Axworthy Using A Windshield Wiper Motor

[dionicia]

I noticed a lot of folks are hesitant about making an Axworthy because of all the work that is involved. I myself have been sitting on the fence about this props as I was intimidated at the prospect of building one and having it fail.

Well after years of watching others display the fruits of their labor, one particular design caught my attention. Rather than using bicycle wheels, gears and chains, it used a simple ice cream maker motor, PVC and plates as pulleys.

It's plain genius in it's simplicity and it got me thinking. When I went to the store, I not only found black plates, I found bowls and thought, those might work for smaller pulleys. So I bought 6 to try out. At $2 for a 2 pack, it was worth a try.

I wanted to try something other than the ice cream motor as it was good, but too slow for what I want to do. I then remember the supply of windshield wiper motors I had from Monsterguts and figured with a 12 volt 5 amp power supply, I could get the ghosts going around at about 53 RPM.

I've included pics of the plate assembly and the Drive Pole. I was going to use PVC poles for the satellite poles but they bow too much so I am changing to 2X3 studs which I am going to put together today.

The motor has a 6mm screw and you can buy a coupler you can attach to add a bolt on the other side to attach the plate pulley. Be careful when drilling out the hole. Go slow so you don't crack the plate. Also, it is being held to the wood by a Simpson Strong Tie and a few bolts. Some lithium grease will help the plate pulley move around.

http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=446&pictureid=4978http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=446&pictureid=4979http://www.hauntforum.com/picture.php?albumid=446&pictureid=4977

[diecastman71]

Very nice! I love checking out other people's ideas and then after comparing them trying something completely different. This looks like a keeper idea though.:googly:

[Lunatic]

Excellent! I wondered if someone ever put together a fast moving configuration. I wonder no longer. I've imagined quite some time now about a fast moving line that had nothing more than a piece of light-weight nylon fabric attached. I think white fabric streaking through the air and darting by flourescent black lights would be a very cool effect at night. Even more cool with another ghost chasing the other. I think the effect would be way more interesting than a slow moving ghost. Kudo's Dionicia!

I would like to see more on it's performance if possible! Also, what kind of line are you using and at what speed have you wired the wiper motor?

[dionicia]

I got some line that they use for keeping a block line even when you are putting in a block wall. I'm going to try it at high speed and if that is too fast, I will use the slower speed. I'm not going to use a 5 volt 5 amp power supply as that seemed too slow to me.

[dionicia]

I found the bowls don't work very well as the cheesecloth gets caught on the wood. I might add some fabric around the wood to see if that helps with it. I'm going to get 4 more sets of plates (I have one set I haven't used yet that's already glued together) and I think I will hammer the bolt in upside down in the 2X2 post so that I can use a nylon locking nut on the top. That should avoid the plates unscrewing themselves. A little liquid nail in the hole should keep the bolt in snug. The speed of the motor works great though. Once I make the changes, I'm going to take some video.

[dionicia]

I found that Lowes had 5/16th threaded rods that are 3 inches long. Perfect for this project. I'll liquid nail the little suckers in the 2X2 posts and then attach the plates and put a nylon locking nut on the top. That way it wont unscrew from the top like the current bolts do. Found some plates at Wally World for $2 each which was cheaper than the plates from Target that were on clearance. I just need to spray paint them black and I got the black spray paint today too. Just need to liquid nail the plates together and let them dry tonight then I can drill them out tomorrow and attach them to the poles and then spray paint them. I may have this project going before the end of the weekend.

[steveshauntedyard]

Can't wait to see the video you ARE GOING to post!

[Lunatic]

Things sound like they are coming along. Good find on the threaded rods. That makes things easier.

I was thinking a light weight fabric rather than cheesecloth. Something more like a nylon sheer curtan. You might have to slit it in places for it to flap around a little bit and give it some random movement. I have some very light weight fabric on a ghost prop but I don't know the fabric weight. It's very light and wispy in the wind and I'm wondering if something that light would not get caught on the wood.

[dionicia]

It's possible, but better to just wrap the wood in fabric to avoid the fabric from catching.

[txatty]

Get a big piece of round PVC and mount it on the wood to prevent catching

[dionicia]

YouTube- Axworthy Flying Ghost Trial Run

I changed out the bowls for plates and replace the bolts with the threaded rods and nylon locking nuts. The line is a little loose only because I needed to get the poles more level in the ground. Just need to make the ghosties and this project is done. It's quieter than I thought it would be.

[Lunatic]

Very good. Thanks for the visual. It's running pretty smoothly and quiet. Can't wait to see the ghost attached!

[dionicia]

Thanks. The big test is coming up. We are supposed to have rain on Monday. I hope I don't have any poles go down.

[dionicia]

I finally completed this project and I am really happy with the results. After 3 years sitting on the fence debating how to attack making an Axworthy, I am proud of this design. I'm also tickled it has been posted on Hauntproject.com and featured on www.ravensbarrow.com. Without further delay the final video. YouTube- Axworthy Using A Windshield Wiper Motor CompleteI'm thinking about adding some blue LEDs to make them look eerie. I went with the weed barrier fabric on the poles and it made a huge difference. I didn't have a problem with the ghosts catching as I did before.

[grim reaper]

wow it looks great !

[Rahnefan]

That is really cool!

[dionicia]

Thank you. I think next year I may get some coffee cans and cement the poles in those or something so I don't have to work so hard on keeping the poles straight and taught.

[Lunatic]

Wow, that looks great! How will you light it at night, black fluorescent...colored Spotlight?

[dionicia]

Colored spotlights should help give them an eerie look.

[NickG]

I bet having those walls really helps keep out the light pollution too, hiding the poles.

[dionicia]

Actually yes. I was surprised how dark it gets back there at night. Almost tripped over the dog trying to walk from the garage to the house once. I keep the patio light on now to see my way back.

[RichTJ99]

Dionicia,

It looks great! I am working on mine right now & I am having a lot of issues with the ghost line slipping. My pulleys spin, but the line just sits still.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Rich

[Aquayne]

The original post with the use of the plates as pulleys was posted under Big Johnson Axworthy ghost. You may like to look at my posts to see a version with tension created by mounting them to 1/2" metal conduit.
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=17831

[dionicia]

Dionicia,

It looks great! I am working on mine right now & I am having a lot of issues with the ghost line slipping. My pulleys spin, but the line just sits still.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Rich

You could add traction by putting some liquid nail around the center of where the two plates are connected. That gives a bit of something for the line to hold onto.

[Hallowennie315]

These look great! I always wanted to try an axworthy ghost and this one is simple with plates. Great job. (PS: That would be an awesome shed to turn into a mausoleum! and it goes with the ghost theme)

[dionicia]

LOL. There was a method to my madness when I bought it. :)

[MAD BOMBER]

Hey D, That is fantastic... I have been staring at my Monster Guts wiper motor tryin' to figure out how to link it with a pulley. Any chance of more in-depth explaining on that part?????? I have already built the other pullies with the hopes of everything coming together. (maybe the axworthy fairies fixin it for me!!)

[dionicia]

Monsterguts has an extension you can buy for $3 bucks that you can use to extend the screw on the wiper motor which I think includes a M6 metric threaded rod, a coupler, some nuts and locking washers. I recommend getting a few flat washers to go between the plates on either end.

You can also find a M6 coupler at the hardware store and you can use a 1 or 2 inch M6 screw and a few flat washers.

You will first add the coupler to the motor screw. If your using the Monsterguts extension, you will use the threaded rod and attach that to the on the motor and then add a washer, the pulley, another washer and then the locking washer and one of the nuts (if you can find a nylon locking nut I would go with that).

If you are going with the coupler and a screw (this was the route I used), you will want to add the coupler to the motor, slide a flat washer over the screw, feed it through the pulley, add another flat washer and then attach it to the coupler. You can use white lithium grease if needed.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.

P.S. If your building an Axworthy using a windshield wiper motor, post some pics here. I like to see how everyone is doing. :)

[dionicia]

Well it worked, for like an hour. The speed was too much for the ghosts, the string I used for all 4 ripped off.

Have to get stronger line for next year.

[DeathTouch]

Yeah, I would try that spider wire for next year.

[dionicia]

With the holidays over, the charger plates are on clearance. Just a hint in case anyone wants to work on these with bigger plates.

[bayork]

In case anyone else has been trolling the dollar stores/Target/Walmart/etc. for plates, The local Big Lots in the San Francisco Bay Area are carrying 13" gold charger plates, 4 for $6. They're plastic but don't appears to be melamine. Definitely look like they would work, though.

[figstimpy]

i know this is lasts years post but I am planning on making one this weekend, but i am still trying to wrap my head around the line, is it just the tightness of the line that keeps it running around the pulleys or is there something special you have to do with it?
Thanks in advance

[tot13]

thanks fig for bringing this up as i've always had a question about these. I know this is probably asinine, but does the ghost have to hang from the running line (the circuit that goes from pulley to pulley) and not attached directly to the running line so that it doesn't get caught in the pulleys?

[figstimpy]

http://ravenmanor.com/projects/axworthy.html has a possible way of attaching ghost, but i am still lost on the line, lol, are there knots to guide it or strictly just rely on tension of the line to move it.

[dionicia]

Hi everyone. The tightness of the line is what kept mine running around. I also used the fishing swivel to connect the ghost to the line only I used the clip to pierce the line.

I bought a marine line that could handle up to 250 lbs and success. It didn't fail once yesterday.

I'm going to get pics of it running in the light.

[dionicia]

YouTube - Axworthy in motion

I'm glad I paid a little bit more for the better line for the ghosts to run on.

[dominic81]

Congrats on your project it looks great..