how do you make the bone transparent

Hi Francis,
You need to change the display type of the Object to "Wire".



This will show just the outline in Object mode, but in Edit mode you will see through those bones :)

Hi Francis - can you elaborate more.

Did you change it to "Wire"?  That will make the bones transparent.

Or maybe you actually mean something else, like maybe you want to see the bone "In Front" of the mesh objects?
For that enable the "In Front" option.

Your frowny face makes me :(

But more information will make your frowny face = :)
and therefore my frowny face with = :)