Skateboard ramp

[stevebrookman]

hello all,

Am currently making a curved skateboard ramp. I will be using 9mm ply to make the surface. I am intending using exterior ply for obvious reasons.

The ply needs to be bent to form a curve the instructiions say wetting the ply makes it easier but if I'm using exterior ply wetting will not help.

Any thoughts. the link is shown below.


http://www.xtremeskater.com/ramp-plans/mini-ramp/step3.php

Cheers

Steve

 

[foxhole]

Wetting will help, exterior ply is not waterproof, steam is quicker though.

 

[ladylola]

Or use thinner ply, such as 4 or 6mm which will bend easier, but use two or three layers and glue them together creating a permanently "bend" that is around 12mm thick.

 

[foresthillwizard]

Yes!! is it a mini-ramp or a quarter? If this ramp is going to spend alot of time outdoors I highly recommend using a layering of skatelite or masonite, besides both will make the ramp smooth as butter!

 

[foresthillwizard]

PS-Watch those dimensions, having a ramp too steep or too under vert can make the ramp undesirable.

 

[Barry23]

I highly recommend using a layering of skatelite or masonite

As a skater of 30 years plus , I highly recommend not using Masonite outdoors, it wont last the first rain.

Once you have the templates and cross members in place, its body weight that will conform the ply to the curve.
The idea is to surface with 2 or 3 layers of thinner ply.

 

[Barry23]

One thing we did for outdoor long lasting, was paint the ply both sides with used engine oil from recycling centre.
NOT the top layer.

 

[foresthillwizard]

Nike just built a ramp near our town with just standard treated plywood and it is warped completely. Each transition feels different; somewhat bubbly and slowly the the plywood seems to seep deeper beneath the coping. I was just making reference to woodward's use of skatelite on their outdoor ramps which ride very very smooth outdoors. Maybe I was wrong in saying masonite, skatelite! For example the Terrible One Skatelite ramp is outdoors and is perfectly fine..

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[Barry23]

^^ cool, I see what you mean, Have looked at Skatelite, seems great stuff, but not sure of availability in the UK and likely too expensive for a backyarder.
Using plenty of screws keeps the surface buttoned down, and anything outdoors will deteriorate if not protected.