Attach the motor to the backpack board (it’s symmetrical so the side doesn’t matter) and secure it in place with
the cable ties. The spindle of the motor should point towards the broader end of the board (see photo below).
Feed the wires through the support holes on the backpack board then solder the wires to the two holes on the
main board marked MOTOR. There are support holes for the wires on the main board as well.
Insert the AAA cells into the battery holders again. The motor should briefly spin after the LEDs and speaker
have been tested. Remove the cells.
If the motor is working then the backpack can be attached to the main board. Use the three hex spacers and six
bolts to do this.
Fit the articulated limbs together using the jump rings, bending them apart slightly before feeding them
through the holes in the PCBs, then squeezing them shut again. The holes that match are marked with the
same letter. For example ‘A’ on the upper right arm connects to ‘A’ on the right shoulder. Make sure that the
limbs can move freely.
Feed the elastic cord through the holes in the skull and tie the ends together. The elastic is used to suspend
Billy Bones.
The off-centre or eccentric weight attaches to the motor spindle and the self-tapping screws and washers are
used to increases its eccentricity. You can either drill small pilot holes in the side of the weight or use the tip of
a soldering iron to briefly melt into the plastic. Then use a screwdriver to tap the screws into the plastic body
(see photo below). The washers are used to increase the weight. Make sure that the motor can rotate freely
after tightening the screws.
For testing purposes turn VR1 fully anti-clockwise. It will take some experimentation to find the optimal weight,
i.e. the number of screws and washers. If it’s too heavy then the motor won’t be able to rotate reliably, if it’s
too light then the eccentricity won’t be sufficient to make Billy Bones ‘dance’. The amount of weight
determines the character of the dance, how jerky and manic it is. The AAA cells need to be sufficiently ‘fresh’ to
power the motor with the added weight.
How to Use
The LDR reacts to changes in light level and acts as a simple light or motion sensor. The variable resistor sets its
sensitivity (clockwise = less sensitive).
When Billy Bones is triggered by, for example, a room light being switched on it flashes its eyes, plays a manic
laughing sound effect, spins the motor and dances.
The pushbutton sets the mode. Four modes are available indicated by the number of flashes on the LEDs. The
pushbutton steps though the modes in turn:
#1: default sound effect and motion
#2: longer sound effect and motion
#3: sound effect only
#4: motion only