Spinning Disco Light

thingiverse

So this experimental spinning light serves as a prototype to test its functionality and visual appearance. I designed it to see if it would work and what it would look like. It will continue spinning as long as it has power, which is achieved with 4 electromagnets creating a basic brush-less motor. Bright lights are produced by high-powered 5mm LEDs, while power is transmitted through the rings via brass axles and spring-loaded contacts. Operation is relatively quiet, with only some noise coming from the pickups. As a prototype, it takes a long time to build due to the wiring and electronics involved. If you plan on building this project, you'll need basic electronic skills. Although the circuit is simple, I built it on strip board, which results in a messy setup. Future redesigns may feature easier assembly by using PCBs for the rings and coil drivers. The outer ring spins much slower than the inner ring due to its larger size and added weight from the internal coils. Inspiration was drawn from this design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:931900, with helpful comments from users regarding issues they encountered. You can see a video of it in operation here: https://youtu.be/Gc5nJUbr_BQ