How to Make a Fiberglass Longboard

Build your own longboard from a fiberglass panel.

A custom-made longboard can be the difference between serious longboarders and hobbyist skaters. But custom boards can be hard to come by due to the high cost of fabricating longboard decks. For the budget-conscious boarder, crafting your own longboard deck may be a viable option. While wood decks are more desirable for their sleek look, using fiberglass to build your board can save you time and money in the construction process.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard
• Permanent marker
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Fiberglass panel
• Jig saw
• 120-grit sandpaper
• C clamp
• Leather gloves
• Heat gun
• Longboard trucks
• Electric drill
• Longboard wheels
• Grip tape

Instructions

1. Determine the dimensions of your longboard. Bare in mind that standard longboards range from about 46 to 48 inches long, and about 6 to 10 inches wide.

2. Lay a large sheet of cardboard on a flat surface. Mark out the dimensions on the cardboard with a permanent marker and measuring tape. Draw the shape of your board on the sheet within the previously marked parameters. You may have to practice several times until you have drawn your desired shape. Cut out the shape with a pair of scissors.

3. Place a large sheet of fiberglass on your work table. Make sure the sheet is at least a 1/2-inch thick. Position the cardboard cutout on the fiberglass sheet in a spot that is convenient for cutting. Trace the outline of the cutout on the fiberglass with a permanent marker.

4. Use a jig saw to cut your board's outline from the sheet of fiberglass. Cut as straight as possible along the marked line. Remove the fiberglass cutout from the sheet. Sand the board's surface and outside edges with a sheet of 120-grit sandpaper.

5. Use a C clamp to fasten one end of the fiberglass board to your work table. Clamp the board so there is a 5-inch overhang on the side of the table.

6. Put on a pair of leather gloves. Turn on a heat gun and set it to the medium setting. Position the heat gun so it is 3 inches from the fiberglass overhang. Run the heat gun along the overhang for about 30 seconds. Grasp the overhang with your hands, and bend it downward slowly until it bends to your desired angle. Repeat this to bend the opposite end of the board. Let the fiberglass settle for about 30 minutes.

7. Purchase some longboard axles, also referred to as "trucks." Place the longboard facedown on your work table. Position the truck on the board near one end. Mark through the screw holes on the truck onto the fiberglass to set the drill holes on the board. Drill the mounting holes with an electric drill. Repeat this to mark and drill the holes on the opposite end of the board. Mount each wheel set of trucks to the board with the mounting hardware included with the kit.

8. Place the board face-up and apply a sheet of grip tape to the top side of the board. This is the abrasive material that allows your shows to grip the board. Flip the board over again. Purchase some wheels to match the trucks. Insert the wheel bearings to each wheel. Place each wheel onto the truck assembly, and tighten the wheels to the trucks with the tool included with the truck kit.

References

• Lush Longboards: Make Your Own Longboard Deck
• "Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual"; Family Handyman Magazine Editors; 2005