How to make a simple homemade hoverboard from scratch

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Instead of forking out a small fortune for the latest hoverboard from your local retailer, why not consider making your own from scratch? The process isn#t too taxing, and it can be made, primarily, from scrap materials you might find around the house? 

Win, win.

As you can imagine, you'll need some tools and materials before you get started.

Materials and gear needed

• Wood 15mm thick
• 6-volt battery (recycled power tool battery is fine)
• Switches (reclaimed light switches or similar)
• 12 no. Dolly wheels
• Adhesive or hot glue gun
• 12 no. DC motors
• Soldering kit
• Electrical wires, resistors, and soldering gear
• Various nuts and bolts
• Basic tools (wrench, screwdrivers, etc)

With all your gear in hand, it is time to get on with this great little build.

Step 1: Make the propulsion system

The first step is to take your motors, wheels, and wires. Wire up the motors and solder them into place, as required. 

Next, take your sheet of wood and trim it down to size to make the main body of the hoverboard. With that done, apply a layer of glue to the edges of the board that will carry the wheels. Make a second sheet of wood for the standing platform too. 

For this particular board, you'll need six on each side. 

Then glue the motors in a line to either side of the board with the rotors exposed to the edges.

Once the glue has cured, you can then attach the wheels to the motor rotors as required. With that done, connect the wires for the motors together as shown in the electrical schematic below.

Step 2: Complete the wiring

With the motors now connected up, we can move on to adding in the switches and power supply. Take two lengths of wire and rig up a way of connecting them to the battery terminals, if required.

In this case, an old Dewalt power tool battery is to be used. The wires, therefore, need to be attached to a metal washer so that they can be safely connected to the battery terminals.

Take the other ends of the wires, and test your motor circuits by completing each circuit in turn. Each set of wheels should turn in response to connecting the battery to the power input and output wires from the motor/wheelsets.

Rinse and repeat to make a second set of power outlet wires for the other set of motors and wheels.

With that done, connect the battery wires and motor main input and output wires to the terminals of your switches. Once wired up, test the circuit once again by opening and closing the switch and make adjustments, if any, as needed.

With that done, glue all the wires into place on the board to keep them in place as required. The battery should remain free from the board as it will be required to be removable for charging.

The switches will also be mounted on a controller, so don't glue them into place on the board either. Wire up any other loose wires as required if not already completed.

Step 3: Make the controller and complete the hoverboard

Next, take some lengths of wood or plastic tubing and glue the switches in parallel with a space between them. You can define the distance between them to your own preference.

With that done, glue the main control wires together at the top of the controller to keep them together. Continue to do so for the entire length of the wiring to the hoverboard.

This will keep them neatly together and reduce the chances of them getting caught on something and torn out of the terminals from the battery or controller.

Alternatively, you could shrink-tape them or tie them together with cable ties.

Next, glue some small blocks of wood to the top of the hoverboard to support the standing platform. This is to protect the electronics underneath when you stand on it.

With that done, take your second piece of wood and glue it into place above the motors and blocks. Reinforce the platform by screwing it into place on the blocks underneath too.

With that, your DIY hoverboard is now complete. Now connect up the battery, stand on it, and take it for a test drive!

Lucky you.

If you enjoyed this little build, you might enjoy making some other remote-controlled gizmos? How about, for example, your very own remote-controller floor cleaner?