This article is a step buy step on building your own skateboard; the alternative is having your local skateboard shop do it for you. A long time ago back in my early youth, I worked at two skateboard / inline skate shops one in Lawndale CA, and the other in Hermosa Beach CA, from age 13-18. It was possibly the best work experience of my life. In any rate I decided 15 years later to relive old times and pick up parts to build a new board and go for a ride (yes midlife crisis here I come).
First thing I did was go to a local skateboard shop in Oceanside, CA K5 to be exact. Here I picked up the goods for my new skateboard, I was going for a semi budget board:
Gear:
1x Mystery Lopez Suicide King Deck 7.875 x 31.75
4x Bones REDS Precision Skate Bearings
4x Ricta Wheels Arto Saari 54mm Chrome Cores Gunmetal
2x Thunder Truck Company 149ers
4x Shorty’s 1″
1x Black Magic Grip Tape
Tools:
1x Phillips Tip Screwdriver
1x 3/8 open wrench
1x 7/16 socket or open wrench
1x Packing Knife
The first step was to put the Black Magic grip tape on the deck, since the tape was pre-cut I just had to align it on the board and stick it on.
The second step was to define the edges of the board and grip tape for cutting, I used the top edge of one of my trucks (the side that goes against the board) and scraped the edges all around the board.
The third step was to use a packing knife and cut the grip tape from the bottom with the blade facing up around the edge you defined with your truck. Be careful not to hurt yourself before you even get on the board!
The fourth step is to poke some holes with an allen wrench through your grip tape. You can use any other object that fits in that hole as well.
The fifth step is to put your Shorty truck screws in the deck.
The sixth step is to mount your trucks onto the board with your Shorty screws and nuts, I used a Phillips tip screw driver and a 3/8 wrench to do so.
The seventh step is to put on your wheels, I had the skateboard shop press the bearings into the wheels at the store since I don’t own a bearing press. I made sure to have a washer at both sides of the wheel (included with the trucks), and used a 7/16 socket wrench to tighten the wheels on. Make sure not to over tighten your wheels they should move free, you will have to find the sweet spot.
The last step is to go out and have fun on your new board! For me its midlife crisis time, skate or die!
Hah! Dude I found your site googling EC2 stuff and came across this article, its hilarious I just went through the same thing. I bought my first board in 15 years just last month. Was it as awkward for you as it was for me? Shite it took me a week to remember how to ollie while riding, (really to build up the guts, not to remember)
Keep cool bro, dont die
Hi Sid, glad you found the article entertaining. Good to see fellow old schoolers get out there and give the old skateboard a whirl again. And yes at my age it is definitely more awkward then I remember it should be. Stay safe and ollie over everything!