Install the Whistling Birds

Parts and Bench Check

Start with the assembled Whistling Birds gearbox/module, the activation magnet and reed-switch lead, the LED rows, the front nozzle mount, the rear bracket (standard or large-flange), and the twelve Fiber Optic Beskar Darts: one inner-row dart, four middle-row darts, and seven outer-row darts.

1. Power the module on at the bench. Before anything is glued into the gauntlet, confirm the module powers up and the push arms extend and retract cleanly.
2. Plug in the reed switch and test the magnet. The magnet is used to arm/disarm the prop during setup and later gets mounted to the hand plate. Confirm the reed switch responds reliably before the module is buried in the gauntlet.
3. Plug in the LED rows and confirm they light. Verify all three rows are lighting up before you start sizing the Fiber Optic Beskar Darts. Fixing a connector or lighting issue on the bench is much easier than troubleshooting it after the fibers are installed and trimmed to fit.

Turn Firing Off for Installation

Before sizing the darts, set Firing Mode to Off. The prop can still arm, disarm, and light the darts, but wrist movements will not fire them while you are fitting the assembly. In the video this is done through the config menu by selecting the firing-mode option and choosing the red/off setting.

Mounting System

The front nozzle mount and rear bracket define the final position of the module. That position controls the dart length, so glue the mounts before final dart trimming.

1. Clear the gauntlet interior. Remove velcro, glue residue, print blobs, or internal ridges that keep the module from sitting flat or that could interfere with dart travel.
2. Scuff and clean the bonding surfaces. Lightly scuff the gauntlet and mount contact areas, then clean them with isopropyl alcohol. CA glue holds much better on a clean, textured surface.
3. Glue the front nozzle mount. Align the center notch of the mount with the center nozzle hole. Apply a thin, even layer of glue, press the mount in place, and hold alignment while it sets.

   

4. Use the mounted module to place the rear bracket. After the front mount has set, clip the module into it and let the rear of the gearbox sit naturally. Mark that position, remove the module, then glue the rear bracket at the mark.

   

Route and Connect the Darts

With the mounts installed, install the Fiber Optic Beskar Darts from inside the gauntlet, feed them out through the nozzle holes, and connect the LED housings to the gearbox push arms. The goal is to confirm the darts can move in the actual installed position before final trimming.

1. Install the Fiber Optic Beskar Darts from inside the gauntlet. Feed them out through the nozzle holes while keeping each row grouped so the inner, middle, and outer rows stay matched to their LED housings.
2. Connect the LED housings to the gearbox arms. The inner- and middle-row housings connect to the short push arms with a French-cleat interface: press each housing onto its cleat until it is fully seated at its working angle. To release one, tilt the row down and lift it off. Guide the outer row onto its tab-style connection. Move the housings or protective shells rather than pulling hard on the wires. (The install video predates v2.5 and shows the earlier hook-style linkage; the routing process is the same, only the connection itself changed.)
3. Seat the module into the front mount and rear bracket. Once the rows are connected, install the module and confirm the fibers have a clean path through the gauntlet.

Size and Trim the Darts

There is no universal dart length. Gauntlet geometry varies, so size one dart from each row in the installed, armed position and use it as the starting reference for the remaining darts in that row.

1. Arm the unit so the row is fully extended. Decide where the visible tip should sit at full extension.
2. Check the visible side and brightness before marking. Hold the painted shell where you want it, find the brightest angle that still keeps the prettier side facing out, then note how much extra length remains at the back and remove the dart.
3. Trim only the back end. Cut slightly long on the first pass. Reinstall, arm the prop, and check the extension again.
4. Repeat until the reference dart is correct. The tip should disappear cleanly when retracted, land near the desired nozzle position when extended, and keep its best brightness with the preferred painted side still facing out.
5. Use the finished reference for the remaining darts in that row. Match from the finished tip ends so the visible tips stay aligned, then still test-fit each dart individually.

Final Alignment and Glue

Before gluing, confirm the dart’s final length, orientation, and light transmission. A small chamfer at the back can improve how the fiber receives light from the LED, but do not shorten the dart enough to change its finished position.

1. Confirm size and brightness one last time. Make sure the painted shell still shows its preferred outward-facing side at the brightest usable angle. If you chamfer the back end, keep the angled face toward the LED.
2. Glue one dart at a time. Use a tiny drop of CA at the back/base joint and let it wick into the connection.
3. Keep neighboring darts separated while the glue sets. Too much glue can bond adjacent darts together or block light at the LED housing.
4. Confirm brightness after each glue-up. Check that the finished tip still lights all the way before moving to the next dart.

Final Assembly and Activation Magnet

After the glued darts and mounts have cured, reinstall the module for the final motion check.

1. Mount the reed switch. Mount the reed switch as far forward as possible inside the gauntlet (this positions it closest to the hand-plate magnet) and plug its JST into the connector at the front of the gearbox.

   

2. Leave a small wire loop at the front. The harness needs enough slack to move without pulling against the module.
3. Tuck the wires and seat the wire cover. Tuck and route the wires out of the way, placing the LED JST in the battery compartment to keep the LED area open, then seat the wire cover.

   

4. Reinstall the battery cover carefully. Seat the cover tabs, keep the power button aligned with its wall/holder, and make sure the wires sit in the side guide instead of getting pinched.
5. Cycle the unit several times. Arm, disarm, and fire or simulate firing to confirm the rows extend and retract without binding.
6. Mount the activation magnet on the hand plate. Affix the 20×10×3 mm magnet to the back edge of the hand plate using hot glue or another removable adhesive so the position can be adjusted. A deliberate wrist-up motion should reliably trigger the reed switch without false triggers at rest.
7. Return Firing Mode to Tilt or Shake if desired. Open the config menu and set the firing-mode option back to your preferred setting.

Final Check