Indiana Jones idol with screen accurate motorized eyes

[kurtyboy]

I'm working on it. Arduino and servos to move the eyes and trying to replcate the rig on the original.

I will be using screen accurate Futaba remote and receiver for the final though, all going well.

 

[Duncanator]

Pics! Pics! Pics!

 

[mrwax]

You definitely have my attention!

 

[agent5]

The size of the area around the eyes is key to it looking right. If the eye sockets are too big it makes the glass eyes look buggy. I've only seen one replica so far that looks solid.

 

[MAKE BELIEVE]

Great project. Keep us posted!

 

[kurtyboy]

Yep I know. I had custom made eyes last time I put them in an idol. It's the pupil and iris size that are key. Most of the off the shelf eyes have far too big a pupil. The ones pictured here were from Sskunky but they are only hemispheres so I'm trying to get spherical ones. No doubt I'll end up having to make my own again!

Not much to show at present I'm afraid.

This will be a slow burning project as I try and figure it out. Still having trouble with the Arduino sketch and the Servo/SlowMotionServi libraries getting the eyes to move just a small increment when left or right is pressed on the remote. I can get them to go all the way to the left or all the way to the right.

The size of the area around the eyes is key to it looking right. If the eye sockets are too big it makes the glass eyes look buggy. I've only seen one replica so far that looks solid.

 

[kurtyboy]

I think I'll be using my Sskunky hollow idol. Half the work done.

 

[kurtyboy]

And the vintage parts.

 

[kurtyboy]

For those that haven't seen the original. Incidentally, which featurette was this taken from?

Incidentally, what is this thing circled below? The servo motor is outlined in a dotted line. I know that's the motor becasue I have one just like it. You can see the vertical brass rod attached to it.

 

[Cantina_Dude]

Incidentally, what is this thing circled below?

How was this thing powered? Could that part be a battery? It's hard to tell from that one image but it kinda looks like the wiring is attached to it in the middle there.

 

[kurtyboy]

Good call, could definitely be the battery pack which would indeed connect to the FUTABA receiver box.

 

[Zombie Killer]

Thats the receiver battery box i sent you the link to yesterday.

 

[kurtyboy]

Didn't realise it was the same one, thanks ZK.

 

[belloq]

Cool project. Never noticed the stamp on the white part. Looks like modified ping pong balls were used as the fixed rear shells to hold the acrylic eyes in place. The key to accuracy is the acrylic eyes are fairly close to the eye opening/surface. You may need to remove some material from inside your idol to achieve the proper look.

 

[kurtyboy]

Ping pong balls would be quite thin wouldn't they? These look quite thick. Squash?

Anyone know what video the picture has been taken from?

 

[division 6]

IIRC the Making of Raiders that is in the 4 DVD set.
The 3 movies and the bonus disk.

 

[agent5]

The pic is from the 2003 dvd release from an extra disc included in the earlier packaging. It's not on the main dvd set as far as I can remember and features some scenes from the Making of Raiders VHS/Laserdisc.
Those magnets on the back look pretty big. They also used magnets to put together parts of the Flying Wing.

 

[Zombie Killer]

The magnet housings look like old cherry bombs or M-80's M90's

 

[kurtyboy]

Damn, I sold the DVDs when I upgraded to Blu. Is it not on that?

 

[RedheadKevin]

That's so weird. I'm going to have to watch Raiders again. I never realized the eyes moved.