# Skateboard Plywood



## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

I'm brand new at slingshot making. I decided to experiment with old skateboards as a wood source. Quality skateboards are 7-ply maple around 3/8" thick. I laminated 2 layers together and cut out the slingshots. The skateboard decks are concave which makes the laminating process more challenging but also gave the opportunity to use the curve to improve the ergonomics of the slingshot. Additionally the maple veneers are sometimes stained different colours within the plies making for some cool aesthetic possibilities. The 3 are in various stages of completion and I had a chance to set up and test fire the Predator Scout inspired one with exercise bands (OTP) and the power seemed pretty impressive (although I have no previous experience for comparison).
























Any suggestions for a finish? maybe just mineral oil?

cheers,

Evan.


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## slingshotnew (Oct 29, 2014)

Very nice!!!


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## DestroyerOfEVIL (May 11, 2015)

A skateboard clearly gives some good wood. Is that a first? It's a really nice slingshot, you should be proud!


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Yeah skateboard slingshots rule 
If you need some tips check out the search option on the forum and you will have plenty of recommendation even how to make your own finish oil recipe's my is one out of beeswax and linseed oil works great and last for ever ever 
Oh and welcome to the forum there is no going back


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## Deryckere Frederico (Nov 14, 2015)

I have been wanting to work with skateboards for a long time. Ever since i found artwork of some guy doing this:










but i wonder how you laminate the individual boards that compact??


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## Viper010 (Apr 21, 2012)

Welcome Evan!


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## Phoul Mouth (Jan 6, 2015)

My nephew skateboards, and he's a big kid, like 180 lbs. If a skateboard can support that weight through jumps and such without snapping I doubt laminating a skateboard deck is even necessary. And a 3.8 inch thick sling is rather appealing to me for pocketability. I may have to see if he has an old junk deck I can cut up for experimenting. lol


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## Deryckere Frederico (Nov 14, 2015)

well allow me to chip in.

There are kids who can't skate all that well and never put any strain on the board because they can't land tricks and can't jump very high.

Then you have pro's that easily take 12-stair sets but land exactly on their trucks,as to minimize strain on the board.

Then you have everyone else in between, who will break boards. All the time. There were periods i would break a board a month.

Trust me the laminating is VERY necessary and even then it will break. And if you can't land on the trucks it will happen sooner rather than later. :king:


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## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

Thanks for kind words and welcome. I'll post some pics of the completed slingshots when they're done.

As for the strength of skateboards, I have broken a few. My personal rider now is a Bamboo Skateboards deck and they are effectively unbreakable. I will have to find a new source of broken skateboards to make stuff out of...


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

They look good.


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## you'llshootyereyeout (Apr 5, 2014)

Nice looking stuff! I made a few skateboard shooters today as well. jinx!


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Darn good! A proven design series also...Bill Hays a gogo...good you saw a great ergo design and executed it from that skateboard plywood for ultra strength and contrasting colors.

Excellent!


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## Court215 (Mar 2, 2015)

Haha love this thread!!! Really wish I would've kept the probably 30+ boards I've gone through over the years now!!


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## sagecraft (Mar 1, 2015)

Looks good evan. The forks are a bit too high for me though. Does it strain your wrist when you sboot them? What bands did you use for this?

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk


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## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

sagecraft said:


> Looks good evan. The forks are a bit too high for me though. Does it strain your wrist when you sboot them? What bands did you use for this?
> 
> Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk


I used locally available exercise bands. I think they are thicker than thera bands. I found the strain on the base of my thumb uncomfortable more than my wrist and the OTT attached bands snapped pretty hard on the hand I was holding the SS with.


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## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

you'llshootyereyeout said:


> Nice looking stuff! I made a few skateboard shooters today as well. jinx!


ha. thought I was innovating. guess not. cheers.


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## sagecraft (Mar 1, 2015)

Evan said:


> sagecraft said:
> 
> 
> > Looks good evan. The forks are a bit too high for me though. Does it strain your wrist when you sboot them? What bands did you use for this?
> ...


Ok... hmmm.. did you cut them yourself? Tried some of those. They are ok but less durable than tb. How do you hold your sling? Upright or are you a side shooter?

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk


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## MakeSlingshots (Jul 16, 2015)

I have one made for skate board too, made by a friend mike420


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## Tentacle Toast (Jan 17, 2013)

Nice!


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## alfshooter (May 11, 2011)

:thumbsup:


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

If you innovated, you innovated independently from Bill's similar shooters... I've done that...thought I made something up only to find someone else did the same basic thing before I did. That's not important..what's important is you capitalized on your imagination if you know what I mean here.

What makes man different from our genetic cousins...the chimps and gorillas (with whom we share at least 97% of our genes) is that we can imagine something then make it...from flint and stone implements 100k-200k (or more) years ago to moon landings. Your designing is supurb.

If you want to remove compression stress from the base of the forks, just laminate two boards together with epoxy (rough sanding the surfaces first to scuff them up so the epoxy sticks better) and sculpt out a super ergo that fits your hand like a glove. There is call for slim line flatish frames that are very pocketable and there is call for really comfortable shooters especially for heavier banding. I have both and appreciate both for what they are. Give a super ergo a try anyway.


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## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

sagecraft said:


> Evan said:
> 
> 
> > I used locally available exercise bands. I think they are thicker than thera bands. I found the strain on the base of my thumb uncomfortable more than my wrist and the OTT attached bands snapped pretty hard on the hand I was holding the SS with.
> ...


I've bee experimenting with how to hold it, since I'm new to this. I cut the bands, so the width is ok, the bands are just thick and heavy. I have someone bringing back some thera, so I can try it out.


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## Evan (Dec 4, 2015)

Chuck Daehler said:


> If you innovated, you innovated independently from Bill's similar shooters... I've done that...thought I made something up only to find someone else did the same basic thing before I did. That's not important..what's important is you capitalized on your imagination if you know what I mean here.
> 
> What makes man different from our genetic cousins...the chimps and gorillas (with whom we share at least 97% of our genes) is that we can imagine something then make it...from flint and stone implements 100k-200k (or more) years ago to moon landings. Your designing is supurb.
> 
> If you want to remove compression stress from the base of the forks, just laminate two boards together with epoxy (rough sanding the surfaces first to scuff them up so the epoxy sticks better) and sculpt out a super ergo that fits your hand like a glove. There is call for slim line flatish frames that are very pocketable and there is call for really comfortable shooters especially for heavier banding. I have both and appreciate both for what they are. Give a super ergo a try anyway.


thanks for the tips. The thickness is already two boards. I'm going to take the rasp to the thumb groove and see if I can make it more ergo.


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## sagecraft (Mar 1, 2015)

Evan said:


> sagecraft said:
> 
> 
> > Evan said:
> ...


i sell pre cut theraband if your interested. also sell them whole. also have various sizes of ammo.. try watching tutorials by bill hays on youtube. he gives really great advice on shooting styles. we can meet up in qc if you want anything.


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