they said it worked great. That would be my method of choice.


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## Mazz

I have a 3'x3' Clown in a box I'm using this year.The 4 bar linkage is attached to the lid.The clown itself is suspended from the lid in front of the linkage.When triggered the lid pops up and the clown emits a scream.All the while a crank arm is spinning on one side playing pop goes the weasel.If anyone had a really good version of this song I would like to hear it.Mine sucks.


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## coffin_creature

Thanks everyone for the replies and mazz I have a mp3 of pop goes the weasel it's about 15 seconds long and the sound quality is fairly good.
Thanks again 
happy haunting coffin_creature


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## Mazz

Cool !! How can I get that from you?


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## twisted

*where do I find a good numatic prop book ?*

Hi everyone I'm a newbeeeee here ,
I saw a great pneumatic Jack in the box and would love to build one is there some place to find a schematic or book on pneumatic props?
thanks


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## The Archivist

Why not just get an old time jack in the box and reverse engineer it or do I have in mind something different from what you had in mind?


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