The Conjuring Music Box

[Chris Craig]

Trying to make the music box from The Conjuring ,Its not so much the actual box thats causing the problem its the clown moving up and down and the simultaneous spinning mirror ?

Anyone any ideas on how to even attempt at getting that to work?

Wind up key, Little spook tune plays,the mirror spins and the clown bobs up and down.,

Going to put one of these into it
Music Box Picture - More Detailed Picture about Boutique Hand Crank Music Box Yiruma The wedding march Birthday Valentine Gift Picture in Music Boxes from Mary Wholesale

,but not too sure how to connect the mirror and the clown

 

[ahoudini]

Sadly, I have not yet seen the film but, looking at the very cool photos (neat repurposing of a "Jolly Chimp" to playing the concertina instead of cymbals, BTW) it is clear that it is going to take two separate clock work motors: one to bob the clown and one to turn the mirror. This is exactly the sort of cheat for which movie propmasters are famous. I can't think of any practical way that a linkage between the lid and the contents of the box would survive opening and closing the box. Even if the lid never closes, making that 90° turn would be so challenging as to not be worth it. Much easier to just put another clockwork in the lid.


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[Chris Craig]

I was thinking that alright because theres just two hinges on the back and no sort of connection. >< the clock idea is good though .That never crossed my mind.

 

[Trooper_trent]

how fast does the wheel spin?
Since it would be impractical to connect the two because of the hinge, what about somehow using the little brass spinner of the music box as a fan and having some kind of paddle wheel blades behind the wheel so that when the music box plays, it blows air on the wheel making it spin?


Otherwise, the original prop may have been built with 2 separate battery supplies and the music was just added in post production. I haven't seen the movie yet.

Just a thought.

 

[Chris Craig]

Doesn't spin fast at all really. Might try mutilate a clock and see if its parts will fit in the lid tomorrow. The bobbing clown could be done with something similar. cheers

 

[ahoudini]

Chris, I meant "clockwork" in the general sense, meaning a spring-driven motor that runs until it winds down and then has to be wound up again, not an actual clock. I would make it out of two music box motors. Inexpensive ones are dirt cheap and will turn at about the correct speed to turn the hypno-disk and, I imagine, bob the clown. Putting a cam on the end of the pin drum with a couple of protruding points situated so they bump the bottom of the clown each time they come around would do that job neatly. Extending any spinning shaft on the other one and mounting the hypno-disk on it would solve that. One could even mount the disk securely on the winding key, itself, if turning slowly is OK. Then you would wind the lid motor by manually rotating the disk backward. Some sort of off and on switch is needed to start them together; usually that is a slender wire that interferes with the little spinning "propellor" to stop the motor and is withdrawn out of the way when the box is opened.

 

[ahoudini]

So, used a coupon at JoAnn fabrics to pick up this birdhouse and a circular mirror:

From the back, though:

it looks kind of like this, no?

I will post pics as the build continues…

 

[epilepticsquirl]

That's not a bad base to start off with! A little sanding on the tent area to get that concave area and lop off the base and I think you got something there! Loved the movie so I'll be following this thread closely! Dear man you've inspired me! :lol

 

[ahoudini]

First step, off with the legs:

 

[ahoudini]

Off with the perch:

 

[ahoudini]

Off with the edges of the base:

 

[ahoudini]

Next, cut off a strip of the top of the box to glue into the lid and onto which to fasten the hinges. I used my band saw but a hand saw in a miter box would work.

 

[epilepticsquirl]

Found a shot of the key side. Looks like Monkeys adorn that face.

 

[ahoudini]

This shows the piece of box in place as part of the lid:

 

[ahoudini]

That monkey almost looks like a vintage "Barrel o' Monkeys" game ad…

 

[ahoudini]

Weighting (and awaiting!) the wood glue securing the narrow strip into the lid.

 

[ahoudini]

Cut a circular plug for the hole while the glue dries:

 

[ahoudini]

The plug glued in place slightly "proud" so it can be sanded flush.:

 

[ahoudini]

Carving the tent shape on the lid:

 

[ahoudini]

Creating the finial for the peak of the lid. I want the little "collar" on the smaller one but the larger size, so cut down the smaller to fit in the larger: