need help adding motion and music to lamp

[msisaac]

So I'm working on a Joe vs the Volcano lamp. For those that don't know, the lamp shade rotated and the lamp also played a "music box" melody. I found some small slow 110v AC motors (I think 2 rpm should be fine to replicate the slow rotation in the movie). Can I splice the motor wires directly into the 110v lamp wires or will that short something out? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for the music? I found some small MP3 breakout boards that can play sound from a microSD card, but the board requires roughly 3v DC. So I'd need some way to invert 110v AC to 3v DC. In a very small package...

Any ideas? Or does someone have a better solution than what I'm thinking?

 

[Pobbrett]

i don't know how the original worked but we used to have a xmas decoration that rotated a shade with fan-like fins on top just using the heat from a lightbulb it mat work well in this application providing the bulb provides enough heat

 

[xl97]

I would say NO the motor will not work directly connected.

1.) you need to know the stats/ratings on your motor? 3v? 5-6v? 12v motor?

 

[msisaac]

i don't know how the original worked but we used to have a xmas decoration that rotated a shade with fan-like fins on top just using the heat from a lightbulb it mat work well in this application providing the bulb provides enough heat

That's how vintage motion lamps work and I was looking in to that method. The problem is that with this heated method of motion, it takes a few second for the lamp to start moving and when you turn the light off, it takes a few second for the lamp to stop moving. The prop in the movie starts immediately and stops immediately, and it doesn't have the vented motion disc at the top of the lamp either. So it was definitely motor controlled.

 

[msisaac]

I would say NO the motor will not work directly connected.

1.) you need to know the stats/ratings on your motor? 3v? 5-6v? 12v motor?

The motor I was looking at is a 110v AC motor running at 2 rpms. So it should be able to be plugged directly into a standard U.S. wall outlet and run. That's why I was hoping it would work directly wired into the regular power plug of the lamp.

 

[sonnytribal]

Traditional Motion Lamps
The traditional motion lamp has a picture drawn on to the lampshade.
This picture is usually a landscape with rolling waves, a fire or even a cowboy riding a horse.
A light bulb in the center of the lamp supplies energy in the form of heat to a cylinder.
The cylinder begins turning as soon as the bulb gets hot enough.
This internal cylinder moves the external lampshade, which is itself a cylinder.
The materials used to make a motion lamp vary widely, ranging from cast iron to glass.
The paper around the cylinder lampshade is glued on to a glass cylinder.

* here is a search that should help find the parts that you need"
"econolite motion lamp part"

 

[sonnytribal]

Here is alink to an ebay auction that has parts for a motion lamp:
Nice Lot of Econolite Motion Lamp Parts as Found Niagara Falls Fire Scene | eBay

 

[MarcusLaMont]

So I'm working on a Joe vs the Volcano lamp. For those that don't know, the lamp shade rotated and the lamp also played a "music box" melody. I found some small slow 110v AC motors (I think 2 rpm should be fine to replicate the slow rotation in the movie). Can I splice the motor wires directly into the 110v lamp wires or will that short something out? Also, does anyone have any suggestions for the music? I found some small MP3 breakout boards that can play sound from a microSD card, but the board requires roughly 3v DC. So I'd need some way to invert 110v AC to 3v DC. In a very small package...

Any ideas? Or does someone have a better solution than what I'm thinking?

Hey Msisaac, if you're still interested in making this and haven't already, here's a bit of instruction.
Off hand, I would say that as long as your lightbulb is rated for 110v ac, your motor is good to go. It will be stamped or printed on the bulb, but if it's an off the shelf incandescent bulb and you are in the States, it's 110. Which means the lamp cord probably just goes straight from the wall to base of the lamp socket and you can tap both legs of the wire from wherever is convenient for you and run to the two poles of your motor. (I know it's basic, but just in case, if you swap the legs, the motor will run in the opposite direction if you have a preference or are trying to make the direction seen in the film)

As for the sound, do you know off hand what the power consumption of the breakout board is or have a link to a product page? Regardless, it is almost certainly under 3/4s of an amp (750ma) and this product line does what you need in one of the smallest packages I've seen: http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/468/RACD03-21335.pdf

It's something like 50mm X 30mm x 23mm. Quite small, and it's easy to hook up, same deal, two legs to the lamp cord and noting the polarity, two legs to your breakout board. I'd probably use a volt meter if you have one to confirm voltage and polarity. And Mouser carries the full line for like $10.50 each.

Hope that helps!