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This instructable is going to be a basic guide on how to make a longboard.
Since i can not possibly cover everything, and also since a lot of the learning comes with experience, you will need to do some research and experimenting on your own. Building a longboard is not a simple task and it requires patience, hard work, and attention to detail.
Hopefully i can share with you what i know, and what has worked well for me, so that you too can start making boards for yourself, and maybe even friends.
If you are really new to this, you might not even know what longboarding is. If you have no idea what longboarding is, then i would refer to this instructable first: http://www.instructables.com/id/Longboarding-what-is-it/
Ok you want to build a longboard!
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Longboard building is not cheap, but if you do put time, care, and effort into your boards they will last you a long time. Your first few boards will probably break as mine did, but once you get it down, you will have lots of boards to ride, and possibly sell. I would recommend starting out with a simple design and then move onto more complicated designs once you have board making down.
Please note: The instructions and techniques come from all different sites and i am just putting it all together into an instructable. I am not stealing the information, i am using what i know wand what knowledge others have shared with me.
Here is a good website to help you with building if you get stuck.
Silverfishlongboarding
Finally: *I am not responsible for any injuries, build boards and skate them at your own risk. Please always wear the proper safety gear when skating*
Since i can not possibly cover everything, and also since a lot of the learning comes with experience, you will need to do some research and experimenting on your own. Building a longboard is not a simple task and it requires patience, hard work, and attention to detail.
Hopefully i can share with you what i know, and what has worked well for me, so that you too can start making boards for yourself, and maybe even friends.
If you are really new to this, you might not even know what longboarding is. If you have no idea what longboarding is, then i would refer to this instructable first: http://www.instructables.com/id/Longboarding-what-is-it/
Ok you want to build a longboard!
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Longboard building is not cheap, but if you do put time, care, and effort into your boards they will last you a long time. Your first few boards will probably break as mine did, but once you get it down, you will have lots of boards to ride, and possibly sell. I would recommend starting out with a simple design and then move onto more complicated designs once you have board making down.
Please note: The instructions and techniques come from all different sites and i am just putting it all together into an instructable. I am not stealing the information, i am using what i know wand what knowledge others have shared with me.
Here is a good website to help you with building if you get stuck.
Silverfishlongboarding
Finally: *I am not responsible for any injuries, build boards and skate them at your own risk. Please always wear the proper safety gear when skating*
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Signing UpStep 1Constructing the press
Ok so before you can even make your longboard you are going to need to build a press. The press is what presses your wood sheets together, into a certain shape, to make a solid board. There are a few different types of presses, but i have narrowed it down to the ones that are the most effective.
The bolt press: (Cost $20 or more)
Bolt Press - This press uses bolts that you tighten down to put pressure on the board. It incorporates wooden ribs to make the shape of your board. This press takes a bit of time to build, but it is probably the cheapest and simplest. You will have to spend a bit of money to purchase the wood to build the press as well.
Vacuum bagging: (Cost $50 or more)
Air Press - This press you can buy online from Roarockit. You could also make your own if you know what you are doing, but i am unsure on how to go about making one. With this method you put your wood sheets in a vacuum bag that has a foam mold in it. When you suck all the air out, the wood forms to your foam mold. You can get a press from: http://www.roarockit.com/index.php
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So for this instructable i am just going to show how to make the bolt press and not the vacuum bag. I would show you how to do both, but i no longer have my vacuum bag and if you are using the Roarockit vacuum press, they have instructions on how to use it when you buy the kit.
There are two different types of bolt presses. There is the basic plank press and then a ribbed press. The plank press is less complicated and simpler, and the ribbed press is more complicated and effective
So here is how to construct your bolt press(es):
Materials:
- Some 2x4s
- Bottom sheet of plywood (preferably 1/2inch to 1inch thick)
- 6 to 8 identical bolts - with nuts and washers (you DO NOT want the locking nuts)
- Screws to hold your press together
- Clamps
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Assembly for press 1:
First figure out how long you want your press to be. I chose to have mine 4 feel long. (because i usually do not make boards longer than that)
Cut a single 2x4 to your press length (in my case 4 feet). Then cut 3 or 4 one foot sections of 2x4s. Assemble the one foot sections an equal distance away from each other perpendicular to the longer 2x4. Make sure the smaller one foot sections are on top of your longer 2x4. Screw it all together. See picture one for help.
Now to make the base.
Take your plywood sheet and cut it to be as long as your press (in my case 4 feet), and then cut it 1 1/2 feet wide. Next take two 2x4s and cut them to your press length (in my case 4 feet). Take those two 2x4s you just cut and screw them down onto your plywood base. Make sure you line these up so that there is less than 11 inches, but at least 10 inches between the two 2x4s. You want just enough room so that your baltic birch can sit comfortably with one inch of hang over on each of the 2x4s. Don't give it too much hang over, or you will block the bolts. See picture one and two for help.
Now line up your top and bottom sections that you have finished assembling. One they are lined up drill holes all the way through. Test to see if your bots all fit and the top and bottom line up properly. See picture 5 for help.
What this press is going to allow you to do, is have concave.
You will want your board to have a bit of concave. Concave is the curve in a board that locks your feet in when your riding. Too much concave an your board will be very uncomfortable. But concave is necessary to hold your board together. Because when your pressing wood, you need to have some kind of shape to it, or else it will be really flimsy and break. Also make sure you get the right length bolts, that fit all the way to the top, so you can screw them down.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembly for press 2 (more recommended):
This is basically the same except you use ribs to press the board instead of the pressure being on the single beam. This makes for a stronger more solid pressing. FINISH THIS SECTION BLAHHHH
The bolt press: (Cost $20 or more)
Bolt Press - This press uses bolts that you tighten down to put pressure on the board. It incorporates wooden ribs to make the shape of your board. This press takes a bit of time to build, but it is probably the cheapest and simplest. You will have to spend a bit of money to purchase the wood to build the press as well.
Vacuum bagging: (Cost $50 or more)
Air Press - This press you can buy online from Roarockit. You could also make your own if you know what you are doing, but i am unsure on how to go about making one. With this method you put your wood sheets in a vacuum bag that has a foam mold in it. When you suck all the air out, the wood forms to your foam mold. You can get a press from: http://www.roarockit.com/index.php
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So for this instructable i am just going to show how to make the bolt press and not the vacuum bag. I would show you how to do both, but i no longer have my vacuum bag and if you are using the Roarockit vacuum press, they have instructions on how to use it when you buy the kit.
There are two different types of bolt presses. There is the basic plank press and then a ribbed press. The plank press is less complicated and simpler, and the ribbed press is more complicated and effective
So here is how to construct your bolt press(es):
Materials:
- Some 2x4s
- Bottom sheet of plywood (preferably 1/2inch to 1inch thick)
- 6 to 8 identical bolts - with nuts and washers (you DO NOT want the locking nuts)
- Screws to hold your press together
- Clamps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembly for press 1:
First figure out how long you want your press to be. I chose to have mine 4 feel long. (because i usually do not make boards longer than that)
Cut a single 2x4 to your press length (in my case 4 feet). Then cut 3 or 4 one foot sections of 2x4s. Assemble the one foot sections an equal distance away from each other perpendicular to the longer 2x4. Make sure the smaller one foot sections are on top of your longer 2x4. Screw it all together. See picture one for help.
Now to make the base.
Take your plywood sheet and cut it to be as long as your press (in my case 4 feet), and then cut it 1 1/2 feet wide. Next take two 2x4s and cut them to your press length (in my case 4 feet). Take those two 2x4s you just cut and screw them down onto your plywood base. Make sure you line these up so that there is less than 11 inches, but at least 10 inches between the two 2x4s. You want just enough room so that your baltic birch can sit comfortably with one inch of hang over on each of the 2x4s. Don't give it too much hang over, or you will block the bolts. See picture one and two for help.
Now line up your top and bottom sections that you have finished assembling. One they are lined up drill holes all the way through. Test to see if your bots all fit and the top and bottom line up properly. See picture 5 for help.
What this press is going to allow you to do, is have concave.
You will want your board to have a bit of concave. Concave is the curve in a board that locks your feet in when your riding. Too much concave an your board will be very uncomfortable. But concave is necessary to hold your board together. Because when your pressing wood, you need to have some kind of shape to it, or else it will be really flimsy and break. Also make sure you get the right length bolts, that fit all the way to the top, so you can screw them down.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembly for press 2 (more recommended):
This is basically the same except you use ribs to press the board instead of the pressure being on the single beam. This makes for a stronger more solid pressing. FINISH THIS SECTION BLAHHHH
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Contact me: bamboo.plywoods@gmail.com
Next, I really have no clue what the demensions should be. I guess it will be 4 feet long, but how wide? I am probably going to make a design like the second picture on this page (Go Ride!). Lastly, I also have no clue what types of wheels or trucks to get. I am new and dont know which are good and bad, ect.
as far as wheels go, hawgs, abec11, orangatang, seismic, sector nine, etc. lots of wheels to choose from. wheels have a couple main differences. durometer(durometer is the hardness of the wheel),the higher the number the better for sliding. lower, the grippier. lots more to talk about.
bearings, i don't know much about.
im 90 pounds and i can easily bottom out a board with 4 layers of wood and 2 fibreglass
also
more fibreglass will give the board a livelier flex
for the best flex use over 8 layers of fibreglass with epoxy resin instead of polyester resin
ps dont buy automotive fibreglass
or
Rockler.com
Just a suggestion
I thought about creating a drop-through-deck but will the board be able to bear my weight (80 kg) well enough? I believe that the part of the board where the trucks will be attached must be a little less strong compared to an ordinary deck, am I right? How thick must the deck be around the trucks to not break?
I've tried to find the answers on Google but I haven't, maybe you could help me?
I'm really glad for any answer!
Thanx!