What Wood Type? (homemade)

mad_cow11 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 5

I am building a wakeskate soon but i still have two questions. First, what wood type would be best? Iv searched and iv found that maple or some other hardwood would be best, but i cant find any in my area. I have heard of a few using plywood, but even watersealed and varnished, wouldnt water still get in? What would type would be best?

Also, can i use wood glue, or should i use epoxy only?

JankyZep · Criminal Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 72

Just buy a Kampus K39 for 50 bucks off of evogear.

logan · Posted: Jul 15, 2004 8:22 am Post subject:

mad_cow11, go with epoxy... I'd go with maple, talk to every hardware/lumber store within driving distance and try to find the best price, Home Depot, Lowes, and Meeks, should have it. Try them.

mad_cow11 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 5

I live in the uk, and i already have checked out every shop near me. I still have one more place to check though. If i cant find maple, or any other hard wood, im just going to use ordinary plywood. Ill look for epoxy, but im not sure if i could find it. JankyZep, im not going to buy one casue theres no places in england to, and i have already bought most of the parts needed.

JankyZep · Criminal Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 72

Okay then. Still if you want it to last then buy one.

danbrett · Posted: Jul 15, 2004 6:20 pm Post subject:

im going to laugh if (hopefully when) his lasts longer than any skate you ever own...
i baught my from evogear (on ebay) but still, maybe he Wants to build one, seems like a pretty fun project...

simland · Posted: Jul 15, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:

Way to go with the home built. I'm going to build my own balance board. Shouldn't be too hard. I sugeest using many thin sheets and then gluing them together with a strong bonding woodglue or something and then pressing them together. This is what major companies do only they use big machines.

mad_cow11 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 5

I used one of those mini boards that are like 1ft long, took off the trucks, took a 2 liter botle, filled it up with water, (make sure the lids tight!) and use it as a balance board. Im small so the mini board works for me. You could just use a ordinary fullsize deck though.

simland · Posted: Jul 16, 2004 10:52 pm Post subject:

That's red necking it. I'm going with the more complicated build your self model. Using pvc and some metal piping for the cylinder and I am going to put a rubber/foam outer on it. I haven't decided on material for a board yet but I'm looking to use a couple pieces of wood and then epoxy or some other glu to add strength. I want it to look like an indo board. And I want to be around the size of a wakeskate.

pooser · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738

mad_cow11, if i were to make a skate i'd use 1/8 birch and glue each sheet together to get the desired shape then use a very thin layer of fiber glass resin to seal it and add strength.

JankyZep · Criminal Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 72

I would use 1/8 maple and cut out like 6 layers to the shape you want and then epoxy each sheet together, then let it dry to the rocker you want and make sure you clamp it together and when its all dry sand it down to the exact shape you want because all the cuts on each sheet won't be exaclty the same and seal it up.

austinross · Newbie Joined: 20 Jul 2004 Posts: 8

I built one a couple of months ago (need to get pictures up soon) out of a smooth type of 1/4" plywood. I'm gonna make another one on the same press, but hopefully with 1/8". The problem is the 1/8" plywood is $9 a sheet (4x8) and the birch is $15 a sheet (4x8). But I could always cut it into 4ths so that may work out. Smile

mad_cow11 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 5

Do i really need 1/8 inch wood? Or could i get away with 2 1/4 inch sheets?

JankyZep · Criminal Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 72

1/8 inch would be really easy to bend into shape.