Look, NO STRINGS!

I'm sorry that Dave's wonderful Halloween tour of Monster High has been locked because this is related to his collection. Although I don't collect "dolls" and know little about them, a while back I acquired a little female figure in a job lot of action figures I bought from a charity shop. While giving everything its customary bath I noticed she appeared to have a very powerful magnet in her head.
Asked Dave about it and he was able to identify her as "Astra Nova". I posted a pic here of her in what I assumed was her space craft, but apparently that was Wonder Woman's Invisible Plane.
Anyway, Dave was also able to tell me that Astra originally had a stand that allowed her to literally "hover" in mid air.
Of course I could see those on the net but I had no way to see it happen in reality.

That is until yesterday, when I went to a coastal town for the day and decided to do the Charity Shops there. Found an excellent Peacekeepers Soldier in full uniform for only $2, and just as I was about to leave, a mate I was shopping with pulled something out of a large toy box and said "What the hell would this thing be?"
Staff had no idea, but I immediately recognised it as the hover-stand! 
Now it's actually one that's meant for another Monster High doll called Boo York because the imagery is Empire State and graveyards rather that outerspace, but the principle is the same.
Here's the stand and that doll.



Anyway, a good clean and new batteries and now Astra Nova hovers like a hummingbird!
Here she is hovering on YouTube. The purple jewel-like thing also has a coloured "disco" effect that pulses to whatever music you play.
Overall, must say it's quite an effective illusion! NO STRINGS!

https://youtu.be/4tbal5Vq02A

What an unexpected pick up to match the figure you already had.

I think it's one of the best feel good moments for any collector when it happens.

Nice one!!

Serendipitous find!

Boo York, Boo York was the series of Monster High figures of which Astranova was a part. So that is the correct base for the figure.

Ya gotta love a toy that utilizes a powerful electromagnet to create an anti-gravity effect!

SCU_HQ wrote:

Serendipitous find!

Boo York, Boo York was the series of Monster High figures of which Astranova was a part. So that is the correct base for the figure.

Well that shows how much I know about the Monster High releases. I imagined that Astra's stand would be more...."spacey"?
Anyway, it all works and is currently amazing all who see her literally floating in the air.
(Although there was a major malfunction last night when one of the batteries apparently lost its connection and Astra was immediately sucked up to the light! 
Was easily fixed, but I was about to call Houston there for a moment!)
Thanks so much for the "heads-up" Dave!
Actually now I'm wondering if I could install a magnet in the head of one of my astronaut Action Men to get him to hover?

LeStryge wrote:

(Although there was a major malfunction last night when one of the batteries apparently lost its connection and Astra was immediately sucked up to the light! 

Actually now I'm wondering if I could install a magnet in the head of one of my astronaut Action Men to get him to hover?

Oh! That reminds me! It's been so long since I fired up my magnetic levitation device that I had forgotten. The little purple "guitar" is actually used as a spacer when setting the doll on to the magnetic base. The "guitar" provides the proper spacing between the head and the top magnetic piece for the figure to float.

As you have discovered, with a little bit of experimentation it is possible to figure out how to get it to work without using the spacer.

It would be interesting to experiment with other figures. You'd have to determine what strength of magnet you needed, the polarity for the placement, and how the total mass of the figure affects the operation.

I don't have the guitar, but it's not too hard to just place the figure's head in direct contact with the magnet then forcibly lower it until you can feel the proper equilibrium is achieved and let go.
The figure "dances", rotating automatically. Must have something to do with the way the electromagnet is wired.
The sound receptor in my stand must be a bit weak, because the music has to be quite loud to make the disco ball effect work. It will react to your voice though.
Wonder how long the batteries would last if a kid just left it on?

I spilled a tray of common pins on the floor and of course they went everywhere. I was able to use Astra's head magnet to easily gather them all up again, even from inaccessible spaces!
Never let it be said dolls aren't of any use!