I chose to build mine out of individual RGB LEDs as I had a lot of them left form a past project but you could use a LED strip to make this project a lot quicker. I started by collecting my LEDs and finding out how big I could make the matrix. I decided to make a 7x7 Matrix so I needed 49 LEDs.

I then got a thin piece of MDF and drew a 1 inch grid on it. I then drilled 5mm holes where I had marked it on the grid. I sanded the wood then painted one of the sides white. I then place all the LEDs into the grid. Now to connect all the LEDs together. I started by soldering a piece of wire to the first LEDs anode and then striping back a piece of wire then soldered it to the next LEDs anode. I repeated this for all the anodes then the three colours.

Once the Matrix is assembled I took apart an old LED strip controller and cut of the end where the LED strip would connect. I then soldered the wires to the correct pins of the first LED. I then soldered some wire to the positive and negative of the power jack of the controler and connected it to a barrel jack. 

Enclosure

I then measured the matrix board and that determined that the inside dimeter of the box needed to be slightly smaller. Once I had all the measurements I chose a piece of pine that was 100mm wide and cut it on the table saw at a 45 degree angel to the correct length. Once I had all the pieced cut to size I used a router to cut two channels into the inside of the pieces.

I then got a piece of acrylic and sanded both sides of it to give it a opaque look. Once everything was ready I drilled small pilot holes into the ends of the pine boards and used screws to hold it together. Once I had 3 sides screwed together I slid the matrix in and the acrylic into the grooves.

Before screwing on the other side I drilled a hole for the power jack and for the IR receiver. I then hot glued the receiver and the power jack into place before screwing on the last side.

I then plugged in the controller and turned it on using the remote and tested it all worked.

Acknowledgement 

I thank LCSC Electronics for the partnership.

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