Step 1 : The Plan

I wanted to build a Led panel that could act as my sign and to do graphics during my show so I set out to do this the cheapest way I could. It began with the idea of using a 595 board to drive the lights and one add-on board to provide the row drive. This turned out to work but wasn't very elegant. So I started over with a new design in mind and this is where I am now. From this point on this project is referred to as "LedTriks" meaning "LED-Tricks" the guys up on vixens forum gave it the name do to it doing animated tricks. Heres a video link of what LedTriks is

http://media.putfile.com/ledtriks1

Sorry for the quality but I took this from 75 feet away on a photo camera I dont own a real video camera.

I will show you how I have created my sign but I make no claim to it being safe, correct, or even sane to build it this way. If you kill yourself or others, lose you spouse and family, hair or anything else bad happens to you trying anything I did here I am not responsible for it. Electricity can be dangerous. It is for personal, private use by its builder and you may use the design all you want for this but, it is not designed for commercial use or to be sold to others. If you choose to use it in any commercial manner please talk to me about it first.

Step 2 : The panel


I choose to build a panel with 48 columns and 16 rows. I built it using a plastic pegboard available from Lowes. It cost around $13. It comes in white which I didn't think would be the right color for the job so I used a can of plastic primer spray paint and a can of flat black to resolve the issue. I started by sanding the front with fine sandpaper to prep it for the paint and I sanded the back with a fairly heavy grit to scratch it up good. You will see why this is needed later. I then cleaned it up with soap and water, let it dry and then primed, and painted it. Do not paint the back. I attached a picture of it at this point.

Step 3 : Led's


I purchased my Led's from www.besthongkong.com I got 1000 red led's rated at 1400 mcd for $19.99 I installed them by bending the leg's 180 deg apart from each other and level. Then I put something under the board to hold it slightly off the table and dropped the led's into the holes from the back. Try to make all the led’s point straight as the led’s are directional and if some point in different directions they will look like they are dimmer or brighter depending where you stand to it. If the holes were smaller on the pegboard it would help so take your time if using it otherwise make your holes fit the leds tight so they all point straight. The legs go at a 45 deg angle and you must make sure the anode points up and left on everyone of them. Then simply hot glue the led's in. Since the board was sanded it will stick very well. The picture should help.

Step 4 : Connect the Anodes in rows


Bend all the anodes of the led to the point vertical and the cathodes to point horizontal then using 24 ga uninsulated buss wire from radio shack cut pieces the length of the board and solder it to each anode as close to the led as is easy to do. One you have all 16 runs done connecting all the anodes on each row then we need to insulate the runs. I used the plastic dip paint and just painted it on the wire using two coats. This will dry to a rubber coating that will keep it from shorting to the cathodes when done. Just try not to get it on the other leads of the led’s we have to solder them next. You can use liquid tape if you prefer it's pretty much the same.

Step 5 : Connecting the Cathodes


Now do the same with the cathodes but going up and down. Connect all 16 in each column together. Once done either paint the plastidip on or if you perfer to save time you can spray it on if you buy a spray can of it.