I love kick tails. When I was a kid I used to kick a Vision Gator with Slime-balls all over the block. If it were an esk8, life would have been perfect. Now that I can make my own toys, It’s time to make things happen. (Note: I would have had a Powell Peralta, Tony Hawk but my homeboy already had one)
So now I’m starting work on a hallow-bodied deck with a big kicktail. 31 inches long. 9 inches wide. The compartment will be milled in from the top with dimensions: 6" x 14" x 1.125". I made the body of the board from bamboo and then pressed some veneer for the lid using the same foam mold. The trick will be to use the CNC to make the lid fit seamlessly into the top of the deck. I’ve got some ideas for making that happen.
I’m designing this deck to work with big hub-motors. I have some torqueboards’ direct-drive motors. I feel confident that this shape should work well with them, but I’d also like it to work with others. Like maybe some Hummies.
A 12s battery made from some really nice 18650 cells would be dope. I might need to make mounting holes for a wheelie-bar
Alright, progress. I spent time avoiding family over the holidays by watching endless youtube videos of CNC luthering, kayak-making and fine-furniture fabrication as I prepared for the next steps. The rough draft is complete and for the most part I’m pretty happy with the results. 2.0 is already underway and it will be a much further refined esk8ing instrument.
Here, the compartment is big enough for a dual vesc and thirty or so 18650 cells. The lid is a bit of a hack-job, but I had to mess it up to figure out how to do it right. In 2.0 the lid will fit like a glove and I’m going to play with using small, powerful magnets to hold it on. I also will be making the board and compartment about 1 inch longer and a 1/4 inch wider. The nose will be a little wider as well. I’m fiddling with the truck mounting holes to see if I can find the optimal positioning.
In addition to the hollow-body I’m also making a 7-layer rendition of this shape that will be laminated with fiberglass and paired with a Kevlar-reinforced, ABS enclosure. Kind of like what I did with “The Dragan”, my Best-build 2019 candidate (btw, If you haven’t voted yet… ). The large ABS enclosure will allow for really big batteries and plenty of extras. Additionally, this type of board will be a little flexible. The hallow-body is perfectly ridged except for the buttery tail.
After this deck I have two other shapes that I’m working on. These are going to be a lot of fun. The shovel-tail on this one is fly. No joke. I really want to make it into an eSurfSk8. If I could find a drive system that I could pair nicely with Carver CX4s I would be in heaven.
I’ll be back with 2.0 in a few weeks. At the moment I might have to step outside. This dog that I’m sitting for keeps ripping farts that could strip the varnish off of an entire wicker patio set. Until next time, Happy riding!!!
What can I say. I like big tails . No… but seriously, I do. This board is going to be fun to ride. I just need to settle on a drive system. I’d like to be able to ride bowls with. Once I add fiberglass to the bottom, it should easily be able to slide on coping.
I’ll be honest I’m reasonably new to this whole esk8 world but with your stance (weighted behind the trucks?) and a rear wheel drive will you not just be throwing out wheelies every time you hit the throttle?
The only way to see how things will work is to build and test. I’ve got a good feeling about this one, especially with the changes that I’m making for 2.0. There will be more room for a forward stance, but I definitely hear what you’re saying.
This looks interesting - can’t wait for the end result, but I must chime in that it may be structurally unsound with the flare out without sufficient material reinforcement, I’ve seen similar with reports of structural failure. Hope it holds up though!
The board will be reinforced underneath with 10 oz fiberglass and epoxy resin. After that it might stop a small caliber bullet. I’m thinking about doing 4 oz fiber glass on the top, but I haven’t figured out the best way to do it yet.
I dig it, man. For covert drive systems, keep an eye out for The NeoDrives from @jeffwuneo. The first round is in production right now. It’s basically the same as the unlimited hubs that loaded is using but with some changes to kv and urethane. If I remember correctly, there were also some upgrades made to the motor construction.
. No… but seriously, I do. This board is going to be fun to ride. I just need to settle on a drive system. I’d like to be able to ride bowls with. Once I add fiberglass to the bottom, it should easily be able to slide on coping.