Sulltek skull how-to

This is an on going How-to and it is very long so I will post this in chunks..This 3 axis skull is based on the Kmart glowing eyes skull with moveable jaw. The predrilled eye sockets in the skull were the inspiration for the eyes.



The difficulty rating for this project is 5 Millers. The pic shows 4 1/2. Well, did you actually expect me to wait until I took a picture of the beer? Yikes.


PREPARING THE SKULL
First you need one of these Kmart skulls. They are seasonal. Sometimes you can get them from Ebay, otherwise you'll have to wait until Kmart stocks them again.



Like the vid says, cut the lid off. I use a utility knife. Using a Dremel disk will remove too much material and the skull cap will never fit on again.


Remove the LED board from the bottom of the skull by removing the three screws.


It will just pop out. Save it. We'll need it later.

PREPARING THE EYES



Get a couple of rollon deoderants from the dollar store. They are cheaper that way, and the travel size rollon ball is the same size as a regular expensive size. I use Dial Rollon, the sockets give alot of room for motion.

Trim the back plastic as close as you can to the ball.
You will also need one 1/4" slice from 1/2" angle aluminum stock. One slice for each eye. Drill 1/16" holes on the BACK of each eye and two 1/16" holes on each tab on the aluminum slices close to the ends. I just eye-ball it...get it? Eye! Ball! That's a, I say that's a joke son!

Use a 1/16 wood screw and screw the aluminum angle slice to the back of the eye.

Make sure you don't screw in the screw all the way. leave enough length so the bracket (angle slice) can move in all directions freely. Use some super glue to secure the screw to the eyeball.


Do this for two of them.


Time to glue them into the sockets. The reason we want to do this is that every skull is different and we want to know how far apart the eyes will turn out to be.
Use Gorilla glue or any polyurethane glue. The expansive properties of the glue will help hold the eyes in place. This kind of glue requires moisteure to expand, so wet the sockets using a papertowel.


Apply glue sparingly to the sockets.


Place rollons in sockets and hold in place with some cardboard.


Make sure the backs of the rollons are lined up with each other. This is important because range of motion will be severly reduced if one eye hits it's limit before the other eye does.


You will need some nylon kwik links. They look like these. I chose these because they allow only one axis of movement: Side to side. This is important so the eyes don't teeter totter on the rod later. Plus, they are light and weight is the enemy.


Cut some 2/56 all-thread rod into a 1 1/2" to 2" length and thread on one kwik link.


You will need about 6 packs of two Dubro 2/56 that allow 4/40 rod threaded through them. Take a pack and remove one link and two beveled washers.


Obtain a nylon spacer. It should be the dimensions as shown.


Cut it into thirds yeilding three equal segments. Reserve one for later, for now we'll be using just two of them.


Assemble as shown in this order: Kwik link, spacer, beveled washer, ball link, beveled washer, spacer then the second kwik link on the end. You should no longer see the 2/56 threaded rod.



Snap the Kwik links into the holes you drilled in the aluminum 1/4" eye brackets. They should fit snugly, so that when you move one eye, the other eye moves along with it. There should be no teetering of the two eyes along the the area were the ball link is located on the 2/56 rod.


NEXT: Building the 3 axis plate.