Here’s a list of all the parts you need to build the DIY Rotating LED Clock Display. Each part links to Amazon. If a link doesn’t work, don’t worry - we’ve also added tips on how to find a replacement.
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- 06 Nov 2025
Battery - These you can get at any local electronics shop. We recommend rechargeable batteries over 1000 mAh, so they can last longer and be reused.
Battery Case - The battery case must match the 9V battery. The weight matters for the arrow of the cloak, so picking the lightest option is strongly advisable.
DIP Switch - Any switch that can be mounted to a PCB breadboard through THT (Through-Hole Technology), will do the job. These you can get at any local electronics shop.
Voltage Regulator - The main requirements here are that the voltage regulator be exactly 5V and 2 or more amperes. These you can get at any local electronics shop.
Microcontroller Arduino Mini Nano - Any Arduino controller will do the trick. The only thing that matters is the size. The smaller, the better. You can get it in many local electronics shops.
Breakaway Female Pin Header - There is no variaty to the breakaway pin header. The only thing that matters here is that they are at least as long as the sides of the microcontroller. If you'll be using the Arduino Mini Nano, then two 15-pin headers are the smallest that will work for this project. These you can get at any local electronics shop.
Wood Craft Sticks - Any wooden sticks that are wide 12mm or more, and as thin as possible.
Alligator Clips - These are great cables to experiment with your components before attaching them to the breadboard. These you can get at any local electronics shop.
Individually Addressable LED Strip - Any individually addressable LED strip that is 144Pixels/m will do the trick.
Capacitor 1000uF - any 1000uF capacitor that is mounted through THT (Through-Hole Technology) will work for this project. You only need one, but having a few extra just in case does not hurt. These you can get at any local electronics shop.
DC Motor 3-12V - Most high speed 12V motors will work. What matters here is the size of the motor, since the bolts used to mount the motor in place and the coupling connector are chosen to fit the motor.
Coupling Connector - The coupling connector inner diameter must match the motor. For our motor with a shaft of 2.3 mm, the 2mm inner diameter is perfect. Usually, a smaller hole would be a problem, but the inner diameter of the coupling connector is atleast 2mm, and the motor shaft is at max 2.3 mm. When you add to that how small the difference is, you'll see that they fit very well together.
Wire Kit - When you account for any wires that may be lost or destroyed during construction, about 10 wires are enough for this project.
Resistors 330 ohm - Any 330 ohm resistors will do the job. You can get these from any local electronics shop.
Resistors 10 kohm - Any 10 kohm resistors will do the job. You can get these from any local electronics shop.
Hall Effect Sensor - These you can get at any local electronics shop.
Solderless PCB Test Breadboard - This board is picked to match the size 5x10cm, but a shorter board than 10 cm will do the job even better. There are many such boards in your local electronics shops, but the right size may prove difficult to find.
Bolts and nuts - If you picked the parts from the links we provided, then you'll need 2mm and 3mm bolts at varying lengths. If the links did not work, or you wish to use some parts you already have at your disposal, you'll need to pick the right size bolts for the job. You can find bolts at any local hardware store.
Wood Sheets - Any 40cm x 40cm x 0.3 cm or 16x16x1/8 Inch wood sheet will do the job. You may choose a bigger sheet, so you can customize it more, but know that the board strong>must not exceed the thickness too much, as it may prove too thick for the short motor shaft.
Motor Speed Controller - For this project, the best motor controller is one with a potentiometer . The only thing that you'll need to be careful about is the Voltage - V (it must exceed the power supply of 9V), and the Wattage - W (when divided by the volts, it must not exceed the motor rated amps A at stall or max power).
Solder Wire - Any solder wire will do, but it's easier to work with a thinner one. You can get it from any local electronics shop. If you need to buy a soldering iron, sometimes they come with a spool of soldering wire, making buying soldering wire unnecessary.
Solder Flux - Any solder flux will work fine. You can get it from any local electronics shop.
Courses and lessons with this Tutorial
This Tutorial is used in the following courses and lessons
Build a DIY Rotating LED Clock Display – For Parents and Kids (Online and Self-Guided)
Discover the fun of DIY electronics with your child in this self-paced, beginner-friendly online course, where parents and kids work together to build a rotating LED strip display!
Designed for those with no prior experience, this project-based course walks you through the entire process of assembling a spinning LED display that uses persistence of vision to create a glowing clock.
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Tools and Treasures – Get Ready to Build
In this self-paced, beginner-friendly online course, you and your child will learn how to create a rotating LED strip display—a glowing clock that seems to paint time in mid-air. And don’t worry if you’ve never soldered, wired a circuit, or touched an Arduino before. We guide you from the very first step all the way to powering on your finished display.
By the end of this journey, you’ll both have learned real hands-on skills—like how to solder, drill clean mounting holes, read resistor color codes, and work with common electronic components—all while building something that looks impressively “advanced” but is totally achievable for beginners.
Before you jump into the build videos, this first lesson gives you a clear picture of what you're creating—and what materials you’ll need to make it happen. We want you to have full confidence in what you’re investing in. There are no surprise expenses later: everything required is listed upfront, along with tips on where to buy each part.
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