I recently was asked to glue up some skateboards for a friend and his 2 kids. Different lengths, different weights of riders and different preferences for stiffness.
I don’t know how to do spreadsheets but in the past I have had friends create them for me when I supplied the formulas. I don’t plan on building anymore skateboards but I imagine a lot of DYS guys will be for some time to come. I think it would be nice to have one posted on line for easy public access.
I would consult with a skateboard expert before I proceeded but I imagine it would go something like this.
Length between axles ( typical 24" to 48")
Width: (6" to 14")
weight of rider (typical 30# to 250#)
Deflection when standing on board Stiff-1/4" medium 3/4" soft 1 1/2" ( guessing here)
The two answers would be suggested thickness to laminate based on the double the thickness 8 times the stiffness formula. And suggested curvature to be glued in when laminating ( 1/2 the deflection I am guessing)
Would this be a straightforward simple calculator to put together?
A starting point of deflection to base numbers on might be based on a 1/4 thick sample set at say 36" with an accurate deflection measurement with a 30# load.
Would more reference points be needed? or would a simple chart be preferred.