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Introducing - The Gravity Grabber.
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Here it is mounted to the ceiling:
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And here it is in operation:
Props :: MVI_0583.flv video by Spooky_Sam - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://vid193.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid193.photobucket.com/albums/z305/Spooky_Sam/Props/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@z305/Spooky_Sam/Props/MVI_0583
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Used wiper motor off craigslist $10.00
Used PC power supply at garage sale $3.00
Diode $0.17
Leftover thermostat wire $1.44
Wire nuts $0.39
2.5 square feet of plywood $0.50
2 feet of 2x4 $0.16
Screws $0.15
2 feet of 1/2" gray conduit $0.22
Bolt, nut, and washers $0.13
1/10 can of black spray paint $0.10
1/10 can of white spray paint to cover black - changed my mind. $0.10
Drop down mechanism total $16.35
Foam skull from clearance last year $1.00
Wire hangers from cleaners Free
Packing peanuts Free
Part of a roll of duct tape (not much) $0.35
Plastic grocery bags Free
White kitchen trash bag $0.08
¼ can of brown spray paint $1.12
Corpse total $2.55
Grand total $18.90
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There are essentially two main components to this prop.
The first is the motor & lever mechanism that houses the simple mechanics that cock and release the prop. The housing was built using plywood and 2x4 pieces. Conduit is used as a lever that the wiper motor acts against to raise and drop the prop. I used the parking switch function on the motor to allow the use of a momentary switch to trigger the prop. 3-conductor thermostat wire was run between the power supply/activation switch and the lever box. A diode prevents the parking switch from shorting the power supply. I painted this portion of the prop white with spray paint to blend to the ceiling.
The skeleton was created using mostly wire clothes hangers and a cheap-o foam skull. I used some packing peanuts and duct tape over wire to create the hand form. The rest of the body was shaped using only wire hangers with a bit of duct tape. For the arm, I also utilized one of the cardboard tubes off of a wire hanger for pants to create a radius and ulna. Once the rough form was in place, I began tying on plastic bags to "flesh out" the corpse. Using a heat gun, I melted down the bags to give a rotten appearance and used the trash bag to skin the torso using the same principles. I used a spray-on/wipe-off technique to paint the corpse.
I'll post some "build in progress" shots for you later.
Here it is mounted to the ceiling:
And here it is in operation:
Props :: MVI_0583.flv video by Spooky_Sam - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://vid193.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid193.photobucket.com/albums/z305/Spooky_Sam/Props/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@z305/Spooky_Sam/Props/MVI_0583
------------------------------------------------
Used wiper motor off craigslist $10.00
Used PC power supply at garage sale $3.00
Diode $0.17
Leftover thermostat wire $1.44
Wire nuts $0.39
2.5 square feet of plywood $0.50
2 feet of 2x4 $0.16
Screws $0.15
2 feet of 1/2" gray conduit $0.22
Bolt, nut, and washers $0.13
1/10 can of black spray paint $0.10
1/10 can of white spray paint to cover black - changed my mind. $0.10
Drop down mechanism total $16.35
Foam skull from clearance last year $1.00
Wire hangers from cleaners Free
Packing peanuts Free
Part of a roll of duct tape (not much) $0.35
Plastic grocery bags Free
White kitchen trash bag $0.08
¼ can of brown spray paint $1.12
Corpse total $2.55
Grand total $18.90
-----------------------------------------------------
There are essentially two main components to this prop.
The first is the motor & lever mechanism that houses the simple mechanics that cock and release the prop. The housing was built using plywood and 2x4 pieces. Conduit is used as a lever that the wiper motor acts against to raise and drop the prop. I used the parking switch function on the motor to allow the use of a momentary switch to trigger the prop. 3-conductor thermostat wire was run between the power supply/activation switch and the lever box. A diode prevents the parking switch from shorting the power supply. I painted this portion of the prop white with spray paint to blend to the ceiling.
The skeleton was created using mostly wire clothes hangers and a cheap-o foam skull. I used some packing peanuts and duct tape over wire to create the hand form. The rest of the body was shaped using only wire hangers with a bit of duct tape. For the arm, I also utilized one of the cardboard tubes off of a wire hanger for pants to create a radius and ulna. Once the rough form was in place, I began tying on plastic bags to "flesh out" the corpse. Using a heat gun, I melted down the bags to give a rotten appearance and used the trash bag to skin the torso using the same principles. I used a spray-on/wipe-off technique to paint the corpse.
I'll post some "build in progress" shots for you later.
