This is one of our simpler animatronics. The witch we bought from a store, as well as the cauldron. Inside the cauldron we used a motor to make her staff turn. With her hands attached to the staff, it looks like she’s stirring her cauldron. We also added some LED eyes for the witch, and greatstuff on the cauldron. The coals were made out of styrofoam peanuts painted black, with orange lights.
The witch in her final garage stage
Pic of the cauldron with Great Stuff.
A close up of the motor. It’s similar to the motors you find in animated christmas deer. We zip tied and duct taped a short length of PVC to the motors crank arm, and added an elbow joint with another short length of PVC. The broomstick fits loosely so it can turn easily. We also duct taped the motor to a cross of PVC for stability and duct taped it to the bottom of the cauldron.
Almost finished! When we put her in the yard (not shown here) we used packing peanuts spray painted black, and a string of lights to look like coals under her cauldron. I need to get a picture of the fine tuned, completed prop in Hallowbean’s yard. It looks very cool!