How to Make Shortboard Skateboards

A shortboard is a type of skateboard, commonly used by surfers when the sea is flat and not so exciting. It's much shorter than a longboard, but it shouldn't be confused with a standard freestyle skateboard. They use trucks and wheels from a longboard, and they are generally used for carving and hill riding. Because a shortboard lacks the complex concave shape of a freestyle board, you can easily cut your own without the use of any special tools.

Things You'll Need

  • Hardwood board 40-by-10-by-1/2 inches
  • Compass made from Pencil and string
  • Jigsaw
  • Sandpaper
  • Drill
  • Grip tape
  • Craft knife
  • Longboard trucks, bearings and wheels with mounting hardware
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the hardwood board down on the floor, and pin a piece of string a couple of feet off to the side of it. Using the string as a compass with the pencil at the far end, draw an arc on the wood.

    • 2

      Repeat the process on the opposite side of the wood, so the two arcs intersect and form an elongated teardrop or almond shape. It should be approximately 36 inches long, coming to a point at the nose, with a squared-off tail. It should be roughly 6 to 8 inches wide at its widest point, which should be nearer the nose than the tail.

    • 3

      Set the trucks on top of the wood to make sure the wheels are completely clear of the board. This is because shortboards are primarily used for carving tight turns. This requires the board to tilt a great deal, so the wheels need to be clear of it to prevent "wheel-bite."

    • 4

      Cut out the board using a jigsaw and sand down the rough edges. Place the trucks in their intended position. Mark the points for the mounting hardware and drill the holes.

    • 5

      Affix the grip tape to the top side of the board and trim the edges with the craft knife. Sand it down with the paper if necessary.

    • 6

      Flip the board over and bolt the trucks to the underside, with the heads of the mounting hardware on the grip tape side.