A Simple Pop Up

This very simple pop-up has been used in our commercial haunt for
years.

It can be used behind tombstones, bushes, inside barrels,
or anywhere your imagination will put it . It is extremely dependable,
versatile and very easy to build. This is an excellent beginner project.

This will be the base for many variations that I like to call single stage and multi stage.

This would be a simple single stage pop up. Multi stage would pop up and do something in addition to popping up, like raise its arms, move forward, turn its head, or all of these. Start here, and you will learn the basics.

Base is 16in. x 24in. x 1/2in. thick plywood. The post is a standard 2 by 4, 30in. long. The
bottom support is a scrap 2 by 4, all glued and screwed in from the bottom.
All these measurments can be adjusted to suit your project.

On this project I used a 27in. long cylinder. The rod is slightly smaller.
Start by glueing a PVC coupling on the top of the rod to keep it from bottoming out.

Use 1/4in. luan plywood to secure the cylinder. Set the luan so the lip of the cylinder cap will rest on the edge like the picture. Attach two more pieces on either side to
prevent side to side slip. Repeat this on the bottom. Use construction adhesive or silicone adhesive in this spot to keep the cylinder from turning.

Secure the cylinder using nylon ties on top and bottom. Weed eater line is used to
prevent the cylinder from over extending. Drill a hole through the middle of the
coupling and secure it to the 2 by 4 using a romex staple. The rod should stop about 3
inches before it reaches full extention. Using this method of stopping the cylinder
will allow you to adjust the stroke which can be useful with more complex props.

It is a good idea to coat the knot of the weed eater line with construction adhesive to
keep it from coming untied.

Using two PVC Ts, make the shoulders and head support of the prop as shown.
The head will sit slightly in front of the shoulders.

At this point this is the prop facing you.

On the back, drill a 5/16 hole through the T as shown and epoxy a 5/16 wooden dowel
through the T.

Screw in two eyelets so the dowel will easily
slide through them when the prop is
activated. The dowel rod should not come out of the eyelets. This will keep the prop from
turning between pops.

Chicken wire is attached and
ready for Monster Mud and a dead head.