Buying your hoverboard from pocket money would be fun, but making it with your hands would be great and amusing. This section will tell you how to make a trendy electric hoverboard at home with basic elements. Going through this article and considering all the instructions will make it very easy for you. We have emphasized using basic materials in construction so that even teenagers can make it without any problem.
How to Make a Hoverboard?
Making a Hoverboard would be an enjoyable and amazing activity, especially in quarantine days. So let’s discuss the method stepwise:
Step 1: Materials Collection
These materials are based on certain designs; however, if you need any changes depending upon your style or personal choice, you can surely do that by adding or deleting some of the materials. First, you need six-iron railroads, which must be six inches in size. People use these railroad spikes as antique pieces in their homes because they are not used by railroad companies now.
Secondly, you need an enamelled wire of copper (300 to 400’ magnet wire). For this, we would suggest copper wires from the Remington Group of Industries. To strip the electrical or conducting wires, it is essential to have wire strippers. Duct tape is also required but not too much as we are making an electrical hoverboard, so you must have 50 D batteries. Never get a power-saving battery or others like that which consume less energy than usual batteries because you will need lots of energy.
After that, you need to have a standard or regular skating board for which we suggest “Tony Hawk” company. We have done all the measurements on that skateboard, actually. That’s not compulsory; you must choose the one that you are not scared to dismantle.
A base of your hoverboard is imperative because it should be able to hold your weight and is destined for maneuverability, enabling you to take this home-made hoverboard to any location of your choice. For this perfection, you need a base which is non-conductible and large so that it fits skateboards side by side.
Some small construction tools are needed for this project, like about 16 screws, screwdrivers, an electric drill, some battery holders, a measuring tape, and a hot glue gun. You can get this basic stuff from any nearby store or it can be found at your home already. The reason behind mentioning these is that once you start making your hoverboard, there will be no interruption.
Step 2: Preparing Skateboard
Before getting into this step, we need to be very clear that when we talk about “top of the board,” it means the area where you put your foot for a kickflip. For your information, kickflip is a movement where the rider flips the board at an angle of 360-degree. So, let’s begin!
Start with unscrewing the screws from the skateboard. You will have to take off the plates and wheels of this board. This process will leave you with a total of eight holes. Using an electronic drilling machine, drill these holes to increase the diameter of these holes. Stop drilling when the diameter reaches the measurement of two millimetres.
This is the time to pay more attention. On each side of the skateboard, drill a hole that is 2.5 inches away from the edges (top and bottom of the skateboard) and 2.125 inches far from the left side of the board. Now drill the second hole, which is 2.625 inches, to the right side of the first hole, or you can say that the second hole is 2.125 inches away from the right side of the board.
Repeat that step for the bottom of the board so that in the end, you have two holes at the top side of the board and the bottom side of the board. Ensure that these holes are of the same diameter as that of the boards’ original holes. That might not seem very easy while you are reading, but with the help of measuring tape and some attention, it would be easier.
Step 3: Preparing Base
It is recommended to prepare your base on a solid ground surface or any fixed position. This makes you feel free to move around and follow the steps properly. As mentioned earlier, the base is significant when making a hoverboard, so this step needs a little more consideration and focus.
Begin by putting all six railroad spikes in the base or the centre and spread them at an exact distance of 1 foot from each other. These six railroad spikes look similar to the six on dominoes. Keep in mind that the base of these spikes will be stuck or attached with the actual base. With the help of hot glue, fix the bottom of spike bases with the actual base. Make sure to do that in a relaxed state by attaching each of the spike bases carefully. After doing that, please wait for some time and let it dry completely. You can hold them until they dry.
Now attach a fragment of duct tape in a way that on every side of the railroad spike, there is one inch of duct tape. And, at the base, attach a few more inches of tape strips. The purpose of using duct tape is to provide good support so that they don’t fall, as duct tape is made with thick and strong adhesive and cloth and can hold pressure sensitivities.
Step 4: Actual Work – Base
This step is the actual start of “Making a Hoverboard.” Note that the flat part is the board’s base, and the pointed part is the tip of the board. Start wrapping the magnet wire from the railroad spike’s base in a counterclockwise direction. Do this step carefully so that you can do it tightly without leaving any space. Please do not overlap the wire. In the end, leave more than the one-foot extra wire on the base of the railroad spike and more than two feet on the tip of the railroad spike. You have to repeat this procedure for all the railroad spikes.
After doing that, it’s time to connect the battery holders in a row. Do this in 6:1 that is six times for each spike. Connect the battery holders so that if you hook this set up to the light, you will get 5x power of each battery rather than 1x power. Put batteries into the battery holders. Place the sets near each spike on the base of the board. Now, connect the positive side of the battery to the extra stand at the base of the spike and the battery’s negative side to the extra stand at the tip of the spike.
It is too early to connect now because it will waste extra power. You can learn this step and prepare the setup for later. You have to repeat this step for every electromagnet. This is all about base preparation and main work; now it’s time to move to the board.
Step 5: Actual Work – Skateboard
This step is actually work-related to skateboarding’s transformation into a beautiful working hoverboard. You are actually half-way there if you have followed the above mentioned steps successfully. Take a small screw and start wrapping magnet wire around it in a counter-clockwise direction. Do this tightly and closely without leaving any extra space. Like the above step, leave two feet of extra wire at least on the tip of the board and half a foot of extra wire on the board’s base side.
Repeat this step for all 16 screws that you have taken. Doing this step would be tiring, but it needs your prior concentration. You can play your favourite music in the background so that you will not get tired or frustrated.
After that, take magnets wrapped in a magnet wire and place them on the board in a position that they are facing the base. The extra wire on the tip will be around the board at the top, while the extra wire on the base will be on the board’s top. Then, after repeating that for all screws, put the batteries into the holders on the top. Connect the extra wires accordingly, and you’re done!
In case you are a beginner and don’t want to make your own hoverboard then have a look at these top hoverboards for beginners & you should also know how these work.
Conclusion
Making a hoverboard is not a big deal, but time, concentration, and focus are! You need to pay attention to every step and learn it before starting to make a hoverboard. The main tip we suggest at the end of this blog is to collect all the materials first before starting the project. After making your personal favorite hoverboard, do a testing step, which will be very fun! Hold the board in any certain position and enjoy the ride as well as you can customize your hoverboard easily once you are done.
Happy Hoverboard-ing!
