Thread: Using an oscillating fan for prop

Tweet

I thought I saw someone use an oscillating fan for a standing prop, having the oscillating head of the fan being the head of the prop, making it look left and right. I thought it was on the Monster List of Halloween Projects but I can't seem to find it. Anywho, has anyone done this before? I heard there's not much power in an oscillating fan. How much wieht do you think it can handle? Does it overheat alot if you take of the blades and but a mask over the motor? I was thinking of making a reaper using a fan. Thanks

You could use one and yes remove the blades and the you can place an foam wig head with a mask on it and the shouldn't be any problems. Just leave some way for the motor to vent heat.
There is a thread about fake security cameras for the same effect.

I've used a fan for a prop and it works beautifully. I took off the cage and the blades, then covered the center spindle with a plasic lid (from a film cannister), so that it didn't spin on the outside (still spins inside, but can't tangle anything), being careful not to cover the vents. Then I epoxied a foam wig-head to the top of the fan (on the body part that extends behind where the blades used to be) and put the mask over that. The mask I use has a cowel that hangs over the back and down the neck with a split in it, so I just make sure that the split is slightly open for venting. Hope that makes sense and helps.
For pictures, you could try googling "fan head prop". I'll see if I can find any of my pics or notes on this prop

I did one last year using the fan in the chest so the upper torso would move side to side. I removed the blades and left the back (motor) of the fan sticking out of the back of the costume. After a 30 min test, the motor was really hot.

After much reading, I learned that having some circulation in the fan cage helps to cool the motor. I made a small blade with a pitch out of a plastic milk carton and opened up the back of the costume a bit more and it ran beautifully after that.

The pitch of the plastic blade...


The blade in the fan (I used a piece of styrofoam as a filler to hold the makeshift blade in place)...


The back cut open to allow for air flow...


I'm not sure how you would do it just wanting the head to oscillate but that's what it took to get it to work using the fan cage as a chest.

You mean like this:

http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home...c_werewolf.htm

I think the plans that I used were the ones here:
Motor Head
I've been running mine for 5 or 6 years now and have never had a problem with it overheating. However, I do leave a lot of room around the motor for air to circulate.

RF Haunt: Raymond's Halloween Website