Thread: Coffin MIB with DMX Control

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This will be the tutorial of how I am building my Coffin Monster In a Box (MIB) with DMX control. The inspiration and knowledge has come from Terra DMX Vampire in Coffin (MIB), Guitarist155 dmx haunt control system., Phoenix UK and many other members.

So far I have drawn up the plans and scrounged or purchased all of the materials that I will need.

The coffin was built several years ago for a western themed haunt at a friend’s house and is the classic toe-pincher shape built out of pine 1x4 scrounged from old shipping crates.

My plan is to use:
-4 air cylinders to move the corners
-1 air cylinder to move/open the lid
-1 air cylinder to make the skeleton sit up
-2 Chauvet Splash Jr LED DMX lights for internal lighting
-1 Fog machine inside
-2 speakers and if possible a subwoofer
-1 more DMX relay that I don't know what to do with yet
- oh and the kitchen sink

All of this, along with any other props I get completed, will be controlled from a central computer running VSA thru a DMX network with a DMXorcist for input trigger control and multiple audio outputs.
Below I have included three layout diagrams.

The first one is the main DMX control box layout, thanks to Guitarist for the inspiration and the lovely Visio work. dmx haunt control system.

The second one is the electrical layout for the coffin. It includes all of the electrical components along with a bill of materials.

The third one is the pneumatic layout for the coffin. It includes all of the pneumatic components along with a bill of materials.


If you are having trouble viewing/printing any of these just PM me and I will send you the files.

I will post some pictures of what I have built so far, which is not much, soon.

I hope everyone finds this useful

It is going to be cool to see the evolution of this prop.

Ooooh, very exciting to see this fleshed out. I love all the extra action that you are going to put into this. My coffin lacked a pay-off and yours looks like it will do that in spades!

Terra,
Thank you very much for the vote of confidence.

it certainly looks like you have all the bases covered, remember when you come to programming the DMX routines you don't have to stick with just the one routine, you can have multiple routines which either trigger randomly or can be set to different triggers..... One ide that comes to mind is have a low moaning routines, then a more violent rocking routine and the final jump and scream routine, this way if you have the time to play you can select which routine to play to give the best effect.

I do this with my MiB, I have a low impact routine that just attracts attention, and when they get just that little bit too close I hit them with a scare routine

Phoenix,
That sounds like a great idea. The first routine will just run then pause then run again in a loop but when someone triggers a pressure plate or PIR then the real scare would hit them. I can't wait!

yeah that works, people are fairly wise to looped routine players, and once they have your prop figured as one then they will relax and not expect anything else, leaving them vulnerable to a scare

How is this coming along?

How are you covering up the components of the coffin when it opens up for the finale?

This is a great idea to enhance the coffin, I can't wait to see more. The drawback is that I may end up being tempted to upgrade my coffin and I have enough on my plate as it is.

Noch,
I have not finalized how I will cover up the internals. I have placed as much as possible down at the feet end. I was thinking of putting in a false bottom over that end and painting in some leg bones and maybe the front half of some feet. I think it will work because the rotting skeleton popping up and screaming will be kind of distracting :-)

Originally Posted by SpookySteve

Noch,
I have not finalized how I will cover up the internals. I have placed as much as possible down at the feet end. I was thinking of puttin in a false bottom over that end and painting in some leg bones. I think it will work because the rotting skeleton popping up and screaming will be kind of distracting :-)

I was thinking along the same lines Spookysteve. Kind of have a "false" floor over everything, painted black to hide it even more so. And like you said, It will be pretty quick and startling that I highly doubt anybody will notice anything.