What Kind of Motor?

**Front Yard Fright** · 02-19-2009,11:52 PM

***NOTICE***
To start off I have NO experience with motors or electronics so you're going to have to talk to me like a 5 year old.

Now that that's out of the way! I am interested in building a "Wheel of death" prop for my haunt this year and am wondering what kind of motor I would need, and how I would mount it/supply power to the motor. There's a perfect example of what I'm looking to make in the video below. Just fast forward to 2:00 in to see what I'm talking about!

YouTube - Rose Tint My World- Fright Fest 2008

I would like it to spin slower than that one, but still have the same affect...
And ideas!?

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**The Pod** · 02-20-2009,03:37 AM

It would really depend upon the weight of the wheel. What do you plan to build it out of (wood or pink foam). The person on it, dummy or actor? If its light enough I think a wiper motor would turn it just fine at about 1 rev/sec. I would suggest mounting the shaft that the wheel attaches to through two heavy duty bearings and have a pully and belt system to drive it. The better quality the bearings and the more balanced the wheel is the easier it will spin and will be less work for the motor to turn it.

**Terra** · 02-20-2009,05:30 AM

I don't know if you ran across the thread I started about my old rotating Christmas tree stand but that would be the perfect motor for something like this. It can handle up to 150 pounds but it rotates very slowly, about less than 1 rotation a minute. Here's the thread: Rotating Stand

**CraigInPA** · 02-20-2009,06:28 AM

I think you'd have problems with something that large driving directly off a motor.

A better approach would be to:
1. mount the disk with a round rod firmly attached to the center
2. slip the rod through two bearings mounted on each end of a plastic or steel tube a foot or so long and filled with grease
3. mount the tube on the top of a suitable stand
4. put a pulley on the end of the rod where it sticks out of the tube
5. mount an old washing machine motor or other suitable motor onto the stand
6. attach a pulley to the motor
7. put a v (fan) belt between the two pulleys
You can vary the speed of the rotation by varying the pulley diameters. If you put a small one on the motor and a large one on the motor, the disk will turn slowly.

Good luck and remember to post construction and finished project pics.

Craig

**Growler** · 02-20-2009,07:04 AM

I don't know if it's just me but, that thing looks like it's really moving. Prob. because of the spiral painting. You could always just mount it to a car buffer/waxer. Use a light weight plywood and a dummy. If you use a person there is all sorts of insurance probs. I see popping up.

**Front Yard Fright** · 02-21-2009,10:31 AM

Originally Posted by The Pod

It would really depend upon the weight of the wheel. What do you plan to build it out of (wood or pink foam). The person on it, dummy or actor? If its light enough I think a wiper motor would turn it just fine at about 1 rev/sec. I would suggest mounting the shaft that the wheel attaches to through two heavy duty bearings and have a pully and belt system to drive it. The better quality the bearings and the more balanced the wheel is the easier it will spin and will be less work for the motor to turn it.

I'm not quite sure on how I'm going to make the wheel. I'm thinking a really thin plywood supported with 1 by 2's.
And do you think you could show me a picture or drawing of what you're talking about? I think I get it, but am not sure on what everything looks like in order to buy them.

Originally Posted by Terra

I don't know if you ran across the thread I started about my old rotating Christmas tree stand but that would be the perfect motor for something like this. It can handle up to 150 pounds but it rotates very slowly, about less than 1 rotation a minute. Here's the thread: Rotating Stand

That would be rather slow for it, but thanks for the suggestion!

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Originally Posted by CraigInPA

I think you'd have problems with something that large driving directly off a motor.

A better approach would be to:
1. mount the disk with a round rod firmly attached to the center
2. slip the rod through two bearings mounted on each end of a plastic or steel tube a foot or so long and filled with grease
3. mount the tube on the top of a suitable stand
4. put a pulley on the end of the rod where it sticks out of the tube
5. mount an old washing machine motor or other suitable motor onto the stand
6. attach a pulley to the motor
7. put a v (fan) belt between the two pulleys
You can vary the speed of the rotation by varying the pulley diameters. If you put a small one on the motor and a large one on the motor, the disk will turn slowly.

Good luck and remember to post construction and finished project pics.

Craig

Thanks! I will definitely post pictures to make sure I'm doing everything right!

Originally Posted by Growler

I don't know if it's just me but, that thing looks like it's really moving. Prob. because of the spiral painting. You could always just mount it to a car buffer/waxer. Use a light weight plywood and a dummy. If you use a person there is all sorts of insurance probs. I see popping up.

Yeah, in the video it seems like it's flying! I'd ;like mine to go a little bit more slower in fear of someone's arm getting ripped off! hahaha

Oh, and it's going to be a prop, not a person! Hahaha

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