Hello to you all
After about a year of planning and a few longboard skateboard decks I decided to take the plunge and started to build a chambered 9’8" longboard this summer.
Due to the lack of stock balsa over here I decided to make it out of western red cedar planks with two ash stringers. Enclosed are a few pictures of construction so far…it’s currently rough shaped, chambered and bonded together…
Sam
Oh and thanks for the inspiration!
…a couple more pictures to show the chambers. Unfortunately I won’t be able to carry on with it until after this term.
Sam
Did you have a “design” sized hole (chamber) or did you just go with what looked right? I have a project in mind and was wondering how you decided the thickness of the deck and bottom parts of the chamber.
There wasn’t really a ‘design’ thickness to speak of, so yes it was pretty much with what felt right. I did a couple of test chambers in scrap material at about 1/2" and stuck with that. The decks are at least 1/2" thick (measured on the thinner side of each plank). Each plank once cut out seemed to be pretty flexible yet strong (even a single cedar plank could support my 11 stone weight) I probably could have got away with a bit less and maybe more chambers to save on overall weight, but this is the first so I’ll see how it goes for now. Hope this helps…
Sam
any guesses on what the final weight will be?
I’m hoping for it to be around 20kgs. It weighed in total around 40kgs after the rocker was cut into each plank, but a fair bit of material has been taken off with rough shaping and chambering. Next job is to cut the profile out, shape the rails, add the fin box and leash plug and then glass so and bit will be taken off and a bit added on. Obviously it’ll be heavier than a foam board (my 7’11" mal weighs in at around 10kg) but will have a fair bit of momentum once planing!
Sam
I’m very interested in this thread!! Lots of red cedar here and I’ve always wanted to do this!! Keep up the good work!
Great work brother.
What are the finial dimentions?
Only advice I have for you is make a glass leash loop, don’t ruin your board with a plug.
Keep it up.
Cheers.
It should be around 9’8" or 9’10" long, maximum of 22" wide, 17.8" wide 26" from the tail and around 20.2" wide 26" from the nose. Maximum thickness will be a shade under 3" with 5" nose and 3 7/8" tail rocker. Basically it is based on a Rich Harbour Clark Foam blank with the width reduced down to 22". Thanks for the leash plug tip, a length of brass bar bent in a loop and bonded in place will probably be a lot better.
Sam
Hello to you all
Here’s a couple more pictures of the log from over the christmas break. Its pretty much rough shaped now, including the rails. It weighs around 20kg.
Also included is my first attempt at finishing with resin, this time on a small longboard deck from the cedar and ash for my other half.
Sam
For anyone that may be interested, here’s a final few photos that I’ve only just got round to uploading (2 1/2 years later!)
