Ripstick Under-body Kit

Intro: Ripstick Under-body Kit

Like to ride at night?  Here is how to make an under body kit for a Ripstick skateboard.  An under-body kit is a set of lights or light (typically LEDs or neon bulbs) mounted under a car or truck.  Under body kits can flash, fade, and flash in sync to music using a microphone.  We will be making the simplest kind, which is just when the the lights are a steady on.

STEP 1: Supplies

For this project you'll need a few basic parts and tools including:

-Drill
-Phillips screwdriver/drill bit
-7/32 inch Alan wrench
-Knife from a multitool
-Flathead screwdriver
-3/16 inch drill bit
-Electrical tape
-Dremil
-Cut off/grinder attachment for dremil
-Drum sander attachment for dremil
-Safety glasses; when using the dremil
-1 10-100 ohm resistor
-3 AA enclosed battery holder (recommended)
-10 5mm clear LEDs (any color)
-File
-Slide switch
-Wire Strippers
-Soldering iron
-Rosin core solder
-Hot glue gun
-Wire, 20-24 gauge
-And, a ripstick of course!

STEP 2: Disasemble the Ripstick

Starting from the rear, use the drill with the Drill and a Phillips drill bit to take out the screws.  The plastic cover should pop off with the help of a flat head screwdriver.  Using a 7/32 Alan wrench take out the bolt in the rear.  The bar in the middle should slide out now.  Repeat this process in the front of the board.

STEP 3: Prepare the Inside for Wiring

 When you've opened it up take out the dremil with a cutoff wheel attachment.  Cut notches on the sides of  the same cells in the picture.  *Use safety glasses*.  Make these notches at least 2 layers wide.  Use a knife to scrape of the burrs.  On the rear half there is one big open section in which the bolt for the wheel is mounted.  This is where all of the wires will meet and be connected.  With the drum sander attachment sand off some of the excess plastic to make more space.  It is not necessary to sand it off on the front.

STEP 4: The LEDs

On the inside of the ribstick I made 5 marks all around the wheels.  I used the drill and a 3/16 inch bit to cut out the holes.  When you stick the LEDs through the brim on the bottom should stop it from going all the way through.  If they don't go all the through then push it in with a flat head screwdriver    Make sure the LEDs don't scape the ground when the board is tilted all way the over.  

STEP 5: Wiring

Cut the LEDs leads to about half their original size.  Solder two wires onto the LEDs (red to positive and black to negative).  Then use hot glue to hold the LEDs in place.  Make sure that the wires reach the opening in which they will all meet.  Have the wire run through the notches.  If the wire comes out, pin it down with some hot glue.  Have all the wires meet in the opening.  Solder all the black wires together and all the red wires together.  Solder a 10 ohm resistor to the positive connections.   

*helpful tip*  Always solder before hot gluing something.  If you do this in the opposite order the hot glue will melt under the soldering irons heat and mix with the solder and stink and create a lot of hazardous fumes.

STEP 6: The Switch

On the bottom of the ribstick there are small rectangular holes.  In the rear of the ribstick use the hole closest to the part where everything meets.  If your switch fits, then great.  If it doesn't then use a small file to make the hole bigger.  Solder one wire on of the leads of the switch.  Connect it to all the negative connections from the LEDs.

STEP 7: The Battery Pack

All I had was this 4 AA battery holder but I recommend a 3 AA enclosed battery holder.  Or even AAA if you want it a little smaller.  You will only need 3 batteries anyway.  Using the hot glue gun glue the battery pack on the bottom of the ribstick behind the rear wheel.  Drill a hole from the central point on the inside of the board down to the battery pack on the bottom.  Solder the red wire from the battery pack to all the positive connections.  Run the black wire from the pack to the switch and solder it on.  When done soldering with the switch hot glue it in place.  Now you should have a functioning circuit. 

STEP 8: Connect the Two Sides

The final step to all the wiring is to connect both sides of the board.  Remember, everything is wired in parallel with one battery pack and one switch both on the rear of the board.  So, Its recommended to test it first with some jumper cables.  If you don't have something to drill though the the thick steel in the bar then drill one hole behind the wheel on the front of the board and another in the front of the wheel in the back of the board.  Measure out some wire and unite the two ends if the board - positive to positive and negative to negative. 

STEP 9: Reassembley

 Slide the bar back into both sides of the board and fasten the bolts.  Don't forget the washers!  When putting the covers back on do not use a drill to tighten the screws-the holes can be stripped easily-just use a screwdriver, there's no rush.  Now the hardest part of this project is to wait for darkness...

Comments

[MakerBoysACE]

I don't like the idea of taking apart my ripstik, but it's a good idea!

[AngelM51]

It is ripstik and company is razor

[AngelM51]

It is ripstik and company is razor

[Mooch07]

Wow, good idea!
I'll have to try this on my brother's board.

[AngelM51]

Pretty good

[El Cuatro]

haha lol break his instead... i like your style i have a little bro two

[AngelM51]

Ggg

[AngelM51]

Its a ripstik or casterboard company is razor

[Electroinnovation]

Pretty cool...but using more lights gives a much better glow effect.

[the_burrito_master]

Thanks for the credit....

[the_burrito_master]

I'm somewhat annoyed that his got featured when I had the idea first and had  a much cleaner finished product. the only difference i see in this instructable and mine is.

The battery pack is on the outside , bad thing.
The wiring is ineficent and likely to burn out the leds ,bad thing.
It has pictures of the tools he used , good thing.
It has fewer lights and he didn't frost the LEDs to get a nicer appearance.

Sorry to be such a jerk about it, but really? He gets featured for making a worse instructable than I did and he's he's second to do it?

[ac1D]

You really don't want to frost a led (or buy a frosted one).
They look ugly and are mostly only used in Christmas tree.
What would be nice, is diffused led. But then, you would need either more led, or really strong led.

[the_burrito_master]

Beg to differ lol, in some cases yes they look ugly, but i think it looks worse when there are 17 spotlights under your deck, instead of a nice glow.

compare my image and the intro picture.

[metsfan1938]

I wouldn't call them spotlights, the camera takes in a lot of light in a dark inviorment and my picture was from the bottom of the board and yours was from the top.

[metsfan1938]

I had no idea of the existance of your instructable, i just like to put lights on things, and what do you mean that i didnt frost the LEDs?

[the_burrito_master]

You can ether buy, frosted LEDs or frost water clear LEDs by sanding the surface of the led.

I Understand you didn't see mine, but I don't like the way Ive got, 38 instuctables without a single feature. then when you basically recreate my instructable it gets featured...

[vader406]

Now...how could we implement this on a ripstik air? ;)

[Opspin]

Cool, FYI it's called a waveboard at least in Denmark (and probably in scandinavia, maybe even in Europe) that would probably help keep the price up :(

[mg0930mg]

The brand is ripstick here in the US.

[Electroinnovation]

well no there also is a street surfer brand that's called a wave board, maybe that's what he's reffering to.