Thread: Ocillating fan options...

Tweet

Okay, I get the traditional "head turner" use for a fan, but does anyone know any other ways to use one for motion?

Perhaps a way to augment it to get a type of up and down motion?

There are tons of tutorials on HalloweenForum (you can do a search using keywords - button in the upper right) to see if "fan" or "motor" pops up anything interesting...

One of my fave sites for props is: http://www.hauntproject.com/

The problem with fan motors is that they tend to be too fast (high rpm) for making props on their own.

One good idea for ocillating fans using the ocillation itself is this one:
http://www.hectorturner.com/halloween/werewolf.html
http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home...nic_freddy.htm
http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home...c_werewolf.htm

You do have to be careful to allow good air circulation around the fan motor to keep it from burning out, so keep that in mind if you want to cover it up with a mask or the like...

I am not mechanically savy, but I had some thoughts (not sure if they will work).

Maybe you can use it to open and close a coffin, and have a body raise up and down. (Laying the fan on it's side). If you want it to slow down and only open every so often, maybe you can try attaching it to a Screen door opener.

probably not enough power to lift or move much of anything. I have found wiper motors to do everything I have set out to do so far.

My brother wired my witch head-turner into one of these light switch motion sensors from Home Depot:
Motion Sensor Switch
All he did was cut the plug off the fan and splice the wires in with electrical tape. Then he splices the wires from the sensor switch back into the plug and it works great. I just set it on the floor near her feet and her head turns when people walk by.
We bought them back in 2005 and they're still working great. But I don't remember them being more than $10. Either the prices have gone way up, or they sell a cheaper one in the store.

Use a pulley system perhaps to take some of those unneeded RPM's out?

Originally Posted by Frankie's Girl

There are tons of tutorials on HalloweenForum (you can do a search using keywords - button in the upper right) to see if "fan" or "motor" pops up anything interesting...

One of my fave sites for props is: http://www.hauntproject.com/

The problem with fan motors is that they tend to be too fast (high rpm) for making props on their own.

One good idea for ocillating fans using the ocillation itself is this one:
http://www.hectorturner.com/halloween/werewolf.html
http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home...nic_freddy.htm
http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home...c_werewolf.htm

You do have to be careful to allow good air circulation around the fan motor to keep it from burning out, so keep that in mind if you want to cover it up with a mask or the like...

Unless you use ceiling fans. these have a slow setting that is great for prop building. I have two old ceiling fans I plan to make into props at some point. Window and floor fans have very high RPM's but can be used for very large light weight props. otherwise the links you've listed have some excellent ideas I hope to apply to some old fans lying about.