# Old Sparky: TX Electric Chair (WIP)



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

For those who don't know me, when I want to duplicate something I do it in great detail. The first place I start is making sure the dimensions are damn close, if not exact. I have all the materials needed and an idea how to build it for setup and tear down ease (using flush mount hangars).

*Does anyone know the correct dimensions for this particular electric chair?* I've searched the internet in depth and cannot find any dimensions for this chair. Maybe someone out there has some inside info?! I am going to call the museum today but figured I'd ask for help at the same time.

I'm trying to steer away from any home made electric chair plans I have found on the internet right now.

Old Sparky electric chair in the Texas Prison Museum, Huntsville.









****EDIT****
Better picture, different angle


----------



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

You could use the homemade dimensions and the features from original pictures to pull it off


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

happyfeets said:


> You could use the homemade dimensions and the features from original pictures to pull it off


That is what I plan to do if I can't get the original dimensions. That is this project's worst case scenario


----------



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

If all else fails, add a battery and jumper cables and make a spark cage chair


----------



## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Hey Lord H, I'd call and speak with the curator at the museum. Tell them what your plans are and I'm sure they'll oblige you! This will be a cool project.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

happyfeets said:


> If all else fails, add a battery and jumper cables and make a spark cage chair


Yes, the trimmings will be added after the structure is built



Copchick said:


> Hey Lord H, I'd call and speak with the curator at the museum. Tell them what your plans are and I'm sure they'll oblige you! This will be a cool project.


I am going to do that today. I just hope they don't put me on a watch list or something! I just don't know if I'd be asking to much for someone to go measure all the parts of the chair.


----------



## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Unless your going to have someone there with a tape measure to make sure all dimensions are spot on, get as close as you feel is right and work from there. I can't imagine anyone is going to criticize it if your a little off. It'll save you some time and effort I would think.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

howlin mad jack said:


> Unless your going to have someone there with a tape measure to make sure all dimensions are spot on, get as close as you feel is right and work from there. I can't imagine anyone is going to criticize it if your a little off. It'll save you some time and effort I would think.


Yes sir, you are right which is why I will go with dimensions of a homemade chair if I can't get a quick answer (I should have said) for correct dimensions. Some weird part of me has to be able to replicate something exactly and if I can't do it, I default with what I know


----------



## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

The electrical conduit appears to be 1" ridged steel, affixed with the ridged equivalent of 1 hole straps, the wire comes out at the head and leg in a pair of conduit bodys (Side and rear entrance types) and fittings I'm unfamiliar with... I can't see the back, but the conduit at the legs dives behind the chair into an 'LB' conduit body. That's just a guess, but it may be useful if you need some reference point for dimensions.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

True Zurgh, I didn't even think about scaling it from the electrical conduit. Better yet, I'll assume the posts are 4x4s and try that. Thanks for the insight man...

Side note


Copchick said:


> Hey Lord H, I'd call and speak with the curator at the museum. Tell them what your plans are and I'm sure they'll oblige you! This will be a cool project.


 They didn't know and didn't sound eager to help me out - weird. HAHA


----------



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

Details make scary props into scarier props, god speed on your endeavour, hope to see pics later on


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Scaled in sketchup. This is the basic structure.


----------



## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

If you hit a dead end with the museum, try giving the folks at the Moundsville, WV Penitentiary a call. Here's a link http://www.wvpentours.com. 
They have an authentic electric chair called "Old Sparky" that has been featured on Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. They also run a haunted house there every year. I'm sure they will help you out.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

*@kauldron*: Yeah I hit the dead end for sure. I dimensioned it the best I could via insight from Zurgh (thanks Z). That black and white picture above is my own model in sketchup. After I made that, I found one in the sketchup warehouse... ugh. If this project goes south on me, I'll definitely called the WV folks up - thanks for the info!

***EDIT:
I think I made a mistake assuming the materials used. The arm rests look like 2x4s yet they are wider than the posts which tells me the posts aren't 4x4s. damn


----------



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

You could you a pre-existing chair and mod it


----------



## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

Another thought would be a reasonably accurate estimation using the "standard size" building bricks. The pictures are pretty clear, might work?? Just throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks


----------



## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

Thats an tricky thing though, bricks vary in size


----------



## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

You're welcome, LH. I'd like to see you succeed in building this, as this would be a cool addition as a static prop alone. I'm a bit persnickety about accuracy, realism, and detail when it comes to duplicating, also.
If the legs were 4x4's, they have been planed down by ½"-¾" on 2 sides, also it is almost impossible to see in the first shot provided, but the arms aren't straight 2x4's. (I took the liberty of blowing up the pics, snipping and drawing on them to enhance detail) I also took some pic's of a chunk of 1" IMC (just a bit thinner than 1" ridged) with a 4x4 & a 2x4. for reference.
Nice sketchup, by the way.
Hope this helps you, too.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

*@Zurgh:* I did notice the arm rest cut last - that is when I knew my assumption of the post size was a **** poor guess.

Then the posts have to be 3x3.


----------



## Tokwik (Oct 12, 2011)

Just as a side note to keep in mind, the chair is old so they were building with nominal size lumber, not dimensional.

What we buy in the stores is dimensional, meaning that's it's already been planed and finished. The actual store bought 2x4 is 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". The wood they used in the original might have actually been 2"x4".

Just a thought, but it might be skewing your perspective in recreating the chair.

*edit*

After looking at a couple more pics, is it possible that the electric conduit is larger than the 1" that was assumed earlier? Any electricians know what sizes were commonly used back in 1924?
Also, looking at the feet of the posts, could that part be 4x4" then planed down for the rest of the posts?










This one was just a nice shot of the detail that I thought might help a little too.










Hope that helps some.


----------



## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Tokwik said:


> Just as a side note to keep in mind, the chair is old so they were building with nominal size lumber, not dimensional.
> 
> What we buy in the stores is dimensional, meaning that's it's already been planed and finished. The actual store bought 2x4 is 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". The wood they used in the original might have actually been 2"x4".


That did cross my mind when looking at it and taking into consideration when it was built. The nominal vs. dimensional varies also slighty. The 2x4s & 4x4s I have are 1/4" less than nominal which I have figured into my model. To check myself, I looked up a chart online and it showed me what you said 1/2".

I am assuming the arm rest is a 2x4 because it just looks like it plain and simple. That being said, the cut in the arm rest is continuous until it dies flush into the back post. Anyone check/disagree with my logic?



Tokwik said:


> After looking at a couple more pics, is it possible that the electric conduit is larger than the 1" that was assumed earlier? Any electricians know what sizes were commonly used back in 1924?
> Also, looking at the feet of the posts, could that part be 4x4" then planed down for the rest of the posts?


As far as the conduit, I don't know. I emailed the picture to and called a local electrical supply about the conduit and fittings. When the guy saw it, he started chuckling and said that I'd have to come down and see what they have. As for the legs, the base just looks like a brass shoe wrapped around them.


----------

