Thread: Beginner's Guide to Props and Pneumatics

Tweet

No problem...please post questions and comments if you like, there are no dumb questions. Also please feel free to make suggestions on topics, and I will write primers in the same format. Hmm, maybe we'll end up with a free book at the end of all this?

Also, please feel free to challenge any information in my guide you may think is inaccurate...

Thats what i was just thinking after reading your primers.You should put together a book or even make a powerpoint presentation or something on this stuff and offer them for sale on here. It is great they way you explain simply and thouroughly. The pictures as well leave no room for error. there are i'm sure many people who would love to do this stuff but feel overwhelmed trying to figure it all out and you are a very good teacher. Great job on this.

Kprimm, I have thought about doing just that, but then again, my interest lies in helping to educate other haunters who have the same desire to build props, but just haven't had the exposure I have had. If I charge for it, then fewer people will see it, so I offer it here for free to any halloweenforum member to benefit from.

The only thing I ask is that it not be changed and for nobody else to put their name on it! If something is incorrect, I'll be happy to change and repost. If I give away the powerpoint, then I'm afraid people could maliciously alter it. The only place I have posted these primers is here on halloweenforum.com, and Village_Haunt also hosts them on his website with my permission.

Originally Posted by Warrant2000

OH...EMM...GEE...

Wifeypoo will not be happy when I go show her that I now know how to do it, and I need to go get a bunch of new gear.

Awesome job, thanks!

Just an FYI, I am not responsible for what your wife is gonna do to you when she finds out you spent $1000 on new gear...

So I have been looking around and researching prop controllers for a long time. I am super "frugal" and have a hard time clicking the buy button. So in all my searching I have kind of come to the conclusion that the PicoBoo might be the best for my particular needs. Would anyone be willing to help me out and weigh the benefits of controllers for a double acting cylinder driven prop? What I am mostly concerned with is the PicoBoo 104 versus a key banger like the EFX-TEK EZ-8. It seems like the PicoBoo would be better for a single cylinder(double acting) prop because it would also control the sound without the need for and additional music player. Am I off base with that assumption? I just pose this question here because I noticed your tutorial utilizes a PicoBoo controller.

Hey Yardhauntjunkie,

You are right, I would go with a picoBoo controller here. It has the audio built-in and offers two channels (one for your pneumatics and the other could be used for effect lighting). The EFX-TEK EZ-8 sounds great, but no audio. For the record, I have yet to use the EFX-TEK controllers. However, I hear they are great and easy to program.

The EFX-TEK EZ-8 is great if a prop had multiple cylinders or things to control. The only reason I hesitate on buying the PicoBoo is because of the lack of expandability. It is great for controlling two things like you mentioned, but for the extra $30 if I got the EFX-TEk EZ-8 I would be able to add more components to a prop at a later date. But, audio would be an extra cost I guess. So I would be looking at more then a $30 difference. Thanks for the great tutorial by the way.

I may have missed the answers to my questions since things don't completely load for me and all I get are red Xs but.................
How much air do you use(psi or whatever it's called) and I know it is a bad thing to build a cylinder from PVC but I can't remember if screen door cylinders are safe?

Hey Deadna,

The air pressure is variable based on what the prop needs. I have built props that use 30psi all the way up to 110psi. It all really depends on what the prop is, how heavy the loads are that you are lifting, and how fast you want the prop to 'pop'. I would try to stay away from too high of a PSI load.

I just posted a how-to on calculating PSI on the Tutorial page, check it out!

Also, I would stay away from PVC cylinders and screen door closers. eBay is a great resource for us haunters for these cyls, plus I've had a screen door closer shoot across the street on me before since the ends are only crimped, not machined and screwed on...

Make sure you are logged in when looking at the post to be able to see the pics, maybe Larry or another moderator can assist with the 'Red X" issue.

Do you have this in a word document? I would be happy to create a PDF document that would be easier for everyone to download. I already copied the pics of this and converted into a PDF but it is way too big to post here. I can send a copy to you if you like.

thanks,
Kevin