Ravencrest Cemetery

The next step in this process was to build the apparatus that would cause Nosferatu to rise from his slumber in a perfect, board-straight position. For this I started with 1" steel tubing, as I wanted the frame to be heavy. I cut it all and welded it into the shape of a toe-pincher.

The higher up support will have a "T"-shaped bar attached to support Nosfe in his laying down position. the lower support will be what we mount the pneumatic cylinder to.

A word about the cylinder; it is huge, to say the least. I will get a pic of it up soon, but I got it from a guy with a barn full of industrial equipment he pulled out of the dumpster at a few companies going under in Michigan. The cylinder has about a 14" stroke and a bore of about 2" or so. very big, very powerful! I used the cylinder in a pulling motion for this effect, so when Nosfe is laying down, the cylinder is extended all the way out.

To ensure smooth movement and no binding, I used mounted bearings, both on the coffin frame and on the back of Nosferatu's legs.

Then a piece of round aluminum tubing (I believe 3/4") was inserted through all 4 bearings and the set screws were tightened. The pivot point ended up being about upper-mid-calf level...just below about where the knee would be on a person of this size.

For the rod end of the cylinder, I used a large eye bolt and attached a the end of the cylinder rod to it.

That brings me to the springs...since the cylinder has to work at such a severe angle, and I wanted a nice slow rise, I added springs to assist in getting the movement started. And as luck would have it, they also slow the mostion near the end of the effect when Nosfe is almost totally upright and the cylinder leverage is greater.

So that's only 2 springs. they work to start the motion off, slow it when he is upright and then also slow the motion on the way back down!

Ground control to Nosferatu... ->