[Savagebeastxl]

After searching the web and the forum for pneumatic cylinders for making prop heads turn the only thing I found was a Turn Act 180 cylinder that was used in a prop but it didn't give a model number.

I am working on a prop where I want the head to thrash side to side. The head is a mask filled with Foam-it! 5 so it is not very heavy. The armature is made of 1" square tubing. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Screaming Demons]

A standard cylinder or even an electric motor would work. Look at the mechanism for making the head move and change that rather than look for an odd cylinder.

 

[Savagebeastxl]

I thought about using a linear cylinder to turn the head side to side, but I could not figure out what to use as the pivot point. I considered bearings and a swivel but I could not find anything that rotated in that plane.

 

[Screaming Demons]

Can you describe the movement you want better? Do you mean like shaking your head NO, or where the ears would go down and almost touch the shoulders?

 

[Attic Hatch]

Hey 1st post here!
Linear motion to rotating motion is a fairly elementary conversion.
This illustation may be helpful:

:though its different mechanically, I'm using the very same principal to make a giant rat "survey" would-be victims.
(also playing tug of war)

Inside house:

Outside:

Was going to attach a video, but not enough posts!

 

[J-Man]

Do a search on ebay for pneumatic rotary actuator.
Something fairly small should work for a foam head.

 

[Savagebeastxl]

Great information Attic. That is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I am going to work something up based upon that diagram.

 

[Gym Whourlfeld]

If your motor or cylinder only pushes one-way, design it to make use of gravity to move in oppostition to the motive device.
I have a fairly large secret door here that is kept closed via a one inch thick elastic from a fabric store,and it works very quietly.

 

[Savagebeastxl]

Yeah, I have a 2 inch stroke 1-1/16 bore cylinder double action cylinder i am planning on using since Attic explained how the linear cylinder can work. Its just a matter of mocking up something to the 1" square tubing that I molded inside the foam in the mask.

 

[J-Man]

A 1-1/16" bore cylinder is overkill for turning a foam head. A miniature cylinder would do the job but sometimes you have to use what ya got.

 

[Screaming Demons]

That's a great rat Attic Hatch. I hope you start a thread just for it. A lot of members would love to see it.

 

[Attic Hatch]

Great information Attic. That is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I am going to work something up based upon that diagram.

Yay! My 1st post was actually helpful!!
I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[Attic Hatch]

That's a great rat Attic Hatch. I hope you start a thread just for it. A lot of members would love to see it.

Thanks, Screaming Demons!
The Rat is one of my SMALLER props.
I plan to better search this forum and figure what to thread and where to just post.
Probably won't happen until November.

 

[Halstaff]

I use a metal swivel wheel from the big box store and remove the wheel. It makes a great swivel platform that I can attach brackets to. It also allows me to tilt the riser if necessary. Here is the torso attachment for one of my new props for this year.

 

[HawgGnarly]

OK, that is AWESOME!

HG

 

[Savagebeastxl]

Wow Halstaff that is the perfect solution. I need to grind off the hinge i put on mine and get me one of those swivels now. That appears to give a perfect combination of up and down, left and right motion