Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Thanks.





--
FWIW. It is actually not exactly a skateboard, but it is something
similar. It will support an adult male and go over many obstacles.
The wheels will be bigger. It does not need to be springy, I will
not be flipping it up into my hands upon dismount, and shock
absorption will be dealt with other ways.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

On 09 Jun 2010 00:22:32 GMT, John Doe wrote:

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Ash? Hickory? Stuff of baseball bats.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

On 09 Jun 2010 00:22:32 GMT, John Doe wrote:

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Thanks.

Get the best strength with 3 or more thin glued-up layers of clear
hardwood. Which wood you use will determine the weight.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

John Doe wrote in news:4c0edec7$0$8801$c3e8da3
@news.astraweb.com:

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Thanks.


For something that's strong and will stand up well, I'd look for a really
good plywood. Chances are a 3/4" sheething grade plywood won't stand up
to the kinds of stresses a skateboard takes.

Get plywood with as many layers as you can find. For something like a
3/4" plywood with 15+ layers, you may have to start looking at more
specialty places.

FWIW, most boards sold as "1x" (one-by) are really only 3/4" thick.
Widths are also smaller, dimensional "x8" lumber is probably only 7 1/4"
wide (Maybe it's 7 1/8"?).

Puckdropper
--
Never teach your apprentice everything you know.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

Baltic Birch plywood. The stuff drawers are made from in many places.


"John Doe" wrote in message
...
I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Thanks.





--
FWIW. It is actually not exactly a skateboard, but it is something
similar. It will support an adult male and go over many obstacles.
The wheels will be bigger. It does not need to be springy, I will
not be flipping it up into my hands upon dismount, and shock
absorption will be dealt with other ways.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

There is a reason they use plywood. Get some Baltic birch.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

you might be able to make one of these kits work for you. Seem like a
good fun way to go.

http://www.roarockit.com/

HTH,
Jeffo

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?


You surely need plywood and baltic birch would be a good place to
star. Probably 1/2".

The amount and direction of allowable bending is called compliance. If
you want certain characteristics of stiffness in one direction but
compliance in another you can take a lesson from the carbon fiber
industry.

If you made your own plywood from thin sheets of veener you could
align the grain all in one direction to have stiffness in one plane
and compliance in another. Or mostly all in one direction with a few
plys in an alternate direction for mostly stiff and lostly compliant
in each direction, etc.

Heck, maybe you should look into carbon fiber sheets or maybe even
fiberglass.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

Light, strong, not springy wood... that's what she said.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

Rolls of thin wood to make your own plywood. You want all hardwood.
You want water-proof glue. Not white or yellow. Maybe (Maybe) liquid nail
stuff. Apple-ply - but you want a little bend in the ends.

The curved deck was developed over years of riding. Easier when skating.

I have (my sons) a deck that is likely 3.5' long and at least 12" wide.

It was a trick and fun one. Trucking types are narrow and long.
More like a ski.

Use quality trucks and mounting system. They save ankles.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 6/8/2010 8:00 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 09 Jun 2010 00:22:32 GMT, John wrote:

I can buy a cheap skateboard for $20 US, but I would prefer to cut
my own. I do not want concave or springy, it needs to be strong
and lightweight flat wood. Anything readily available at the local
hardware stores that might work for a skateboard deck? Ordinary 1" x
8" (or 12") wood? Plywood?

Ash? Hickory? Stuff of baseball bats.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote:

Rolls of thin wood to make your own plywood.

Yeah, that would be nice. The only plywood I could find at Lowe's
was five ply (or maybe even just three ply, whatever it was). Of
course there are other hardware stores.

The curved deck was developed over years of riding. Easier when
skating.

Yeah, I can see that. I will probably have to adjust what I got.

Use quality trucks and mounting system. They save ankles.

I received two Randal trucks today, the narrowest and the widest,
from their website. I need only one truck, but the unused truck
will provide lots of spare parts and a different angle base plate
that is interchangeable. They look very good compared to a $20
skateboard truck. They also sell some floating axle type of truck
for $120 US, but the electric scooter I am making right now is
just a prototype and for my own personal use.





--
Thanks to the replies.

Light, strong, not springy, wood for a skateboard?
 

John Doe wrote:
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote:

Rolls of thin wood to make your own plywood.

Yeah, that would be nice. The only plywood I could find at Lowe's
was five ply (or maybe even just three ply, whatever it was). Of
course there are other hardware stores.

The curved deck was developed over years of riding. Easier when
skating.

Yeah, I can see that. I will probably have to adjust what I got.

Use quality trucks and mounting system. They save ankles.

I received two Randal trucks today, the narrowest and the widest,
from their website. I need only one truck, but the unused truck
will provide lots of spare parts and a different angle base plate
that is interchangeable. They look very good compared to a $20
skateboard truck. They also sell some floating axle type of truck
for $120 US, but the electric scooter I am making right now is
just a prototype and for my own personal use.

http://www.roarockit.com/