Flying Crank Ghost
There are numerous sites on the web on how to build a Flying Crank Ghost (FCG), most notably the originator of the prop, Phantasmechanics, the site with the most detailed instructions, Kick the Fog and the site with the cheapest version, Easy FCG. I cannot hope to put up better versions of these three how-tos, but what I can do is show how to take these three most informative sites, and use their knowledge to create your own version. Think outside the box is my motto.
Building a Frame
In a quest to build an inexpensive frame, which aluminum is not, I decided to go with wood. I had 1x3 lumber, and cut to length. I started to use the measurement available at Kick the Fog's site, but ended up going with the ones in the frame drawing. I mounted the motor so that the crank arm was dead center of the frame. Measurements were two lengths of 39 inches, the front cross piece was 31 inches, and the back piece was 18 inches. The boards are attached with screws, and it actually is very stable.
I used eyebolts screwed in at the top for hanging, and connected it to the roof of the crypt (which also had eyebolts screwd into it) with a fairly heavy wire (clothesline wire to be exact). Just make sure you level the frame if you do it this way. Using quick connectors wouldn't allow me to have a level platform, which is why I went with the wire.
To mount the motor, I used regular screws into the wood, and taped the capacitor to the motor itself to hold it in place. The wiring was the hardest part, since using the wire caps would cause it to pull apart. I finally ended up just using electrical tape to put the switch and wires together, and it pretty much stayed in place after that. Also, I used cable ties onto the frame to hold the power cord in place, as that also had a tendency to come apart. This motor unfortunately is no longer available, otherwise I'd recommend it. It's extremely silent and very powerful, and is reversible, so you can run it whichever way you'd like. I chose to run it clockwise, as I really saw no difference in movement.
For the crank arm, I was fortunate to be working at a factory that uses bolts with handles in their product (snowplows). These are bolts that are welded to a steel strip and used to put bolts into a truck's frame, where the reach is too narrow for a hand. The one I was using had an 18 inch handle, so I cut off three inches, and bent it at a 90 degree angle from three inches down. This left a crank arm of 12 inches. Also, I was fortunate to have access to the metal fab department, so it made those modifications easy for me.
Once I had the arm to my satisfaction, I made the fender washer as per the EZ FCG site, in other words, rather than drill holes, I used small washers and JBWeld to create the attachment points. It did take a couple of tries to get them equidistant, and far enough apart to prevent fetching up on the nuts. For nuts, I used an assortment of lock washers of different sizes to hold that fender washer in place without wobbling. To aid it in spinning freely, I used a nylon washer I got from the hardware store. I think it made all the difference.
I then attached the crank arm to the motor shaft using a wire clamp connector I found at the hardware store. The regular u-bolt recommended by the other sites wouldn't work for me. At first I couldn't find them at the hardware store, and when I did, none of the sizes seemed to be appropriate. The one I used did the job, but it did come apart a couple of times. Mainly due to not being tightened down far enough, so I also added some JBWeld to the pieces and let them set overnight. Next year I am going to try a small hose clamp and JBWeld.
So, after numerous false starts, I was ready to make the ghost. I did the standard draping, using instructions from Phantasmechanics site, but did not go with the LED eyes, due to the location of my crypt. I also didn't use hands, preferring to leave the illusion as ephemeral as possible. And those hands do look cheesy. I did add weight to the hands, using some farily large fishing sinkers, as I was having some snagging problems. There was no need to counterweight the ghost, but I do feel the balancing did help in the tangling and breaking.
For line I used braided nylon ice fishing line, having discovered that monofilament, even 50 lb. test, wasn't going to work very well. I also used silicone spray on the eyebolts for smooth operation. Although I started out with the little swivel pulleys, I eventually removed them as they were more trouble than they were worth. For more tips and tricks, and some troubleshooting, please continue to the next page
