in the mood for a bit of whimsey this week, I took an old windshield wiper motor, a Lionel smoke generator, a RS audio chip and a model rocket kit to add a bit of special effects to my layout.
Hope you enjoy this short B movie I put together to add some wow factor to my layout when guests come over.
-Pete
PS. Wife hasn't mentioned the hole in the ceiling yet...but I know that shoe will drop!
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I really like that, very nicely done. 
Alex
Derek Meddings would be proud of you. 
Cool, oh yeah you are going to the dog house for the hole in ceiling... thats why i have a spare pack of ceiling tiles stored away in the attic
Thanks.....appreciate the compliments..you are right it does remind me of Fireball XL5!
(but only cheesier!) It was a fun little project incorporating the windshield wiper motor with a pulley wheel lifting the rocket with fishing line. The wiper works off a 12 volt power supply with a electronic speed controller. I put the smoke generator into the blast off pad and operate the Radio Shack sound chip of the rocket countdown and blastoff, along with the wiper motor with toggle switches located on my control panel......If anyone is interested in pics of the install.....let me know and I will post them.
-Pete
Sorry to bump this topic but finally uploaded a better video via youtube......
-Pete
Brings back memories of Gerry Andersen, 'Supermarionation', the Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Stingray
Pete!!! It went right into a "Black Hole" 
Will it ever return?!?!?!
That was great!Loved the audio.
Thanks.....appreciate the compliments..you are right it does remind me of Fireball XL5!
(but only cheesier!) It was a fun little project incorporating the windshield wiper motor with a pulley wheel lifting the rocket with fishing line. The wiper works off a 12 volt power supply with a electronic speed controller. I put the smoke generator into the blast off pad and operate the Radio Shack sound chip of the rocket countdown and blastoff, along with the wiper motor with toggle switches located on my control panel......If anyone is interested in pics of the install.....let me know and I will post them.
-Pete
Can you elaborate on the sound chip? Programed? Pre-recorded? From a toy?
You could try and turn the ceiling hole into a cloud.
I'm sure some of us grew up with Captain Video, Tom Corbett, Space Patrol, and the early 50s V2 type rocketships, this brought back those memories, rockets sitting on their tails, and the "B" feel. Thanks for posting.
Thanks.....appreciate the compliments..you are right it does remind me of Fireball XL5!
(but only cheesier!) It was a fun little project incorporating the windshield wiper motor with a pulley wheel lifting the rocket with fishing line. The wiper works off a 12 volt power supply with a electronic speed controller. I put the smoke generator into the blast off pad and operate the Radio Shack sound chip of the rocket countdown and blastoff, along with the wiper motor with toggle switches located on my control panel......If anyone is interested in pics of the install.....let me know and I will post them.
-Pete
Can you elaborate on the sound chip? Programed? Pre-recorded? From a toy?
You could try and turn the ceiling hole into a cloud.
I like the cloud idea.....will have to give that some more thought.....Wish my ceiling was a bit higher so the Rocket ship would disappear into the ceiling.
The sound chip I bought from Radio Shack. However I removed the speaker and replaced it with an old set of amplified computer speakers. Heres a pic of the Radio Shack product.
also pictured below are the modified windshield wiper motor with pulley wheel and the control panel I cobbled together which has switches for pulley direction, smoke rocker switch, sound button and rocket speed
Thank you BF, I haven't had electricity since the day I asked.
Derek Meddings would be proud of you.
OMG, I haven't seen that in 40+ years! Wow. Thanks for posting it.
George
in the mood for a bit of whimsey this week, I took an old windshield wiper motor, a Lionel smoke generator, a RS audio chip and a model rocket kit to add a bit of special effects to my layout.
Hope you enjoy this short B movie I put together to add some wow factor to my layout when guests come over.
-Pete
PS. Wife hasn't mentioned the hole in the ceiling yet...but I know that shoe will drop!
Nice piece of engineering.
George
Maybe to help hide the hole, put some cotton up there to make it
look like clouds. Then is goes through the clouds and into the black hole...
Great project......
I think the cotton/ cloud idea is definitely the way to go. Gotta figure out how to make the cotton part form around the hole without obstructing the rocket as it enters and later descends from the hole. I remember reading a post whereby someone made a thunder and lightning cloud that actually gave a pretty good simulation......that would be something to see that display as the rocket disappears into the hole!
Any ideas are gratefully appreciated as I continue to tweak this ongoing project.
-Pete
Rube Goldberg would be proud of you, cool idea!
that is awesome.
Adding thickness (down from tile) would mask it all better. It looks like a tall ceiling, a thick cloud would allow the ship to enter further. A false cloud bottom which the rope can pass trough could be used. The nose of the rocket would lift it, creating a "ring". Painting everything in the ceiling white, and maybe lighting it to keep it bright, would help it be a dent, or hole in the bottom of a cloud. Light coats of clear paint or hair spray might make the cotton less prone to shredding. Lining the hole with clear plastic, forming a tube, could help prevent wing snags. Or a space like "black hole" appearing would be cool too. Don't have a theater spotlight iris handy do you?
That has the perfect "cheesy" scifi look. Well done!
Derek Meddings would be proud of you.
Watched that when I was a young megalomaniac. Brings back memories. Thanks for the post. Didn't Derek Meddings also do the model effects work for Thunderbirds, Stingray and Supercar? Those were all from roughly the same era and used similar effects.
Adding thickness (down from tile) would mask it all better. It looks like a tall ceiling, a thick cloud would allow the ship to enter further. A false cloud bottom which the rope can pass trough could be used. The nose of the rocket would lift it, creating a "ring". Painting everything in the ceiling white, and maybe lighting it to keep it bright, would help it be a dent, or hole in the bottom of a cloud. Light coats of clear paint or hair spray might make the cotton less prone to shredding. Lining the hole with clear plastic, forming a tube, could help prevent wing snags. Or a space like "black hole" appearing would be cool too. Don't have a theater spotlight iris handy do you?
Some great suggestions! Also looking at painting the ceiling tile black and adding some fiber optic strands with light to the ceiling tile to simulate a black hole and stars. (Have seen this design in a few home theaters) maybe a small strobe lite in the black hole for effect. Especially like the idea of a false bottom so the ship would appear to completely disappear into the opening.....that would solve the limited space i have from the ceiling to the upstairs flooring.
-Pete
I love the strobe idea. From lightning to "space plasma" flashes can be used simulate a bunch of cool stuff, not to mention the slow-mo effect it could add if in a dark room.
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