Thread: How to make a tomb lid move

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Hello fellow haunters,

Been lurking around for awhile and wanted to ask the experts a question.
First, I wanted to thank everybody who contributes their great ideas on building props for the average home haunter.

I have built a stone looking tomb with a wooden frame and foam board covering it. The lid of the tomb is foam board that I want
to slide from side to side slowly. The effect I'm looking for is like Michael jacksons thriller video where the corpse is sliding the tomb open to get out.

My question is.......how do I accomplish this?
I am not mechanically inclined nor do I possess an engineering degree. Any ideas that you would have that are not too complicated would be greatly appreciated.

I have a few Rottisserie motors if that would help

Thanks
Eric

This would require a few machining or fabricating skills... But here's my ideas.

Hit a DJ supply or pro audio shop and get a disco ball motor base or two. Mount it on its side, and make a large cam wheel out of plywood. As the cam wheel slowly turns, the cam lobe will push up on the lid of the tomb. Install two of these, one in each opposite corner, so the lid moves in different times and directions.

If you can draw up some good plans, you could make one motor work a few sticks or rods to push up in many positions. Think of a locomotive'a piston and wheel, using small lumber and/or strings.