Compsand Skateboard build (many photos)

Was thinking about chip and hicksy while I did this one. Not to leave out herbspitzer, he’ll be inspiring the next board, it’ll more go and less show.

I’d been thinking for a while that it would be fun to try to make a skateboard in the compsand way, so I’ve been messing around with this for the last week or so before I start on making a few customs for money (surfboards, that is). :o

I have a couple sets of trucks/wheels for it. One really cheap set of no-name trucks, and some super-sweet 110mm rubber-on-nylon road wheels, and a set of randal 180s and 75mm kryptonics. Probably put the cadillac wheels on this one, then save the randals and kryps for the next one I’m doing, a regular 7-ply maple with fiberglass carving deck.

Taped up balsa, sheet of 5/8 eps and male skateboard mold from 2lb eps

Laying out the glass to go between the foam and deck balsa.

Deck balsa/glass/foam in vac bag over mold. Weight for camber.

5/8 ply inserts for truck mounting.

Bottom balsa in bag over mold with weight for camber. Extra patches of glass over ply on both sides. When I did this pull at the highest vacuum I could muster, you could see where all the unthickened (no milled glass, microballons, etc.) epoxy that I used to set the ply inserts infused into the balsa directly above and below them. Hopefully that will give enough crush resistance to keep from turning this thing into a very beautiful bit of useless junk.

first iteration of “finished” blank.

I got too much springback on the nose and tail kicks with these first two skins (although the concave and camber stuck rock solid), so I did additional layers of makore/glass on both deck and bottom. These two skins I did simultaneously. Unfortunately I only had the makore veneer bookmatched for one side. finished blank, this time it held the curves perfectly.

Cut and true up outline, making the edges all 90 degrees (a trick on the concave edges!)

Bag on two layers of balsa for rails. Much harder than the rails on my surfboards, more curves.

Rails on.

Nose and tail blocks on.

Squaring up all the rails and shaping nose and tail.

Turning the “rails”

Tape off for glassing.

Glassed with extra patches under tail.

Cutlapped on both sides, hotcoated.

Sanded, sprayed, drilled, taped, trucks and Cadillac wheels!

Whoa!!!

Ride on,

Tom

very cool indeed…but the way i ride, i would always be worried about scuffing it up. Looks too nice to thrash around. But sweet nunthe

Hmmmmm! Hollow wooden skateboard (longboard) with perimeter stringers? Next project? Hmmmm!

Ride on,

Tom

nice one Jarrod!

i want one

Whoa

i am going to make one of those that is the nicest board (non-surf) i have ever seen

but how do it ride?

wouldn’t the foam make it “soft”?

how smooth does it ride with those wheel?

and are you planing on using that on grass because that might work ok with those wheel

beautiful!

Quote:

Whoa

i am going to make one of those that is the nicest board (non-surf) i have ever seen

but how do it ride?

Nice

wouldn’t the foam make it “soft”?

nope, stiff and springy, just like a compsand surfboard

how smooth does it ride with those wheel?

Smooth. but it is weird stepping that far down to push off, my quads are toast!

and are you planing on using that on grass because that might work ok with those wheel

Nope, my rough-ass street where I live. The next one with the randals and kryptonics are for trails and nice smooth areas.

Hey Jarrod,

Great thread…I’m sure to use this as guide when I build one someday…I was thinking that you could cut up some of those synthetic white chopping boards sold at ikea for about $5.00 to make some scuff guards in the tail and nose areas. Have you also thought about a “cap” construction for your skate boards??

The board looks great.

Cheers,

Rio

Sheeeet,

GOOD JOB!!!

You have earned your place,here at Swaylock’s.

Don’t get hurt…use a helmet,it’s better than being a veggieboreder.(geeeez I sound like my wife er sumpthin)

…where’s my camera got to take some pics now!

fascinating stuff Jarred !

thanks for making that , and answering my “I wonder if…” questions …

I’d like a concave decked , 30" x 10" single kick [tail only] version of that , for half pipes and bowls with wide trucks [independent ? tracker full tracks? ] and yes , something like kryptonics wheels , rounded on the outside and inside edges , for bowlriding […think 1980s santa cruz style boards]

You never cease to impress me mate , it’s such a good outlet , too, for stress reduction from the line of work you do eh ?

Keep up the good work mate , and please keep posting here , your photo threads always make swaylocks interesting and inspirational !

  cheers buddy 



       ben

absoloutly beautiful board Shwuz!!! my wooden skatie feels inferior now!!!

by the way… how did you get 20 big pics like that all in one post?

great board mate, brilliant craftsmenship, ride on and be proud bro!!

Hey Jarrod,

Have you thought of some clear grip tape? That wood grain is just too beautiful.

Cheers,

Rio

Eye Candy Indeed!!

Nice!

hi again Jarrod !

…will you do a compsand SKIMboard next , please ? (that was the other thing I was curious about …)

   cheers mate !



     ben

This one is way more go, far less show.

This one was a pretty standard construction of 7 plys of 1/16 maple bonded with RR epoxy, a layer of glass under the first ply, then two layers of glass right before the bottom ply, concave and tail kick but no flip in the nose. Equipped with Randal 180s, Kryptonics 75mm.

But I just had to say that 1 mile ride I took last night was the most fun I have had on a skateboard in ten years! I FINALLY (FINALLY!) got the rhythm of flatland pumping. At one point I probably got a solid quarter-mile without putting a foot down. Holy burning quads! Now, for the longtime longboarders, this probably doesn’t seem like any big deal… But it was a revalation for me. I always tried it back in the day when I was a young punk skating mini-ramps and stripmalls, and I even tried it when I had a 43" Gravity “concave carve” for a while, but I could just never make it happen. I could carve for a while as I ran out my speed, but never link them together well enough to generate more speed. I’m sure I looked like a total tool as I windmilled my way down the sidewalk, but god did it feel great!

So yeah, that was really cool. Got a new favorite board. Think I might put the “caddy” up on ebay.

nice looking board Jarrod …

two words [a question ] …

“wheel wells” ??

[those look like they will rub]

Also , "too wide trucks " for the board ??

It looks nice though …

will you be mainly riding street , or is that one for bowls and halfpipes , too ??

does texas have some good skateparks ?

cheers mate … keep up the good work !

 ben