Introduction: Kids Electronic Button Busy Board - Gen1

I've been a weekend-warrior wood-worker for several years, and have already checked off a 'busy board' for my kids. I wanted to dip my toe in electronics, and after seeing some Instructables and Youtube videos on electronic versions, I was inspired to take a crack at one myself. For this project, I opted to -not- go with any Arduinos or RasberryPi...just some power, buttons, switches, and wiring. I started ordering parts for this, and cutting the wooden box, in June 2020, and I called it 'complete' mid-January 2021.

Doing a lot of this project in small windows between taking care of the kids, or late at night after they have gone to bed, I do not have a lot of pictures showing me do the work. Most are after-the-fact.

Bottom line. This project was fun, challenging, and I learned a lot about circuits and electricity.

Supplies

Step 1: Design & Layout & Dimensions

For me, I gotta get the layout drawn out and understood before any parts or cut. I went the old-school route and measured everything out on paper, include hole spacing, then repeated on the 1/8th piece of birch plywood. While this is a massive waste of time, since I was doing this in the evenings, or is small pockets of time on the weekend, I didn't have time to learn any of the amazing tools out there to handle this for me. Future projects, I will definitely do what others have used to save me vital time and to be able to more easily re-use the designs. I had no specific design inspiration other than I wanted things roughly grouped together and not too bunched up.

The biggest takeaway from doing this all on one sheet is that wiring was a nightmare. The other designs that use panels is definitely the way to go if you attempt this. break the different sections down into sections, cut and solder them as needed, then easily drop them in. As you will see on my wiring pictures, it is a mess.

Dimensions:

  • Width: 18.5 inches
  • Height:
    • front: 7 3/4 inches
    • back: 9 inches
  • Depth: 8 inches

Step 2: Box Assembly

As I mentioned, I ended up cutting the holes/slots directly onto the 1/8" plywood top. In hindsight, this was not a great plan because at the end, the wiring gets very tight, which is exacerbated by the 18 gauge solid wire I used.

I wanted to make the box out of scrap wood I had laying around, which are listed below. I cut a few slightly long and came back and trimmed up on the table saw or belt sander.

To secure the power supply plug, I pulled out my semi-rusty chisel and went to work to gauge out an area to put the power plug, which was then screwed down into the bottom panel.

Woods Used:

  • Sides: Red Oak - 3/4" thick
  • Front/Back: 3/4" plywood
  • Top/Face: 1/8" plywood
  • power supply plug hold-down: 3/4" pine

Joinery:

  • The sides were connected to the front using pocket holes
  • The remainder were screwed in with either 3/4" or 1 1/4" coarse construction screws. (The ones with hex on them.)
  • The top panel is not glued or screwed, but runs in a groove cut into the sides. I can take this out by taking the back off.

Step 3: Solder and Wire-up the Components

This was my first soldering adventure, and I quickly learned about 'cold solder joints'. Before throwing the soldering iron across the garage, I sat it down and watched a dozen different YouTube videos about best practices and tips-and-tricks of soldering, and after moving from 0.8mm solder to 0.6mm, the soldering improved with each joint. In one of these pics you can see a pretty poor solder, while in the other you can see a much cleaner one. I used heat shrink tubing over all soldered joints.

The recurring theme here is, "next time I'll do it different." I went with 18 gauge solid tinned wire for this project not knowing how easy it is to tin wire, and also wanted to utilize crimped connectors where possible. Unfortunately, as you will see in future pictures, this thickness of wire and the inflexibility of it made it difficult to get everything together AND to troubleshoot some loose connections. My next project will utilize the panel system others online have used, and I will do more permanent soldering to reduce wire usage, and also move to a lower gauge since I won't be dealing with more than 12 volts.

Step 4: Assembly & Testing

My original plan was to mount the power and the two strips for power and ground to the inside back panel. I quickly learns that would be too much of a pin with the front secured to the sides with pocket hole screws. I opted to not secure the power and ground strips to anything, but left the power attached to the inside back panel.

In the pictures you can see it was a tight fit.

Step 5: Finished Kids Electronic Button Busy Board

Along the way I encountered a few other Instructables and videos of more advances versions of this, and it took all of my will to -not- scope creep and keep improving. My original goal was to create this without any advanced circuitry, and that was what my acceptance criteria. In the photos you can see it has charm, is functional (minus a temperamental momentary switch), and gets a 'that's cool' from my son. Mission Accomplished.

Step 6: Replacing Parts

As I was writing this Instructable, I went to go take a few more photos and saw that the power switch that turns everything on/off was broken. When I asked my son what happened, he said mommy broke it. Ha. This is why I used connectors, where possible, instead of soldering, because...toddlers. In the images you can see the before and after.

First Time Author Contest

Participated in the
First Time Author Contest