plywood decks?

**newkidontheblock** · 02-13-2006 01:09 PM

hey i am planning on building a deck, i was planning to use either 1/2 baltic birch plywood with fibreglass or 5/8 no fibreglass. Any thoughts on that?? i am planning more of a speed board im a first time builder. thanks

**Loki440** · 02-13-2006 01:13 PM

well this will be the questions others ask you

how much do you weigh

how much flex do you want

what will the wheel base be roughly
ect

cause if we know that then we can suggest something

but first off i would suggest just trying a straight wood board first
as then you dont have to hassle with the fiberglass unless you have experince useing it

**newkidontheblock** · 02-13-2006 01:39 PM

hey i weigh about 155-160 and well i am not sure what the difference in flex provides me i am really new i want to go fast and carve. i have a fair bit of experience with fibre glass fixing boats. i would have tried laminating the wood myself however my cuurrent living situation doesnt really give me alot of work space so i figured the plywood will be the easiest if its something that you guys think will work. again i was think 1/2 or 5/8 look on the landyachtz and lush sites i like that drop speed syle not sure what that would be called??? let me know what other info i can provide you with and thanks very much!

**Loki440** · 02-13-2006 02:48 PM

yah that would just be a drop through speed board, first things new peopel should do is use the search function if there is a question as pretty well all of them have been answred manytimes before.

that aside for a speed board(which usally has either a very stiff flex or no flex at all) and at your weight you should go with 3/4" thickness or 5/8" with fiberglass, you could go with 1/2" but that should provide a medium or so flex, which is more suited fro general crusing/carving, but if your new to the whole longboarding scene i would suggest going with the 5/8" as it will gove you some flex but not alot.

One thing you can always do is make a board out of the 5/8" material and just leave it raw and try it and if you find it too flexy for your tastes then you can fiberglass it later.

I would also suggest not going for a drop thorugh for your first board, but instead just maek the board in the same shape you want the drop through to be, test it out, do a couple revisions based on that then do a dropthrough, as you can make quite a few boards out of a sheet of BB ply

as for space limitations to laminate wood, unless your in a very small dorm room its all a state of mind, but i think you should still start off with just teh flat board making as a first board.

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**newkidontheblock** · 02-13-2006 05:09 PM

thanks alot for the adive that helps alot. i was thinking that the 5/8 looked to thick but i wasnt sure. how does a drop through work any? cant tell by the pics. and the ends of a drop speed where the trucks are, seem skinny are the prowned to breakin where you bring it in? thanks again your a great help! also i am guessing that these board have heel and toe ride but no camber?

**Loki440** · 02-13-2006 05:18 PM

You can only do drop throughs with certain trucks, unless you maek some plates to attact the trucks, to but basically an area is routed out of the board so you can put the trucks on the top instead of the bottom effectively droping the ride heigh by an inch and a bit, and most speedboards do have concave(heel to toe) but no camber as camber is added to flexy boards to increase the turning radius when carving hard, as the board flexs causeing the ang on the nose and tail to increase, thus making the geometery of the trucks change, thus allowing you to turn sharper

**newkidontheblock** · 02-13-2006 05:32 PM

dude i have to say i just checked out your site and your boards look amazing. do u use the baltic birch ply with fibre glass? thats what it looks like but amazing finish jobs and great shapes...props bro makes me more excited to make mine however i feel bad taking advice and not supporting your company.. thanks for the good karma bro