If youre a skateboarder with intermediate skills, then you likely know at this point what you want out of your skateboard. You have a good idea about the kind of skateboarding you want to do, and are specific about how you want to ride your board. You also know how each part of your board works and how to assemble them without the help of the folks at your local skateboarding shop. At this stage, a generic skateboard wont just do it for you. You want to build your own skateboard.
Building your own skateboard is fantastic and exciting of course. The only things that will limit you here are your imagination and your budget. Other than that, youre free to do whatever you like with your board.
In this article, well show you how to build your own skateboard. But please keep in mind that these are just guidelines. If you think you have a better way of doing things, then go ahead and do what works for you. But for starters, we have these tips that we would like to share with you.
1.Choose Your Deck. Decks come in a variety of lengths and widths. The general rule of thumb is that longer and wider decks are for taller skateboarders with large feet. As with other stuff in your skateboard, the actual length and width of your deck would depend on your personal taste. You can use your current skateboard as a point of comparison about the size you want. How about the graphics? It all depends on you! Need a guide in choosing a design? Heres a simple one: the cooler, the better.
2.Choose Your Trucks. The trucks are the metal parts that are attached to the deck. When it comes to choosing your trucks, the height and the width will be your primary considerations. If youre into street skateboarding, youll want low trucks to keep your center of gravity lowperfect for flips and adds a touch of stability. Meanwhile, the width of your trucks would at least be within a quarter of an inch of your decks width. Youll also want to know how stiff or soft the bushings in your trucks are. If you want total control of your trucks, get stiff ones or else, get the soft ones.
3.Choose Your Wheels. The wheels are where your skateboard meets the ground. Because of that, youll want hard
skateboard wheels if youre into street skateboarding in order to minimize the chances of flat spotting. Also, get small wheels if youre getting low trucks.
4.Choose Your Bearings. Bearings enable your wheels turn smoothly. When choosing your skateboards bearings, look for a set thats within the ABEC rating (the rating used to rate the precision of bearings) of 3 or 5. Either of the two will provide you with a balance of smoothness and durability in your bearings. The ABEC rating is a tricky rating not designed for skateboard bearings. So, to find out more about them, better ask your skateboarding friends or the folks at your local skateboarding shop first.
All in all, building your own skateboard depends on your personal preference. Thats the reason why we recommend that you take the time to learn what you really want out of your skateboarding experience before building your own board. But if ones things for sure about building your own skateboard, its that its fun and totally rewarding!
