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Have any of you ever made a longboard?

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Abu_Hajaar
Posts: 2749 - Karma: 3,907
I've been wanting to make one for a while now and I need to know a few things first.

1. What type of press did you use? (pics would be great)

2. What type and size of wood did you use?

3. What kind of glue did you use?

4. How did it turn out? (pics would be good here too)

5. Any additional info.
Apr 16 2012 3:51PM
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Broseph_Stalin
Posts: 3745 - Karma: 178
I used to make minis and sell them to people at my school. i would just go and buy or mostly find those shitty Walmart boards and cut them and sand them then put a logo on the bottom.
Apr 16 2012 3:55PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
I did. If satan rode a longboard, it would be this one. i used a vacuum bag, 1/8 baltic birch (i can now get 1/16 BB and male though).
Click for larger image
Apr 16 2012 3:55PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
hmm, 'male' should be 'maple' and use titebond 2 or 3.
Apr 16 2012 3:56PM
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Abu_Hajaar
Posts: 2749 - Karma: 3,907
thanks +k
Apr 16 2012 4:01PM
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connory998
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 34
I did. I think theres pictures in my profile and a thread in the longboard cult. I will give a better response when im not on mobile.
Apr 16 2012 4:04PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,183
inb4 hotass and his tape
Apr 16 2012 4:09PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,747
My brother's made 30-40 of them. They're super sick. I think they're maple and birch but I could be wrong. I'd have to check.

It was made as 3 pieces, glued together and held with vacuum pump. The really cool part was the centre. It was corrugated so looking straight on from the tip or tail of the board it looked like this:

Click for larger image

where the holes went all the way through. It made then light and gave them excellent action. They were incredibly durable too. I'm not an expert on long boards, but they've been the comfiest ride I've ever had.
Apr 16 2012 4:10PM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
Foam press that I made, really easy to do, go on silverfish for board building stuff

baltic birch

titebond III (3)

really well

go on silverfish, theyre a dedicated longboard community and have endless a whole section to board building
http://www.silverfishlongboarding.com/forum/longboard-board-building-q-discussions/
Apr 16 2012 4:13PM
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Abu_Hajaar
Posts: 2749 - Karma: 3,907
How did you make your press?
Apr 16 2012 4:16PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9215 - Karma: 5,398
it's a positive foam mold inside a vacuum bag. put the wood on the mold, all that goes in the bag and you press for like a day, or 12 hours. that board does have concave, a lot of it. you just can't see in the photo. I shaped the foam by hand.
Apr 16 2012 4:36PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268


This is 4 layers of 1/8" baltic birch with top and bottom layers of formica, super rigid and is a very smooth ride with very little road vibrations for some reason. Very satisfied with the board's performance.

I use a vacuum bag with foam mold. I used to use a home made dimm (clamps and 2 sided foam mold) style press and while it worked, it was a pain in the ass. Vac bag is so much easier. Find some titebond 1, 2 or 3 for glue. Go to your local lumber store, not homedepot or lowes, and look for 5'x5' sheets of 1/8" thick baltic birch. It's a good wood to start with and is tolerant of excess glue and uneven molds/presses.

Don't have any shots of that board in the press, but heres another i did with the vac bag, the foam is the pink stuff.

Apr 16 2012 4:57PM
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Abu_Hajaar
Posts: 2749 - Karma: 3,907
Thanks man. Thats sick!
Apr 16 2012 5:02PM
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canterbury
Posts: 2382 - Karma: 55
1. Didn't use a press.

2. Used a piece of plywood cut into the rough shape of a surfboard with a 2x4 drilled onto the bottom for strength and a place to mount the trucks.

3. No glue necessary.

4. Poorly. The board was mostly unsteerable, heavy, and the edges of the board scraped the road when you tried to turn.

5. Spray painted white for aerodynamic properties.
Apr 16 2012 5:08PM
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cwphoto
Posts: 2332 - Karma: 780
haha i lost
Apr 16 2012 5:32PM
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Flying~Squirrel
Posts: 6494 - Karma: 192
i had a friend who made a board like that with just a particle plank and a 2x4 drilled into the bottom. i laughed at him at first but it actually worked pretty well. however it was really heavy and bottomed out a lot, plus it looked absolutely stupid.

i know another kid who made one out of aluminium but i didnt like that kid so im gonna say dont do that. it also looked ridiculous.
Apr 16 2012 5:39PM
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LIL-WAT
Posts: 1510 - Karma: 146
im keen to se a picture of this
Apr 16 2012 5:47PM
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JayMeZZy
Posts: 423 - Karma: 510
a bag or vacuum press are the easiest and best presses to make, i have made a ribbed press and they are too much work for minimal return, you guys get burch easy over there so use that, bamboo is the best wood but is complicated to press and to structure strong after pressing. check out 'the dimm press instructional video for a bag press.
Apr 16 2012 5:56PM
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connory998
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 34
mine have been made from 3-4 layers of 1/8 inch baltic birch, held together with epoxy and the 3 layer ones had fiberglass and a stringer on the bottom. All have been made using a press made out of wood and foam, and clamped with 2x4's and threaded rod. Their are pictures of my first one in my profile and i will try to find pictures of others.
Apr 16 2012 6:02PM
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werndog
Posts: 253 - Karma: 176
Threads for when I actually decide to make one
Apr 29 2012 1:14PM
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reverendwrong
Posts: 3145 - Karma: 142
mine

Click for larger image
Apr 29 2012 1:22PM
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