Manual

Battery Pack, Test & Tune: Start with using the
double-sided sticky tape to glom down the battery pack
next to the servo. Get it out the way so it doesn’t accidently
hit the finger.
Next, try activating your Useless Machine. Does the finder
come out and try to hit the switch? If you have to move the
switch away from the center of the machine to turn it on,
the switch is mounted backwards. Loosen the switch nut,
spin it 180 degrees, and retighten. Flipping the switch to the
middle should make the finger come out, flip the switch, and
retract.
While it’s retracted, try to pull it out. The finger should “fight” your attempts.
Does the finger push up on the lid while it’s trying to turn itself of? It’s due to the
inconsistencies we’ve found in the switches that make each behave a bit differently. There are
3 solutions. The easiest is to tape the lid closed (on the inside of the
box so it looks clean). The next is to use the height nut on the switch to
make it a bit shorter, but this is a fiddly process. The preferred method
we’ve found is to use a file or sandpaper to shape a more aggressive
angle to the fingertip.
Does the finger skip off to one side of the switch? If you can’t adjust the hit-position by putting
a wedge in between the motor and the box side, try re-tightening white disk the fingers are
mounted to. You’ll most likely have to pop the servo holder loose to do this. A bit of nut-
loosening and re-tightening of the box body can
help too.
When you’re happy with how it works, use some
tape or zip-ties to bundle the wires, which will
make them less likely to snag, break, or wear out.
If you simply don’t have enough *oomph* to
activate the switch, chances are you need a fresh
set of batteries!
Lid lifts? Tape lid, reposition
switch, or reshape tip
Mount battery pack
Old tip
New tip