I met Chris Barrett (Directive 0)at the Ottawa race last year, he was an enthusiastic new guy working out how to do slalom. A couple weeks later in Chicago he was 3% better and had hacked a slalom board out of an old sock drawer. Chris asked me to sign his board and I wrote, "Get a real board, Love Joe".
Well he did get (make) a new board, and another, and another. Soon he was making boards for others under his SKURF brand with partner Aviv Zimerman. Chris has taken the DIY attitude and turned into a way to grow his scene. Loads of new slalom riders in Toronto are making their first turns low cost, high quality boards.
Thats the cool thing about slalom. One guy with a smile and an extra board turns into 2, 4, 16 guys real fast. Rob Sydia and Mike Cividino got Chris started, now Chris is cruising shelters and bus stations, looking for young boys with low self esteem and handing them slalom decks (sorry, tangent).
Well, I asked Chris for a "how to" for all of you. Slalom boards can cost $500 or more, or you can buy some used wheels, trackers, and a hunk of wood. Please enjoy and report back with your success and lessons learned. (Thanks Chris!)
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I'm certainly no expert in slalom having only started last year, but having the good fortune of being a student of some of the most up to speed skaters in the discipline has given me some good understanding of the basics of this sport and the equipment used. I also know that starting out in slalom can be an overwhelming experience especially when you're coming from a background of skating that uses longer sized decks and wheelbases. It’s often hard to find any old deck lying around that would be suitable to try slalom in a pinch. But with a little bit of effort, a little extra cash and a cache of time its quite simple for anyone with some simple power tools to make their own slalom deck to run some cones and see if its for them. This process is hardly arduous and even if you end up not being down with the wiggle you are rewarded with a simple deck that has a variety of uses. The following guide is something of a rush job, juggling work and training for the season I have only been able to find pictures of a few of the steps involved, and this is not the only way to make a flat board but it is the way we do it.
The first step in this process is to pick which of the following shapes appeals to you most.
Skurf Slalom Roster 2005
Above is an example of some of the boards we offer to local skaters when we make flat boards for new riders (I apologize for the fact that this is not a concise selection of the best shapes out there, only the ones we have personally made). To decide there are a number of factors to weigh, but don't be discouraged I'll run through them briefly. The first two shapes are defined as "cutaways" or "needle-nosed" by some. They are designed for those utilizing a "Parallel" stance where both feet are closer together near the middle of the wider deck plate. These styles of decks were at the height of popularity during the 70's but are still used by a variety of riders today. Shapes 3 to 6 are a more modern interpretation of a slalom deck and are designed for a more progressive "Surf" stance. They provide more standing deck area for more leverage over the trucks. For beginners its probably a good idea to have something with a little more meat on it just so you can find out what catches your interest. #5 is a good all around shape very reminiscent of the pocket pistol decks. Feel free to make your own shape, just be sure to follow these basic guidelines:
For a Ts board try to keep the length between 30 and 32 inches, and remember that even though slalom decks are shorter then usual "longboard" paradigm decks, they still have the same basic shape dimensions. You'll want some width for leverage so try and keep the widest point of your deck 8" at the least. Making a template is probably the most difficult step of this project, but totally essential.
There are two basic ways to make an effective template. The first is a lot of work, but I shall outline it anyways. When you have decided which shape works best for you, download a drawing or CAD program (Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD, Etc) and draw it to the appropriate scale and dimensions (try looking for one here). Unfortunately explaining how to draft a shape would be to difficult to explain in THIS tutorial, so instead I have provided a copy of the #5 shape template for all, courtesy of Skurf Skates. Download the appropriate image file here and print it off using whatever printer is available to you. I have separated the templates up into lined sections that are numbered so you can print them off and line them up to tape together. If you have access to a printing center like Kinko's or Reprodux it would be way easier to have them print them off on a plotter or something similar. Cut out the template, line up the lines and tape it together.
Templates are essential for board building.
You can also make a template easily by taking a sheet of paper 30x10” or somewhere near the size of the board you are making. Fold the sheet of paper in half across the centerline so that both edges fold flush. Using a pen or marker draw half of the shape you want and cut the edge off so that when unfolded you get a complete board shape. This method has been explained in the Board Building section many times, and may be easier to understand in one of the references there.
Got wood?
Next you need wood, go to your local building supply store. What you are looking for is 1/2" Baltic birch, not birch. Regular birch plywood has filler in it that makes it cheaper but unusable for this purpose. Be sure to get at the very very least a 30" x 9" panel, this will make one board but will be a tight fit with no room for error.
Take the wood home and get some basic supplies together.
-A yardstick or meter long ruler
-A pencil
-Some tape
-Your template
-A Jigsaw or band saw, or any relatively accurate wood cutting device
-A palm-sander or block sander
-Some goggles
-A hand drill or drill press.
-A hammer
-A nail
First, take your ruler and mark a line down the center of the wood, this will line up with the centerline on the template given.
I apologize for the vulgarity, it was the only pic I could find
Take your assembled template and make some tape circles to adhere the bottom of the template to your board. Trace the outside of the template with an easy to see pen or pencil. Be sure to keep the edges of the template flat against the board as you trace to reduce waviness. Little variations in straight lines are magnified when observed from far away, so always take a good look at your traced image before cutting.
You're now ready to cut. Using a steady and carefull hand, cut on the outside of the line you traced and try not to leave too much excess wood, you'll only be sanding it off later.
Some completed flatties.
Sand the edges to your liking, finishing attributes are not super necessary for a beginner slalom board. However, make sure to keep the top edges flat and sharp. Making it sharp will keep your feet more easily locked in place.
Finally, take your ruler and measure a length of 20” centered over the middle of the board. Mark the beginning and ending points, these will be your two outermost inside boltholes. Using Brian’s bolthole template lined up to the centerline use a nail and make a small hole in the middle of the four holes on the template. Be sure you haven’t moved the template as you marked each hole, as this will produce crooked truck holes. You might want to put 2 or 3 truck mounts every few inches to be able to shift and augment wheelbases. Using your drill place the bit directly in the center of the small started hole you made with the nail, be sure to apply even constant pressure. If you are using a hand drill, be sure you are drilling straight down and not at angles. Placing a piece of scrap wood underneath the board will prevent the wood from splitting and heaving as the drill passes through the other side. If this is too confusing, or you have your own method of drilling holes then by all means do that. However, it is wise to keep your wheelbase options around 18-20” for an all around slalom deck.
For the finish you can either leave it as is (if you intend on getting or making a better board later) or you can use a sealant such as Vari-Thane. Make sure you sand in-between coats, with fine grit sandpaper, if you want a shinier finish.
Albeit a very cryptic tutorial if you got the general idea of what I was attempting to illustrate your board is now finished. It probably aint super pretty, but it will serve as a good entry-level board to get you into the sport of slalom. I can already hear the cones quivering in fear at your imminent arrival. Now all you need to do is get your hardware together and set it up, but that’s another department entirely.
Location: Western Michigan University / Kalamazoo, MI
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Re: DIY: BUILD YOUR OWN SLALOM DECK
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...When you have decided which shape works best for you, download a drawing or CAD program (Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD, Etc) and draw it to the appropriate scale...
Can you give some more programs?
This is my current project, The Tomahawk (synonom for axe...). Tracker Rt-s, and Rt-x's are on the way along with a set of zigzags
Any paint suggestions?
Thinking about building another with camber...
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I've been on the 'fish longer then you.
D0, do you mind if I use the template to make a deck to sell? I was a ta garage session last week and I let a guy try out my PPS on generic 4in trucks and 66mm Zig Zags. He loved it so much that during last nights garage section, a friend of his asked if I was the guy with "that" board. I guess he told everyone how much he liked it. Anyhow, with that template I could make him a deck for way less than he could buy one and 4 inch Lush trucks from MHS plus the Avalons he already has and he has a nice intro to slalom setup. I just want your permission.
Do you guys have a template for 3 or 4 I can download?
sketch it yourself...you only need to do half of it then draw a line down the middle of your blank and trace each side. I just finished my own copy of #2 as a GS board...it was easy and fun. I think my next board is gonna be a mini carve.
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Safety gear because....
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Originally Posted by claude regnier
I like to get up when I fall. I also like to know where I am when I occasionally hit my head.
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Originally Posted by Mile_High_Mark
Diapers and drool cups are way cooler than helmets.
iim having the worst time getting that pdf template printed out...what changes do i need to make to the document or to my print properties to make it print more than one page?
G'day guys, new here so bare with me...
Another member and I ( steveC) run a co-op company called Melifont longboards, we have been making different designs using different woods...etc....but we have finally cracked 2 different shapes and 2 different materials and have had decent success with both at our own little events; trying to get pictures asap for you to all look at...or ask steve, he'll probably be able to tell you more....i must say though that i have enjoyed making my own decks and now i would be hard pressed to BUY a deck unless i thought that it clearly and provedly would beat my own gear purely mechanically not rider...
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Hybrid and Proud.
currently looking for product test jobs...who's after guinea pigs?
DIY: BUILD YOUR OWN SLALOM DECK
Re: DIY: BUILD YOUR OWN SLALOM DECK
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