Foolproof Diy Skateboard Foam Mold Build

[Ted]

I spent a bunch of time over the last couple of weeks working on this tutorial. It shows how to design templates and use hand tools to shape a foam one sided mold for building a skateboard deck in a Thin Air Press.

The mold that I built is for a pool board that I want to learn to ride at the Hoof in Toronto.

Enjoy!

Ted from Roarockit

:: FOOLPROOF DIY SKATEBOARD FOAM MOLD BUILD

[mbease]

I spent a bunch of time over the last couple of weeks working on this tutorial. It shows how to design templates and use hand tools to shape a foam one sided mold for building a skateboard deck in a Thin Air Press.

The mold that I built is for a pool board that I want to learn to ride at the Hoof in Toronto.

Enjoy!

Ted from Roarockit

:: FOOLPROOF DIY SKATEBOARD FOAM MOLD BUILD

this is such a great tutorial. a friend and I are looking into foam molds just like this, so this gave me a lot of good information. I vote to sticky this!

[arcane]

Nice. Great hot wire alternative.

[Sleeveless]

Great job Ted! Thanks for posting.

[jspats40]

cool way to get odd shapes from a mold. probably great for drop decks!

[Slim]

Great tutorial Ted. I'll give it a try

[Ted]

I'm going to throw this back up to the top because I think more people might want to have a look at it.

I'm working on another tutorial for building a drop deck using our Thin Air Press system. Should be up by the weekend some time.

Ted from Roarockit.

[cchamlin]

great! I'm actually planning on building a drop deck over the next couple of weeks, it'll be good to have an authoritative source to consult

[jspats40]

nice, cant wait to see it.

[funkpod]

this is a GREAT tutorial. i really want to buy a vacuum bag kit and try this mold system.
great pics, too. very clear and precise

great job!

[Uni]

I made a mold today for a new pool shape with this method, the only thing I found slightly frustrating over cutting guides and then hot-wiring out the shapes was my inability to do things really accurately. IOW I'm not totally sure my concave is even and my nose and tail took a really long time to even out. Perhaps it's just my inability to cut straight with a hand saw...

It was very Zen like though, the whole act of trying to balance things out. You just have to be patient and check and re-check every time you take foam away with your rasp or sureform. reminded me of watching shapers on the Oregon coast when I was little. Also made me want to build a surfboard.....

Great tutorial though! really helpful! I think I'll just pick up my Hot-Wire from my dads garage next time I visit though, I just love the sound of melting foam....

[foil shaper]

Ted, your the man! It is awesome to have you involved with the home board building community. Your one man I hope to meet one day. Keep doing what your doing!

Gabe Steptoe

[Ted]

I made a mold today for a new pool shape with this method, the only thing I found slightly frustrating over cutting guides and then hot-wiring out the shapes was my inability to do things really accurately. IOW I'm not totally sure my concave is even and my nose and tail took a really long time to even out. Perhaps it's just my inability to cut straight with a hand saw...

It was very Zen like though, the whole act of trying to balance things out. You just have to be patient and check and re-check every time you take foam away with your rasp or sureform. reminded me of watching shapers on the Oregon coast when I was little. Also made me want to build a surfboard.....

Great tutorial though! really helpful! I think I'll just pick up my Hot-Wire from my dads garage next time I visit though, I just love the sound of melting foam....

Great you tried out the tutorial.

If you stay between the template lines when sanding across the deck with the sandpaper block. You should have little problem keeping it accurate. The lines tell all.

It does take a bit of accuracy but once you get used to it, the process will give you good results.

Ted

[Ted]

Ted, your the man! It is awesome to have you involved with the home board building community. Your one man I hope to meet one day. Keep doing what your doing!

Gabe Steptoe

Thanks Gabe. Like you, there are a bunch of people I would like to meet someday from this forum. We will all have to do a fly in somewhere, someday.

Ted

[SteveC]

This part
Important: Keep this profile FLAT between the two lines. Vacuum veneering works best when the mold planes are flat. A progressive curve is much harder for the vacuum process to bend veneer over.

Raised my eyebrows, (not that I disagree)
Just wondering if you'd elaborate, as it seems to clash with what I would have expected.

[Ted]

If you take 7 layers of veneer and hang the long side 1/2" off of an edge of a table. Try to bend it. Then do the same with the edge 3" off of the table. You will find the shorter more difficult to bend than the 3" because you have 3" of leverage opposed to 1/2". With a curve the vacuum bag is constantly having to bend the veneers around the mold and does not have as much leverage as a flatter bend.
It is a little hard to expain but I hope this makes sense.

Ted

[Lit]

gotta sticky this so it does'nt get buried in the madness

[TwinTown Skater]

Super Tight! You get a gold star and a positive rep props from me!

[TWO-BY-FOUR]

Wow! Thanks for that tutorial. I had a bunch of questions about the TAP regarding the foam, but they were all answered. Thanks again.

[Kolaya]

That is a beautiful thing!! I had a pretty good idea of what to do when the time came to laminate one, but this sums it up perfectly, and helped me with what type of foam to use. thanks man!!! A+