DIY: BUILD YOUR OWN SLALOM DECK

JBH · 03-22-2007, 01:48 PM

Wow, I hadn't checked this topic for a while. Cool stuff, both from the manufacturer side (Richy) and from the "so simple it's (not) obvious" side (making a basic slalom deck from a poopsicle stick). Once you've seen it, it makes perfect sense. And yes, I do get a tan, Eddy. But remember that Midwest winters are long and cold and dark, so it takes a while. Plus, I couldn't find my Speedo before the Sizzler.

frank · 03-22-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBH

Plus, I couldn't find my Speedo before the Sizzler.

I bet Vlad has one you could've borrowed

revzack · 03-22-2007, 04:04 PM

I have to jump on this myself. If people didnt start somewhere, nobody would be anywhere. It is good that people are starting when they can, then Richy can come in and sell them better stuff when they want or can afford it. Some are fortunate enough to say damn i want to try this and boom buy it. I may have even done that, however, some cant and need a starting point, the progress, anyhow i think i am repeating what everyone else said so i will stop.

Pete, how is the shoulder? 2 people and a dog on the buttboard pretty cool.

Zack

PMC · 03-22-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revzack

I have to jump on this myself. If people didnt start somewhere, nobody would be anywhere. It is good that people are starting when they can, then Richy can come in and sell them better stuff when they want or can afford it. Some are fortunate enough to say damn i want to try this and boom buy it. I may have even done that, however, some cant and need a starting point, the progress, anyhow i think i am repeating what everyone else said so i will stop.

Pete, how is the shoulder? 2 people and a dog on the buttboard pretty cool.

Zack

Hey Zack, shoulder is healing well and yeah it was cool man, the three off us going down the street, THX for the board, I owed you for that one.

GPymp · 03-22-2007, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMC

Hey Zack, shoulder is healing and yeah it was cool man, the three off us going down the street, THX for the board, I owed you for that one.

I am glad that they did not have to amputate

PMC · 03-23-2007, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GPymp

I am glad that they did not have to amputate

Me too GPymp it would be difucult to carry cones and lay a course with one arm

Well I gues I could had bought a red rider wagon to carry the cones

ckpcw · 03-31-2007, 03:56 PM

Thanks very much for this thread.. lots of help for the new slalomer. I found the 6 board designs and the info on wheelbases particularly helpful (my new board is based off of #6).

thanks!

frank · 04-07-2007, 08:23 AM

this one time, I built me a slalom board in my back yard for around $20. It had this tail thing on it with concave stuff in the nose and the tail. Maybe even some of that itchy fiberglass crap, I stole from my mommys sweaters. I made it for this real cool dude I ride skateboards with. He rode it, it went left, right, left right, left, right, and we liked it. So I entered it some board building contest. A few months later, a board pretty close to the same design came up for sale on some slalom stuff for sale by pros website. (except no concave in the tail)

At first I thought it was cool that other people had the same ideas about how a slalom board should perform. Now I know I'm not a real skater and will never have a chance at being "pro".

Just sayin, anyone wanna go ride a ditch?

I'll quit now.

I like skateboard ridin and skateboard makin

Joe & Nick · 04-07-2007, 12:53 PM

Who owns that board now Frank?

Directive0 · 04-07-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frank

this one time, I built me a slalom board in my back yard for around $20. It had this tail thing on it with concave stuff in the nose and the tail. Maybe even some of that itchy fiberglass crap, I stole from my mommys sweaters. I made it for this real cool dude I ride skateboards with. He rode it, it went left, right, left right, left, right, and we liked it. So I entered it some board building contest. A few months later, a board pretty close to the same design came up for sale on some slalom stuff for sale by pros website. (except no concave in the tail)

At first I thought it was cool that other people had the same ideas about how a slalom board should perform. Now I know I'm not a real skater and will never have a chance at being "pro".

Just sayin, anyone wanna go ride a ditch?

I'll quit now.

I like skateboard ridin and skateboard makin

Frank, was that that rorarockit pressed board with the shape that had the jog in before a swallow-tail and the dark wood stain? Almost gloss finish with a single word written on it? You posted it on SF? I remember seeing a picture of a board like that on here and being absolutely floored at the idea. That board is what made me want to design and ride my own slalom stuff. At first, just these flat simple planks. They sucked, no question. But in that time I got the basics down. A few months later and the chicago race where Joe told me to get a real board, I saw that deck in person and I knew what had to be done. Its about freedom, baby, yeah!

So we decided the flat had to go, while Aviv and I started figuring out how to make some concaved and kicked boards. He had the technical knowledge on how to make it, and I had the experience on what was needed. Pretty soon we were growing a scene out in Toronto and now we have sessions with more then 3 people.

Are these boards meant to replace the work done by Pros and Bros and the average manufacturing Joes? Hell no, this is strictly for the newbs. Maybe the kids who can't convince their parents to drop coin on a "real board". But I'd like to think that maybe, just maybe, this article will teach some of the new guys the basic stuff to be self-sufficient skaters... wouldn't that be cool?

frank · 04-07-2007, 03:23 PM

Joe hopefully you still own it. It's the second generation of the board which is even better, and stronger.

Yea DO thats the one. Wanna buy the mold?

I wish there was a guide like this one a few years ago. Thankfully people like boe, mauiline, and ol'due were around here and had posted up more than you ever needed to know about how to build a skateboard. You just had to do some nose pickin and not ask a bunch of annoying questions.

I just dont think anyone should be riding a skateboard and having "proness" be the goal. I think if you put jason mitchell on a WesE plank he would still win. (and if I remember right WesE won a race on his plank)

Point is, who gives a rats ass what pro rides what, or who is sponsored by who. Do what you enjoy and ride what your comfortable on. If you see a need for a specific board that is not sold by some army then you have no choice but to build it yourself.

Spending your lifes savings on a setup aint gonna make you pro either. I've raced against people on the fancy trucks, strapped on foamcores and beat em down the hill, and I' ain't nuthin but a mid C class racer. But I don't blame that on my homemade boards. If I could buy a set of "pro" balls, that would be somethin...

I say build em up kids!

and of course no disrespect meant to anyone, just one lunatics opinon on homemade pieces of crap.

brainfartalerts · 04-07-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frank

..........
and of course no disrespect meant to anyone, just one lunatics opinon on homemade pieces of crap.

What a bunch of garbage.................

Richy Carrasco · 04-07-2007, 10:15 PM

2002 Catalina Classic FCR , I rode a homemade deck that was flat with concave and finished 2nd in the GS, This was before Pistols were on, The thing is I never said on this thread " Buy my boards " . I was trying to say that there are many manufactures that are offering good deals for starter boards that are ready to go without all the hassle and have been race proven. How much would one of your completes itemized come out to anyways. starting with a 20 dollar board.

SteveC · 04-07-2007, 11:40 PM

errr.. well could be $200 less. couldn't it. sure it wouldn't perform as well...
But we're not all buying boards to try and win comps, or instead of sportscars...

And as for cars from washing machines....
It's a skateboard.... even the most technical and expensive barely fit that analogy.

brainfartalerts · 04-08-2007, 08:58 AM

What I'm about to say, while it comes from a self admitted insaniac, makes a certain amount of sense, is straightforward and to the point.

Naturally, the messenger expects to be shot.

Richy and others of his caliber have busted ass to raise the level of the sport. I believe they represent the desire to provide a higher degree of product, reliability and overall quality for a sport they have invested much in.

The natural inclination of people who have developed a certain level of expertise is to pick and choose what, how and who they communicate information with because they have to. Sometimes if comes off as snark and make no mistake, sometimes it really is.

How does this relate to DIY?
Well for starters, reliability.
If you use a higher quality proven product, better results will occur more frequently.

Period.

Anyone may choose to debate that point but the numbers don't lie.
This may be the real division point for a Pro/Am split such as it exists in skateboard slalom.

There are Pro DIY'rs but more frequently DIY'rs are in the Am class because that is where you start.

I'm obviously a huge advocate of DIY but recognize that DIY does not deliver the same reliability found with proven set-ups.
There really should be no animosity between the people who advocate either solution, simply an understanding of what you are getting from each group.

DIY is an excellent gateway that can provide entré (both good and bad) into the sport at reasonable expense.

Proven solutions are an excellent way to grow into the sport and focus on riding development albeit at greater expense.

Can you ride a washing machine into the nationals? I can think of a few people who could and might just do so to prove a point.
On the other hand you'll find many more proven setups there.

Are you likely to find a huge collection of proven set-ups at an introductory scene?
Who there would know what a proven set-up looks like or what it should cost?

A reasonable level of good natured animosity isn't a bad thing for maintaining healthy competition.
Allowing it to get much more than that is a great way to build useless long standing grudges.
Some folks aren't worth more than hating but so far, I've not seen more than a few of those types and certainly not any on this thread.

Now, in the spirit of this thread and maintaining a reasonable level of good natured animosity;

Stop Axing for trouble, quit typing, go build your own skurfing garbage and git riding.

Munchh · 02-13-2008, 07:52 PM

SIMPLE SOLUTION THAT WORKS.

I was not having any luck with my mould foam and kept ending up with 'rocker' not kick tails, so in a stroke of genius i came up with this.

All i wanted to acheve was an entry level slalom kicktail deck for TS.

Start with a blank 80's style pool deck,