Tools for Making a Longboard Skateboard

Longboards are longer versions of skateboards. Regular skateboards may be 28 inches long, but longboards may be up to 46 inches long. Longboards are much harder to maneuver than skateboards but they remain stable at much higher speeds. Some enthusiasts race longboards downhill at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. All skateboards are generally assembled in the same way. Axle assemblies called “trucks” screw into the bottom of a wooden deck. Wheels attach to the trucks and riders stand on the deck. Longboard decks are longer, the trucks are wider and the wheels are thicker, but the assembly process is the same for all skateboards

  1. Cutting The Deck

    • All skateboard decks are usually made up of seven to nine thin sheets of wood that are between 1/17 and 1/20 of an inch thick pressed together to make a deck about 1/2 inch thick. The pieces are usually cut to conform to a paper or cardboard pattern. Homemade deck pieces are usually cut with a jig saw and finished with sandpaper then glued together with wood glue applied with a paint roller. Sometimes these thin layers are vacuum sealed together using a thick plastic bag and a vacuum pump.

    Shaping The Deck

    • Before the glue cures, the blank deck is shaped so both ends curve up in a “skateboard mold.” These molds are often made of concrete but they can also be carved out of wood. The mold is placed in an hydraulic press actuated either by compressed air from an air compressor or a bottle jack, which is the kind of jack you use if you have to change a flat tire. The deck usually stays in the press for at least a day. After removing the deck from the mold the edges are rounded over with a plunge router and either a “round over” or a “bullnose” router bit. Afterward the edges are finished with sandpaper.

    Finishing The Deck

    • Decks can either be finished with clear varnish or paint. Varnish can be sprayed on from a spray can or with a paint gun which is usually attached to an air compressor. Varnish needs to be lightly sanded between coats with extra fine sandpaper or steel wool. Paint gets sprayed on the same way varnish does but you do not need to sand paint between coats. Graphics can be applied to your deck with an airbrush or using decals. Graphics should be protected with a coat of clear enamel over paint or varnish over varnish. When you spray any volatile substance it is a good idea to wear eye protection and a half mask respirator.

    Attaching The Trucks And Wheels

    • You can drill the holes for your truck mounting hardware with a hand held electric drill and drill bit but you will get better results with a drill press. Like all wheeled vehicles, longboards roll better when the wheels are properly aligned and the mounting holes in your deck should be exactly perpendicular. If you are not using a deck template you need to measure with a steel ruler or square to find the exact middle of your deck. Then you need basic tools like Phillips head and flathead screwdrivers, open end wrenches (you will almost certainly need a 1/2 inch open end wrench but you may need others) and sometimes Allen wrenches to attach your trucks to the deck and your wheels to the trucks.