# Ever try a hatchback gas charged lift ?



## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

Ok . First , let me say HOWDY DOODY to you all . 
let me say , although I am not new to Halloween , or animatronics for such , I am new here , and ALWAYS open for great ideas as well as , if I can , possibly help someone thru with something . 
I also do PC controll thru PCI DIO cards ( via parallel port ) and serial port controlled SSR boards and others that are ALL controlled thru a TERRIFIC prog called VIXEN written and updated by KC Oates . ( one HELL of a programmer )
Now , hopefully , my intros are over  and onto the suggestion/question :

I have not tried this yet , but was wondering if anybody here has either attempted , or succeeded .

I am wanting to try and use some of those ( NIB ) gas charged lifts that they use for aiding in the lifting of hatch back doors in cars ( also seen them used for aiding in the lifting of cars hoods as well )
Anyway , I think , that as long as you tap into the shock , BEFORE the piston's plunger , you should be ok without leaking out the gas and seeing as to how these come in different PSI strengths , I thought they would be a good candidate for a possbile air lift for some smallers props . 
Anybody ?


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

hello Terbobob.
I attempted to crack into one of these a while back, and what I found was not only are they gas charged but ( at least the one I opened) was full of oil as well. When I drilled into it, the oil escaped and made quite a mess. I never did attempt to use the cylindar after that...just a word of caution should you attempt this.
I personally would not recommend attempting if only for the high pressure these cylinders have trapped inside them...might be dangerous ( although I am still alive after drilling into one)


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## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

LOL  ok . yepper , your 110 per cent correcto mundo ..
I tried with a 1/8 inch bit and tried top side on one , top top on another , bottom side and bottom top on two more . 
( top top means - top of piston where it is extended to its fullest and closest to the piston rod . top side refers to the actual length side and near the top section )
Anywho ... its definately a no do'er . BUT .... after the gas was released , it DOES have a bit of "cushion" when it goes to max top . ( cushion seems to start aprox 2 inch from the top on one with a 14 inch throw )
And am now wondering , since they are under ( these particular ones ) over 100 PSI , wonder if they would do anyway , for a small pop-up prop .:googly:
Will try and keep everyone updated .


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## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

just find some real clyinders on ebay, you can get them cheap


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## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

> just find some real clyinders on ebay, you can get them cheap


Sorry , I am a DIY'er 
( came from DIYC ... LOL )
and buying one , well , that would be like buying an already made prop .


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## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

i get where your coming from, but theres a right way to do something, and theres a wrong way. anyways good luck, post up when you get one workin!


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## Death Master (Jul 1, 2007)

If you want to make your own I say go for it, there is nothing better than hands on learning, but you will probably find out what most of us have. I have tried just about everything as far as making my own cylinders, from PVC and rubber washers, air shocks, screen door cylinders, to making one from all steel and o-rings on a lathe. I went right to buying them on eBay, or getting the throwaways from work and rebuilding them in the end, I just couldn’t beat the reliability, SAFETY, and cost. I have been making animatronics for Halloween now for 9yrs, I can’t find anything better then what is already been done, as far as air cylinders go.


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## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

Death master , 
I , too , have been doing animatronics along with pheumatics and also RC servo controlled , for a few years also , and have used PVC cylinders along with tire pumps and screen door returns . and have found nothing wrong with using any of them , as long as you regulate your pressure accordingly . I mean , yes , safety is ALWAYS a factor , but , when you do stupid things (like pump 100 PSI thru a bicycle tire pump .... ) , thats only looking for trouble . 
But , when using schedule 40 PVC , which is generally rated at aprox 280 PSI and schedule 80 , rated at aprox 800 PSI , I am kinda wondering why you are knoccking them so much ? granted , a lot of folks simply toss some pvc inside some other pvc WITHOUT using any kind of damper/shock absorber , which , yes , then it is a safety hazzard . But , as with anything , when used with some common sense and a little bit of knowledge ... DIY items can , AND DO last as long ( sometimes longer - LOL ) than "store bought" items .
There is also a little bit of "pride" when someone builds an item and KNOWS that either thru trial and error , or from reading/learning , that , now this item is something that the builder can depend on .... well , theres nothing like it .
I also notice , even thru some of these sites that SELL those air cylinders , have those air cylinders literally WHIPPING the display around , like some twister just cam thru town ! I mean , ok ... wheres the safety there ? Ok , so maybe the air chamber is "professionally" built , but , hey ... they sure do NOT seem to know how to regulate them , very good . Tossing the around wildly like that makes me wonder , how MANY have lost parts , items from their prop(s) that are being tossed around like some kind of rag doll ( which also is more than likely - home made -  )
From the sites I have seen selling air cylinders ... I think I will stick with my own homebrewed ones , thank you . At least I know that there is some form of a damper aka shock absorber , at the end of the pistons travel , so NOT to knock the crap out of my display , OR , to possible knock something OFF my display due to the violent and sudden stopping when the cylinder hits top or bottoms out , if you will .


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## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

I've seen PVC explode.. I've seen a screendoor closure malfuntion and have the rod shoot out.. This is a big debate in the home haunt world. Alof of people are like screw buying cylinders offline, ill just go to home depot ten minutes away and fab one up myself. There's so many opinions out there which are fine, like you wanting to build your own cylinders. Hell, I'll admit I used to use screen door closures. Up until that thing shot out, no way. I dont feel like I want to redesign the wheel again..Screen door closures were made to adjust the way a door automatically closes..Pvc was made for plumbers and drains..Bike pumps were designed to fill up your kid's bike tires.. Gas charged lifts were made to open you hatch or hood or doors.. Bimba, humphrey, SMC, numatics, they are all designed to take the abuse that we throw at them, even the thrashing charachters that people use them in. Just my .02 Now lets start building some damns props!!!


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## TERBobob (Jan 31, 2009)

> Now lets start building some damns props!!!



Damn props ... I'm all go for that ... but those "damns" props ? LOL ... not sure about those .. LOL :googly:


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