[Krusty]

I've decided to steal this idea and make it my own....I hope you don't mind.

Have a look at this Video :swaying barrel zombie
If a person wanted to do something simpler than the lifting mechanism and pivoting shoulders, elbows and wrists - this would likely be easier?
I didn't find any how he made it... but the title says wiper motor, so I am guessing that it is some crank arm moving him but on high speed?
And with rigid arms made of 1/2" PVC to get the some what arm waving motion? He looks more frantic than mine!

This person used pneumatics for his: Zombie trying to escape barrel
It looks great but might be a fairly complicated build similar to a "Casa Fear ground breaker Zombie" with a prop controller and compressor.
I see he used a similar twirling light to get the radioactive effect in barrel. I like how he says he whipped it up in a couple snow days....?
I have been avoiding pneumatic props so far to try and "keep things simple".... The reality is nothing is simple....!

I like the look of mine - but I may be biased.....

 

[Krusty]

Great job, one of the best I've seen at making a pvc armature look real . I like the shoulder pads idea. Looking forward to seeing the completed project............

Thanks !!! I found shoulder pads at the dollar store for way cheaper than anywhere else! They are on all my Zombie props. The elbow pads on this guy are knee protectors out of motorcycle riding jeans, they never fit my knee properly so I pulled them out and then they worked perfect to give his elbows a good shape.

 

[fowldarr]

Have a look at this Video :swaying barrel zombie
If a person wanted to do something simpler than the lifting mechanism and pivoting shoulders, elbows and wrists - this would likely be easier?
I didn't find any how he made it... but the title says wiper motor, so I am guessing that it is some crank arm moving him but on high speed?
And with rigid arms made of 1/2" PVC to get the some what arm waving motion? He looks more frantic than mine!

This person used pneumatics for his: Zombie trying to escape barrel
It looks great but might be a fairly complicated build similar to a "Casa Fear ground breaker Zombie" with a prop controller and compressor.
I see he used a similar twirling light to get the radioactive effect in barrel. I like how he says he whipped it up in a couple snow days....?
I have been avoiding pneumatic props so far to try and "keep things simple".... The reality is nothing is simple....!

I like the look of mine - but I may be biased.....

I started on mine today, but I’m hoping to make the barrel tip back and forth (without going over). I have a little engineering to do. But I have the barrel, a light, some pvc, and a couple of motors on the way

 

[Krusty]

I ended up drilling holes out to 1.5" to slow the fog exiting barrel down. The fan was actually too much flow so I am running it on a PWM to slow it down and restricted the inlet size to 2.5".
This has the fog coming up in front of Zombie just perfect! The fan is not very loud when running slowed down.

 

[Krusty]

 

[Krusty]

Hope this helps anyone trying a similar thing....
Getting the fog to look right has been a real pain!
The 400Watt fogger doesn't cycle properly on a timer control with internal thermostat...?

I thought these timers were going to be the answer..... not so! It works but my dream of having a constant supply of fog hasn't happened!
I get a 25-40 sec burst from the little 400W fogger if I let it go full on with manual switch.
I speculate the variance in fog burst time is because the unit is either fully warmed up - thermostat just turned off or slightly cooled off - thermostat just about ready to turn on.
Then it takes 40 seconds to warm back up.
So about a 50% duty cycle with manual switch activation.

Now add the timer and 400W fogger won't keep up to 1/2 sec every 10 sec without going into reheat....? that is not even 10% duty cycle!
That is so little fog that it is gone very fast! NO Good!!!! There ends my plan of constant fog bursts...
I tried to go 5 sec on and 30 seconds off and still it won't keep up without reheat cycling...? WHY ????
I figured try timer at maximum blast time of 10 seconds as machine goes 25+ with just switch manual.
Even at 10 sec on and 30 seconds off it would lose heat and red led goes off for reheating.

I can only speculate that the timer and internal thermostat are working against each other somehow..????
The timer on 1000W fogger has similar effect but not as bad and I can get a setting that works on it.
So beware if you have a smaller fogger.....

In the end I went out and bought the more expensive PIR motion sensor light control box as it has a separate eye on bottom to tell night or day. This can be taped over so it will work in any amount of light as prop controller in the time modes other than just 3 sec test mode that I was using on cheap PIR.
I hacked the manual switch control that came with fogger to add a relay that is triggered by PIR motion detector. Then also added the fan to motion detector so it isn't running all the time. I have fan on PWM control to slow it down as the 3 Amp fan is fairly loud and moves a lot of air...too much on full speed! Perhaps a cheaper fan would have worked hooked direct...?
This allows Zombie movement to run for 60 seconds and optimizes fog machine and fan all together on motion detector.
I entertained just running 400w fogger steady and let it go - but after a test it was likely going to go through the little bottle of fog juice too fast and I don't want to have to refill it after an hour.....
With the Motion sensor on 1 min setting the fog goes for the first 30-40 sec and then has to reheat.
the remaining 20-30 seconds allow fan to purge out fog inside barrel so green lights are visible again.
With too much fog in barrel the swirling green lights are not visible and it turns into just a glowing green barrel.
Having Zombie struggling for the full minute is actually better too! And he still has the initial scare of motion detector activation!

 

[FS3]

Love this idea. Could you tell us where the PIR came from and a few more details in its construction for this use?

 

[Krusty]

The pir is from Home Depot and is a replacement unit for a motion detector light. The cheaper ones have the light sensor getting it’s light from front through same plastic lens that pir looks out so you can’t cover it to make it work in light.... only darkness!
These ones have light sensor for daylight on bottom and it’s easy to tape over so it works day or night.
I hacked a cord and spliced Pir in middle of it so anything plugged into cord will be controlled by Pir.
Many videos on U tube doing this....
I have Pir mounted on a piece of PVC 1/2” and 30” long so I can put it in ground about 10’ before Zombie.
The PIR needs a small load to work! LED bulb wasn’t enough but the fan and a couple relays are.
Several reviews on Home Depot site complaining about led bulbs not working.... so I was expecting that.
I am not using the Dual Bright or the other option..... just switches on off.
It is working great and sensitivity is good. I can add pictures when I get home.

 

[FogMaster]

Wow, that rocks!!!! I have seen those semi translucent barrels but never thought about lighting them up from the inside. You have given me some new ideas, thanks!!!!!!!

 

[Skeletonhorse]

Can’t wait to see the finished, looks amazing!! I have one of those white barrels too, never thought about lighting it, cool idea. Love the fog add on, going to look great I’m sure.

 

[Krusty]

Motion sensor head
this is the sensor I used.....
Note price is Canadian $

thanks for the compliments...!
I will get a video up with fogger running soon.

 

[Krusty]

check out this daytime video....
Radioactive barrel Zombie video