LED STRIP SKATEBOARD

This is a fun and easy project that is worth the time! It is only seven steps, so it should be fairly quick. Although, the only downside is that there are several extreme power tools required. Good Luck! :)

CAD OnShape Program
12" x 36" piece of wood
LED Strip Rope
Trucks
Wheels
Soldering Iron
Router
Screws
Power Drill
Liquid Metal Wire for Soldering
8 Volt Battery
Power Drill
Battery Pack Switch
Sanding Machine (You can also manually smooth out the board with a piece of sandpaper)
Scissors

Create the measurements for the board. OnShape can be downloaded on an iPad or a desktop computer. Watch necessary tutorial videos to create the skateboard out of the following dimensions.
30 inches in total length.
8 inches wide.
The half circle starts 4 inches from the end of the board.
More description and a picture of our blueprint is shown above.

With parent or teacher supervision, carefully use the router to laser cut the wood from the CAD dimensions. To do this, a router will have to be available. Once the cutter is finished, pick up the board and use the sander to smooth out the wood. The sanding increases the quality of the board because it makes the board look more professional. Sand the sharp edges of the board to create a smoother and more finished product.

Screw the trucks and wheels onto the board in the center of the board. Be sure to put the trucks on with the large bolt facing directly inside. It is critical that this is completed correctly, or else every time you turn left, the board will veer right. The same will happen in reverse. Remeber to excercise caution while using the power drill to put the screws in the board as it can be dangerous.This may require the use of another person so that the screws go in directly perpendicular to the board.

Take about the first 40" of the LED strip and cut on the scissor line. Then, cut the strip in half. Peel the sticky end of the LEDs off and place down on the board on the opposite ends. Solder the end of wires to the battery pack with the wires. This should make one of the strips light up. Then, use an extender to light up the entire strip. You will have to solder the two ends of the light together. If this sounds confusing, look at the picture above as it should clear up any confusion.

This is where each skater has to show their originality to create their ideal board. You can add grip tape to the top of the board to add traction, and also for appearance. Or, you could paint the skateboard. Another idea is to add stickers of your own choosing. This step is my favorite because it is impossible to mess up, while it is very fun.

On our board, we used the design above.

Your Project is Complete!!! Now, go test it out and enjoy the smooth ride! Have Fun!
Here is a daytime example... https://youtu.be/V5ZHxArXTjk
Here is an example in the dark... https://youtu.be/dLmB_iXhxEw

Be sure to leave a comment if this Instructable helped you assemble your dream board!