MOBILE FLYING CRANK GHOST MECHANISM


EDITORIAL COMMENT ON FCG TERMINOLOGY:

MOBILE FCG MECHANISM is one where the assembly can be moved, but is still AC powered. (Requires extension cord)

PORTABLE FCG MECHANISM is one where the assembly can be moved, but is DC powered. (Battery powered)




DOWNLOAD THESE MPG VIDEOS OF THE PROP IN ACTION
File size very small, each less than one floppy disk.
Each also contains audio commentary to help explain prop.
  • Clear Daylit Shot (Shows the portablity of the mobile frame)
  • Clear Daytime Shot (Shows just how the FCG effect is done.)
  • Clear Blacklight Shot (TURN OFF ROOM LIGHTS TO VIEW THIS ONE !)

    Requirements:
  • $ 8.00 - 4 pieces of lumber, 6 feet long, 1 inch x 3 inch
  • $ 4.00 - 2 planks of plywood, each at least 3 feet x 3 feet
  • $ 6.00 - 4 casters
  • $ 4.00 - Black Spray Paint
  • $ 3.00 - Surge Protector
  • $10.00 - Small Blacklight, purchased AFTER halloween at 1/2 off
  • $35.00 - <- TOTAL COST (OF JUST THE MOBILE FRAME !)

  • $150.00 - Flying Crank Ghost motor, purchased from The Iron Kingdom
    (This price is optional if you are talented enough to build your own FCG with low cost materials.)


  • $185.00 -> FINAL COST (And well worth every penny, in my humble opinion !)

    Tools Required:
  • Circular Saw
  • Drill
  • Electric Screwdriver
  • Tape Measure

    How It Started Out:
    We just bought a brand new home and my wife was a bit apprehensive of having me drill holes in the cieling of our new home to mount the Flying Crank Ghost motor that she had purchased me for my birthday. I came up with the idea of making a platform for the motor, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I could make the frame MOBILE, so that on different nights, I can more the FCG to different rooms of the house, so that it looks like the ghost is haunting the whole house!

    As a side note, I must say that The Iron Kingdom's 'Phantom Flyer' worked flawlessly and was a breeze with installation. If you are the least bit intimidated at building your own FCG, I cannot recommend highly enough for you to purchase a 'Phantom Flyer' from them. Click here to go to thier web site. -> The Iron Kingdom

    How I Did It:


    Designate which piece of plywood will be TOP and which will be BOTTOM, they will be cut to two different sizes.


    STEP 1

    TOP OF THE MOBILE FCG MECHANISM
    Cut the plywood to the height and width of your FCG mechnism ADD 1 inch on each measurement. Place the FCG motor on upside down on the wood and draw a large circle around the motor mechanism, this will be cut out so that the motor can then poke thru the top of the wood.(see pictures above)

    Remove the topmost eyebolts and draw with a pencil where to drill into the board to place your bolts. Why do you want to do this ? When you bolt the assembly to the top board, you will be able to use shorter, (easier to find) bolts AND this will maximize the overall height of your FCG motor. This also gives you a hole to thread your power cords to attach to the surge protector without interfering with the FCG movement.(see second picture above)

    After cutting out the hole for the motor and drilling the 3 holes where the eyehooks were, go ahead and bolt the FCG motor to the TOP board.



    STEP 2

    BOTTOM OF THE MOBILE FCG MECHANISM
    You will notice that your FCG motor is wider than it is long, so to move thru doorframes, it will be best to move the mobile frame SIDEWAYS.

    Measure the width of your doorframe MINUS 1 inch, this measurement will be the LENGTH of your base from FRONT TO BACK.(see second picture above)

    The FCG has a propensity to lean forward, having the base be longer than the TOP gives it greater support and balance.

    The WIDTH of your base from SIDE TO SIDE, will be the width of your TOP piece.(see first picture above)



    STEP 3

    Measure the height of your doorways.

    You will need to cut your 1" x 3" lumber to the height of your doorframe
    MINUS the height of casters,
    MINUS the thickness of BOTH planks of wood,
    MINUS the amount of the motor will poke out thru the top of the frame,
    MINUS 1 more inch just to be safe.



    STEP 4

    Mount your caster's onto the bottom of your BOTTOM board. (About 1 inch diagonal inward, you can use extra long screws in the back casters to screw into the back 1" x 3"'s.) Then screw in the front 1" x 3"'s about midway on the base.

    Why midway and not all the way to the front ? Because the extreme front right and front left of the top piece is where the eyebolts for the 'hands' of the marionette go and placing the 1" x 3"s there would interfere with movement.



    STEP 5

    Now connect the TOP piece to the 1" x 3"'s the same exact locations the bottom was attached.

    Make sure that the 1" x 3"'s do NOT interfere with the circular rotation of the arm. If you did your measurements correctly, they should be just fine.



    STEP 6

    Get a SMALL blacklight and mount it beside the motor (see first picture above) and thread the power cord thru the hole to the surge protector.(see second picture above)

    Make sure that the blacklight does NOT interfere with the circular rotation of the arm.



    STEP 7

    Hang the marionette on the FCG frame, and drape the cheesecloth for a 'wispy' ghost-like look.




    STEP 8

    Spray Paint the MOBILE FCG FRAME black, (Be sure to remove the marionette and try not to paint the motor or blacklight)


    You do NOT need to paint the base, because that part of the effect is NOT visible, it will be below the bottom of your window. (Though if your really anal and want it to look good, go ahead and paint it...)

    Now if your REALLY smart, you would simply paint everything first. :)
    (I didnt paint first because I didnt want the paint to rub off all over me. Yea, that's the ticket...)



    SHE IS NOW DONE AND READY TO GO ON THE MOVE !







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