Homemade Wakeboard

adamiser · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 1

I searched all over the internet and I just cannot seem to find a good guide to making your own wakeboard. There are plenty floating about for kiteboards and wakeskates, but obviously these are quite different. I understand that in many situation it would be more money and time wise simply to buy a cheap package, but I am doing this more because I want to try it rather than out of nessesity for a board.

Essentially what I have gathered is that I would want a foam or wood core then shape and reinforce this with fiberglass and epoxy. How though would I determine the length/widths that I want or rocker etc.? What kind of shapes am I looking for? How can I secure the bindings so they don't rip of my board and cripple my knee?

Any links or guides would be greatly appreciated.

Prizzy · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 360 City: Milwaukee

Just look at boards and read up on their specs. That should tell you sizes. Just looking at them would give you a general shape. Rocker can be found in specs. Not sure about the material or securing the bindings and makeing channels is going to be very difficult.

Punkpenguin · Outlaw Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 224

The reason there isnt much floating about is because it is not easy to make a decent wakeboard.

Kiteboards and wakeskates are easy. They both can be made out of wood.

I started trying to explain the process needed for making a board, and its so long im just going to PM it to you.

tashi_sotiris · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 47 City: Lincoln

go watch how wakeboards are made.. even with technologically sound machining, it looks difficult. i would say your first bet is to start building all the equipment in this video, haha.. now with some foam and apoxy? good luck Shocked

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ni3tJk6af6I

Punkpenguin · Outlaw Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 224

Thats what i figured for the process of making them.

instead of injecting foam into a mold, hes going to have to carve it out of a block of foam Razz

Then basically try to replicate the epoxy / fiberglassing of a vacuum bagging setup like they have with good old fashion fiberglassing with no heat/pressure.

tashi_sotiris · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 47 City: Lincoln

good lord i wouldnt even know where to start!! yeah i figured that too. wasnt the old liquid force trip just carved foam and fiberglass layed? idk but this water is way to deep to tread in, haha, good luck tho.. Razz

tashi_sotiris · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 47 City: Lincoln

nevermind it was honeycomb. whats the difference between that and foam and like the new ronix dark core?

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Jul 08, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject:

tashi_sotiris, The dark core is made out of PVC foam, which is lighter and has a snappier memory than traditional foam, and it cannot be poured into a mold. They start with a blank and mill it to shape, then lay the glass around it. Basically you get a board with no bubbles or dense spots (which can, believe it or not, dramatically affect how the board behaves) and a stiffer, snappier feel to it. The same material and construction process is used in high-end slalom skis, which cost upwards of $1000 blank these days. The company reps say its supposedly indestructible and doesn't ever lose any of its snap, but we'll wait and see on those claims. Byerly legacy's were supposed to be indestructible too, and I managed to prove that wrong.

Honeycomb cores have a stiff, lightweight material (i think it is sometimes aluminum) that is full of hollow cells that make it look like honeycomb, and it followed the same theory as dark core, to give a snappier ride on a lighter board. I couldn't tell you why honeycomb never lasted, but they don't really make them anymore

tashi_sotiris · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 47 City: Lincoln

hmm? i wonder why, that honeycomb board was pretty niffty. i would like to try a darkcore board to see if there is a substantial difference? have you ever ridden one? they are like double in price..dizzzzamn Shocked

Afrodeziak · Posted: Jul 11, 2008 11:28 am Post subject:

Do your research on surfboard making [swaylocks.com] and longboard building [silverfishlongboarding.com]

both will give you some technical understanding of how to use foams/resins/shaping, etc. Moreso the surf site.

I made a hot wire cutter for cutting foam. The same could be used to cut rocker into foam and the rest finished by hand.

Google is your biggest tool here. Everything I know, has come off the net and learning from others experiences.

You can buy various weights of fibreglass and I would say to go with a pretty heavy one for good construction.

Look into the hotwire method. after that, vacuum bagging is the way to go, but can be a bit pricey depending on machinery, unless you jerry rig something yourself.

As well. I believe most companies usually place their inserts for bindings into a stringer of some sort which dissipates pressure from your bindings along the length of the board rather than directly pulling. I've never worked with them though, but that's the approach I would take.

in addition, I know i've seen a diy for a LF Fish board that some guy reproduced. try googling that.

B