How to Make Paper Tech Deck Ramps

Tech decks are mini skateboards that you "ride" with your fingers. You can do basically the same tricks with them as with a full-size board, but it helps to have miniature ramps to use. You can shell out the money to buy skate park sets from Tech Deck, or you can pocket your cash and make them yourself. There are a couple of types of ramps you can make with cardboard and a little bit of imagination.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two boxes of poker-size cards One 8.5" by 11" manila folder Two 8.5" by 11" sheets of heavy card stock Scissors Ruler Pencil Invisible tape or duct tape Cardboard shoe box

Make a Kicker Ramp

1. Lay one of your boxes of cards on the table on one of the large sides with the face of the cards printed on it. Lay the second box on top of it in the exact same orientation. Tape the two boxes together so you have a double-thick box. Stand the boxes up lengthwise, so one of the short edges is facing the ceiling. This is the stand for your ramp.

2. Take your manila folder and draw a square that is 5" by 5" on it with your pencil. Cut it out, making its edges as even as you can. Tape one side of the square to the table or whatever surface you would like to place your ramp on.

3. Place your stand you made in Step one 1 inch behind the spot where you taped down the edge of the folder. It should still be standing up lengthwise. Make one of the two widest edges face the folder. Carefully tape the edge of the manila folder opposite the edge you taped to the table to the back edge of the top of the card boxes. If the ramp is steeper than you'd like it to be, move the card boxes back some to adjust the angle of the ramp before taping. Note that you can bend the sheet of manila some also if you'd like your ramp to curve.

Make a Half Pipe

4. Take your two pieces of heavy card stock and lay each on the table with one of its long edges facing you. Put them end to end so the right-hand edge of the first sheet is exactly lined up with the left-hand edge of the second. Tape the pieces together in this orientation. Then trim so that the shorter edges of the card stock are slightly narrower than the shorter edges of your shoebox, if necessary.

5. Set your shoe box in front of you so you are facing a longer side. Then place the seam line between the two sheets of card stock in the middle of your shoe box with the rest of the paper draping over the left and right edges of the box, respectively. Grab the ends of the card stock simultaneously and pull to adjust the steepness and curve of your half pipe.

6. Tape your ramp in place exactly how you would like it. Don't forget to tape the bottom of the pipe to the base of the box. Trim off any excess card stock.

Tips & Warnings

• You can recycle your ramps when you're done playing.

References

• Similar project
• Tech Deck