[gr8johnson]

Here is my 4 bar pneumatic pop up. Last year I had a Blucky on a wooden pop up using a door closer actuator but it was just to fast and slamming down. So this year I wanted a bit more control and professional feel to it.

The frame is 2x4s. 3/4 pvc for the upper arm and a steel 1/2 tube used for the lower bar. I got the 3/4 inch bore, 6 inch stroke actuator at Grainger for $31. Plus some speed control valves which really help to control the slamming. I think it is running at about 65psi right now.

That tombstone will probably changed out for a bigger one or a homemade one. It is a bit small.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Any suggestion on how to hide the structure? I was thinking of building something with the pink foam board I got from a job site. Maybe some kind of tomb or something.

Any advice or constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks for all the help from everyone when I had questions.

If any one has any question on how I did anything , ask away.

Here are some pics and a video.

YouTube - MOV02115

YouTube - MOV02104

 

[The Pod]

Looks good to me!

 

[Scatterbrains]

I like it....

I think I bought that same Reaper at Rite Aid yesterday. I bought it because it was on sale and didn't have a plan, but now I do

THANKS!

Do you have pic of the mechanism without the reaper on it? And of course, measurements.


As for how to hide it, one of those half coffins should work

 

[gr8johnson]

I actually winged the measurements.

The long bars are 36"
They are 6 inches apart.
The bottom of the actuator is 13" below bottom bar hinge point
The actuator clevis attached to bottom bar is 8" out from hinge point of the bottom bar. The pics show pvc for the bottom bar but it flexed to much for my liking so I went with steel.
The vertical bar is up to you based on the height you want.

 

[glug]

how much did the mechanics cost on this prop?

 

[gr8johnson]

I can not remember how much the solenoid cost, but it is the kit from Frightprop that has no actuator with the 3 way valve, about $50 I think. The actuator was $31 at Grainger and the 2 speed control valves ( one for the solenoid which is the more important one and some kind of muffler on the actuator) Each valve was about $5 and the clevis and foot bracket were $4 each. Every thing else was laying around the garage. Pvc is very cheap. So right about $100.

 

[mickkell]

Great job,what did you use for a trigger?

 

[stealth_eagle]

very nice prop man for on how to hide it I would recomend either a tomb stone or if you have it a bush or shrubbery of some sort and my last thought would be lots of fog aimed at a small board at the bottome of the prop it would deflect it up and with enought it would block it out of view but I sugest you test it a lot to get it right you don't want it to rise to high to block it all

 

[gr8johnson]

I use the typical flood light motion sensor with the screw in sockets.