Thread: servo burn out on 3 axis skulls

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Assume the servos being used on a 3 axis skull are an "appropriate" size, and understanding that buckys are a lot heavier then lindbergs, what sort of burn out rate should be expected for the servos? Do you find you have to replace these often?

Well, I made one 3 years ago and I havent had to replace one yet. Guess part of it would depend on programming... if its programmed so that the servos are not pushed to their limits that will help. We used mine in our haunt for 4 days... 6 hours each day and was triggered probably every 3 minutes. Still going strong.

I never burned up a servo either, but when I was building the prop I dug out a ton of extra material from the bucky skull and the jaw (using a dremel) to reduce the weight as much as possible. I also used higher torque servos.

I haven't any "burn out" ......stripped gears ............that's an entirely other subject. Like what has been said watch your limits, I did same as azdude...reducing as much weight as possible , and I would recommend buying higher torque and a good quality servo. After stripping the gears in 4 servos I went to metal gears and checked the travel limits before programming. That was done so I could get a read on what the min. and max limits would be

We replaced a few servos last year from a bucky head that were almost 4 years old. Our haunt is run for a total of maybe 18 hours each halloween. When you add all of the hours spent with them running to get the program set up those servos had a lot of hours on them. And the servos didn't burn out, they began to twitch and chatter some when holding a position. I didn't throw those servos away because I can still use them where there is a light load.

You are right about the weight of the bucky skulls. The front of the head is much heavier and puts a significant load on the nod servo, but also adds load to tilt and rotate. I use a spring mounted inside to help pull the inside of the forehead toward the rod. On some props, where it can be hidden easily, I use a spring on the back of the skull down to the neck.