Thread: prop help please!

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so im working on my handles joe which is in another thread but i wanted to make him animatronic.. something cheap to make his arms move on a motion sensor and him make sounds and eyes light up!

problem: I dont know what i need to add sound to a prop so when it goes off it makes a sound...

and...

i dont know what to use or do to make his arms move without using an air powered prop!

please helop and tell me what i can use wheather it an appliance motor or somthing i can cheaply make without air compressed i want it to make someone walks by he makes noise and his eyes light up and his arms move around!

thanks and please reply! im boggling my brain here

Thanks,
Chris

I don't know what your budget is, but there's an item called a "Boo Box" that I'm looking into getting for a prop (appx $150). It has 2 inputs (triggers) and 4 outputs (switches). For the movement of the arms I would pick up two (Ford = cheap) power door lock solenoids. They work fairly quickly, and run on 12 volts.

Hope this gives you some ideas! I'd be glad to answer any questions!

thanks! is there like a turorial or pics or videos of someone that did that so i can see?
Thanks
Chris

I haven't seen one, however I will be working with both of the items that I mentioned in two different props, and I have an online vlog that I've been updating daily.

The BooBox I will be using on the moving car prop.

The door lock motors I will be using to "move" bushes as people walk by. I have a large hedge that will line the exit of the haunt next year. I will be using 3 motion detectors, 3 power supplies, and 3 door lock actuators. As someone walks beside the hedge, the 3 different props will "shake" the bushes as they leave in 3 different spots, about 5 feet apart. I will certainly post this when I do it. Or just check the vlog. www.youtube.com/halloweenhellmouth.

The tricky part when you deal with door lock solenoids is that they only have two wires. When you connect them in one direction, it will extend the lock. Then you have to switch polarity for it to retract in the opposite direction. I will be looking for an electronic schematic to do this for me, however I may have to reside to using mechanical pin switches. Haven't gotten that far yet.

-Troy

question hellmouth your ste up of your yard is just like mine i have a 40 by 20 yard yours look about that size to me.. well your haunted house at least. because next year i wanted to do a haunted house of my front yard i wanted to know if it could be done and look well with rooms and hallwayss and stuff!

as for my prop i put a case on it today and mouynted a spotlight to the base.. the ire for the spotlight is running up the clowns leg to a motion sensor i will put in his chest. the eyes wil also run to the motion sensor so it complete drkness in the clown room and when someone walks by hell talk and light up and stuff!

Originally Posted by ctarpey

question hellmouth your ste up of your yard is just like mine i have a 40 by 20 yard yours look about that size to me.. well your haunted house at least. because next year i wanted to do a haunted house of my front yard i wanted to know if it could be done and look well with rooms and hallwayss and stuff!

I'm not sure about the dimensions of the yard, but I would say that's pretty close. All that was in the front yard was just the yard haunt; no foot traffic. The haunted house is a 11'x40' carport that I fabricated from aluminized exhaust tubing. I tape thin flat sticks to the metal (Lowes has them in their wood section in bundles). Then I take 6 mil black contractor plastic, staple it to the wood, then duct tape over that (we get wind and rain here; helps keep it from pulling out staples). The rooms and hallways that I build are 2x4's. 2009 was the first year I used 2x4's, and I loved the strength. I still used the same plastic inside for the walls. If you can afford it, use plywood... Much more versatile, and you can reuse it next year. I HATE using plastic because it's expensive, and a real waste for the environment...

Originally Posted by ctarpey

as for my prop i put a case on it today and mouynted a spotlight to the base.. the ire for the spotlight is running up the clowns leg to a motion sensor i will put in his chest. the eyes wil also run to the motion sensor so it complete drkness in the clown room and when someone walks by hell talk and light up and stuff!

Do you have any pics to post to give a better idea of what you're working on? Is the motion sensor 120v? I'd love to find a motion/infrared detector that's 12 volts.

Keep us posted!

i have a 40 by 20 tent so i was going to use the tent poles from there and use black platic to make the hallwayss and rooms so it would be stable is there a substatute for plastic besides plywood cause thats expensive and i would need about 10 to 15 sheets...

i will take photos of my yard and my prop today or a vido and post it up here! lastr!

Not sure that the tent and plastic would be strong enough. I usually have people bouncing against the walls, just a thought.

Yeah, plywood is exspensive. I'll probably end up getting some this year and more next, etc. so its not as big of a hit to the pocketbook.

There is another method for walls. I got this from TheBloodshedBrothers on Utube. They use pallets that they get for free to make their walls. Very good idea.

Would love to see pics.