Go-llerblades: Motorized Skates - Part 1

Take a bunch of common parts, and create the hottest set of wheels around.

I got almost everything here for cheap or free, or from a swapmeet.

Say goodbye to making gliding motions in order to skate - now you can stand still and watch the scenery pass you by!

Check out Go-llerblades Part 2 also.

Step 1: Angle Grinder

I got this one at a swapmeet for $9.

Take off the guard plate (if yours has one) with a screwdriver.

Step 2: Power Source

You can run power tools on dc power!

Along those lines, I threw together five 12V batteries. More batteries = more power.

Test to make sure they're all roughly the same voltage, or one will drain the others.

Together, my pack measured 60V.

I crimped the wire connections to make them fast-disconnecting, and less prone to spark or come off. Covering them with tape might have worked just as well.

Step 3: Connect the Grinder to Power

Remember to insulate with some electrical tape or something.

Sparks and shorts are exciting, but will burn your carpet, and make your batteries sad.

Step 4: Attach a Wire Brush

This cost me around $4 at the local hardware store.

Spin it on finger-tight - the angle grinder will self-tighten as it spins.

Step 5: Tape the on Switch "on"

So that when you plug in the angle grinder, it goes. I mean GOES. Full-speed.

It's probably a good idea to put a switch somewhere, so you can turn this beast-machine off.

In this version, I just put trust in my sense of balance and lifted my foot off the ground while flailing to find a power cable to rip out. This clearly stood out as the better of the two options.

Step 6: Make Your Battery Pack Portable

I got this bag for free - throw the batteries in anything you can carry whilst 'blading.

I considered making a battery-belt, for more even weight distribution. The bag was definitely less comfortable, so I went with it.

I taped the batteries together before throwing them in the bag, to keep them together and prevent shorts.

Step 7: Don Gear

Get set -

Step 8: Attach Skates & Grinder

Duct Tape - $1.

Do whatever to make the grinder attached sturdily to your leg.

Make sure the wheel is spinning in the right direction.

Step 9: Go!

These skates create plumes of concrete dust smoke behind you - awesome!

I wonder if I could win at the Seattle Power Tool Drag Races

edit: Go-llerblades Part 2 is full of the improvements I made.