Witch stirring cauldron project

[teberle]

Thought I would share a few pictures of my newest prop. Almost done with it.

[Macrosill]

Thought I would share a few pictures of my newest prop.....snip

uhm, thats only 1 picture! :lol:

Looks very cool. Do the arms stir the pot? Can't wait to see the head!

Haunt On!

[teberle]

The stirring stick is mounted to a 12vdc windshield wiper motor. When it is connected to 6 volts it will run at about 22rpm's. The arms are 3/4" pvc pipe with pool noodles for the width and they are connected via zip strips through eye bolts.

I was trying to attach more than 1 picture didn't know how to do it.

[teberle]

So here is a shot of the witch in all of her glory. I am trying to get a short video but need to work on the lighting.

[Macrosill]

Tony,
That looks awesome.

I need to get some pics of this years Halloween display.

[greenmeanie]

Nice work should do a how to some time on how to make them :)

[katie]

That really is so cool. You are gonna scare those kids to death. LOL

[DJzrule]

Nice man! This year if I get a cauldron and have pulsating LEDs that are red, white, and yellow/amber to have a flame effect. I am also going to pick up an old turntable to have the stirring stick connected to in the bottom of the pot so it can stir somewhat like your windshield wiper idea.

[Trepidati0n]

First of all, that thing rocks.

Second, on running 6Vdc into that motor, you might be stressing it (i.e. I've burnt up many a DC motor by not applying its rated voltage). Way to get around this would be to PWM in 12Vdc @ 50%. A simple 555 timer circuit controlling an N-channel FET would be all you needed.

[TERBObob]

Suggestion ( what I did )
On those misting fountains that they sell in ths stores for indoor fountain displays ( kinda gives that eery spooky misting look ) , is the little device called an ultrasonic ionizer .
( here is an example of one : http://cgi.ebay.com/MISTING-FOUANTAIN-REPLACMENT-ULTRASOINC-IONIZER-FOGGER_W0QQitemZ270205108694QQihZ017QQcategoryZ205 69QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem )

Put one of these in a cauldron with regular car antifreeze with a blacklight lit from above and talk about eery ( or how ever thats spelled ) ( for those interested , this does NOT heat the antifreeze and make it toxic , unlike a fogger would . This ionizes it . and hence , does NOT put out toxic fumes )
Next , I made our witch out of PVC piping with a bit of expanding foam added to joints for strength and tossed on a witch's outfit along with mask and hat and used an old wicker broom handle to stir the cauldron . Powered by a RC sail servo ( plenty of torque ) hooked to a wal-wart power transfomer .

[Macrosill]

Bob, I assume that is your real name.

Can you start a new thread and give more details and some pics of your cauldrons?

[alwysrit2]

I started to use that design a couple of years ago, I still have the blue drum in the garage - Here is a howto (not mine) - http://www.scarefx.com/project_witch.html

[teberle]

That is the how to that I used. A few mods for the gear driver motor to rotate the head as those are $70 AC motors, but all in all I looked at the pictures and got after it. it took about a month and a half, but it was well worth it.

[A Marchini]

That is the how to that I used. A few mods for the gear driver motor to rotate the head as those are $70 AC motors, but all in all I looked at the pictures and got after it. it took about a month and a half, but it was well worth it.

Just saw your witch at Lowe's. Complete with built in fog machine I think.
And it is right on the front page http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24322-80668-26035&lpage=none though the one I saw I thought was scarier looking.

Tony M.

[b_legg]

We bought the one from Lowes. Uses regular tap water for the fog effect.

Now I just have to figure out how to control it with my blinky flashy controllers.

;)

[SeaHoCaptain]

I think your project look FANTASTIC!!! I have that on my list but not this year. Gotta limit someplace. We love Halloween!!! I just built a toepincher coffin from the plans online and working on adding some automation to it and a rocking chair. Looking at Vixen triggering to play with it.

David

[teberle]

Just saw your witch at Lowe's. Complete with built in fog machine I think.
And it is right on the front page http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24322-80668-26035&lpage=none though the one I saw I thought was scarier looking.

Tony M.

Mine is better, because I made it.

[BF210]

Put one of these in a cauldron with regular car antifreeze with a blacklight lit from above and talk about eery ( or how ever thats spelled ) ( for those interested , this does NOT heat the antifreeze and make it toxic , unlike a fogger would . This ionizes it . and hence , does NOT put out toxic fumes )

Do you have a reference for that? Standard antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is TOXIC right out of the jug - no heating needed. Ethylene glycol poisoning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol_poisoning)

You should only use reasonably safe fog compounds as specified by the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and operated in accordance with manufacturer's directions. See ANSI E1.5-2003 - Entertainment Technology - Theatrical Fog Made with Aqueous Solutions of Di- and Trihydric Alcohols. (http://www.esta.org/tsp/documents/docs/ANSI_E1-5_2003.pdf) Chemicals with similar-sounding names are NOT the same!

The ESTA has a number of publications about safety within the entertainment context, some of which are free. Consult the Technical Standards Program list of publications (http://www.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php) for more info.
(yet another Don)