Special effects for live theatre?

[Cliff Rogers]

I need a vase & then a statue to 'explode' on demand as if they were hit by a bullet.

Obviously we can't use explosives in front of a live audience in an 80 year old wooden theatre.

I am thinking of a solenoid actuator like something out of a pinball machine mounted inside a 'fragile' prop that will shatter/break at the press of a button.

Anybody got any good ideas?

I have the electronics know how, I just need to find the right solenoid actuator device.

[skot]

Maybe a solenoid out of an old washing machine. The ones that shut the water intake ON & OFF.

[Cliff Rogers]

Thanks for the idea but....
They usually run on 240V, I can't run 240V control lines around an amateur stage set.

[Cliff Rogers]

Central door lock mech would be the go I reckon.

[ian]

Obviously we can't use explosives in front of a live audience in an 80 year old wooden theatre.

why not?

I'm thinking a starter pistol round all pressure & noise -- no scrapnell


back to you problem
Can you use an inflated balloon to "blow the vase / statue apart"?
actuation would be a solenoid mounted pricker activated by a garage door opener

[RETIRED]

Central door lock mech would be the go I reckon.

A remote one would be good.

[underfoot]

I need a vase & then a statue to 'explode' on demand as if they were hit by a bullet.

what are you making the vase and statue out of Cliff?

[Geoff Dean]

How about a squirt of compressed air?

[Cliff Rogers]

Statues & vases will be made from clay by one of our arty members, there will be 6 performances & 2 dress rehearsals & probley a couple of tech rehearsals so we will need 10 of each item that gets 'shot'

The theatre is old & wooden & riddled with smoke detectors, if we set off a starter cap, the smoke alarms would smell it.

I reckon if I go to supercheap auto & buy an aftermarket central locking system & have a bit of a play I'll work something out.

[Vernonv]

buy an aftermarket central locking system & have a bit of a play I'll work something out.

Central locking actuators don't really provide any punch (they work on a rack and pinion driven by a small motor), so your statue and vase would need to be pre-broken, with the actuator just pushing the statue/vase apart.

[watson]

There's a really solid 12v solenoid in pre-1990 Rodeo Diesel motors.......maybe from a wreckers??
They really clunk.
For the breakables, have you thought of thin caramelised sugar ??

[Cliff Rogers]

I picked up a set of four central door locks to play with.

What Vernon says is correct but I reckon we can work something out.

SCA Central Locking System - 2 or 4 Door - Supercheap Auto Australia

Also looking at a DMX to 8 channel relay converter on eBay so I can control them from the lighting desk.

DMX08R DMX to 8 channel relay converter | eBay

[Cliff Rogers]

....
For the breakables, have you thought of thin caramelised sugar ??

We need a vase & a statue, probley be made from unfired painted clay.

[SawDustSniffer]

for cheapness a jellow mould , and compressed air the cleaners might not like you
or sugar in the mould ,

[Cliff Rogers]

It is amateur theatre, we are the cleaners too.