to herb spitzer [and other active skateboard builders]....

General Discussion
1

hi there , Mr. Herbivorous !!

 

I hope you are well , and getting some good surfs and skates under your belt ?!

 

  a question ....

 

  foam core skateboards ...

 

  have you made [m]any ?

 

  I ask , because the nearly invisible 'moderator' , 'Hicksy' ,  was displaying , on fezbjork , his foam frame [the outline offcuts from the never-finished pseudo-stubby , from a few years back now ! ]  He was talking about doing a spoon kneeboard with them .... which I , hopefully , have successfully talked him out of !

 

 Instead .... I proposed either [if enough foam to do it ....] a foam core skatey ,

 

or ...

 

  a spooned [ ie: foam railed ] skatey ? ... HAVE you ever done one of THOSE , Herb ? [ if not ....there IS a first time for EVERYTHING , I guess , eh ?!]

 

  back and fro went the 'conversation' on fezbjork [ 'facebook'  , for those wondering ?! ] ...truck mounting being his main concern / nemesis [right word?] .

 

  but I figure , with a [trucks-width] plywood or similar stringer , it may not be that much of a problem , yes ?

 

   obviously , the board would be laminated with a few layers of 4oz , and I guess if foam thick enough , and ply bendy enough , a kickTAIL , at least , is do-able ?

 

  anyways , I just thought I'd run it past you and any other interested parties ...I look forward to reading your feedback / comments / experience if you've done them , already ....

 

  cheers Herb , and others !!

 

  ben , west oz

2

the spoon skatey was an afterthought ...

 

  the plywood stringer / truck mounter would be mainly needed  for the solid foam core model .....

 

the spooned one would be much heavier , the foam core nice and light ...

 

  I think it was jay adams [?perhaps a skip engblom skatey , though] who perhaps had / rode one occassionally , back in the 1970s ?

 

  [...did Wes Humpston make any [foamies] , too , I wonder , Herb ? ]

 

  cheers mate !

 

    ben

3

I’ve been working on developing a foam core technique for mountainboard decks (basically a longboard skate deck with angled tips).  Just built a test shape prototype with a 0.5" baltic birch core, cotton print deck graphic, carbon fiber + biaxial glass bottom skin.  Once I get the shape road tested and add some minor shape adjustments, I will make the foam core next.

Ken at Segway convinced me that an EPS foam core was do-able with the right external shell/glassing schedule.  I was thinking more like 20 oz (carbon + biaxial glass) bottom, 10 oz of glass cloth on top and wrapped rails.

Have seen several interesting foam core builds at silverfishlongboarding.com …a few pictured below.

(I want something different though, to get mountainboard decks down from 5 lb to 2-2.5 lb.)

 

 

Another,

http://youtu.be/6PYFGiSdQaY

 

I really like the craftmanship of this design:

 

 

I’ve got a link for balsa foam sandwich deck somewhere.  Will post it when I find it…

4

Skateboards were a huge item for me when I had my store. That is some beautiful work in those pictures. Absolutely beautiful.   What Skateboarding should be.

5

thanks very much for that BgSurfer !

 

 that is very helpful , and there is some good food for thought , there !

 

  ...I hadn't really thought about a thin wood layer OVER the foam [ie: foam bottom , wood deck and vice versa too , by the look of the red boards deck ??] ] ... but they look great , and it makes sense !! 

 

cheers for posting those ! and the variable truck placement / multi holes ...that appeals to me !!  [as solo man said , those are some "beautiful looking boards"  , there ! ]

 

  solo , did YOU have foam cores amongst the ones you used to stock ?

 

    cheers !

 

      ben

6

Balsa + veneer, EPS core composite sandwich deck:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Composite-sandwich-skateboard/

[IMG]http://www.instructables.com/image/FNISJZZF2FRVM6Z/Composite-sandwich-skateboard.jpg[/IMG]

Truck support inserts for Balsa+veneer/EPS composite sandwich deck:

[IMG]http://www.instructables.com/image/F0Q4LIGF2ZL536O/Truck-support-inserts.jpg[/IMG]

My approach to mounting trucks on a foam core will be epoxy resin/cotton flock, circular bolt mounting plugs -- poured into the foam if possible.  Inspired by our own duuuude**:

http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/my-own-finboxes?page=1


[IMG]http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5866/gopr1094small.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/6488/smallsb.jpg[/IMG]
That fine, shiny red work of art in my first post is made with outer skins of high-end AR+ formica .  AR+ doesn't seem to be available in the US, only in Europe.  The wood center is 3 layers of pressed 1/8" baltic birch plywood with chambers cut out for foam lungs.  Foam lungs were made from 5.5 lb cf Airex.  Wood, foam and formica are all pressed at the same time (clamps and 2 part press).
Here are a couple more sculptures from the Gomiworks' Scandinavian workshop -- he is a master artist:
Asymmetrical -- foam lungs with two floating 9 mm Ash stringers;

[IMG]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5091289436_875dbc56c2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/5077910376_87c8fde943.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5077315869_bfe7f63173.jpg[/IMG]
Symmetrical -- foam lungs without floating stringers;

[IMG]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5171/5490397632_a970aa6ab3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5439391717_78c7974ec5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5451209269_74a4a54ca9.jpg[/IMG]
 
7

i have built several foam core skaters.

i've also owned a few foamies from other builders.

in the long haul..............i prefer a woodply/formica board and have been building them for .............like...........30 years now.

foamies feel too hollow and/or boney.

foamies tend to viberate over non-ideal surfaces, which causes the board to slowdown.

also in poooools or pipes, they lose traction easily.

now what i find as a hinder...........some might find as a advantage...............to each there own.

herb

8

here's a small few that are left in the achives.

many of my subitted photos are gone now............??????

 

http://www.quivermag.com/node/767

http://www.quivermag.com/node/920

 

have fun.

herb

9

This one said moldless press.  Interesting.  What are you using?

10

it's a double hand crank press.

it breaks down into like 5 major pieces and a few nuts and bolts.

i can fit it all in a grom sub six board bag.

 

the 70s pics of the pool/z-flex rider is me.

herb

11

Do you have any photos?

12

none as of yet.

a good friend of my ed winn built it for me.

if you're really interested in it ,i can probably get a few pics.

it's better to see in person though.

i've had the press since.........like.........1999 ??? or so.

herb

13

I suspect I’m too far away to come see it in person.

But, I would like to see pictures of it.