|
As an addition to the original TCT,
I added a hand that reaches up, not long after
completing the project in '97. Until then the 'trauma simply
didn't have more than the one hand
as seen here with Carl Chetta's
original trauma on the right. I attached a heavy fishing line to the ghoul's right hand,
then to the lid of trash can. When the lid lifts, it simply lifts the hand with
it.
 There were no provisions to keep the plunger of the bicycle pump from
leaning to the side once this hand was attached, since the pop-up hand was added
after the 'trauma was built. This event could benefit from the use of two bike
pumps side by side, thus eliminating not only the need for the pvc
pipe to keep the lid aligned
forward and the throw limiter chains,
but the lid's
tilt from the hand's weight! The other hand is attached to
the pvc pipe with sheet metal screws then covered with the arm of the shirt used
for the body of the ghoul.
 Here is the finished product in all it's gory.
You'll want to play with your needle valves now to get the throw of the arm to
pause for a fraction of a second after the main air cylinder sends the lid safely out
of the
 way, and adjust the bleeder to also allow the arm to recede a moment
before the mask begins its decent
so the hand doesn't get caught by
the closing lid. Looking at the
photo on the left you will notice that the lid
to this is not 100% shut. This is so the
lid doesn't clamp down in its grooves, as well as getting the height of the mask
as high as I can possibly get it.
I attached a shirt to
the edges of the crown attached to
the bike pump handle underneath the mask with a
stapler to give the ghoul more of a body. I agree its not much to look at, but
with the deafening scream of the air horn, the flashing red eyes built into the
mask and the strobe light on this bad boy, I don't think the shape of his shirt
will be very apparent for a 2
second cycle run. When you send
 air
to the heart, the bleeder valve
allows the run-off air which allows
the entire assembly to slowly
recoil to fully closed, resetting
itself for the next victim.
Here's a shot of the Trash Can Trauma in the haunt springing to life!
In 2001 I decided the Trauma needed
a new voice instead of blasting an
air horn. So here is how I achieved a trigger for a sound chip repeater and works
very similar to the system shown
here,
only we are using a manual trigger instead of the Interface from
Haunt
Masters. This is a normally open momentary button I picked up at OSH. I
screwed it to the bracket that my screen door closer air cylinder attaches to his
arm. Then I simply hose clamped a small piece of metal that was bent like an
L-bracket at the end for the button to close against. In the relaxed position the button leaves the connection to whatever wires
are attached to it unconnected. The split second the arm is activated, the
connection is made
 and the two wires send that signal to the sound chip repeater
which then sends a sound feed to the powered speaker I have mounted inside the
can and at the same moment the head pops up to position, he lets out a very
audible scream. For complete instructions on adding motion detection and sound
to your project, visit the Motion Trigger how-to
here.
New in 2002 our guy was fitted with a silencer for his air hiss when
activated and resetting. Fast and
simple to make from a piece of PVC
pipe and some foam, you can see how to make this in the updated
instructions on making the
Air
Trigger.
And that sums it up! I hope you
have a great time with your project
and if you make one yourself be
sure to put the banner below up on
your website and get on the mailing
list for Creep Crafters member
club!
See the Trauma in
action. |
