Sit Up Prop Using a Door Closer

Created by Braindead Vern & Sue on this site www.halloweenfear.com  Updated by PropMaster.


With a home haunt, we have found that the best non-commercial cylinder to be found on the market today is the screen door closers.  They contain a spring that will return them to the original closed position when the air is off and have an amazing strength.  Since they are designed for pneumatic operation, we find them to be the easiest to convert and operate while their price falls within the constraints of our budget.  Please remember that if you use this design, you will be doing so at your own risk and we are not held liable for any damage or injury that might result from this.  With that 'blurb' out of the way, let's get on with it!!!
 
Materials:
    • 10 ea 1/2" 90 degree elbows 
    • 3 ea 1/2" Tees 
    • 12" of 3/4" thin wall PVC
    • 10' of 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC 
    • 1 Stanley standard screen door closer (Heavy duty) 
    • 4 ea  3/4" tees (T-1 & T-2's)
    • 4 ea  3/4" to 1/2" reducer bushings

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    3/4" Thin wall PVC:
    Piece #1 = 3 5/8"  2 ea
    Piece #2 = 2"      2 ea

    1/2" Schedule 40 PVC:
    2 ea (A) 6 1/2"
    2 ea (B)  10"
    2 ea (C) 9 1/2"
    2 ea (D) 10 1/2"
    2 ea (S1) 3"
    2 ea (S2) 1 1/2"

    2 ea. 14" (not shown in photo)

    2 ea. 4 3/4" (not shown in photo)

    1 ea. 4-6" (not shown in photo)
*Note: One piece D is under the T2 tee and the two 3/4" #1 pieces, the second one is the pipe running through the two T1 3/4" tees.

**Note: The second piece A is under the two 3/4" #2 pieces and the second T2 tee at the tubing end of the door closer.
 
  ***Note: The part the body and head sit on are not shown here. In the upper left photo you can see a 1/2" Tee on the right edge of the photo (see white arrows in top left photo). This Tee and the one on the left side are used to connect the body and head holder not shown.

I added a 14" section of 1/2" PVC to each of these tees. Then two 90* elbows. Place the two 4 3/4" PVC sections into the elbows and join them in the center with another Tee. This tee will have a short section of PVC (4-6") to the top of the Tee to hold the Styrofoam wig head.

****Note: The two Tees (T-1) need to have a 7/8" hold drilled thru them so the PVC section "D" can pass thru them and move freely. (see curved arrow in photo above) I suspect you could just use a 4 way Tee fitting but you might have to make the 1/2" PVC that goes inside slightly longer?
 

 
There is some modification that needs to be done for the door closers as far as attaching the air hose but the attaching of the closer is shown above.  A hole is drilled through the 1/2" part of the tee making sure that you have enough room to put the nut on.  An additional modification (slit) is cut into one of the tees to accomodate the 1/4" tubing.
Door Closer Modification is done as follows:

1: Remove the screw from the base of the screen door closer.

2: Screw in a 10-32 to 1/8" ID

This part is made by Clippard Instrument Lab www.clippard.com and is part number 11752-3 (see photo below sorry they are blurry)

3: In some cases you have to use a hack saw to cut away a little metal to have better access to the hole where the screw was.

4: Use the small black hose 1/8" to connect this to your valve.