[DaveintheGrave]

I built this animated Ouija Board for a friend who wanted one similar to mine. The first one I built I used a reindeer motor for the movement, but I wanted to make this one using a basic gear motor. It's a bit more work doing it this way, but it's a good alternative if you don't have a reindeer motor handy.

 

[Frankie's Girl]

OMG that is so cool!

I get HOW it works, but that is just soooo amazing to watch.

Beautiful job!!

 

[icemanfred]

wow thats realy cool!!!
I dont understand what is making the marker spin like that?

where are the magnets?
what king on magnets were used?
whats that a 6 rpm motor?

how about a tutorial?

 

[Giles]

Awesome job!

 

[DaveintheGrave]

wow thats realy cool!!!
I dont understand what is making the marker spin like that?

where are the magnets?
what king on magnets were used?
whats that a 6 rpm motor?

how about a tutorial?

Thanks, everybody!

Iceman--There is a large magnet at the end of the wiper arm that goes back and forth underneath the Ouija Bd. It's a 2 inch bar magnet I got at Harbor Freight. There are also two small magnets stacked on top of each other mounted UNDER the moving pointer. These I got at Lowe's--they are discs about the size of a dime, and 1/4" thick. I guess it has something to do with the changes in the magnetic field as the arm moves the pointer across the board that makes it spin.
The two magnets on the pointer need to be exactly in the middle of the bottom of the pointer, letting the pointer balance on these magnets with none of the 3 legs touching the board. I also glued a piece of one of those "magic slider" things on the bottom of the magnet that touches the board. This helps it slide easier.
It all kind of happened by accident when I built the first board.
The motor is a 5 RPM motor.
I guess I can do a tutorial sometime. Would have to be after this Halloween, though.

 

[theedwin]

I hate you Dave!!! LOL

No, I really don't. You never cease to amaze me tho! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!!!!

Great job buddy! Truly awe inspiring. What else do you have up your sleeve?

 

[icemanfred]

So the spiing effect just happened. Hmm, here I am trying to figure out how it was engineered/

I am even more impressed. The effect is great! I love it.

Any more detail about that car magnet?
each end is a different polarity? rather than each face (top and bottom where it is mounted?)

I think I want to give it a try and want to be able to create that spinning effect.

 

[theedwin]

So the spiing effect just happened. Hmm, here I am trying to figure out how it was engineered/

I am even more impressed. The effect is great! I love it.

Any more detail about that car magnet?
each end is a different polarity? rather than each face (top and bottom where it is mounted?)

I think I want to give it a try and want to be able to create that spinning effect.

Sometimes nice things happen to nice people!

 

[foggyfathoms]

i seen daves prop at our nc haunters make and take.folks.....its even more awesome in person!

 

[Wolfbeard]

DAve, that is awesome. I love the effect. Now, if you could just lengthen the arm an inch and limit the travel a tiny bit, it would be able to stop on the letters "D", "I", "E." Great job!

Eric

 

[scareisburg]

Has been wondering what Dave's been upto....extra time to build things for a friend eh?

 

[HallowSusieBoo]

Nooooo!!! Not ANOTHER absolutely amazing prop!!! Fantastic job! Opens up an entire world of "magnetic movement!" Just think of a creepy skeleton hand moving across a table top --- or a bunch of tiny skulls scurrying across a counter! Take THAT my old science teacher. Magnets and motors are cool after all!! BOO!

 

[DaveintheGrave]

Thanks a lot for the compliments, everyone!
I can't take all the credit. I built my first one after seeing a vid of "BuccaneerBabes" Ouija board.
Heres a video of my first one. You can see how I later improved the spinning of the pointer:



Thanks thedwin--I'm actually almost finished with a new version of my Crawling Skeleton. I should have it posted soon. I'm also working on a tutorial for it, too.
Yea, the spinning kind of happened by accident and I just worked with it to try to make it spin even more. The wiper magent and the magnet on the bottom of the pointer have be facing each other where they "attract" (not repel) each other. You can also use the same small round magnets from Lowe's on the wiper arm. Just put two stacks of two magnets side by side (about 1/8" inch apart) on the end of the wiper arm. I just use electrical tape to hold them on.
I will say if you use a reindeer motor you will get a wider arc on the wiper arm. I lost some space underneath to make room for the 5 RPM motor and its crank.
Hallowsusieboo: That's true! Just about anything lightweight that you can put a magnet on will travel across the board.
I did it with a PVC candle I made:



Or use both at the same time:

 

[hauntcrazy]

Great job Dave
Here is mine from last year using a reindeer motor.
YouTube - Voodoo Queen with Ouija Board

I constructed mine recessed into the table.
This year, the VooDoo queen is going to screen and rise up.
YouTube - Voodoo Queen

 

[icemanfred]

what is moving the candle while the marker is on the board at the same time?

what department in lowes would they have magnets?

still not sure how that things is spinning. but it looks like a fun project. may have to give it a try.
thanks for sharing this.

 

[Gothikim]

Just awesome DitG! The possible applications are mindboggling!!!!!!!

 

[hauntcrazy]

I used refrigerator magnets and popped the magnets out of the decoration.
Lots of them at the dollar store.
If you put magnets up toward the front of the pointer and nothing at the back, it will spin everytime the arm changes direction.

 

[WickedBB70]

OMG!!!!! This is so cool! I want one! Now I have to try and understand "mechanics" and try to do something like this.... oh yes! and find a used Ouija board!

Please post a tutorial!!!

 

[a witch from canada]

Lucky friend

 

[DaveintheGrave]

Thanks everyone for the compliments. I almost didn't post this prop, because I figured everyone already saw the original I built last year. LOL
I like your voodoo queen and Ouija Bd. Hauntcrazy!! I need something like that!
Iceman--I added an extension to the wiper arm on the opposite end from the pointer magnets (past the reindeer motor shaft) and added magnets to that end. That's what moves the candle.
The magnets are in Lowe's in the Hardware aisle, usually near the springs.
Anybody who wants to build one I am happy to help!!
This Ouija Board was bought from E-bay. It was a $10 buy-it-now sale. I covered the entire board with plexiglass, since it's cardboard. But it does glow in the dark too!