[Texan78]

I was at HD today and they had all their Christmas stuff out, don't know why this didn't hit me when I was at Garden Ridge because they have their stuff out too. I was looking at their Animated deer which turn their heads back and forth or up and down. So I got to wondering as I normally do, has anyone used these in their props? Is it powerful enough?

The ones I am going to make next year all I am wanting them to do is turn their heads back and forth or move their arm back or forth with a lantern in it like they are looking for something. I figured these would work perfect. What do you think? Does anyone else use them? Nice thing about them is they already wired for power so you just have to plug it up with no added need to purchase power for it and they are small and light weight.

What do you think?

 

[AZHalloween]

I have used the motors for types of movement, I extended the arm on the spinner and attached light weight rat's and mice and some spiders.

We have also dressed up the deer to look like wild creatures, covering the body with fake fur and putting a mask on the head. then we place bones around the animals.

 

[walkingcorpse]

I use a recycled deer motor to keep a large tombstone bobbing up and down, but i got the motor for free. I dont think Id pay $40 just for that motor....although I suppose you could just borrow the motor and still use the deer seasonally.

 

[Ugly Joe]

They're great if you're not going to put much of a load on them.
Additionally, they all seem to be loaded with an auto-reverse, so stopping them in one direction just sends them back in the other.

If you're thinking of using one to run a FCG, I highly recommend counter-weighting the ghost to help reduce the strain on the motor...these motors really don't have a lot of torque.
(I don't have the specifics, but I can tell you that with a 6" crank, there may not even be one pound of force being exerted at the end...perhaps this is why they're made with such short cranks)

I have salvaged 3 or 4 of these from discarded yard light creatures (BigLots - frogs, turtles, and ducks - $2 each on clearance), and they withstand weather great.

 

[DeadTed]

There's a group here in Florida that connect regularly over the internet and meet together every so often for a Make and Take. The last one, which was Sept, the project was Reindeer Wolf... which takes those animated reindeer and turns them into awesomeness.

I didn't get to go this time, but if some of the others pop into this thread, maybe they post some pics, because they turned out great! Covered in fur, replaced the heads with 'wolf' masks, changed the body; lots of cool things.

 

[Texan78]

I just need them to turn the heads back and forth for my Grave Digger and my witch. Then I plan on adding one to a cauldron for a stirring effect for my witch. Also on the Grave Digger I might have one arm go left and right with a lantern in his hand. So nothing heavy at all. The heads will be wig heads with masks. Attach to PVC on a pivot point.

I found a place online that sells these motors for $10.

 

[theedwin]

Hello,

I am using 2 of these motors that I took off an animated reindeer and an animated sleigh that I bought at a thrift store. One of them I am using to move a shovel up and down as if a ghost were digging in the ground and the other I am using to tilt a tombstone down and back upright. I am always looking for more of these, as I will probably have to recycle these 2 for my Christmas display.

Can you share the website that you found to purchase these?

Thanks
E

 

[Mr Grimsley]

theedwin... I love the shovel idea! This year I have "A Grave Matter (the Grave Robber)" from Disney's Chilling Thrilling sounds playing in my cemetary and would love to have a digging shovel! Do you by chance have any video of this?

 

[theedwin]

Shadow Man,

I don't have any video yet, but will try to get some and another picture for you hopefully tomorrow.

E

 

[Mr Grimsley]

Cool...can't wait to see!

theedwin, also sent you a PM on this topic so I don't hijack Texan78's thread!

 

[darkpenguincowboy]

good idea with the shovel!

I used my motor to power a large spider prop. It spins in the center of the prop body, and has string connected on the end of the extension arm. The two pieces of string are connected to the two front legs, and strung through a pulley system on top. As it gets closer to the legs, the legs (attached to the bdy on hinges) move down,a nd as it moves away, the string pulls the legs back up.

Since they are in two different spots on the body the legs appear to move at random times, so it makes it look extra cool.

kindof like a giant, less ghostly, less dangly FCG

 

[Landscapeman]

There's a group here in Florida that connect regularly over the internet and meet together every so often for a Make and Take. The last one, which was Sept, the project was Reindeer Wolf... which takes those animated reindeer and turns them into awesomeness.

I didn't get to go this time, but if some of the others pop into this thread, maybe they post some pics, because they turned out great! Covered in fur, replaced the heads with 'wolf' masks, changed the body; lots of cool things.

Any where close to Fort Myers? I want see what you all come up with. Wolf reindeer. Awesome.

 

[bethene]

I bought a deer on clearance for 5 bucks am in the process of putting together a vampire and want to have his arm move up and down via the motor, will let you know how that turns out, keep a eye out for the after christmas sales, you never know how cheap you can get things to use for halloween!

 

[Xpendable]

I used a deer motor to turn my witch head back in forth last year. Worked great. You can see it videos and pictures of it in action on my website. I have a video showing the linkage with the deer motor.

 

[LPFreak1283]

Texan78:
There is no feasible way that the reindeer motor can be used to turn the stirrer for a cauldron effect. I built a witch stirring her cauldron and the wiper motor certainly uses quite a bit of tourqe to move the stick. Those small motors imo won't even come close.

 

[Ugly Joe]

Texan78:
There is no feasible way that the reindeer motor can be used to turn the stirrer for a cauldron effect. I built a witch stirring her cauldron and the wiper motor certainly uses quite a bit of tourqe to move the stick. Those small motors imo won't even come close.

Not to be disagreeable, but I want to let everyone know it is quite possible, and with pretty good effect as well.

For the last couple of years, I've had a witch stirring a cauldron, and used one of these reindeer motors to not only move her arms (yes, both), but also stir an actual spoon (about 3 1/3 feet long) in water, that filled the cauldron.
(sadly, I never took any pic's of the mechanism I put together, but the linkage is similar to what's on this page ( Mechanisms and Movement ), I just modified it to get a more of a back and forth motion, compared to up and down)

 

[halloween71]

You can buy the motors on line for like 9.00 just do a search for animated deer replacement motors.Got mine from here one day I will do something with them.
Animated Deer Motor

 

[JustWhisper]

There's a group here in Florida that connect regularly over the internet and meet together every so often for a Make and Take. The last one, which was Sept, the project was Reindeer Wolf... which takes those animated reindeer and turns them into awesomeness.

I didn't get to go this time, but if some of the others pop into this thread, maybe they post some pics, because they turned out great! Covered in fur, replaced the heads with 'wolf' masks, changed the body; lots of cool things.

I've never been to a M&T, but I did make this wolf last year from my reindeer. The brown one is the reindeer, the gray one is a static polar bear. Go to 3:01 on my video to see the wolves. I use deer motor all the time. I get mine from the link that Halloween71 suggested.

Yard haunt

 

[bobzilla]

Hey JustWhisper, nice job on that wolf ! I just bought one of those reindeer with a motor for $1 at the flea market ! I'll have to give that a try. Thanks
PS nice haunt you have !!!!

I've never been to a M&T, but I did make this wolf last year from my reindeer. The brown one is the reindeer, the gray one is a static polar bear. Go to 3:01 on my video to see the wolves. I use deer motor all the time. I get mine from the link that Halloween71 suggested.

Yard haunt

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

Texan78:
There is no feasible way that the reindeer motor can be used to turn the stirrer for a cauldron effect. I built a witch stirring her cauldron and the wiper motor certainly uses quite a bit of tourqe to move the stick. Those small motors imo won't even come close.

I also have to respectfully disagree. If you build the rig right it will definitely work. I used a motor that was a lot smaller and had a lot less toque and it worked all night. Got for it and good luck.