Thread: Manual pop-up

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Has any one made a manual Pop-up device, I'm building a Haunt at a Ren. Fair
So i would like to make pop-ups that do not need air or power. An actor would power it. Maybe like a small catapult that can be easily to reset.

Thanks,
Larry
Abracadaver

I would use a bungee cord.

Here's a link to an airless body slinger:
ScaryGuys - The Airless Body Slinger


But, along the lines of a catapult-like device, I'd think a spring would be the best bet.
Something like a garage door spring, with an iron bar welded into the center.
Secure the ends of the spring down, so they can't turn - when the iron bar is pulled down, it will spring back into place.
That may have enough torque to pop-up a lightweight prop, and still be something one person could pull back down into place for the next triggering.

If the prop isn't too heavy one of those spring-like "gate closer" things might work to pop it up.

It's actually on my agenda to get started on something similar this weekend.

Was planning to use bungee chord, but there's several wrinkles to overcome with that plan.

Gate closer....hmmm...have to keep that as a 'plan b'...

I guess it depends on how the pop up will work? Do you want it laying down then popping right up or will it be a pop up like up from behind a tombstone or something. A tombstone type pop up could be easilly done with a lever and fulcrum type mechanism having someone trigger it up as they see fit.

It will lie flat then catapult up to a short wall, hitting metal for a good startle . It is at
a Renaissance Fair so it has to be built to fit the time period. Here's a pic of the body
to catapult .I think I will use a weight on a rope to pull it forward and a rope to pull it back to the start position





Larry
Abracadaver

how about a "mat" that when someone steps on the mat it pop's up.kinda along the lines of a mousetrap,to reset it maybe a weight to **** it again.Or a see saw step on the mat the other side comes up, step off and it goes down to reset it.

I'll have to get some better pictures of the aparatus.

Don't know if it will help you, but...

The pivot is just a 2" PVC pipe inside a couple 2.5" lengths. The EMT conduit is fit into a hole drilled in the 2" pipe, and cauder pinned in place.

The bungie on the left operates the thing, the one on the right prevents it from overextending. The monster under the table finds it hilarious.

Gate latch keeps it closed till it needs to operate.

We are depating between a simple pulley and foot switch trigger or rigging a piece-o-recycled-crap-drill to an electronic trigger.



The top end is still work-in process...