[racso66]

Hey Halloween prop lovers. Here is a link to my newest animated halloween prop called Creepy Crate.

It is based off a prop that has been around for a few years called Zombie Containment Unit. I made a few changes to the original. I have been building props for 10 years and build one prop a year. I put them all out on halloween night in my yard and garage. If you like my newest prop, you can see my other creations on my youtube channel. Hope everyone has a great halloween.

 

[Krusty]

Very nice build! And looks superb!
Movement is well suited too!
Must be quite a few hours invested in the design and building....!
No wonder you only make one a year!

 

[racso66]

Very nice build! And looks superb!
Movement is well suited too!
Must be quite a few hours invested in the design and building....!
No wonder you only make one a year!

Thanks Krusty. Yes...between design and build I usually have 40-80 hours into my props.....maybe more. I told myself a few years ago I would not purchase any halloween related items that were not directly used in my builds. Although I'm not sure that philosophy has saved me any $$, it has saved me some time and storage space having to find storage room for only 1 additional thing a year.....granted, it's 7 feet tall and 280 pounds. Oh well

 

[J-Man]

Nice work! I like it! 🎃

 

[ghostlland820]

Wow...that's professional grade! How do you synchronize the video with the pneumatics?

 

[racso66]

Wow...that's professional grade! How do you synchronize the video with the pneumatics?

Hi Ghostlland820, The video is looped using a Sprite media player. My pneumatics are all controlled with a Frightprops Flexmax 8 output controller. In the flexmax scene I trigger the Sprite player to start the video and then sync up the pneumatics to match the video.

 

[racso66]

Nice work! I like it! 🎃

Thanks J-Man...much appreciated.

 

[BlackScorpion]

Awesome, so dam realistic. Great job

 

[HauntedWyo]

That should be in a professional haunt. I bet Stiltbeast would love this. Fantastic job and if it doesn't scare the snot out of the TOTs something is wrong with them.

 

[BFI6603]

Outstanding prop!

 

[Skeletonhorse]

Wow that is badass, super professional. You obviously know your stuff mechanically and electronically. You must have a big barn for storage if you build one a year, or maybe this is your biggest and most complex? I hope when you have all your props out you could do a walk around video of each one? I’d love to see more of your work, nice job

 

[Incolor]

Super cool prop! I think i need to step up my game for 2020 (ohh i promised my wife no more crazy projects)


The zombie recording, is that something you made or is it bought?

 

[rmayer121]

Very impressive. The animation is very violent and matches the video really well!

 

[racso66]

Wow that is badass, super professional. You obviously know your stuff mechanically and electronically. You must have a big barn for storage if you build one a year, or maybe this is your biggest and most complex? I hope when you have all your props out you could do a walk around video of each one? I’d love to see more of your work, nice job

Funny you mentioned "barn" as I refurbished an old 1050's dairy barn into my workshop/office/hobbyshop and that is where I build and store my props. If you go to my youtube channel you can see all of my past props and a few other non-related videos. https://www.youtube.com/c/utube4oscar

 

[racso66]

Super cool prop! I think i need to step up my game for 2020 (ohh i promised my wife no more crazy projects)


The zombie recording, is that something you made or is it bought?

The zombie video is professionally done by a company called Hi-Rez Designs. They make all kinds of great video's (and other stuff) for halloween. https://www.hi-rezdesigns.com/store/home.php

 

[racso66]

Very impressive. The animation is very violent and matches the video really well!

Thanks rmayer121. Aside from the actual welding of the structure, the timing of the different moving parts is the most difficult. The video, of course, is digital and is exactly the same every time but all the pneumatics are mechanical and don't always fire at the EXACT time based on fluctuations in pressure/temp, etc. The best I can hope for is "close enough" when it comes to timing things out.

 

[BlackScorpion]

Awesome youtube channel , went thru all your videos. Dang you have talent! Keep up the great job.

 

[racso66]

Awesome youtube channel , went thru all your videos. Dang you have talent! Keep up the great job.

Thanks BlackScorpion....much appreciated.

 

[ghostlland820]

Would you be willing and able to post a tutorial on your bottom hinge and pneumatic setup? Making something like that is probably beyond my ability, but your prop has so much wow-ness that I'm tempted to try a build.

 

[racso66]

The base is comprised of three 30"x 30" square platforms welded from 1/8th x 1" steel tubing. I hinged the bottom platform to the base with two heavy duty hinges so it could move forward. I hinged the second platform to the bottom platform on the right side (front facing) so the second platform could move to the right. I hinged the 3rd platform to the second platform on the left so it could move to the left. I connected cylinder 1 to the base and bottom platform. I connected cylinder 2 to the bottom platform and the second platform. I connected cylinder 3 to the second platform and the 3rd platform. When cylinder 1 is triggered, it lifts ALL three platforms. When cylinder 2 is triggered, it lifts the top two platforms. When cylinder 3 is triggered, it lifts just the top platform. Cylinders were two inch diameter with a 3 inch stroke. Hopefully you can weld as I don't see how this could be make out of just wood or steel with nuts and bolts as it shakes a TON. Best of luck!