Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Longboards are a very particular type of skateboard that are great for pulling off certain kinds of tricks. Learn about longboard skateboard tricks with help from a skateboarding professional in this free video clip.
Just because you're a beginner doesn't mean you can't get a longboard skateboard. Learn about the best longboard skateboard for beginners with help from a skateboarding professional in this free video clip.
The size of skateboard that you should purchase depends on a few key things. Learn about the size of longboard skateboard that you should get with help from a skateboarding professional in this free video clip.
Longboard skateboards make take some getting used to, but ultimately you'll find they're pretty valuable. Learn about longboard skateboard techniques with help from a skateboarding professional in this free video clip.
You should always test your skateboard bearings before you rely too heavily on any one particular board. Test skateboard bearings with help from a skateboarder in this free video clip.
Aligning skateboard trucks is something you need to do in a very particular way for maximum safety. Align skateboard trucks with help from a skateboarder in this free video clip.
The mini games in "LittleBigPlanet" for the PlayStation 3 are unlocked by collecting Challenge Keys, which are scattered throughout various levels. To unlock the skateboard mini game, which is called "Skateboard Freefall," you must collect the Challenge Key in "Skate to Victory," one of the earlier levels in the game. Unlike some Challenge Keys, which are sometimes hidden, the Challenge Key in "Skate to Victory" is in plain view near the end of the level. This Challenge Key also unlocks the "Tie Skipping" mini game.
Skaters typically take great care in choosing their boards, as the brand, look, feel and graphics have to complement the skater's style and personality. Many skaters build up a collection of boards with different graphics that can also serve to decorate their bedrooms. Display old or extra skateboard decks on the walls to show off prized planks or the boards that hold special memories. Once you have a display system in place, you can rotate your boards if you like to show them off and ride them.
A lot of things can cause skateboard wheels to bite into the bottom of the deck, including loose trucks and worn bushings, or simply hard, fast riding. Severe wheel bite usually causes a sudden stop, resulting in damage to your body. Mild wheel bite can go almost unnoticed for a long time, resulting in damage to your board. Rub marks or burns can be ignored or removed with fine steel wool. Deep grooves should be repaired to prevent moisture from getting into the lamination and possibly weakening the deck.
Skateboard tricks include the ollie, the kickflip and the the tic-tac. All of these tricks require dexterity, balance and a fair amount of practice to perform them successfully. The weight of your body and the placement of your feet on the skateboard create different effects from full turns to gaining speed. Lifting up the side of your skateboard requires a high level of comfort with standing and moving on a rolling skateboard -- and, in some cases, even leaving it with your feet to rejoin it at the end of a trick. The ollie grab trick includes popping the skateboard…
One of the great features of skateboard and longboards is the artwork. Skateboard and longboard artwork can be customized if you have the time and inclination, and even simple designs, like adding a stringer, can make a board stand out. Stringers are straight bands, of varying widths, that run from nose to tail. Stringers are a popular design for the top of a longboard where there is no grip tape to obscure the design. Stringers work equally well, however, on the top or bottom of a skateboard deck.
A GE gas-powered arc welder of any age, in good operating condition, is capable of creating a wide variety of joins. The welder operates by creating an electric arc between an electrode at the end of the welding stick, which melts the base material at the welding point. Novice and beginner welders should always operate under the instruction of an experienced welder, and any long-unused equipment should undergo stringent inspections before attempted use.
Adding graphics to a skateboard is a great way to personalize the board and make it your own. Learn how to draw graphics for a skateboard with help from an illustrator in this free video clip.
Making a skateboard eraser can be accomplished by sculpting using a product called eraser clay. To make your own skateboard eraser you'll use the same techniques as sculpting with other mediums. As with any craft project, attention to detail will ensure that your skateboard eraser looks great. Once the project is properly cured in an oven you'll have a fully functional eraser that represents your style.
Skateboards, bicycles, rakes, gas cans, lawnmowers and a whole collection of odd items fill our garages or sheds. Organizing these areas involves deciding on how you want each item to be stored. Some things, such as a lawnmower, will stay on the floor while the rest of the items need either shelves or hooks. A skateboard is one item you want to get off the floor, not only so you can reach it quickly but to keep yourself from breaking your neck by accidentally stepping on it.
Skateboards can be used in a variety of ways to build quirky bookshelves. The resulting bookshelf is suitable for a teen's room, a living room or an office. Whether you choose to purchase new boards or recycle old ones, options are available. Depending on the size of the shelf and the space available, other materials may be required to complete your design.
For the hardcore skateboarder, an average pair of sneakers just won't cut it. Skateboarding footwear is designed to stand up to the wear and tear of the streets. Most shoes offer a thick, sturdy rubber sole, padded insole and synthetic or suede outer. Some models may be fitted with reinforced shoelaces, designed to resist the gradual rubbing of the board's grip tape. To prevent the laces from constantly coming untied, many boarders tuck theirs into the sides of their shoes.
Roger Adams created the Heelys skate shoe in 2000. It is an athletic shoe that has a wheel in the heel and enables you to skate as if you were riding on a skateboard or wearing a pair of roller skates. The skate shoe allows you to shift from walking to skating by shifting your body weight, while wearing the same footwear. Heelys are easy to assemble and certain styles include easy-to-install coin axles. The coin axle, which allows the wheels to spin forward and backwards, has small slits on each end.
Building your own handrail (or grind rail, as it's commonly known) isn't so much a great expenditure of money as it is of time and effort. The most common and trusted grind rails are welded together, and if you don't have a welder or know someone who does, or have one but don't know how to use it, this project can become a learning experience on many fronts. You will also be using a circular saw or hacksaw, so in addition to being technically demanding, building your own handrail can be somewhat dangerous, too.
When you don't have a skateboard, or can't go outside you can make a tiny skateboard that you can skate with your fingers. Toy manufacturers make these small skateboards for kids to play with, using their fingertips to pretend to do flips and tricks with the mini boards. This origami paper skateboard doesn't look like a mini board, but you can make it work just as well. All you need is a piece of paper and you can be playing for hours.
Skateboard straps are an essential for a boarder on the go. While many backpack varieties come readily-equipped with skateboard straps, you can easily transform a run of the mill model into a convenient, hands-free skateboard transportation system. Making external straps to hold your board is a quick and painless process that only requires inexpensive items. There are also makeshift ways of securing your board to your backpack without purchasing any materials or sewing a single stitch, so consider what will be most convenient for you before beginning.
Skateboarders who are performing maintenance on their boards should make sure to equip a sturdy set of bearings. Positioned firmly between your board's wheels and axles, skateboard bearings protect your wheels from shock damage, water damage and dirt buildup. When shopping around for a reliable set of bearings, it's important that you choose the right type.
Putting a small gasoline engine on your bike can make it lot more enjoyable. You will be glad you installed it when you are coming home from a long day of riding and are confronted with pedaling down a long, boring stretch of road. The engine is especially helpful during the uphill portion of the ride home. For mountain bikes, you can power up the mountain, turn the engine off, and ride a bike down the mountain and along trails.
Longboards used for transportation take daily abuse. Replicating your favorite ride, well before you skate through it, is a skill for which almost every skater longs. By creating a mold of your existing longboard, you provide yourself the ability to craft a backup board for when your old deck is useless. With the correct measurements and the knack for fine-tuning, you can construct a longboard mold to use time and time again. Veneering yourself a new deck, with the use of your mold, assures you'll never be without your trusty ride.
Many skateboard enthusiasts enjoy creating their own skateboard. A personalized skateboard can be customized for optimal performance. In fact, various wood choices are available for constructing a longboard skateboard. Longboard enthusiasts prefer the extra length of the board because it gives them more flexibility for turns and tricks, as opposed to the smaller shortboard types. Hardwood is more expensive than other typical skateboard wood choices, such as plywood, but offers a durable and strong platform for the skater's feet.
Longboards are longer versions of skateboards. Regular skateboards may be 28 inches long, but longboards may be up to 46 inches long. Longboards are much harder to maneuver than skateboards but they remain stable at much higher speeds. Some enthusiasts race longboards downhill at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. All skateboards are generally assembled in the same way. Axle assemblies called “trucks” screw into the bottom of a wooden deck. Wheels attach to the trucks and riders stand on the deck. Longboard decks are longer, the trucks are wider and the wheels are thicker, but the assembly…
Skateboards, which are typically made from several sheets of wood glued and pressed together, are usually sold with some form of artwork on the bottom of the skateboard deck. There is a wide variety of artwork to be had, which can vary in quality depending on the manufacturer. Buying new skateboards will give you undamaged art, but using a used skateboard may add more character to the piece, and the choice is largely an aesthetic one.
Longboard skateboards are generally those in lengths from 39 inches to 60 inches. Longboards have built their reputation on point A to point B transportation -- covering ground in the least time possible. But all that length comes at a sacrifice of agility and snap in turns. Built for travel and distance, longboards are not stunt or trick boards. The choice between a standard skateboard or a longboard is the primary dividing line in skateboarding. A rider's height and weight will influence some of the parameters of a longboard, but the universality of longboards makes these factors less important considerations…
Though skateboard designs have changed over the years and more riding techniques have been developed, the overall deck fabrication remains much the same. To make a skateboard deck out of plywood, you'll need several items, some of which you will have to substitute with everyday items rather than professional grade machinery. With a bit of imagination and some elbow grease, you can make your own deck.
The skateboard is a versatile style of transportation and comes in a variety of styles, ranging from longboards best served for cruising to standard skateboards that are more capable of performing tricks. Regardless of the style of board you ride and the way you wish to ride it, adjusting the board to meet your needs makes for the best results when riding. If looking to make your board more capable of turning, there are several minor adjustments that play a big part in allowing you to turn more sharply.
A homemade skateboard half-pipe ramp would please most skaters, but a homemade backyard skateboard cement bowl provides them a Shangri-La. That said, such projects not only require a significant amount of planning and preparation, but also possibly permits and allowances from your local city hall as well. Unlike a wood ramp, which can be torn down easily if removal is needed, a cement bowl is a much more permanent structure, so a full commitment by a property owner needs to be in place to start such a venture.
The construction of a longboard skateboard, or any skateboard deck for that matter, may seem daunting. However, many skateboard companies today started with garage operations using very basic tool systems. The process, while a bit complicated, can be performed by the average person with the right tools and patience. Most importantly, longboard deck fabrication requires an understanding of woodworking and a bit of creativity.
Professionals as well as amateurs know that their skateboards can take a beating from performing tricks all day. One very common problem is uneven wheels, which can be dangerous and should be addressed immediately. You don't have to go to a repair shop or buy a new skateboard; with a few basic tools you can fix the problem by yourself, saving money in the process.
While rolling effortlessly down the street on your skateboard, you might take your bearings for granted. Bearings contain steel balls which allow the wheel to roll independently of the axle spindles. To protect the ball bearings from dust, grease and dirt, a rubber or steel cap is placed over the bearing. Before you clean your ball bearings, the cap must be pried off.
Longboard skateboards were designed to go much faster than regular skateboards. Riding a longboard is similar in sensation to snowboarding and surfing. Riders use longboards for transportation and for the thrill of riding downhill fast. Longboards are faster than regular skateboards because they are longer and have wider wheels. Making the board go even faster means picking bigger and bigger hills. The right wheels, made out of the right materials, make a longboard go faster, as does proper maintenance.
Urethane wheels revolutionized skateboarding in the early 1970s by making the ride silky smooth. But it was the invention of precision sealed bearings installed on each side of the wheel a few years later that made urethane fast. Though bearing technology has improved continuously, one fact endures: Wear and tear takes its toll. Replacing bearings is a regular service event and no amount of preventative maintenance can eliminate it. Fortunately, standardization of skateboard bearing size and design makes replacement procedures uniform and easy to carry out.
For avid skaters who use their skateboards every day, wear and tear on their boards is to be expected. Each time you grind on a rail, or land a jump, the deck -- the wooden part you stand on -- will be gradually worn down. The deck of your board is composed of layers of wood which, over time, crack and lift apart. Fortunately, if your deck is only slightly cracked, you can repair minor damages yourself without having to buy a new board.
Longboard skateboarding has become quite popular in recent years. Longboard skateboards are similar in construction to a regular skateboard but different in function. The difference in substance is that longboards are longer, ranging in length from 40 to 57 inches. The difference in function is that longboards are used primarily for cruising rather than for tricks. People use them for riding fast downhill and also just for transportation. Using them regularly for transportation requires more maintenance.
A shortboard is a type of skateboard, commonly used by surfers when the sea is flat and not so exciting. It's much shorter than a longboard, but it shouldn't be confused with a standard freestyle skateboard. They use trucks and wheels from a longboard, and they are generally used for carving and hill riding. Because a shortboard lacks the complex concave shape of a freestyle board, you can easily cut your own without the use of any special tools.
Skate shoes take a beating as a skateboarder wears them around the city, and sometimes they get covered in dust, mud or even grass stains. These skate shoes are sometimes made of suede or leather, and those materials cannot be bleached. However, white canvas shoes can be bleached, as can many man-made shoe materials. Always consult the shoe's care instructions before using bleach, as bleach can damage or discolor some shoes.
Because skateboards get put through a lot of abuse, including puddles, grit and road detritus, the ball bearings tend to get gummed up. The ball bearings are the small metal balls that are packed into a cartridge. These bearings allow the wheels to spin freely, and with a limited amount of friction. When the bearings feel stiff or sticky, it is likely they are gummed up or the grease needs to be replaced.
The kingpin is an essential part of a skateboard truck. Basically, the kingpin is a bolt that connects the base, bushings and axle of a truck and holds them together. Sometimes a kingpin will break after wear and tear, and sometimes a skateboarder will simply want to install a new kingpin. No matter what the reason, most people can successfully remove a kingpin from their skateboard truck.
Longboarding isn't just a skating style; it's a mental state. In "The Skateboarder's Journal," one longboarder, Justin Metcalf, referred to a friend of his who summed up downhill longboarding in one word -- bliss. Actually, there are different styles of longboarding that require different techniques. Learning some basic longboarding techniques will help make your longboarding rides, whatever they are, more like bliss.
If you commute to work or school on a skateboard, it pays off having a set of straps to attach the board to your commuter bag or backpack. Use these when boarding trains, buses or when you get to your building and need to walk a few floors of stairs. Because you most likely want quick and easy access to the board, keep the straps simple, and make them so they pack away quickly. Velcro, or other styles of hook and loop fabric are available in stretchy form, making them the ideal strap material for this project.
Skateboarding is a popular sport that takes a lot of practice. Professional and amateur skateboarders often practice tricks on a skateboarding bench. Building your own bench can be done with everyday materials commonly found at home.
You don't have to spend an arm and a leg on your next pair of roller skates; in fact, a fun, affordable idea is to mount a comfortable pair of tennis shoes on an inexpensive plate and start rolling. There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to mounting skates correctly, but a glue mount keeps things light and a little bit simpler.
Skateboarding, like most modern sports, requires the use of some essential protective equipment, such as knee and elbow pads, wrist guards, and a skateboarding helmet. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that skateboarding injuries account for about 50,000 trips to the emergency room and for the hospitalization of 1,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. each year. This statistic underscores the importance of wearing the proper protective equipment while skateboarding.
If you've got two skateboards lying around, you can make a bi-deck snowskate that will cost next to nothing. It is preferable to use a metal snow blade or proper snowskate sub-deck, but a bi-deck snowskate made of two skateboards should last for at least a season and be fun to ride!
Skateboarding can be a great sport for kids to get involved in. However, it requires a several pieces of equipment, such as pads, a helmet and a skateboard. One way to get a skateboard for your child is to purchase one from a sporting goods store. But if you’re looking for a custom-made skateboard, building your own for your kid is a simple project. All you need is a few supplies and about 30 minutes and you’re ready to get started.
After a heavy session at your local skatepark, you notice that your wheels are rolling sluggishly and your board feels flat and soft. It's likely time to replace your setup. If you received the board as a gift or purchased it without knowing the dimensions, you should measure the length and width to determine what size replacement board to get. You can obtain the dimensions with a simple household measuring tape.
