Thread: Solenoid help

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I actualy bought a prop-1 at Transworld this year and I wanted to make a prop but I am trying to stay away from Pneumatics until next year. So I am interested in a DC Soldneoid that has a longer reach. I need it to be able to turn a foam head 45 degs. Any suggestion would be great. Thanks in adv.

DT - I think you are going to have a hard time doing this with a DC solenoid. Its hard to find one that has a reach more than 1 inch and even then they typically have very little force. I am not familiar with the Prop-1 but I believe you can use it to rotate a servo motor which I think would work perfectly for your application - it would allow you to turn the head at different speeds as well.

Yeah, that is the problem I have been having. Thank you azdude. And yes you are right, it will control a servo. And that would work great thank you. Just hoping I could find one that had a better reach and speed. I guess that is for the air solenoids.

What will the head be made of??? Styrofoam???

You can mount your servo in your location, then get a stiff wire from your RC hobby store. Mount a servo arm to the servo, bend a 's' hook in the wire at both ends. Then put this wire in the arm on your head and the arm on the servo. If this needs to be supported, so as to not bend when operating, pass the wire through something to give support, then connect it to the arm. Connect your servo to the controller and your ready.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by darkmaster

What will the head be made of??? Styrofoam???

You can mount your servo in your location, then get a stiff wire from your RC hobby store. Mount a servo arm to the servo, bend a 's' hook in the wire at both ends. Then put this wire in the arm on your head and the arm on the servo. If this needs to be supported, so as to not bend when operating, pass the wire through something to give support, then connect it to the arm. Connect your servo to the controller and your ready.

Hope this helps.

Yes Styrofoam. And yes, I was thinking around those lines. Thank you.

Yea a servo would be the way I would go with this too. So much control over it that way.
I did my dropping head prop using 2 servos controlled by a prop1. It works slick. I have it controlling the light that comes on when the prop is triggered.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Yea a servo would be the way I would go with this too. So much control over it that way.
I did my dropping head prop using 2 servos controlled by a prop1. It works slick. I have it controlling the light that comes on when the prop is triggered.

Thank Lynn. I am actually taking Terra's idea and buying one of those Skeletons that she has. Mine is only a half torso, but should be still cool. I am getting excited.