Longboard Deck
I wanted to start learning how to ride a longboard, but longboard decks cost about $200, so I decided to make my own.
Skills - CAD, Fusion 360, Laser Cutting, Woodworking
Designing the deck
I researched longboard decks, looking at different sizes and shapes. I decided on a geometry that I liked and designed it in Fusion360. Then, I used the laser cutter to raster the graphic onto the board and cut out the outline I had drawn in CAD.
Creating a mold
Longboards tend to have a concave curve, which gives riders a better grip when riding and turning. To achieve this form, I used Fusion360 to design a skeleton jig with curved ribs that I then laser cut and assembled from 1/4" wood.
A gallon of glue
After cutting out the board and the jig, it was time to glue the layers together. The board consists of four layers of 1/8" wood, three layers have the grain running lengthwise and one layer running perpendicular. This arrangement provides the desired balance of flex and stiffness. The glue-up process was a lot of glue, a lot of clamps, and a lot of mess.
And its done!
After the glue-up, I added some grip tape which is what creates the frosted effect, then screwed on the trucks with the wheels. Here’s the finished product!