Assembly Instructions for 3 Axis Skull

Graveyard Skulls Assembly Instructions for the 3 Axis Skull Kit in a Lindberg or GYS Skull

These instructions are pretty much the same for our own skull (The GYS Skull) or the Lindberg.
We are no longer going to sell the Bucky Skull as the quality and consistency have gone way down.

	Step 1: Start by removing the Jaw spring on the left side of the jaw as shown in the picture to the left. It should now look like the skull in the second picture. Note that the spring on the opposite side should stay on. We will address this in a later step. The bottom picture shows the left spring removed. If you are using a Lindberg Skull, you will skip this step. The Lindberg Skulls do not have a spring.
	Step 2: In the next step we are going to ask you to drill a hole in the jaw. If you are worried that your drill bit may wander or you are not a regular do-it-yourselfer, you may want to flatten a small area on the jaw hinge to make it easier to accurately drill the hole where you need it. You can also use a nail punch to make a small indentation where the drill will go to prevent wandering. In the picture, we flattened a small area using a dremel tool. It is a good tool to have. You will find it useful. We will be using it again later. If you prefer, you can also just flatten an area with a hand file. In order to work on the jaw without removing the spring on the right side of the skull, you can bend it around as shown in the bottom picture to the left, showing the second spring still attached. If you are using a Lindberg Skull, you will skip this step.
	Step 3: Now, you want to flip the skull over as shown and mark the point where you need to drill. The purpose of this hole is to insert a small pivot pin that will keep the jaw in place after removing the spring. The servo will be pushing down on the jaw, and this will cause problems if you do not create a pivot point to replace the spring. What you want to do is to find the pivot point buy opening and closing the jaw and observing the one spot that stays in the same place. Imagine a 3 or 4 inch long rod that would extend straight through the jaw and into the skull and come out the other side of that joint. At exactly what point would you insert it so that the jaw would move smoothly on it's pivot? Once you find that spot, mark it with a small dot from a sharpie, pencil or other marker and observe the dot as you continue to open and close the jaw. The dot should not wobble or change position as you move the jaw. If it stays in the same position no matter what position the jaw is in, you have found the pivot point. You are going to drill in there. Keep a picture in your mind of that long imaginary rod going all the way through the skull. That is the angle you want to drill in at. Again, the Lindberg skull is molded differently and does not need this modification. If you are using a Lindberg skull skip this step as well.
	Step 4: Using a 3/32 \" drill bit, drill in at the pivot point about two inches or so. This is where it will be helpful to have either a flat surface or a small dent from a hole punch to help keep the drill from wandering while you are drilling. You can see from the bottom picture that we go in as far as we can with the drill bit. Once the hole is drilled, take the included pivot rod and force it into the hole, all the way into the skull so that it acts as a hinge. By the way, I will mention here that if you don't want to keep the spring on the other side because you don't like the way it looks, you can remove it and repeat the last two steps on the other side inserting a short rod in that side as well. Then both springs can be removed. You do have to be very careful to get the angles just right so that the jaw hinges freely and does not bind up on the pivot rods. If you screw it up, you can always remove the pivot pin and put the spring back. The Pivot Pin should look something like this sticking tightly into the skull. You may want to put a spot of glue or loctite in the hole to keep the rod from moving. The pin will slide through the hole you drilled through the jaw to make the hinge. If you are using a Lindberg skull skip this step as well.
	Step 5: Locate the Servo Linkage Arms with caps and the Servo Linkage Posts shown in the first picture to the left. Use one of the posts and screw it into the hole in the jaw left behind by the spring you removed earlier. The hole should be very tight and you will cut your own threads in the plastic by screwing in the Servo Linkage post. Screw it in all the way as shown here. Attention Lindberg Skull Users!!! At this point, you will join the rest of us as you will have to mount the Servo Linkage Post in the jaw of the lindberg skull. Since the Lindberg does not have any springs to remove, it also does not have a hole here left behind by the springs it does not have. (Does that make sense?) So you will have to drill a hole. Again, using a 1/16" drill bit, drill a hole through the jaw in roughly the same area as shown here in the GYS skull to the left. Then screw in the post as described above.
	Step 6: The next thing you will need to do is to cut a hole in the skull directly above where that post fits into the jaw once the jaw is back in place. This hole will not show, so you can make it a bit larger than need be just to be sure that you have enough room. This hole will be for the long piece of threaded rod to stick through. It will connect the jaw to the jaw servo and push and pull the jaw to make it move. You can see to the left where we marked the area to cut out with a black sharpie marker. We mentioned earlier that a dremel tool is very useful to have. You can find deals on ebay for Dremel tools every day. I just saw some corded ones for under $20.00 and some Battery Powered models for about $35.00. If you are not sure of what dremel tool is, it looks like the picture to the left. It's like a small drill that spins at a high RPM and has many different grinding and cutting attachments. The one pictured has a very thin grinding attachment on it. For this particular job, you would want a larger tip to grind away that spot of plastic we marked in the skull. Lindberg skull users, stay with us. This step and all the rest also apply to you.
	Step 7: There! Now the hole is cut out and we can see straight down to the Servo Linkage Post. The lower picture shows the same view with the plate in place so you can see that the hole we cut out is just to the outside of the edge of the plate on that side.
	Step 8: Now it's time to mount the jaw servo. Please note that this is the HS-325HB or equivalent servo and the included servo mounting bracket. Place the bracket over the servo and move it in place so that the servo arm is right above where the threaded rod attached to the jaw will come through the skull. Right in line with the hole you cut in the skull. Line the servo up with the bracket on top and make a couple marks on the skullplate where the holes for the bracket need to go. ATTENTION: Going forward, once we have sold out of current stock, all new skullplates will have these threaded holes already in them. If you get a plate with the holes already there, you can skip this part and join us again at step 12.
	Step 9: Here you can see the two marks made on the skullplate where the holes need to be drilled.
	Step 10: We have circled the dots to make them more obvious in these pictures. Here, you can see where we drilled the holes through the center of the dots with a 3/32" drill bit. We will be tapping these holes for a number 4 machine screw. The screws are included.
	Step 11: If you are unfamiliar with a tap, here is a close up of what one looks like. For tapping holes in plastic, you can mount one of these in a variable speed drill and on a very slow speed, cut your way through the hole you made, then reverse direction on the drill and slowly back the tap out. This will leave behind threads in the holes you drilled for the screws. You can buy taps at any local hardware store or online from McMaster Carr. This is a 4-40 tap. Here is a fuzzy shot of us tapping one of the holes using a variable speed, reversible drill. If you screw up a tap hole or simply don't have the tap, you can always drill the hole a size larger and use a slightly longer screw and put a nut on the other side. This way is neater, and much easier if you ever have to replace a part, however.
	Step 12: Now put the screws in making sure that the servo arm is facing straight back towards the center of the skull and that the gear part of the servo is facing the front of the skull as shown in the pic to the left. Screw it down hand tight, being careful not to over tighten and strip out the threads in the plastic.
	Step 13: Time to add the Servo Linkage Post to the servo arm. Back in Step 5 we showed you the servo linkage posts and the servo arms with caps. You already used one post later in step 5 on the jaw. Take another post and screw it into the last hole in the servo arm on the Jaw Servo. This can be done by taking your 1/16" drill bit and drilling out that hole on the servo arm. Then, simply screw the servo linkage post into the hole, cutting the threads as you go. It should fit snugly. Here is a close up.
	Step 14: Almost done! Take the long threaded rod and screw it into one of the Servo Linkage arms with a cap. Feed that down from the top of the skull through the hole you cut in the skull back in step 7. Feed it through 'servo arm with cap' end first and snap the cap over the linkage arm post that is screwed into the jaw. You should have a long length of threaded rod sticking out the top of the skull going way past the jaw servo as shown.
	Step 15: Here is a close up of the Jaw servo showing the rod going past. Make sure that the jaw is all the way shut. Take out your wire cutters and snip off the threaded rod about halfway up the servo as you can see in the picture to the left.
	Step 16: Screw the remaining Linkage Arm with Cap end on the top end of the threaded rod and snap the cap over the Linkage Arm Post which is connected to the servo arm of the Jaw Servo. It should look like the picture to the left from the top looking down.
	Step 17: From the side, it should look like the picture here on the left.
	Step 18: "Open Wide!" You can see that this gives the jaw a wide range of motion. Now you're talkin'!

Step 1:

Start by removing the Jaw spring on the left side of the jaw as shown in the picture to the left.

It should now look like the skull in the second picture.

Note that the spring on the opposite side should stay on. We will address this in a later step.

The bottom picture shows the left spring removed.

If you are using a Lindberg Skull, you will skip this step. The Lindberg Skulls do not have a spring.

Step 2:

In the next step we are going to ask you to drill a hole in the jaw. If you are worried that your drill bit may wander or you are not a regular do-it-yourselfer, you may want to flatten a small area on the jaw hinge to make it easier to accurately drill the hole where you need it.

You can also use a nail punch to make a small indentation where the drill will go to prevent wandering.

In the picture, we flattened a small area using a dremel tool. It is a good tool to have. You will find it useful. We will be using it again later.

If you prefer, you can also just flatten an area with a hand file.

In order to work on the jaw without removing the spring on the right side of the skull, you can bend it around as shown in the bottom picture to the left, showing the second spring still attached.

If you are using a Lindberg Skull, you will skip this step.

Step 3:

Now, you want to flip the skull over as shown and mark the point where you need to drill.

The purpose of this hole is to insert a small pivot pin that will keep the jaw in place after removing the spring. The servo will be pushing down on the jaw, and this will cause problems if you do not create a pivot point to replace the spring.

What you want to do is to find the pivot point buy opening and closing the jaw and observing the one spot that stays in the same place. Imagine a 3 or 4 inch long rod that would extend straight through the jaw and into the skull and come out the other side of that joint. At exactly what point would you insert it so that the jaw would move smoothly on it's pivot?

Once you find that spot, mark it with a small dot from a sharpie, pencil or other marker and observe the dot as you continue to open and close the jaw. The dot should not wobble or change position as you move the jaw. If it stays in the same position no matter what position the jaw is in, you have found the pivot point. You are going to drill in there. Keep a picture in your mind of that long imaginary rod going all the way through the skull. That is the angle you want to drill in at.

Again, the Lindberg skull is molded differently and does not need this modification. If you are using a Lindberg skull skip this step as well.

Step 4:

Using a 3/32 \" drill bit, drill in at the pivot point about two inches or so.

This is where it will be helpful to have either a flat surface or a small dent from a hole punch to help keep the drill from wandering while you are drilling.

You can see from the bottom picture that we go in as far as we can with the drill bit.

Once the hole is drilled, take the included pivot rod and force it into the hole, all the way into the skull so that it acts as a hinge.

By the way, I will mention here that if you don't want to keep the spring on the other side because you don't like the way it looks, you can remove it and repeat the last two steps on the other side inserting a short rod in that side as well. Then both springs can be removed.

You do have to be very careful to get the angles just right so that the jaw hinges freely and does not bind up on the pivot rods. If you screw it up, you can always remove the pivot pin and put the spring back.

The Pivot Pin should look something like this sticking tightly into the skull. You may want to put a spot of glue or loctite in the hole to keep the rod from moving.

The pin will slide through the hole you drilled through the jaw to make the hinge.

If you are using a Lindberg skull skip this step as well.

Step 5:

Locate the Servo Linkage Arms with caps and the Servo Linkage Posts shown in the first picture to the left.

Use one of the posts and screw it into the hole in the jaw left behind by the spring you removed earlier.

The hole should be very tight and you will cut your own threads in the plastic by screwing in the Servo Linkage post.

Screw it in all the way as shown here.

Attention Lindberg Skull Users!!!

At this point, you will join the rest of us as you will have to mount the Servo Linkage Post in the jaw of the lindberg skull.

Since the Lindberg does not have any springs to remove, it also does not have a hole here left behind by the springs it does not have. (Does that make sense?)

So you will have to drill a hole. Again, using a 1/16" drill bit, drill a hole through the jaw in roughly the same area as shown here in the GYS skull to the left.

Then screw in the post as described above.

Step 6:

The next thing you will need to do is to cut a hole in the skull directly above where that post fits into the jaw once the jaw is back in place.

This hole will not show, so you can make it a bit larger than need be just to be sure that you have enough room. This hole will be for the long piece of threaded rod to stick through.

It will connect the jaw to the jaw servo and push and pull the jaw to make it move.

You can see to the left where we marked the area to cut out with a black sharpie marker.

We mentioned earlier that a dremel tool is very useful to have. You can find deals on ebay for Dremel tools every day. I just saw some corded ones for under $20.00 and some Battery Powered models for about $35.00.

If you are not sure of what dremel tool is, it looks like the picture to the left. It's like a small drill that spins at a high RPM and has many different grinding and cutting attachments.

The one pictured has a very thin grinding attachment on it. For this particular job, you would want a larger tip to grind away that spot of plastic we marked in the skull.

Lindberg skull users, stay with us. This step and all the rest also apply to you.

Step 7:

There! Now the hole is cut out and we can see straight down to the Servo Linkage Post.

The lower picture shows the same view with the plate in place so you can see that the hole we cut out is just to the outside of the edge of the plate on that side.

Step 8:

Now it's time to mount the jaw servo.

Please note that this is the HS-325HB or equivalent servo and the included servo mounting bracket.

Place the bracket over the servo and move it in place so that the servo arm is right above where the threaded rod attached to the jaw will come through the skull. Right in line with the hole you cut in the skull.

Line the servo up with the bracket on top and make a couple marks on the skullplate where the holes for the bracket need to go.

ATTENTION:

Going forward, once we have sold out of current stock, all new skullplates will have these threaded holes already in them. If you get a plate with the holes already there, you can skip this part and join us again at step 12.

Step 9:

Here you can see the two marks made on the skullplate where the holes need to be drilled.

Step 10:

We have circled the dots to make them more obvious in these pictures.

Here, you can see where we drilled the holes through the center of the dots with a 3/32" drill bit.

We will be tapping these holes for a number 4 machine screw. The screws are included.

Step 11:

If you are unfamiliar with a tap, here is a close up of what one looks like.

For tapping holes in plastic, you can mount one of these in a variable speed drill and on a very slow speed, cut your way through the hole you made, then reverse direction on the drill and slowly back the tap out.

This will leave behind threads in the holes you drilled for the screws.

You can buy taps at any local hardware store or online from McMaster Carr. This is a 4-40 tap.

Here is a fuzzy shot of us tapping one of the holes using a variable speed, reversible drill.

If you screw up a tap hole or simply don't have the tap, you can always drill the hole a size larger and use a slightly longer screw and put a nut on the other side.

This way is neater, and much easier if you ever have to replace a part, however.

Step 12:

Now put the screws in making sure that the servo arm is facing straight back towards the center of the skull and that the gear part of the servo is facing the front of the skull as shown in the pic to the left.

Screw it down hand tight, being careful not to over tighten and strip out the threads in the plastic.

Step 13:

Time to add the Servo Linkage Post to the servo arm. Back in Step 5 we showed you the servo linkage posts and the servo arms with caps. You already used one post later in step 5 on the jaw.

Take another post and screw it into the last hole in the servo arm on the Jaw Servo.

This can be done by taking your 1/16" drill bit and drilling out that hole on the servo arm. Then, simply screw the servo linkage post into the hole, cutting the threads as you go. It should fit snugly.

Here is a close up.

Step 14:

Almost done!

Take the long threaded rod and screw it into one of the Servo Linkage arms with a cap.

Feed that down from the top of the skull through the hole you cut in the skull back in step 7. Feed it through 'servo arm with cap' end first and snap the cap over the linkage arm post that is screwed into the jaw.

You should have a long length of threaded rod sticking out the top of the skull going way past the jaw servo as shown.

Step 15:

Here is a close up of the Jaw servo showing the rod going past.

Make sure that the jaw is all the way shut.

Take out your wire cutters and snip off the threaded rod about halfway up the servo as you can see in the picture to the left.

Step 16:

Screw the remaining Linkage Arm with Cap end on the top end of the threaded rod and snap the cap over the Linkage Arm Post which is connected to the servo arm of the Jaw Servo.

It should look like the picture to the left from the top looking down.

Step 17:

From the side, it should look like the picture here on the left.

Step 18:

"Open Wide!"

You can see that this gives the jaw a wide range of motion.

Now you're talkin'!