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"  Want to scare up some excitement this Halloween? Then try your hand at making this simple prop that&amp;#039;s sure to delight the trick-or-treaters at your front door. I call this basic animated prop the Trash Bin Terror (TBT). It makes use of compressed air to extend a cylinder-mounted fright head out of a nondescript trash can when unsuspecting victims draw near. In the right location, the Trash Bin Terror is sure to make trick-or-treaters jump.  This project is basically an electropneumatic prop. While this may sound technically daunting, it merely means that compressed air is used to manipulate and position the prop, and the signals that tell the prop when to operate are transmitted electrically. The prop head, hardware and electronics can be bought at evilusions.com. Now let&amp;#039;s get started! Safety Note: Pneumatic devices can be dangerous. Work carefully around pressurized hoses, and never let them whip around when attaching or detaching them from fittings. The piston extends and retracts with great force, even at low air-pressure settings. Always work carefully around the piston, and detach the air supply if you need to work on the cylinder. When the job is completed, take time to position the animated prop so that it cannot accidentally hurt someone when it operates. Wear safety glasses when fabricating TBT. If in doubt, seek the assistance of a qualified electrician or pneumatics expert.  32-Gallon Galvanized Steel Trash Can (1) 1-1/16-Inch-Diameter-Bore, 12-Inch-Stroke Double-Acting, Nose-Mounting Pneumatic Cylinder with 1/8-Inch-Diameter NPT Ports (1) Cylinder Mounting Bracket (1) 12-Volt Two-Position, Four-Way, Five-Port-Valve Solenoid Control Valve with 1/4-Inch-Diameter NPT Ports  (2) 1/4-Inch NPT Air Mufflers for Solenoid (2) 18-Inch Lengths of 1/4-Inch-Diameter Polyurethane Air Tubing  (2) 1/4-Inch OD Push-to-Connect Tube to 1/4-inch Male NPT Fitting (2) 1/4-Inch OD Push-to-Connect Fitting to 1/8-Inch Male NPT Fitting (1) Male Pneumatic Hose Quick-Qonnect Fitting Scary-Looking Prop Head Air Compressor or Air Tank Push-Button Switch Scrap Lumber for Frame Nails  Step 1: Pneumatics  The heart of the system is a 3/4-inch-bore cylinder with a 12-inch stroke. A 1/4-inch pneumatic tube enters each end of the cylinder, and a burst of air either extends or retracts the tube. First, drill a 2-inch-diameter hole in the side of your trash can near the bottom and file to remove burrs. This hole accommodates the main air line from the compressor and the electrical wiring. Step 2: Mount the Air Cylinder  Mount the air cylinder to a simple support made of dimensional lumber. Note that when the cylinder actuates, it does so with quite a bit of energy, so use a wide, heavy base, and bolt the base to the bottom of the trash can using the machine screws. Step 3: More Mounting  Mount the solenoid valve to the wooden support as shown. Most solenoid bodies have mounting holes. Simply screw or bolt the solenoid to the support, but be sure to mount it in such a way as to provide enough working room to easily attach the air hoses as described in subsequent steps. Step 4: Push-to-Connect Tube Fittings  Put together your push-to-connect (PTC) tube fittings. Simply insert the polyurethane or nylon tubing into the collet and twist. Voil\u00E0! You have a high-integrity, air-tight fitting. Take one of the 18-inch-long 1/4-inch-diameter tubes and attach a PTC fitting to a 1/8-inch NPT fitting at one end, and a PTC to a 1/4-inch NPT fitting at the other. Repeat for the second tube.  Attach the 1/4-inch air-tube fittings to the solenoid-valve outlets, and the 1/8-inch air-tube fittings to the air cylinder. Step 5: The Solenoid Valve  The solenoid valve controls air entering and leaving the cylinder. When voltage is applied to the electrical contacts on the solenoid, air is directed through the body of the valve into one end of the cylinder. The air pushes on one side of the piston inside, extending it. The air trapped on the opposite end of the cylinder exhausts through the exhaust port on the valve body. When the voltage is removed, the solenoid valve moves to its rest position, directing the air to the other end of the cylinder and retracting the piston. Step 6: Pneumatic Mufflers  Insert two pneumatic mufflers into the exhaust ports of the solenoid valve. The mufflers control the rate at which air exits the cylinder. Next, insert a male industrial-style quick connect into the common port on the solenoid. This is where you will connect the main air line to the air compressor or other compressed air source. Step 7: Attach the Prop  Attach your fright prop to the end of the piston. There are many ways to attach the prop to the piston. The best method depends on the prop you use. Irrespective of how you attach the prop to the piston, be certain it is securely attached. Step 8: Wire the Trigger Switch  A loop of low-voltage electrical wire leading to and from the solenoid opens and closes the valve. Connect a 12-volt DC power source\u2014either an adjustable transformer or a 12-volt battery\u2014at any point along the circuit. Wire the trigger switch, 12-VDC-transformer output, activation switch and solenoid-valve electrical contacts in series as shown in the electrical wiring diagram. Step 9: The Air  Attach an air source to the common port on the solenoid valve. Air pressure settings vary depending on the speed and volume requirements of your prop. In general, use the lowest air pressure that provides satisfactory performance. Safety and cylinder longevity correlate inversely with air pressure. Set your compressor to 40 psi for a start. Test the action before showtime to make sure the head stays attached. When you close the switch contacts, the solenoid energizes and actuates the pneumatics. Step 10: Boo!  Plug in the 12-volt transformer. Finally, conceal the trigger and wait for an unsuspecting victim. Happy haunting! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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