How To Make Your Own Skateboard

By Author: Rob Thomas
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Skateboarding is a favorite hobby for many who want to have fun riding and performing tricks. Skateboards give hours and hours if entertainment and exercise to many people. Designing and constructing your own skateboard can also be fun, as you get to pick exactly how your skateboard is going to look. Here is the process -

Before you start to gather construction material and start the process, have a look at the many skateboards. You can go to a sports shop and have a look, or browse the Internet to see which ones catch your interest the most. Carefully see how the skateboard is built and also see the color combinations, download and print the one that catches your interest. This will make it easier when you start making your own.

Things you will need -
1. Tool set
2. Deck
3. Wheels
4. Mould
5. Bearings
6. Two trucks
7. Grip tape
8. Risers
9. Paint
10. Paintbrush
11. Wheels
12. Cold press
13. Nuts and bolts
14. Knife or saw

Step by step Instructions -
1.First and foremost you need to buy a skateboard ...
... blank. This piece of wood needs to strong to withstand you weight and at the same time it needs to be built in such a way that it can bear twisting, jumping and turning actions. This plank of wood can also be created accordingly but it will require special skills and tools. Experiment with different shapes and settle on the one most comfortable for you. You can use glue to fix the wood together in case you have decided to make your own plank. Remember the size of the skateboard totally depends on you.

2.You can shape it accordingly with a skateboard mould. A cold press can also be used to apply pressure on the deck of the skateboard. Keep up the pressure for up to 24 hours and exert at least 5 tons of pressure.

3.Draw the final shape of the board as you desire. Next carefully cut the board using a sharp thick knife or saw. You can easily smooth out the rough edges of the board using some sand paper or a belt sander.

4.Next you need to mark the holes for the trucks. Align the holes properly, before you start to drill them.

5.You need to rub sandpaper all over the board to make it smooth all over.

6.Next clean any debris on the wood you can even wash it if you like. After it dries completely you pain the skateboard in a combination of your favorite colors. Refer to your print out when you start painting.

7.Fix the trucks on the holes that you have drilled. Make sure they are neither too soft not too hard. These trucks are going to make your skateboard stable.

8.Next you will want too put some grip tape on the deck. The grip tape needs to be larger than your deck, press the tape on the deck so that it is permanently affixed on your deck. You can trim the excess grip tape by running a file around the edge of the deck. Buff and file it again, if you have difficulty cutting it. You can use the tape and cut them out into neat patters and place them on your board. This can be done at the end as well.

9.Riser will increase the life of your board by keeping the deck free from cracks.

10.Attach the bearings into the wheels using the trucks as leverage. After they are secured, push them towards the truck and use a few nuts and bolts to secure them. Last but not least you need to make sure that the wheels move freely, but are secure at the same time.

As you read above there are three main stages to making your skateboard - Preparing the Board, Applying Grip tape and finally Installing wheels and trucks. After these three stages are complete you are good to go.
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Click here for some interesting ideas on Cheap Skateboards. Here is another link on
How to Build a Skateboard.