Rocking Tombstone
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With some spare parts around the garage, I decided to try to put together a rocking tombstone
(tombstone that moves back and forth). I took a bunch of pictures as I built it, but can't find most
of them now. Let me know if I need to elaborate on something, or add more pictures
please let me know. (jeff.a.baird(AT)gmail.com) Since this was done with spare parts, there are
probably better ways of doing this, but this will give you the idea. One note with PVC, you may have to
experiment a bit to get the lengths right. The below are estimates. Better to get it too long and trim
it than too short! |
Parts I used:
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| Step 1: I started with a sheet of blue insulation foam about the size I wanted for a tombstone. The idea is to have the tombstone work like a teeter totter. I cut a hole just big enough for the thinner piece of PVC to fit, in the center of the sheet of foam, near the bottom. This is the pivot point for the 'teeter totter' tombstone. |
| Step 2: We used the 1" PVC on either side of the tombstone as the supports for the
teeter. I attached the T's to the base board, with grabber screws, with the third side pointing
up. Each of those connects to the 8" pieces of PVC, and topped with the elbows, with them
pointing at each other. The 1/4" PVC that's inside the foam will sit inside these two elbows, so
that it can teeter back and forth. The piece of PVC inside the foam, can be cut down so it sits
just right in the 1" elbows. Once I verified the positioning was coorect, I secured the
PVC with a little bit of Gorrilla Glue. When this is done, you can rock your tombstone by hand,
to see how it will work.
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| Step 3: I then attached the motor to my 2x4 with some grabber screws. I took the aluminum bar
and drilled small holes on either end. On the end of the crank arm of the motor, there is a small
cylinder. I drilled one of the holes in the bar just slightly bigger around than that, so the hole
can slide over the cylinder. A paperclip through a small hole on the cylinder keeps the bar in place.
The other end of the aluminum bar is what will push the tombstone back and forth.
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| Step 4: The next step you'll want to experiment with where the motor will go.
You want the motor positioned so that it rotates on the same plane as the tombstone rocks. Plugging in the motor and moving around different
places on the board will help you see what I mean. You'll also want to decide to put the motor close to the pivot
point, or further out towards the edge of the tombstone. Further out and you'll get less movement. Closer
to the pivot and it will move more. Get the desired amount of movement by moving the motor around and experimenting.
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| Step 4: Once I'm sure of where to put the motor, I mount the 2x4 to the base board with some grabber screws.
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| Step 5: Now we need another hole in the foam to attach to the aluminum bar. Once again,
it's good to experiment with where you want it before you cut the hole. Hold the end of the aluminum
bar on the foam and see what kind of movement you want. Once you know the right spot, make a hole just big enough
for a machine bolt. I didnt' want the bolt to wiggle loose, so after cutting the hole, I used gorrilla
glue to attach two washers on either side of the hole. Then you can run the bolt through the foam, and through
the hole on the aluminum bar. Then just a few nuts on the end. At this point your tombstone should rock!
Here's a picture of what's described above. |
| Video of where we're at so far. |
| Step 6: After this, the mechanism is done. You just need to make your tombstone look spooky! I cut the shape
I wanted and painted it (not with spray paint. That will dissolve the foam). To hide the mechanism,
I cut the bottom out of a styrofoam cooler, flipped it upside down and gorrilla glued it to the base. When doing
this, make sure the tombstone still has room to rock all the way to either side.
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| Step 7: The last thing we did was added a poseable skeleton to make it look like
he's rocking the tombstone. |
