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Here is a way to make an animated Halloween display, using mostly things you already have around the house. I powered the display using a small electric motor hooked up to the back wheel of my bicycle, and strings attached to the pedals pulled the arms and legs of the life-size dummies. It has plenty of power to move several large dummies. Check out the videos to see the display in action! The whole thing took me about 4 weekends to prepare. I am publishing this well in advance of Halloween so you have time to collect your materials and prepare everything.
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Signing UpStep 1Materials needed
Here are the materials I used:
1 bicycle. A 10-speed bicycle is best, so you can adjust the operating speed.
1 small electric motor. The one I used came from an 8" floppy disk drive (if you know what that is, don't tell anyone, it means you are very old). Any small motor from a power tool, fan, etc. will do.
Assorted scraps of wood. Some pieces of 2x4, 1x2, MDF (counter-top material), and plywood or pressboard is what I used. Whatever you have. I had to buy the 1x2, but they are very cheap, about $1 for an 8' length.
Several small hinges. I had to buy about a dozen of these, $1.69 each at my local hardware store, plus I re-used two old cabinet door hinges.
Fishing line. I used the 40lb test, the thickest. Bargain brand was $3.99 for a big spool.
Small pulleys. I bought 8 of these, about $2 each at my local hardware store.
Bubble wrap. To stuff the dummies. Bubble wrap is better than newspaper or other stuffing materials because it is waterproof (in case it rains on Halloween). You will need a lot, so it may take some time to collect enough. Please don't buy it, it is expensive, and people throw away tons of it every day. Think green!
Packing tape. To hold the bubble wrap in place.
Yellow "Danger" tape. To keep trick-or-treaters from getting tangled up in the fishing line, or messing with the dummies. You can buy it with a Halloween themed message in October.
Wood screws. Obviously.
Other materials which you may or may not need depending on your theme and your setup:
Black paint. For the base.
Shelf Bracket. I used this to hold Michael's foot in a tip-toe "Moonwalk" position.
Lawn plant hangers. I used 3 of these to support pulleys for lifting the dummy arms.
Tent pegs. For attaching support lines to hold the plant hangers vertical.
Halloween masks, wigs, gloves, etc. For the dummies. Most of what I used came from a big box of Halloween costumes I got at a garage sale.
Old clothing. What you need depends on what your theme is. In my case, Michael Jackson needed a red jacket, red pants, some black trim for the jacket, black shoes, white socks, and a white sequined glove.
Plus other assorted bits of hardware, metal brackets, cable ties, screw hooks, etc.
1 bicycle. A 10-speed bicycle is best, so you can adjust the operating speed.
1 small electric motor. The one I used came from an 8" floppy disk drive (if you know what that is, don't tell anyone, it means you are very old). Any small motor from a power tool, fan, etc. will do.
Assorted scraps of wood. Some pieces of 2x4, 1x2, MDF (counter-top material), and plywood or pressboard is what I used. Whatever you have. I had to buy the 1x2, but they are very cheap, about $1 for an 8' length.
Several small hinges. I had to buy about a dozen of these, $1.69 each at my local hardware store, plus I re-used two old cabinet door hinges.
Fishing line. I used the 40lb test, the thickest. Bargain brand was $3.99 for a big spool.
Small pulleys. I bought 8 of these, about $2 each at my local hardware store.
Bubble wrap. To stuff the dummies. Bubble wrap is better than newspaper or other stuffing materials because it is waterproof (in case it rains on Halloween). You will need a lot, so it may take some time to collect enough. Please don't buy it, it is expensive, and people throw away tons of it every day. Think green!
Packing tape. To hold the bubble wrap in place.
Yellow "Danger" tape. To keep trick-or-treaters from getting tangled up in the fishing line, or messing with the dummies. You can buy it with a Halloween themed message in October.
Wood screws. Obviously.
Other materials which you may or may not need depending on your theme and your setup:
Black paint. For the base.
Shelf Bracket. I used this to hold Michael's foot in a tip-toe "Moonwalk" position.
Lawn plant hangers. I used 3 of these to support pulleys for lifting the dummy arms.
Tent pegs. For attaching support lines to hold the plant hangers vertical.
Halloween masks, wigs, gloves, etc. For the dummies. Most of what I used came from a big box of Halloween costumes I got at a garage sale.
Old clothing. What you need depends on what your theme is. In my case, Michael Jackson needed a red jacket, red pants, some black trim for the jacket, black shoes, white socks, and a white sequined glove.
Plus other assorted bits of hardware, metal brackets, cable ties, screw hooks, etc.
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Jul 13, 2010. 11:01 PM
l8nite
says:
l8nite
says:
thats a really cool idea
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