This project was done for a production for The Aerial Classroom to represent the mythical “Pandora’s Box”. Since this box was going to be an integral part of the production, it needed character of its own. In addition to looking weathered and antique, this box also needed to be sturdy to support the actors using it in stunts.
The construction is Birch plywood and standard common 2×4 framing studs.
In addition to the primary lid on the top, there is a back “hatch” which is hidden from being viewed as a lid/door. This provides access for the actors to get in and out of the box without the audience being able to visibly see the transition. It was important that this door be concealed and its function hidden as the box is displayed to the audience as being “whole” and giving the illusion of magically containing the performers.
The lid utilizes 60-in/lb torsion hinges from Rockler as well as a Sugatsun locking lid-stay. The back door utilizes standard flush mount non-mortise hinges from Lowes.
Exterior coloring is a blend of Minwax PolyShade (Antique Walnut) and Minwax Wood Finish (Dark Walnut).
The interior is done in matte Black paint.
Accents are various brass and bronze components, the trunk corners are with Rockler Nickel Trunk Corners which have been “aged” with custom airbrushing.
Final size was 5ft L x 32in W x 36in H.
Special Features:
- Dry Ice Fog Generator (modified version of Mighty Mini Fog Maker)
- Chock Full O’ Nuts Coffee Can
- Micro Rocker Switch
- (2) 9v Battery Holder Mounts
- 200 CFM low-noise PC fan
- ~ 6ft of 3/4in PVC pipe cut into various lengths
- various PVC pipe connectors
I did order a low-voltage heater element (Mini Aluminum PTC Heater) to possibly use for maintaining the water temp to fully dissolve the dry-ice but it turned out to be unnecessary for the initial use. I still may retrofit it on a separate switch for future use as I believe it would yield more fog. Doing the whole setup again, I would likely purchase another rechargeable battery for the fan system as well as the (2) 9v batteries would drain very very quickly with the power needed to supply that 200CFM fan. The need for the high volume fan was that the fog was initially going to be pumping under the box, but we changed the location to the lid area so that the LEDs would illuminate the fog and my concern that the small CFM fan I had initially didnt not have enough air volume to effectively push the fog up through the pipes.
- Interior Bluetooth Controlled LED Lighting
For this, since all this setup was doing was static illumination with a color change, the 5v trinket was enough power and memory to handle the task. If I needed to add any special lighting patterns or automated lighting effects, the Trinket is too small so I’d likely up it to a Trinket Pro or standard Arduino Micro for the added memory capacity. For what I had, the trinket came in at 89% used memory which worked fine.
A video of the smoke system in action: