If you are curious about longboarding, then welcome to the era of the longboard. You must have some questions which are stuck in your head. Let’s give you all the must-know things about it. A longboard is one kind of skateboard. But there are few difference between them. It is the modern and amplified version of a skateboard. You can perform a sport named ‘longboarding’ with the help of a longboard. This sport is trendy among young generations. The people who use longboards to play longboarding, we can call them longboarders. Apart from longboarding, you can explore longboard freestyle, dancing, etc. The weight of the longboard is about 8-10 pounds.
Different Parts of a Longboard:
Longboard consists of three major parts :
- Deck: It is the upper part of the longboard. It is mostly a covering surface which provides you the best service on keeping weight.
- Wheels: The longboard contains a set of wheels that operates the ride.
- Trucks: There are two trucks in a longboard. They are so expansive and broader. The width usually is about 150mm-180mm.
Positive Sides of Longboarding:
- Lower Your Cholesterol Level: If the cholesterol level is high, this will be one reason for having heart disease, stroke, and others. It helps to reduce your cholesterol level.
- Enhance Muscle Power: You have to perform longboarding using a lot of muscle work. So it enhances muscle power and makes you stronger.
- Stress Relief: Longboarding can work as a stress reliever in your life. It requires to freshen up your mind.
- Ensure Sound Sleep: However, sound sleep is a must for everyone. It can prevent you from all the anxiety and provide you a sound sleep.
- Improvement of Balance: Balance is an essential thing for the movement of your body. Longboarding helps you to improve your balance on your body.
- Enhance Flexibility: You can enhance your body flexibility by practicing it regularly. Every potion of your body operates while longboarding.
- Loss of Extra Body Weight: As longboarding is a good source of workouts, you can lose your extra calorie.
- Cardio Health Improvement: Longboarding increases the heartbeat rate, which is so supportive of good cardio health.
For having all the benefits and brightening sides of longboarding, you must build a longboard.
How to Build or Create a Longboard?
There are lots of reasons why you should make your longboard. Following an easy process, you can create your longboard. You can find thousands of benefits and advantages by making it. Let’s get to know some of them:
- Budget Trendy: One of the great benefits of it is budget-worthy. You can make it within your financial preferences. When you buy a longboard from a store, it is more costly. The materials you need for this is also relatively inexpensive. So you can cut off the extra money.
- Quality of the Materials: As you are making your longboard from the start, you can guarantee the materials’ best quality. A good brand can ensure the durability of the product and make it long-lasting. Therefore, you have the option to buy quality brand products for your longboard.
- Physical Activity: It would be tremendous muscle work when you are originating your longboard. It requires lots of physical activities to shape and make your customized one. If you want to do some workout without going to the gym, you can try this one.
- Obtaining Wood-chopping Skill: While creating a longboard, at first, you need to learn some easy woodcutting skills. It is indispensable for chopping wood into the required shape. If you pick up some primary instruction on woodchopping, it will help to make any wood materials. You can also maintain the shape and size of a longboard.
- Great Pastime: You can have a great pastime while making a longboard. You can put your artistry on it and make some variations. By making it, you will have so much fun and refreshment. It is an excellent source of your pastime. You can do it with your friends or family. It is not only a hobby but also constructive work.
So if you are on a target to make it by yourself, this is the best decision. Let me describe the process in an effortless way
You will require some simple things to create a longboard. First of all, you need to collect all the materials. You have come to know about the parts of a longboard. So you have to make all those parts.
Materials for the Deck:
You have to gather some materials and equipment for making the deck. Let’s introduce the required elements to you-
- Paper and Pencil:
Firstly, you need some pieces of paper and a pencil to draw a diagram of your longboard. It is essential for keeping the absolute measurement. It is a primitive step of making any structural thing. By designing your longboard, you can follow the blueprint. Thus it helps to create a well-shaped longboard.
- Griptape:
Griptape is one kind of tape that holds the grip of your feet on the longboard. So it is a must-needed part of a longboard. It is a sandy-papery layer that you must add to the top of your longboard.
- A Jigsaw:
A jigsaw is a woodcutting tool. It has a sharp and narrow blade so that you can use it to cut and curve your wood very thoroughly. In the case of making a longboard, you will require it to shape the deck part.
- A Drill:
A drill is generally a hole-making device. It requires to create a hole in between the parts to connect them. You will need to attach the details of the longboard.
- Screws or Staple-gun:
After curving the deck, you have to seal it with screws or a staple gun. The quantity of the screws usually counts on the size and length of the deck. It may vary for the demanding quality mechanism of the longboard. Screws will assure you to have a sealed and tighter deck.
- Weights:
The materials you use to make a longboard typically identify the weights of it. So it is so easy to know and control the heaviness while making it. This weight also helps you to keep your balance on the longboard.
- Fiberglass Resin or Polyurethane Varnish:
Fiberglass resin or polyurethane varnish works as glaze or coating on a longboard. Polyurethane varnishes are strong covering, which forms an excellent finishing layer. Fiberglass resin has remarkable adhesive properties. It is one type of polyester resin and acts as a casting material.
- Plywood or Hardwood:
Woods is an essential component for originating your longboard. There is so much variation in wood quality. In this making process, plywood and hardwood are the most used. You will only need two to three pieces of wood. This amount can vary due to the length and quality.
- Wood Glue or Any Stiff Adhesive Glue:
Any stiff or sturdy wood glue works to affix the necessary parts of a longboard. It is a necessity to make your longboard more robust and enduring. It grasps all the critical layers of the woods altogether. It would be best if you bought high-quality wood glue or epoxy. These things are available in all the known hardware store.
- Finely Granulated Sandpaper:
Sandpaper contains a rough surface that you can use to cover the deck. It avoids the friction between the shoes and deck. It helps to maintain a good movement on a longboard.
- Eight Small Screws:
These small screws are indispensable because they attach the decks and trucks. Each truck requires four screws for making a great attachment. So two trucks will demand eight screws. Proper measurement of the screws secures the firm tacking of the trucks on the deck.
- Fix the trucks
Metals are the ingredient of the trucks. You have to fix the trucks to the board’s wheel. It enables your board to turn or lean down. For enjoying great longboarding, you have to choose the befitting trucks. Reverse kingpin trucks are the most suggested trucks that provide a good turning experience.
- Select the perfect wheels
You will observe the different sizes and shapes of the wheels in the store. There are both small and large wheels. Big wheels accommodate the faster ride with your longboard. Hard and soft wheels can also make a difference. You will face safety issues because of choosing hard wheels. Grippy and softer wheels will be an excellent choice for your longboard. So you have to select the best one to make it perfect.
The price of the longboard may vary from brand to brand. You have to pay a high price if you want to buy a good one. Now you know precisely why you should make it not to purchase.
Procedure:
- Draw a design:
Firstly, you have to make a design of your longboard on a large piece of paper. You can fabricate and customize the structure of your choice.
- Collect and cut the wood:
Secondly, you need to collect the plywood or hardwood to make the deck. You have to cut the wood pieces and shape them like a good deck.
- Stick the pieces:
Thirdly, you have to seal the wood pieces with a strong adhesive or wood glue. It is an important step. Therefore, you have to concentrate on this point. The low-quality sealant can ruin your hard work. Spread the glue evenly with a paint scraper. Attach the two or three wood pieces properly without leaving any air bubbles.
- Set up for the curve:
Then arrange a setup to hang the deck. You can put weight on the middle of the wood. It will create a nice curve in your longboard. After that, you can firmly seal the parts using some screws or a staple gun.
- Cut off the excess to create a smooth edge:
Now it’s time to use your design. You can follow your procedure to make it unique. Put the symmetrical design on the sealed wood piece. After that, cut off the extra part using a jigsaw. To create a smooth surface, rub it with sandpaper.
- Paint or color the deck:
You can also paint and color your longboard. It is not mandatory. The job of painting is to make your longboard more beautiful and significant. You can make some fascinating designs to make it attractive.
- Fiberglass hardenener:
Fiberglass resin is a vital part that you need to blend with the hardener at an appropriate ratio. Utilize a paintbrush to cover up the board with fiberglass resin. Let it rest for 3-4 hours for hardening.
- Drilling and attaching the trucks:
When the resin sets on the board, you can crop all the leftover fiberglass off the board. Finally, you have to take the help of a drill machine to make some holes. You have to drill the holes for the attachment of trucks and deck. Try to do it accurately as it ensures riding security. You will require eight small screws for affixing the truck’s wheels.
- Cover the surface with a grip tape:
This step depends on the maker of the longboard. You can either cover the full surface or originate some pieces of grip tape to protect it. Grip tape works as a protector of your longboard.
Trailing all the above steps, you can make a fantastic longboard. These steps are so easy anyone can follow and create their longboard. You can bring your creativity to building your own. So you will not have to depend on others. It is an excellent opportunity to ride a self-made longboard.
How to Slow Down on a Skateboard?
When you are a beginner at longboarding, you have to know and practice the rules. Good riding skill ensures safe landing and braking. After learning longboarding, you will obtain some primary landing and slowing down skills. However, you have to know some basic rules and directions which is necessary. Maintaining such a particular method, you can be the best at stopping down your longboard.
- Bouncing off Your Longboard:
Bouncing off is the most elementary way to stop your longboard. It is so effortless and easy to do. While you are coasting on an even surface at a comparatively slower pace, you have to hold back pressing and cruise it out. The friction from your longboard will automatically slow it down. If you are riding at a promenading speed, you can go down from the longboard and snap it. However, bouncing off is a simple way of slowing down on a longboard. But the problem occurs while you cruise at high speed. You require to match the pace of yourself and the longboard.
- Rotating Onto Uneven Outward:
Rotating onto an uneven surface is another excellent idea for slowing down your longboard. It is a widespread way to stop or hold back your riding. You have to choose a place containing rough outward such as grass, gravel, sand, etc. If you are riding in a road full of speed pebbles, you may fall and hurt yourself. So you have to be cautious whenever you are rotating or rolling on thick grass or uneven areas. Otherwise, you might face an accident or breakage.
- Foot Braking:
Foot braking is the most beneficial way of reducing the speed of your longboard. It can be different because of high or low speed. It is a technique that you can learn if you do longboarding regularly. Let’s acknowledge some tips and expertise which might guide you to better foot braking. You can refrain from some mistakes and unwanted falls.
Firstly, you need to balance on your front foot and switch your body weight onto your board. Then you have to curve or arch your frontal knee for lowering your back foot to the ground.
Using your shoe’s friction, you have to put your back foot on the ground to slow yourself.
It is very fundamental to regulate the quantity of pressure. Excessive pressure may stop your longboard and flip you forward. Therefore, you have to brush the ground with your shoe sole. It will provide the required resistance for your balance. If you are not used to this, you can also do some short kicks instead of rubbing your sole with the ground.
Practice Foot Braking More and More!
There are no other alternatives than practice. You should bring this foot braking into your routine. Whenever you are going at high speed, it can be risky and sometimes dangerous to do foot braking at an exact moment. If you want to be a master or pro at this skill, you should practice it daily.
- Sliding For Stopping Down:
Sliding is a smooth change of movement or speed in the time of riding. It is a risky technique that helps you stop on a longboard. It is essential but a little bit tricky if you are not an expert in it. Sliding is also one of the fundamental braking skills. At first, you have to practice to receive a good sliding experience. It depends on the position and condition of your longboard status. It is an urgency while you are riding on the downhill side or any hilly area. Inappropriate sliding can create a destructive impact on the wheels and bearings of your longboard. Therefore, you have to learn this technique properly.
- Carving or Engraving To Slow Down:
Carving or engraving is a satisfactory method. It works so well, mostly when you are leaning against the hill. It is very much like snowboarding as you are carving from the sharp hillside. Sometimes foot braking becomes tricky while landing from slop or downhill. Carving needs regular practice as you are keeping your body weight and balance through this. This riding method helps you to continue the speed for reaching the ending point.
- Riding In A Zigzag Place:
If you are riding in a zigzag or jagged area, it will help you slow down. Here you can utilize your body balance against the winds and lessen the motion rate. It is an effective way of stopping.
- Shifting Body Weight:
Bodyweight is a vital thing to maintain your balance for longboarding. It is a potential factor for keeping an equilibrium. You can slow down your speed by shifting your body weight on the front foot. It performs so well in braking and stopping down your longboard. There is another way of shifting body weight. You can also lift your back foot on the ground. In this way, you have to ensure appealing pressure on various types of fields. Be attentive while riding your board on a different basis. Prohibit from putting excessive body weight on your back foot. You can decrease the riding speed by bending your body slightly. You have to maintain extra concern cruising in a traffic zone.
- Placing Your Foot In The Right Position:
In the time of longboarding, you must place your back and the front foot in the appropriate position. You have to put your back foot marginally after the center of your longboard. Inaccurate placement of the feet can form an imbalance. You can wear such shoes that have an excellent grip. You can also keep a helmet to avoid head injuries.
- Controlling the Speed:
Speed is the most crucial part of driving. Whenever you are riding on a longboard, you must know how to increase or decrease the speed rate. Higher speed causes a dangerous situation while stopping down your longboard. That’s why you have to practice riding your longboard, maintaining a considerable speed that is safe. A long time of practice can give you the power of controlling the pace.
Ending:
Starting from a longboard to its making and slow down the process is quite impressive. It would be best if it can help you to improve your longboarding experience. A longboard is a great and tremendous sports source that is so beneficial to your health and mind. So you can enjoy longboarding both as a sport and entertainment!