Longboards

This is sick! this is a dream of mine!

Great looking boards – best of luck.

Do you make the 1st 7 layers yourself, or do you buy them and add the veneer only?

Nice looking boards, Tom. Is that the router marquetry technique with foam under the veneer?

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Hell-a-sious! very nice

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net

Thanks for the comments.
@ Dustin. I buy a longboard set which is 1/16” thick rock maple. It comes in 12X48” sheets (2 cross grain for rigidity). I then form it over a foam mold for a concave shape and also bend the foam from tip to tail for camber so you can “pop” out of the turns. I used to try to bend the board from external clamps, but that would kink the wood, so now I insert the entire form into the vacuum press and let the vacuum do the work.
Cutting the foam mold for a concave shape:

Bending the mold from tip to tail for camber:

The result:


The vacuum press I use is home made posted here:

@shipwright:
I used a 1/32 router bit. I never thought of using foam underneath (I bet that would have saved me a few bits). I ended up cutting a two piece template out of hardboard. The pattern is cut through both pieces so the inlay just falls down after its cut and the bit only goes through the veneer, so it doesn’t break. Here are some pics:

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

Tom, we discussed the foam under router inlay cutting back here: http://lumberjocks.com/shipwright/blog/18834 but it was awhile ago. Not a thing wrong with what you’re doing though. Looks great.

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Paul,
Now I remember. I am so A.D.D when it comes to woodworking. My mind is always going a 100 miles an hour. I did solve my “tight radius” problem. I found a local machine shop to make me some router template bushings that were sized for a 1/32 router bit. I also made another bushing with a 1/16 smaller OD for the inlay. I can now get into super tight grooves and make accurate inlay cuts. I love it!

Tom

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

I would probably end up breaking an arm or leg on one of these… ...but they are so incredibly cool!!

I love all of your veneer combinations – especially the tamo ash. I have been wanting to work with some for a while. The quilted maple you used looks like your surfing on waves – fantastic stuff. I love vacuum pressing – it is a ton of fun and allows you to work with highly figured wood on the cheap – I had access to a bag and vacuum pump while taking some woodworking classes – I’ve been toying with building a similar setup, but I keep getting out bid on e-bay for gast pumps – is your pump a thomas? – is that working well for you? I’ve seen quite a few of the thomas pumps on e-bay at a more attractive price-point than many of the gast pumps.

Looks like you have Joe Woodworker’s/Veneer Supplies set up for your vac press and some of his veneers. I love his website – tons of info and willing to share all of it. I’ve had really good luck with veneers that I have purchased from him, too.

Best of luck with your business endeavor – keep us posted on how they are selling. If these sell on looks alone – you will keeping very busy!

-- -Jay Hartman - Morrisville, PA

if you dont mind my asking, how much do you pay for those maple veneers? have you thought about cutting your own? how flexy would it be for someone around 165 lbs? no fiberglass on the bottom? how does the poly and sand last? what type of glue do you use?

sorry for all the questions :P i’ve been making my own longboards and i really like your work, keep it up!

-- The hard work won't take too long, the impossible will take a little longer

@Jaybird – Thanks for the kind words. Joewoodworker is the way to go! I bought a reconditioned pump from him for a very reasonable price. Its not worth messing with ebay. After a bunch of auctions and shipping costs I’ve ended up hating ebay.

@Mike – The maple isn’t cheap. It runs about 35-50 dollars for the quilted maple veneer to make one deck depending if you do a bookmatch or not. The quilted maple is always more expensive than similarly figured woods because its used on musical instruments and the lumber yards know it. Once it can be used on the face of a guitar, the price sky rockets. (Then again, its worth it!!!!)

I’m a little heavier (210 lb) and it has plenty of spring for me. I can alway add more camber to explode through the turns, but I generally like to cruise at moderate speeds. Just fast enough to wish I knew how to slide. :)

No fiberglass on the bottom. Would you still be able to see the woodgrain through the fiberglass? What is the benefit of using fiberglass?

I use a very expensive and hard poly (about 5-7 coats) so the grip stays on nicely. In the event it does start to wear out. I can just grab a can a poly and sprinkle some more on. I’m waiting for one of the neighborhood kids to wear one of my boards out so I can know, but so far it hasn’t happened.

I use Titebond III. I’ve been using it for all my other woodworking projects. It wasn’t until later that I found out it was specifically designed for skateboards. Not sure how many LJs know that…

Got any picture of your boards? Check me out on facebook – TR Custom Longboards

Tom

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

yes, you can see pretty good through the fiberglass, it would be as clear as say poly but its see through. fiberglass adds just a very slight amount of stiffness. which is probably not a noticeable amount for just one layer, but it prevents the wood from splitting. if you land on the board too hard, it kind of holds the plywood sandwich together, instead of splitting.

ive wanted to try the poly and sand thing…but i havent had the chance of using veneers yet..

pictures will be up very shortly, and i liked your page on facebook :)

-- The hard work won't take too long, the impossible will take a little longer

Very nice! My son is a LB rider… i am a LB rider watcher :-)