While browsing through Halloween DIY projects online, we came across an interesting video featuring cable ties — a maker used them to help build an animatronic skull that can move and turn its head with a micro: bit controller. The project looks complex at first glance, but what caught our attention wasn’t just the electronics.
Throughout the build, the creator used nylon cable ties as a simple yet reliable tool to hold small parts together — securing servo motors, fastening joints, and keeping wires neatly in place. It’s a great example of how cable ties often serve as quiet helpers in detailed DIY projects.
In this article, we take a closer look at how nylon ties can support creative builds like this one — not by stealing the spotlight, but by keeping every part in its proper place.
Image source: video by Natasha Dzurny on YouTube.
Where Cable Ties Help in Halloween Builds
In the animatronic skull project, cable ties weren’t the primary material, but they played a crucial supporting role throughout the process. The maker used them wherever small parts needed to stay in place — from holding servo motors on the frame to tightening the skull’s moving sections. Instead of glue or tape, these ties offered a cleaner and more flexible way to secure temporary connections.
They also kept the wiring neat. The skull’s servo motors, power cables, and signal wires were bundled together using small black cable ties, preventing tangles and keeping the setup safe while the parts moved. It’s a small detail, but it makes testing and adjusting the circuit much easier.
Cable ties were even used to connect parts of the skeleton’s frame — thin plastic rods, support bars, and mounting brackets. For makers, this means they can try different angles or rebuild sections without damaging anything. A simple snip, and the whole part can be reassembled in minutes.
A Small Tool with a Big Role
For most people, cable ties are just something used to bundle wires or hold parts together temporarily. But in creative projects like this animatronic skull, they quietly show their real value — being simple, reliable, and easy to adjust.
They don’t add weight, don’t require tools, and can be replaced in seconds. For makers who like to experiment, that flexibility is often what keeps a project moving forward.
So while the electronics and programming bring the skull to life, it’s the ties that keep everything steady behind the scenes — doing their job without drawing attention.
