# Flying Crank Ghost diagram



## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

Greetings

I did a search and turned up many how to crank ghosts but none detailed the counter weight that Doug Ferguson's used. Is there or does anyone have the information detailing that. I think my FCG would do better if I had that little tid bit of info.

Thanks


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## spinachetr (Nov 9, 2009)

I know what you mean. For the life of me I could not wrap my head around how to build a FCG even after looking at pictures and watching youtube how to videos...I just couldn't grasp it and ended up buying one from ebay. As soon as I opened the box and saw how it was put together...I went "Dooohhh", I couldn't believe how simple it was.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

This tutorial was pretty easy to understand. If you fully grasp the concept, it's not hard to build one out of wood. I'm not sure what type of counter weight you are referring to.

KickTheFog


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I love Doug Ferguson's work, he is one of my biggest inspirations.

I have not seen any directions on how to do a counter weight, but I can think of one way that should work. First a standard FCG, pulling up the head and body is where the work happens.










I think you would add a counter weight that would help pull the head and body up, but be behind the ghost so it could be hidden:










Make sense?


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Mine works fine without a counter weight.


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## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

heresjohnny said:


> I love Doug Ferguson's work, he is one of my biggest inspirations.
> 
> I have not seen any directions on how to do a counter weight, but I can think of one way that should work. First a standard FCG, pulling up the head and body is where the work happens.
> 
> ...


That is it exactly!!
I think it was for a heavier style ghost


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Sblanck said:


> That is it exactly!!
> I think it was for a heavier style ghost


I doubt thats it exactly because I sketched that up real quick last night, but the approach does seem like the right way to do it.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Although the Phantasmechanics site no longer exists, (unless it is under a new name I am not aware of,) HJ's diagram is accurate from what I remember the site suggested on counter weighting the ghost.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

Garage bike hangers work that same way.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

The only suggestion not mentioned yet, I'll just bring it up although it's probably pretty obvious, is that you need to make sure your counter weight does not equal or weigh more than the ghost, other wise the ghost will not lower.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

Yup. You're exactly right, Johnny. I needed a counterweight for mine, and that's exactly the way Doug described it

Tagging on to Morbius's comment, I used a water bottle for the counterweight. That way, I could fill/empty it as needed to get the weight just right


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

I added counter weights to the wrist/forearm wire. Some nails taped on there work well.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

My FCG is struggling a bit this year. I think I'll try Hpropman's idea and add some counter weight to the arms to see if it helps.


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