Adafruit’s “Build an LED shield!” guide is a project for making a large, illuminated Guardian Shield+ prop inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It combines a Feather M0 controller, NeoPixel lighting and custom 3D-printed parts. The finished design is 700 mm wide by 600 mm tall, according to the project overview.
What the project builds
The shield’s translucent body and illuminated blades and gems make this a prop-build project, not a generic plug-in LED shield. The design uses clear translucent PLA for the main body, blue translucent UV-fluorescent PLA for the blades, and gray PLA for the rear attachment, handles and light-blocking masks. Its handle articulates. Adafruit describes the project as intermediate and credits Ruiz Brothers.
The guide dates to August 2, 2017; its overview page shows an edit on March 8, 2024. Treat its component choices, code and fabrication settings as specifications for this design, not as a current product-availability guarantee or universal build recipe. See the Guardian Shield+ project overview.
Lighting and core parts
The lighting is split between the long blade elements and three gem locations. The project specifies a one-meter mini Skinny NeoPixel Strip 144 for the blades, a NeoPixel Jewel for the center, and one breadboard-friendly NeoPixel for a side gem. An Adafruit Feather M0 runs the lights. The named core parts also include a mini panel-mount DPDT toggle switch, a 6600mAh battery, silicone wire and a 3D printer.
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#1 Best Overall
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These are the guide’s project specifications; it does not provide independent measurements for runtime, brightness, cost or durability. If choosing substitutes, compare controller compatibility with the guide’s code and pin assignments, strip length and electrical requirements, battery connector and fit, and whether your printer and material can produce the supplied parts. Those are selection checks, not tested equivalencies.
How the circuit is wired
The circuit diagram assigns the strip data input to Feather pin 6 and the Jewel data input to pin 5. Both lighting components connect to BAT for power and GND for ground. The prototyping area is used to bridge BAT-connected holes for additional power connections. The DPDT switch wiring connects to BAT, a prototyping-area pin, EN and GND as shown in the guide.
Rank #2
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The guide describes the LiPo battery’s male JST-PH2 connector plugging into the Feather’s female JST-PH2 connector. In its wiring arrangement, the switch turns on the board and NeoPixels; with the switch off, the battery can be charged through the Feather microUSB port when connected to a 5V supply. Check the specifications for the exact board and battery you select before connecting them; connector fit alone does not establish electrical compatibility. Follow Adafruit’s circuit diagram.
Prepare the controller and code
Before assembling the shield, the guide recommends setting up the Feather M0 for the Arduino IDE, installing drivers and confirming that a Blink example compiles and uploads successfully. It says builders can upload its supplied code without writing their own. Software labels and procedures may change, so use the project’s code instructions alongside the current setup information for your specific board and Arduino environment. Read the Feather and code setup instructions.
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Print the custom parts
The design relies on custom 3D-printed components; Adafruit provides STL downloads and a CAD source route. The model was designed in Autodesk Fusion 360. The printing page lists the following settings, which are starting specifications from that guide rather than guaranteed settings for every printer or filament:
| Setting | Guide specification |
|---|---|
| Extruder temperature | 230°C |
| Heated bed | No heated bed; 65°C if heated |
| Extrusion multiplier | 100% |
| Nozzle | 0.6 mm |
| Extrusion width | 0.72 mm |
| Layer height | 0.4 mm |
| Infill | 20% |
| Skirt or brim | Four to six outlines |
| Raft and supports | None |
If printing in a material other than PLA, the guide says to adjust slicing settings. Use the material and printer maker’s recommendations to determine appropriate temperatures and adhesion settings rather than assuming the listed values transfer unchanged. Get the printing instructions and model files.
Rank #4
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Assemble the shield and lighting
The assembly guide’s work includes trimming the strip connector, preparing its power, ground and data wires, routing the lighting through the printed center structure, and putting together the handle and blades. It also specifies M2.5×6 mm, M3×12 mm and M5×9 mm fasteners.
- Prepare the strip by trimming its connector and stripping and tinning the power, ground and data wires. Follow the strip’s orientation marks so the data input is connected at the correct end.
- Route the lighting components through the printed center structure and connect them according to the circuit diagram.
- Mount the battery to the rear attachment with zip ties or tape, as described by the guide, and assemble the handle and shield blades.
- Inspect the trimmed strip end and wiring so exposed wires cannot touch and short. Check connections before powering the build.
For the detailed part sequence and battery-mount arrangement, use Adafruit’s assembly instructions.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
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- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
What to check before starting
- Confirm the Feather M0, strip, Jewel, switch and battery match the project’s wiring plan; verify the chosen battery’s connector and electrical specifications.
- Plan for a 700-by-600-mm prop and access to a printer capable of producing its custom parts in the intended translucent materials.
- Set up and verify the Feather’s code-upload workflow before the printed structure makes access to the electronics harder.
- Use the guide’s print values as project-specific settings to evaluate, not universal material profiles; adapt them to your printer and filament.
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