You've bought this new toy (for somebody besides yourself) and you would like to put it on "active" display without damaging the unit. Unfortunately, it only operates when you tap its head.

If you tape a piece of metal foil to the top of the head, wired through a relay to negative on the battery, the head capacitance can be changed by operating the relay.

Supplies

Mandalorian, The Child toy

30 rpm motor

Normally open reed switch

(2) 8mm x 3mm magnets

D cell battery

Battery holder

(2) clip jumper cables

wire

cardboard

glue

Aluminum duct tape

Step 1:

Cut 12 two inch by one inch pieces of cardboard and glue them into a stack.

Step 2:

Cut one 2.5 inch by .5 inch piece of cardboard.

Step 3:

Solder wires to the motor, then insert the shaft through a small hole in the center of the cardboard (you punch this hole with a sharp pencil).

Step 4:

Wrap a narrow piece of foil tape around the motor shaft.

Step 5:

Secure the shaft to the cardboard with tape.

Step 6:

Glue a base to the cardboard stack you created earlier.

Step 7:

Tape the motor to the top of the cardboard stack.

Step 8:

Double a piece of foil tape onto itself (no sticky side out). Tape a bare end of wire to this foil "plate." Tape the assembly to the head using clear tape.

Step 9:

From the tape plate atop the head, fasten the other end of the wire to the magnetic reed switch. Tape the reed switch to the base as shown.

Tape two magnets to the cardboard as shown.

Step 10:

Fold a piece of aluminum tape onto itself (no sticky side out), and place it in the "spring" for the negative end of the battery assembly as shown. Insert the battery to hold it in place.

Attach a jumper to this foil--the other end to the reed switch.

Attach a battery to the motor.

When the motor turns, the magnet will make and break the connection in the reed switch. When the connection is "made," it will be like touching your hand to the head of the toy.

I placed a little hat on the head to hide my foil plate. You can remove the plate from the head and the foil from the battery spring (and replace the batteries you have unquestionably exhausted), then the toy should be almost as good as new.