DIY Laser-Cut LED Pennyboard

In this instructable, you will be learning how to make your own DIY Laser-Cut LED Pennyboard (shown above).

These are the materials required with links and prices:

Pine Wood (at least .75" x 10" x 25")- ≈$30 http://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Appea...

Super Bright LED Light Strips (2)- $6.99 http://www.ledssuperbright.com/flexible-led-strip-...

Set of OJ Hot Juice Candy Skateboard Wheels (1)- $35.00 http://www.zumiez.com/oj-hot-juice-jolly-rancher-6...

Set of Thunder Sonora Lo Skateboard Trucks (1)- $19.95 http://www.zumiez.com/thunder-sonora-black-skatebo...

Bugle Head Drywall Screws (8)- $6.47 http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grip-Rite-8-x-1-in-Phil...

Duracell Duralock 9V Alkaline Batteries (2)- $2.50 http://www.batteryjunction.com/mn-1604.html?gclid=...

12 AWG Thin Stranded Copper Wire (1')- $0.13 https://www.platt.com/platt-electric-supply/THHN-S...

Black Scotch Duct Tape (1 Roll)- $6.97 http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Scotch-1-88-in-x-60-...

Silver Spray Paint- $5.99 https://jet.com/product/detail/600001de14b5475197c...

The following are the tools that you will also need:

CNC Router Wood Cutter

Electric Screwdriver

Regular Screwdriver

Soldering Iron

Wood Glue

Onshape (CAD) Account

USB Flash Drive

Computer

Scissors

Ruler

Step 1: CAD Design/Laser Cut

1) Create an account on Onshape.

2) Design a pennyboard using the line and mirroring functions. You can loosely base your design on the shapes and dimensions shown above (about 20" tall and 5" wide), but don't be afraid to get creative and add your own flair!

3) Export your file onto a USB flash drive and transfer the file to the computer that is connected to your CNC Router Laser Cutter.

4) Place your piece of pine wood on the laser cutter (you may need to screw it down with your electric screwdriver to keep it in place)

5) Align the laser cutter with the top right corner of your piece of wood and start the laser cutter.

6) You now have your board. Spray paint the front, back, and sides, making sure you do it over cardboard or a tarp.

Step 2: Mounting Wheels and Trucks

1) Connect the wheels to the trucks, making sure they are on correctly and can roll normally.

2) Use a ruler and a pencil to mark halfway across the board (vertically) so you can align the wheels correctly and make them as centered as possible.

3) Take your screws (8 total), and one by one, put them in their respective holes on the trucks and gently use the electric screwdriver to screw them halfway in.

4) Use your regular screwdriver to screw them the rest of the way in. Make sure you screw them in as tightly as possible!

5) Now you have a fully functioning skateboard and can move onto the circuitry!

Step 3: LED Strips and Circuitry

1) Use the wood glue to adhere the 2 LED strips to the bottom of the skateboard, on either side of the trucks and wheels.

2) Next you need to create a make-shift battery pack. Take your two 9-Volt batteries and tightly duct tape them together (in the above picture, it shows them facing opposite directions, but we fixed it and made them face the same direction).

3) Now snip off a small piece of your green stranded copper wire and solder it to the positive side (small circle) of your right battery. Leave it disconnected from the left battery.

4) Next, solder the two negative wires from your 2 LED strips to the negative side (big circle) of your right battery.

5) Solder the two positive wires form your LEDs to the positive side of the left battery.

6) Now, if you push the green wire to against the negative side of your left battery, it should complete the circuit and turn on the LED strips.

7) This green wire effectively becomes a switch. Push it against the negative side of your left battery to turn the lights on, and disconnect the circuit to turn them off.

8) Now you have a fun, glow-in-the-dark way to get around!