The Twofish - my first longboard..

**Ravn** · 12-16-2005 04:49 AM

Hi everyfish,

While I have mostly been lurking on this forum, I would like to take the opportunity to get some comments and critics on my first home-made. Actually, the subject line is correct - it's my first longboard at all - if you do not count the six- (freebord) and two-wheelers (tierney).

I am not going to detail how much I like it and how great it is to ride on your own hand-made board, because I hope to get some down-to-earth comments and tips on what could have been done better. Thanks a lot in advance

Here's a small making-of:

A very simple press:

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A first blank with two sheets of 4mm (3-layer) birch plywood.

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Freed after three days of pressing. It keeps the form well..

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..however the press left some marks.

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The flex with two layers is very soft. (But we noticed it could be just right for my gf..)

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Not on film:
I rounded the corners on my press a little more and pressed a new blank - this time using four sheets of 3mm birch plywood.
The press left still some marks on the top side - which I hid under the griptape. I think that it could be useful to add two extra sheets of wood into the press to take the marks - but then, pressing four sheets took quite a lot of force already.

The flex is minimal when the points of support (the trucks) are close to the platform, and sensible when they are located on the tip of the nose.

This is the shape. The long nose and tail were originally planned to allow for freebord trucks to be mounted. Now I noticed that you can also adjust the flex.

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Somehow, it reminded me of a sawfish.. hence the name:

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And here it is fully mounted: (sorry for the low-light photos)

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I mounted originals, as they were the only longboard trucks I had at hand.. they make the long thing turn quite well, even though the S10 are larger than necessary here.

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C&C is very welcome!

**ryan** · 12-16-2005 05:05 AM

woo man, you got some serious talent!
That board is amazing
Only thing I'd change is to cutdown the nose and tail, but man that's a slick board!

**falcon** · 12-16-2005 05:13 AM

I'm no board builder (VERY amatuer over here), but I agree with Ryan. You certainly have some talent. Looks very good. I would also recommend trimming down the nose and tail...no need for them to be so long. I'd also save the S10s in case you ever want to mount up an old bathtub or something

Very nice work.

**Longbord1** · 12-16-2005 05:23 AM

yeah beautiful!! if you trtimmed the nose and tail it wouldn't be as flexy unless u wanted that. i actually had a adream about getting a lowered board like that

**bean-a-reano** · 12-16-2005 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by ryan

woo man, you got some serious talent!
That board is amazing
Only thing I'd change is to cutdown the nose and tail, but man that's a slick board!

agreed. nice press

**Ravn** · 12-16-2005 06:18 AM

Thanks everybody.

I probably won't trim the nose, if only for keeping the sawfish-likeness. But I consider drilling a second set of holes closer to the platform. I also still want to try to mount freebord trucks to see what it feels like to ride an oversized 'bord with a lowered platform.

Do you have any suggestions what kind of longboard trucks I should get for this one? I still have to try out what it is best at.. but Berlin is The Flatland[tm], and I probably won't use it for downhill very often. I am looking for something turny, at least in the front (the axle base is 128cm). I am not unhappy with the originals for now.

**Partyboypowell** · 12-16-2005 06:23 AM

Get some Holeys my friend.

**shapeshifter** · 12-16-2005 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ravn

...I think that it could be useful to add two extra sheets of wood into the press to take the marks - but then, pressing four sheets took quite a lot of force already.

what if you glue two layups just like you're doing now... then glue those two together.

**robbyracer** · 12-16-2005 09:59 AM

Wow, just wow! That's too cool. Almost makes me want to try it.

**Ravn** · 12-16-2005 10:06 AM

Hmm. Basically, that should be possible.
It could happen that the two layups come out slightly differently, since the press only defines shape where it touches the wood. (That's only in the flat parts of the board.. everything else is just the natural reaction of the wood) - When you glue the two together, you would again need some pressure to make sure they fit (plus: glues work best under pressure). But it should need less pressure than before.

I think have to try this with the next board..

**lsdmt** · 12-16-2005 10:16 AM

if you trim the nose and slap on some seismics, I bet that thing would ride sweet. Oh and great first post.

**tofman** · 12-16-2005 11:28 AM

sieht ja klasse aus,

nice work dude. i agree with the guys that you should shorten the nose and tail. this will be very fragile. nice work on the press aswell, i keep mine as simple as possible also.

**Loki440** · 12-16-2005 11:29 AM

not knowing your weight but based on what i have done, i would say 5layers would be ideal unless for a very heavy rider, but yah as said before the same thing about the nose and tail, due to the fact if the the trucks are closer to the main board you dont have that 6-8" on each side holding up teh board, thus is you mounted them right after the bend, you would notice the board would have no where near as much flex.

and one way to partially avoid board indentation from the press is yes one to round your corner in you jig, but lay down a compressable layer on the top and bottom, such as cardboard, it helps a bit

**silversurfer** · 12-16-2005 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Ravn

Do you have any suggestions what kind of longboard trucks I should get for this one? I still have to try out what it is best at.. but Berlin is The Flatland[tm], and I probably won't use it for downhill very often. I am looking for something turny, at least in the front (the axle base is 128cm). I am not unhappy with the originals for now.

For flats and mild hills there is nothing better than original's IMO.

You could go to some S8's or S6's and put the big S10's on a wider board that you build the future.

Oh and welcome to silverfish!

The board is killer...