You've seen those fun, moving characters that move, wave, jump, and scare the heck out of you in haunted houses at Halloween. Those are called animatronics, and sometimes called mechatronics. Many are very sophisticated and difficult to build, but many are very easy. In this description we'll offer some tips on how you can get started with simple projects.
Tip 1 - Don't be overwhelmed by those involved animatronics props you see in pro haunted houses. Some day you may want to build those, but for now, start small. The first thing you might want to do is recognize some animatronics in action. A great way to do this is to keep your eyes open whenever you go to the grocery store, hardware store, or craft store. Watch for any moving displays. If you stay alert, you will often see rotating signs advertising in-store specials. They're commonly cardboard signs attached to a motor that is powered by a couple of small batteries. Look inside of them. Go around back and see how they are assembled. A goldmine for checking out moving objects is any store that sets up holiday displays. Study those displays and you will learn a lot. You will see that most of them operate with very simple motors and levers.
Animated Halloween Props
Tip 2 - Learn about simple levers. You will be amazed at how easy and fun it is to make objects move with basic levers. They are one of the most prominent ingredients in practically all animatronics and mechatronics.
Tip 3 - Read about animatronics. Your local library and the internet are great resources. Quest for terms like animatronics, mechatronics, and robots.
Tip 4 - Go online or to your local hobby store and buy basic hobby kits that contain gears, motors, and other animatronics. Not only will you learn a lot, but you will have astronomical fun!
Make Halloween Animatronics - Get Started construction Your Own enthralling Props