A Gigantic Arduino Powered by an Arduino

Like many of us, maker Zach Hipps (AKA “byte sized”) uses Arduino boards in many of his projects. Much of the appeal of devices like the Uno and Nano is their small size and inexpensive pricing, allowing one to add “smarts” to a wide variety of builds. Hipps' latest project takes things in the opposite direction, however, as he's constructed a 12X scale model of the Arduino Uno that he appropriately calls the “Arduino Giga.”

This device – which brings to mind an IO card that you’d stick in a very old Allen Bradley PLC – works out to be around 33 inches long and 25 inches wide. The circuit board is made out of a literal 3/4 inch wooden plywood board, and various markings and holes are cut out on a CNC router. The board is painted an Arduino-ish blue, and the lettering is filled in white with caulk. Components are 3D-printed and painted, which took about a week and a half to produce at this scale.

To make the device functional, an Arduino Nano with screw terminals is embedded in a recessed pocket in the wood. Wires are run to the female 12X header pins, and 1/4" audio jacks are embedded to connect with the outside world. An arcade button is included as the reset, and there’s a hidden actual USB connector hidden in the gigantic USB A model on the device. As proof that it actually works, Hipps uses it to power RGB lighting on his Christmas tree, providing a truly unique holiday decoration!