Homemade Longboard

Today I'm going to be showing you how to make your own longboard. It's pretty fun to do and even more fun to ride after.

First you will need to find a good wood to use for your longboard. I recommend a Baltic birch because it strong but flexible. You will want two separate sheets of wood 12" by 48". And you will glue them together by yourself since that will be a better bond.

You need to print out a long board template so you trace it onto your wood. You can just find a template by googling longboard template then just download it. You cut out your template and tape it together then you'll trace it onto your board

You will need to wait twenty-four hours before the wood is dry from the glue. You will need to put weights on the board to make sure it is tight together. Distribute the weight evenly so all ends will be secure.

The most crucial part of making sure a longboard works is where the trucks are placed and made sure they are straight. You need to draw a center line down your board to insure you'll get the wheels straight and in the correct spot. You can print out another template for the holes. You need to make sure that it is correct with the truck holes before you actually drill into the board.

After your measuring its now time to drill your holes. Use a drill but the size of the screw you're using. After screwing its finally time to saw your wood. I would recommend using a jig saw since it would be best for cutting shapes. Just follow along your traced edge. Be sure to be careful when using a electric saw and power drill and take all safety precautions when you do

You're going to need to sand down the edges of the board so it has a smooth finish to it. This will take awhile but it doesn't matter if you hand sand it or if you use a electric sander. Next you're going to want to put a polycrylic on the TOP of the board. It only takes about 15 minutes to dry so put three or four coats on ONLY the top of the board. You are going to want to paint the bottom of the board or put on a wood finish.

Installing the wheels now should be no problem. All you need to do is take the trucks and secure them with their given but and bolt. Make sure you do place the trucks facing the correct direction so they turn properly. You want the bolt on the trucks to be facing the front of the board. Also if you desire to put on grip tape then go ahead and do so just be sure to sand away any that hangs off the side of the board.