boarderboy Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Have just finished my first longboard vacuum lamination, an 8-ply Roarockit, using the company's pretty standard deck mold. A fair amount of cross-deck concave, but very little tip-to-tail variation. I'm ready to start my second "lam", and in the spirit of learning something new with each build, I'm thinking about molding in some rocker (ala surfboard rocker), which is pretty easy to jury-rig using, again, RR's standard foam mold. My question is this - is there anything truly functional about putting rocker into a longboard, as opposed to snowboard-like camber. I can see the functionality of mid-deck camber for loading and unloading with weight while pumping and carving, but I'm having trouble visualizing what benefit, if any, may come from rocker. Would making a drop-trough truck config as my second board make more sense. (This one'll be the more standard 7-ply.) Also, what's the most functional deck-grip treatment that will also display, protect and preserve deck-top graphics? Pics when the graphics are done. Many thanks. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxguitarist Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Rocker may "feel" nice to you, also it in effect wedges the front & rear trucks resulting in more turn per lean angle. Drop through vs rockered cruiser is dependent on what you want to use it for. Epoxy and silica sand or tread-tex works, however I usually just use clear grip tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted March 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I can buy sand-blasting "grit" just up the street. Are drop-through configs primarily for high-stability commuting and non-death-defying cruising? BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I can buy sand-blasting "grit" just up the street.Are drop-through configs primarily for high-stability commuting and non-death-defying cruising? BB drop through's can be used for all sorts of things the Dervish is dropthrough and a cruiser, the Rayne Hellcat is dropthrough and all speed, the Bustin Strike is dropthrough and all pedestrian slalom. Dropping trucks through changes the stability, center of gravity and the leverage required to turn but it is in the end just one of many elements in board design Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Ever ridden a Humu? A pocket longboard with lots of rocker..it feels like it cradles you, however, it feels like it is dead if you ride it back to back with a cambered longboard of comparable (perceived) stiffness. What made you choose rocker over camber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Think I saw one in a surf shop once. Wild looking ... Chose rocker instead of camber because it's pretty easily achieved using Roarockit's basic longboard mold. Camber isn't. I think that will require a custom-shaped mold. There are tutorials on shaping your own molds, so I may be able to do that on board #3. Hope also to be using my own, home milled and kiln-dried maple plies rather than "store bought" for board #3. Thanks for your comments. Please keep em coming as I pursue this. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I'd say go for rocker, should be good experience and who cares if you don't like it? Making boards is fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I'd say go for rocker, should be good experience and who cares if you don't like it? Making boards is fun! put my first three plies in the vacuum bag sans glue as a dry run. Things weren't looking so good with the "freehand" rocker addition to RR's basic longboard mold. So, my second board will be a 7-ply rendition of my first (8-ply) without rocker. Graphics will be a la my son, and the theme is "Mako," so it oughta be interesting. Will try to make two custom molds for boards three and four - one with rocker; one with camber. Then I hope to get a longer vacuum bag for my first drop-through attempt. Pics and laughs and horror stories to follow. Thanks again BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Rocker is interesting, I rode a Comet speedboard today that's very Rockered after riding my own slightly Rockered speedboard and I am again intrigued at at how pleasant the ride is compared to a straight board. Rocker provides a dampness that I haven't found anyplace else. Cambered boards don't really do anything for me, at least for cruising boards but that's my preference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Rocker is interesting, QUOTE]I hope to begin my first "styrofoam" mold this week, loosely patterned on the standard Roarockit longboard template with added rocker. If I can upgrade my SketchUp skills quickly enough, I'll try to post the preliminary deck design on here for possible feedback. Have "standard" 8 and 7-ply longboards in various stages of completion right now. Thanks again for the input and hope for your advice in the future. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullwings Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 how'd your boards turn out? Anyway, as far as rocker goes, for long boarding, i think i prefer it to camber. I have a Landyachtz Mummy, and i've ridden it right side up the way it was designed (with lots of camber) and upside down (with rocker) - you can only do this on boards without concave. I prefer it upside down with rocker. It cradles my feet a lot better, and the added turn angle it puts on my front truck means i don't have to wedge it as much to get that extra turniness for pumping. That, and the rocker effectively lowers you without being a dropthrough and keeps you as a topmount. Also for the Mummy, i find the flex a bit too snappy and harsh when in the cambered position, but when rockered, it feels a tamer - this is board specific. Overall i guess it depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for more of that snowboard carvy feel, you probably want camber. For me, I prefer rocker in my boards, only board where i really like camber is my loaded vanguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 how'd your boards turn out? ... Anyway, as far as rocker goes, for long boarding, i think i prefer it to camber. Got a temp Census gig to get some $$ to pump into my budding cottage industry. Not much routing and sanding going on. Gotta get back to it. Per earlier, next two boards will also be vacuum bagged - first with rocker and second with camber - in the interest of learning. I also hope to "profile" these decks, much like you'd profile a snowboard deck. Gonna do a little research on existing boards' tip-to-tail taper, and then post a couple of prelim designs for comments/suggestions by forum members. If Google Sketchit proves too complex for my modest CAD skills, I may just use the free Boardcrafter program that's already on my computer. (A note to Gecko, Chubz, and all the rest (?) who count on making some summer bucks selling decks to fellow BOL'ers. From my vantage point, this "territory" is the province of you Forum pioneers. Since it's tough for me to get feedback from lots of active and competing boarders, BOL's free information flow is more valuable than any decks I might be able to sell here. And,yeah, I know, too, that Fin and others count on summer-selling new, performance rides, so deck sales would probably be "iffy" here anyway.) Thanks for the interest, BW. Next board will definitely have rocker to offer a secure "pocket" for the outsized hikers I have to ride in. cheers and beers BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.