Thread: Pseudo Flying Crank Ghost Test using Oscillating Table Fan

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I gave up on the classic Flying Crank Ghost due to what I perceive as complexity and difficulty--the armature, pulleys, high torque motor, frames, T junction, etc. So here's my version using an oscillating fan.

Not the most impressive FCG out there. And I say it's a "pseudo" FCG because it lacks marionette arms. Uses a 12" oscillating table fan, some eyelet screws, a chair, a shoelace, some duct tape, painter's tape, and is hung from an overhead light in a closet. No drilling. Nothing permanent. Nothing screwed into the ceiling.

Unfortunately the "throw" from the oscillating fan is only 9 inches. So that's the max range of up and down motion. Anyone know how to increase the "throw" without using another type of motor?

Lights out, interior test:


Lights on, interior test:


Exterior test:

You should be able to get more movement by attaching to something that's further away from the pivot point. Maybe tape a sturdy ruler, piece of pipe, etc across the front of the fan so that it's well supported but sticks out the side? This will put more force on the motor as well but it looks like your setup might be light enough to handle it.

Originally Posted by Nebulosity

You should be able to get more movement by attaching to something that's further away from the pivot point. Maybe tape a sturdy ruler, piece of pipe, etc across the front of the fan so that it's well supported but sticks out the side? This will put more force on the motor as well but it looks like your setup might be light enough to handle it.

Thanks Nebulosity. Originally, I'd zip-tied a wooden dowel to one side of the fan. Nothing seemed to be working so I removed it. But that was before I added the "chair eyelet" to translate the oscillating left/right motion to an up/down motion. Definitely a learning experience.

You need a lever arm. ie a piece of wood with the pivot spot closer to the fan. A small movement on the short side of the arm/stick will cause a much larger movement on the longer side. Basicly, build a teeter totter on its side. (ya might want to mount the fan and teeter beside each other on one piece of plywood) drill a hole through the end of the short side of the stick and tie it to the edge of the fan. (2-3" loop)



btw if you were to attach a string to the other side of the fan (similar setup to what you have now) you could tie it to the fabric to give the illusion of her raising her arm (when she's on her way down)

I like your setup! I think sometimes we are so impressed with the high-tec gadgets we forget that "simple" works too.

(I am a BIG fan of "Simple") Always good to see a fellow "Tar heel" yard haunter!

I think it looks pretty good for the simplicity of it all. The window view looks great! Kinda creepy the way the head slowly rises up and down.
You could also make some arms and just tie them to the ceiling. They would stay in place while the head moved up and down.

(FCGs aren't really that hard to build. That was my first animated prop I ever built.)

I agree with dave.A very nice easy prop with great movement!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, help, and compliments. Appreciate the feedback.

Simple is all I can do. I've had several print outs of FCG instructions in a manila folder since last season. Each made *my* head spin. And I thought oh *hell* no. I'm never going to be able to make this happen with Rotisserie motors mounted to the ceiling. Lots of wood or aluminum stock, washers, pulleys, nuts, bolts, etc.

I really liked Dr. Kreepy's two-part FCG tutorial on YouTube. Is this the same DrKreepy1 who posts here? It inspired me to finally go for it using my own method and some of his techniques. Thanks Dr. Kreepy if you're out there!

Definitely will consider adding the lever and possibly some arms. The fan struggles a bit already, so I'm not sure how it will all shake out. It's a really cheap plastic Lasko 12" fan I picked up from Walmart on clearance for something like $9 or $11. Maybe a 16" metal fan would be better for this prop.

Will try some thin craft dowels I got from Walmart and see if that gives me enough extra lift. Is there a formula for how much extra "throw" / up and down range I'd get with the length of the lever? And how much total range should I be looking for on a FCG?

Armature definitely takes a FCG up through the stratosphere on the creepy / car-stopping "wowness" of a prop like that.

Still in test mode here. Haven't even dyed my cheesecloth in RIT whitener yet, painted the eyes, etc. Any thoughts on what to do with the eyes? While at Joann's (think I was the only guy in the store), I also picked up a $2 set of "water-reducible" glow in the dark / fluorescent paints of differing colors (blue, green, red, orange, yellow). I think I've seen some paint the eyes black. What's the most effective in peoples' opinions here? I know some use red LEDs or blinking LEDs. But that may add too much extra weight to my rig.

I even picked up a pack of "stem wire" used for flower arrangements (I guess). Looked like something I might be able to use for an even more ultralight FCG rig, e.g. use that instead of the coathanger wire I have now.

Not sure how much extra testing I'll get done this week. May have to wait until the weekend. Thanks again for all the help!

Originally Posted by mikeerdas

I gave up on the classic Flying Crank Ghost due to what I perceive as complexity and difficulty . . . high torque motor . . .

No kidding! I bought some styro skulls from Michael's last week to make my own hanging spectres. In Googling some instructions, I ran across FCGs via a link to Dr. Kreepy's YouTube on a squidoo page. I was sold immediately. But, it beats the heck out of me where to get a motor! I've been looking for two days and every time I think I've got one, I realize it's a million bucks, or the size of a thimble, or something wrong.

Originally Posted by DaveintheGrave

(FCGs aren't really that hard to build. That was my first animated prop I ever built.)

There's a difference between "difficult" and "a hassle." The FCG is simple to me, but it's also a big freakin' hassle so far.

Originally Posted by Schattenmann

No kidding! I bought some styro skulls from Michael's last week to make my own hanging spectres. In Googling some instructions, I ran across FCGs via a link to Dr. Kreepy's YouTube on a squidoo page. I was sold immediately. But, it beats the heck out of me where to get a motor! I've been looking for two days and every time I think I've got one, I realize it's a million bucks, or the size of a thimble, or something wrong.
There's a difference between "difficult" and "a hassle." The FCG is simple to me, but it's also a big freakin' hassle so far.

I think you can find replacement Rotisserie Motors at a place like Home Depot or Lowes. Lots of people seem to use those for the FCG. Or maybe an old Rotisserie at a thrift store that you can salvage the motor from. No way am I ceiling-mounting weight like that. With my luck it would come crashing down and create a real ghost out of me.

There's a continuum of complexity and ability. And my mechanical ability is at the far low end of that spectrum. So a "classic" FCG would have been very hard for me to build.

I also bought an ~$8 battery operated disco ball motor (uses 2 D or C batteries--don't remember which) for the FCG from Party City last season (RPM speed seems appropriate). I'd read somewhere online, don't recall where, about someone using a disco ball motor with an ultralight FCG. Probably wouldn't work with most of the plans I see for FCGs, e.g. metal stock and/or wood beams for the T junction, the bolts, pulleys, etc. I may actually try using it with my ultra-simple rig now that I've got a little more experience.