I have been drooling over this prop since the Scarefactory came out with it in 2002. Basically it starts out as an object (or your choice) at about 12″ tall and spring up into a character (of your choice) about 6 feet tall in about 1/2 a second. Currently I am more concerned with the erector mechanism itself.

What I like about this prop is that it is powered by cheap easy to find springs… not air (not powered by air) but it uses air power to reset the prop. So the piston power for firing the prop doesn’t matter as the piston is going to slowly reset it. One end of the cylinder will be simply vented to allow the springs to lift the prop.

I will stress that this will be the first moving prop I have ever welded in my life. So expect some sad looking welds! I like everyone else am going to prototype it out of wood first. This will allow me to make any adjustments I need for cylinder location and the like.

UPDATE: November 5th, 2013

This has been in my friends garage on hold for a a while due to my lack of success trying to make a rod clevis that would hold up to the pressures of the action of this prop.  This week I called around town and found the rod clevis costs $38 each and the pin is $8!  I went on Ebay and found 3 of them for around $15 including the pins.  That’s $15 for 3 not each!  When they arrive I will finish this prop off before I start anything else.

 

*** Skelerector Plans are ***

HERE

*** Now Made Public – ENJOY ***

Hardware:
1×1 (actual) wood
1×2 (actual) wood
1×1 square steel tubing – $1.03/foot
1×2 square steel tubing – $1.98/foot
Century Springs (1&1/8″ x 8.5″) – $6.03
Hardware Store Package # C-273
Century Stock # 601
3/8″ Bolts, Washers & Locknuts
2″ bore x 10″ stroke SMC air cylinder
1/4″ steel rod – $0.13/foot
Mac Valves Solenoid
(Model# 225B-111CCAA 120v)

Recipe

I started the wood prototype… I am using a set of plans I got off of a website which will remain nameless. These plans were invaluable in showing me how the mechanism but I still wasn’t sure about many of the measurements. So instead of bugging the builder every 5 minutes with email… I figured I’d use it as a starting point and then using trial and error figure the rest out… this of course will give me a bit more satisfaction with the finished product… Some changes will be made along the way… I’d like to use a shorter cylinder than the other designs use… this will mean a stronger cylinder as well… but since the cylinder is used to reset the prop and not lift it… I think the speed is moot… I will be making 3 of these at once since I have 3 cylinders.

Base

Leader

Follower

Erector Collapsed
8.5 inches high
With prop 12 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erector Extended
4 feet 8 inches high
With prop 6 feet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Century Springs – Model#C-273
Cheaper by orders of 5 or 10

 

 

 

 

 

SMC Air Cylinder – 10″ throw

 

 

 

 

I’ve begun welding the steel frame based on the wooden model.  The drilling of the holes is taking WAY too long so I need to come up with a better solution for this.

*** turns out my drill was running too fast and my bits were too cheap!  Cinnamon scented drilling fluid?  Oh yes they make it!

 

 

 

 

Here the base frame is finished.  Welds need to be ground down before paint.

 

 

Here is the pivot arm that the piston head will attach to and PULL back on.

 

 

 

 

The progress so far…  3 pieces done.  Just need to weld up the lead arm of the four bar linkage.

 

 

 

 

 

Here I’ve tacked on the 45 degree legs for the leader arm.

 

 

 

 

From another angle…

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the armature all assembled (using the wrong size bolts) but it shows how it all goes together.

 

 

 

 

The other end showing the upper torso bar.

 

 

 

 

View from the front of the collapsed mechanism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the skelerector armature in the erect position from 3 angles.  All that’s left to do is insert the 3/8″ bolts and attach the piston, springs and solenoid.  Then it’s time to flesh it out.

 

 

 

 

The spring were a challenge to attach but eventually I figured out to attach the eye hooks to the springs first.

 

 

 

 

The springs are very strong.  This thing is like a mouse trap.  You do not want it hitting you in the chin…

 

 

 

Down on the floor testing the springs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working out the piston location…  Not sure if at maximum extension the piston will even be able to draw the prop back….  the clevis gives a small amount of adjustment.

 

 

 

 

 

I guess that’s why the lead bar has that notch in it…  lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3D Rendering:

 

Supplies:
Century Springs
Coastal Steel
Home Depot
Bucky’s Boneyard (or Anatomical Supply Co)
Windsor Plywood

 

Inspiration:
Chained Coffin – Devious Concoctions (Brent)
Erector – Wicked Beer Nut (Joe) – DEAD – RIP
Floor Buster – Brckee (Jim) – DEAD – RIP