Making Skateboards

Do you know how to make a skateboard? If you do not, you are not alone. Do not fret because thus far you have been one of the countless many who have put down good money to buy a board that broke down after the third Ollie or never survived the kickflip your kid tried in the driveway. Quite possibly you went around muttering under your breath that it cannot possibly be that hard to make your own skateboard; the muttering undoubtedly go louder when the sales clerk behind the counter looked all smug and would not return your money for the defective board because you could not find the receipt.

For all those who want to learn how to make a skateboard and who have had enough of paying through the nose for someone else who took the time to learn the art and science of making skateboards, and for anyone else who has not shied away from a little challenge now and then, here are the instructions:
1. The first part of making a skateboard involves the fashioning of the piece of material that the feet stand on; in boarder terms this is referred to as the deck. You can make your own skateboard deck by using the most durable wood you can find – hardwood only – or by cheating a little and buying a raw, pre-manufactured deck from the skate store. Since learning how to make a skateboard deck is simple, cheating is not necessary. Use a solid piece of wood and cut it to measure about 30”.
2. When making skateboards, resist the temptation of making them too long, since the weight in the middle will cause either breakage or buckling. Keep your board 8” wide, round the edges evenly, sand all around and apply a sheet of grip tape.
3. For those who want to learn how to make skateboards because of the cool designs, you will find that making skateboards saver sometimes means you need to compromise on the bling. If you have your heart set on paint, go ahead and prime, paint, seal, and decorate the board, and then just apply thin strips of grip tape. Does resin epoxy construction make a skateboard lighter? Some claim it does while others have no clue. By and large, skill outshines weight every time.
4. Now you need to attach the axles for the wheels. As you make the skateboard go, measure the underside so that the axle – or truck – will fit within about ¼” of your board’s width.
5. As you contemplate further how do you make a skateboard go, keep in mind that some wheels require bearings; failure to remember this important step will make questions like how to make a fingerboard skateboard, how to make a skateboard better, how to make a longboard skateboard, or how to make a skateboard fast obsolete. Without the bearings making skateboards go at all will be difficult.
6. After finishing the steps for making skateboards, try out your new creation slowly and gradually increase your demands on it.