Thread: Rotating Stand

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I've had a rotating Christmas tree stand for about 8 years and it's starting to sputter a bit so I'm getting a new one. The old one still works so I'm thinking of making a prop into it. The trouble I'm having is that I don't know how I could use a one-directional spinning thing. So far I've seen a witch's cauldron (meh), rotating head (gory) and a Spinning Tower of Terror (ghosts outside a spinning drum - meh). As you can see, I'm not too terribly excited about those options so I'm throwing it out to my friends here. What can I do with this old stand?

By the way, it has two electrical outlets so I can add lights or anything else that needs juice. It takes about a minute and a half for a 360 degree rotation.

Here's a video of my Christmas tree in action (pardon the Christmas video...):

You could do like an excorcist thing. Build a base for the gown, then have a pole / pvc that goes up the middle connecting to your rotating stand on one end and the head on the other.

I think the biggest issue you have with one of these is the speed. They're not built to spin a tree more 1 rpm. As for an Idea, maybe use it as the face of a haunted clock that just keeps spinning.

I like the exorcist idea.

Terra, I really can't think of anything right now...but did want to comment on how beautiful your tree looks....lol!

I like the exorcist idea or spider victim

Bubbels: That's a good idea. I would change it from being Linda Blair to perhaps a corpsed Blucky and his head turns all the way around. I could set a timer where the head turns just once and then stops.

Mr. Unpleasant: That's something I could get into as well. It could be an ever morphing clock face or maybe a portrait, something like that. So there would be a stationary outside container and part of the inside is what's moving.

Scary Rick: I see what you are saying. It could be a spider spinning a cocoon around a victim.

Gromit05: Thanks DH hubby calls it the happy tree. We like to pour us a couple glasses of wine and sit and admire the tree and just talk. It has ornaments from significant events on it. What I love about the rotating stand is that it just makes the whole tree glitter and sparkle.



Please keep those wonderful ideas coming. I knew you guys could help me


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ok, don't know if this is a good idea or not. You can make a spoked wheel that will go in one side of a cement pour tube. Attach a center pole to run to other end. Then attach buckies to the outside of roll. You then can do a big firepit rotisseri or, I like this one, a large organ wheel. Put thin wide strips of metal on the top of wheel. Attach them to a large rectangular box or something strange. Then hook up music so it looks like when the metal strips hit different areas it plays eerie music and the roll slowly spins.

How about a carousel of ghosts? Like some kiddy ghouls holding hands playing "ring around the rosie"? You'd have to put some spokes on the stand to space them apart, but the greater diameter will increase the character velocity.

it'd be great if you could find a version of the song where children are singing it with some detuned background piano or something. Creepy....

you could even rig up a pneumatic to have the ghosts collapse (disappear?) on "all fall down"

just a thought...


-dgm

Terra, first I must say that both your Christmas tree and your house are beautiful. You could use just about any motor for these ideas so not sure how they apply to the xmas tree base but here are some thoughts:
1) use the motor upside down and hang a "skeleton in a cage" from it. I guess it would be slightly more exciting than the static version.

2) use it sideways to turn a barrel of some kind (think of one of those trailer-hitch cement mixers) and create a barrel that has one side made of plexiglass and then fill it with fake blood and some skull parts so every time it came around to the glass portion you saw the blood and skulls floating in the barrel...but that would be really disgusting so probably not appropriate for an urban setting.

3) use it sideways connected to a large "spit" (like you would roast a pig) over a fake fire and place a skelly (or some other disgusting thing) instead of a pig over the fire and have it slowly turning. It would be hilarious if you could use a 3-axis skull setup and make it say corny jokes while it spins - "does anyone smell something burning?"

4) forget halloween - make another beautiful Christmas tree and have one out in the front yard for the neighbors to enjoy.