3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Print PDF

Favorite

My LED Cube

last photo ←

Here is my LED cube based on Alex the Great's Awesome Led Cube. I used a premade plexiglass cube made for holding an autographed baseball ( golf ball ones work better but I had a baseball cube and it works better with the parts I used). I used one 2032 3v battery, a battery holder from Radioshack, a push on push off switch from radio shack, an 4800 mcd LED from Marl, and wire from radio shack for the circuitry. I added reflective alluminum from a kalidescope and made a cone from some flimsy reflective plastic to spread the light that is sent from the LED.

I am having problems with the slideshow right now if you only see the robot.

36 comments

Jun 2, 2011. 9:52 AM

vishalapr says:

This is really cool and I made it and it looks awesome, rated it 5*
Maybe you would like to have a look at my ible
http://www.instructables.com/id/Star-Wars-X-Wing-2/

Dec 3, 2010. 12:12 PMabsolutekold says:

also would be pretty pimp if you painted the inside with glow in the dark paint and used a black light led.
was also thinking of using the larger design for a memory stick seeing as there is a lot of space inside and just tapping off the 5v usb to power the led.. would have to change the resistor to deal with the extra voltage but would definitely be one of a kind
even better would be to put an autorun on the stick to show a matrix screen or something of the sort to mess with anyone who plugs it in and doesn't know any better. ("Noo!! that held the rogue AI.. we're all doomed!! or "Hey I've been looking everywhere for my virus collection. I hope you didn't plug it in." then wait a minute for the horror to sink in.)

Oct 26, 2009. 12:15 PMOlychuck says:

Couldn't you just use a stencil and spray paint the outside black or silver.

Dec 29, 2009. 5:59 PM~Aeronous~ says:

it is a lot easier to get aluminium foil, and super glue it on.

Oct 28, 2009. 8:50 PMn8man (author) says:

The light would probably shine through the plate and it would not look nearly as cool

Nov 30, 2009. 2:28 PMdalovar says:

Hey, good work...
(good camera, too. What camera are U using?)

Oct 25, 2009. 2:16 PMeulaliaaaa! says:

Before time began, there was...The Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds; And fill them with life. That is how our race was born. For a time, we lived in harmony, but like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil. And so began the war, a war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the cube was lost to the far reaches of space. we scattered across the galexy, hoping to find it and rebuild our home, searching every star, every world. And just when all hope seemed lost, message of a new discovery brought us to a new planet called... Earth. But we were already too late.

Oct 19, 2009. 3:31 PMjlipimpski says:

This was a fun little project to kill time, i made mine a while ago but forgot to post it here. Mine's a tad larger than yours, roughly 2 inch cube. I used a tape that has aluminum sheeting in it (very thin) to give it the metallic look. Here's a link: http://jlipimpski.deviantart.com/art/LED-Cube-128296732

Apr 4, 2009. 1:19 PMjrpayton says:

to make the plating look better why not color it with silver sharpie

Apr 5, 2009. 10:09 PMn8man (author) says:

Because it would not look like it was made of metal, it would look very bad.

Jun 3, 2009. 5:38 PMchosenangelx says:

no offence but u should work on taking pics

Jun 3, 2009. 5:38 PMchosenangelx says:

and working on cutting metal

Jun 8, 2009. 12:04 AMn8man (author) says:

If you are talking about the pictures where the cube appears to be in multiple places at once, that was on purpose, and you should try cutting aluminum sheet with tin snips, especially when the parts being gut are longer than the blades. I think I did a good job, and even when you say no offense, people can still be offended

Jun 8, 2009. 4:36 PMchosenangelx says:

im sorry i didnt mean to offend. did u use sheet metal?

Jun 8, 2009. 9:26 PMn8man (author) says:

Yes, I did use sheet metal, aluminum to be precise.

Jul 6, 2009. 4:05 PMelyador says:

wasn't the aluminum hard to cut? I'm afraid of tinsnips ever since I made armor out of steel sheet metal two haloweens ago.

Jul 6, 2009. 5:48 PMn8man (author) says:

It is not too hard, it just looks pretty bad.

Jun 25, 2009. 6:27 PMsir-zeke says:

http://www.instructables.com/id/AllSparkLED-Cube/

Jan 4, 2009. 4:07 PMF-zero says:

nice rubiks stand!

Jan 3, 2009. 10:31 AMianb says:

When I made mine I used Aluminum tape. It worked really well and went a lot faster.

Nov 17, 2008. 11:23 PMduck-lemon says:

did u use the template on the instructable 'cos i made it and it looks kinda the same?

Nov 17, 2008. 11:38 PMn8man (author) says:

Yes I did but I fixed some connections issues and created a 6th side. Would you like me to add your name in there?

Dec 7, 2008. 12:10 PMcd41 says:

looks like you used a steak knife to cut the metal

Dec 7, 2008. 3:37 PMn8man (author) says:

nah, just tin snips

Dec 2, 2008. 10:05 PMduck-lemon says:

If you want but i'm content in seeing my work utilised :[)

Oct 20, 2008. 10:04 PMRouru Sakai says:

Hey really cool cube! I'm trying to figure out how to solder everything together. Can you possible upload a picture of the soldering guide? It can be just in paint. Thanx ahead of time :)

Aug 17, 2008. 8:14 PMAlcreion says:

Can i get like the base ball cube from like walmart or a store? because i dont want to order it

Aug 17, 2008. 8:22 PMn8man (author) says:

Definitely, though it may have some sort of logo on it.

Aug 17, 2008. 8:54 PMn8man (author) says:

I would check a sports store or a place that sells cards and other collectibles.

Jul 31, 2008. 2:06 PMAlcreion says:

on your cube how did you make the swivel for the plate on top of the battery?

Jul 31, 2008. 2:19 PMAlcreion says:

and do you know how to make a cube that will slide like yours?

Aug 3, 2008. 12:51 PMn8man (author) says:

I took a metal skewer and cut a section off of it and used it as an axle (look at the ninth pic)

The cube I used is here but I don't know how to make one