MST3K Crow Robot Question

[MrSinistar]

Alright! I'm finally going to start making my own Crow T. Robot! I always wanted to do this

I just acquired some parts (body and bowling pin) and after studying the auction picture, I realize I have a little problem. The bowling pin has already been cut by the previous owner and (according to JoeCrow's instructions) the upper and lower jaws should not be entirely separated, so that there's a "hinge" for Crow's lower jaw. Well the guy cut the pin all the way through so that there's no hinge. How should I fix this?

I have to admit, I'm new to prop building, so please forgive me if I ask noobish questions and stuff. Thanks.

 

[MrSinistar]

Re: Questions for Crow Robot Builders

Can anyone help me out? I don't know if this is a serious problem or not...I'm assuming it's the latter. Here's a pic of the pin:

 

[dcarty]

Re: Questions for Crow Robot Builders

It shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate a hinge. In fact I would suggest a small piece of cloth. That could be tacked into place with some glue and be nearly invisible when it's painted.

You'll want a good glue for HDPE (which is somewhat difficult to work with). Something like Pro-Poly or PVC glue.

That's my $.02

Dave

 

[MrSinistar]

Re: Questions for Crow Robot Builders

It shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate a hinge. In fact I would suggest a small piece of cloth. That could be tacked into place with some glue and be nearly invisible when it's painted.

You'll want a good glue for HDPE (which is somewhat difficult to work with). Something like Pro-Poly or PVC glue.

That's my $.02

Dave

Thanks a lot! Should I use the PVC glue for securing the hockey faceguard to the head as well?

 

[franz bolo]

A good hinge is to use the Tyvek from a fed-ex envelope. The glue is real strong and the Tyvek is pretty dang tough.

I've used this on some of my sketchbooks when I wear out the inside cover area.

FB

 

[Melonpool]

You should drill a hole through the facemask and the back of the pin and put a bolt through it to keep it in place. Use washers, too. It will keep the plastic from cracking when you cinch down the nut.

 

[Melonpool]

Also, make sure you use Testors lime gold paint (I think it takes about 5-7 cans to do the entire puppet). I used regular gold on my first version and it was a very different color than the lime gold. I understand the Brains used flat black on Crow as well, but I used a semi-gloss.

 

[Fyberdyne Labs]

I would suggest you reinforce the back of the bowling pin were the hockey mask mounts. It will over time bend. It even happen to the original Crow. The mask will bend to the left or right insted of stright up. Resin or fiberglas should stop this. Also you will need a piece of string elastic to hold him mouth shut.
Hope that hepls.
Mark

 

[Too_Many_Cars]

I used a small brass hinge to move the jaw on my Crow, with machine screws through both sides to keep it in place. You definitely want to strengthen up the neck of the pin a bit where the hockey mask is attached, it's a weak point for sure.

My two cents on crow's gold color:
I painted and re-painted mine quite a bit during filming of a fan episode ten years ago. If you go with the testors lime gold flake over primer, or over black, you get a very dark and dull color which doesn't match the TV unless you have TV brightness lighting on the puppet. I liked the look a lot better on both Tom and Crow by giving them a bright primer (Krylon gold metallic for Crow, and bright red for Tom) then dusting 1-2 extremely light coats over the top. It saves a bit on the drippy, expensive Testors flake paints as well.

Gypsy was the same way, if you use a bright metallic blue and then lightly dust the car seat with the correct Pactra purple pearlescent paint you get the TV color and sheen without dousing the puppet in extremely bright lighting.

--Brian

 

[MrSinistar]

Wow, I never did update this. LOL

Doug Walker aka That Guy with The Glasses aka Nostalgia Critic with my Crow:

I used a Krylon gold base coat and 2 (!) cans of Lime Gold. I still need the backplate for his eyes and of course his arms, but I can't afford them right now.

Yeah, when I installed the mask to the bowling pin, I realized it isn't that stable. I put four screws through the pin and that seems to hold everything in place, but I'll definitely add some epoxy or something to strengthen that up.

I'm thinking of eventually replacing the mouth. I'm not entirely happy with it, but it's good for now. Also, unfortunately, I have no eye control. It was a feature I really wanted to do, but I couldn't get it to work for me.

These pics are from November. I fixed the exposed white PVC pipe in his throat. Right now, I'm working on Tom Servo:

I was VERY lucky to get an original Money Lover Barrel.

 

[micdavis]

I did a couple of these a few years ago.

WOW, a Money Lover's Barrel, NICE.

I still have one Tyco train, but alas my Tom and Crow went to the Junkyard.

Nice Job!!!

 

[micdavis]

hiccup!!

 

[Treadwell]

Looks like Crow gave BOTH arms to be ambidextrous!
Good job!

 

[Hogosha]

Nice! Where in the HECK did you find and original money lovers barrel!?! I would make a mold if I were you.

 

[Contec]

I got a couple of Servo heads but no barrel. Been thinking of making a Pepakura barrel and a Pepakura hoverskirt

 

[MrSinistar]

@Contec

Hoverskirt dimentions should be 5" tall, 11.25" across the mouth and 4.875" across the base.

(Not my boo bowl, lol)

Update on the barrel: I haven't done anything to it. Obviously a few people are interested in it and I'm trying to figure out what I should do. I don't wanna say what I'm going to do with it yet.

@Hogosha, I found it on eBay, believe it or not. I guess I was in the right place at the right time, lol.

Also, I'm taking a lot of pictures of the barrel and getting dimensions. They should be up soon.