Electric skateboards are all the rage, but many people don’t know where to start. We’re here for you with a step-by-step guide on how to build an electric skateboard. If building a board sounds interesting and would like more information about it then keep reading below.
What does it take? It’s important when building an electric skateboard not only to invest in high-quality parts like batteries and motors.
We also recommend investing time into researching good tools for construction such as screws & nails which can make quick work out of even difficult builds.
Ready to take on the world? You’ll need some basic tools and supplies, but don’t worry – it’s not as difficult or expensive as you may think.
Let’s get started, We will also provide some helpful tips and advice along the way. So get ready to take your skateboarding skills up a notch with this cool new project.
How to Build an Electric Skateboard DIY? A step-by-step guide to assembling your electric skateboard [The Complete Guide]
Would you like to learn how to build your own electric skateboard? We will show it can be done! Our guide includes the basics of what tools and supplies are needed for this project, along with some helpful tips.
Tools Required
- Table saw (optional)
- Router (optional)
- Wood glue
- Jigsaw
- Drill
- Wooden planks
Accessories
Tools and supplies you will need: Two Skateboard Decks (one for the base, one for the battery pack), A Set of Trucks (2x if building a normal longboard size, 4x if building a shorter board).
8-12 M8 Hollow Core Bolts (depending on how thick your decks are, how long your trucks are, and how thick of a battery pack you choose to use).
8-12 Washers (depending on how thick your decks and battery pack is) – 28 Gauge Wire (This is most commonly used in RC cars, it’s enough for the whole build.
Parts
You’ll want one wire for every two motors – M4 Nylon Washers (You’ll need about 40 of these). These will go around where your axles are so you don’t get wheel bite.
You can find them anywhere skateboard accessories are sold Skateboard Grip Tape. You can find grip tape at any skateboard shop or online.
A Drill with a drill bit to fit your axles – Two 1/2″ PVC Pipe Couplers (You can find these at any hardware store) – Two 3/4″ PVC Pipe End Caps (Again, you can find them at the hardware store)
An Electric or Cordless Drill – A Metal Hole Saw Jaw Set (This is what you use to drill the holes in your deck and trucks.
A Metal Hole Saw (I bought a 34mm hole saw at the hardware store) – A Piece of 3/4″ PVC Pipe (This is how you make your handle.
You may need to cut it down depending on how long or short you want your deck to be and how tall you are.
A Ruler or Measuring Tape, A Pencil, A Sanding Block (or some sandpaper) with 120, 220, and 400 Grits, An Electric Skateboard Motor. I chose to go with this motor because it is known for not getting as hot as other motors and the price was right.
A 6V 10Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery (The kind you find in electric bikes. I got mine from my neighbor) – A Charger for your battery (You can get these online, Amazon has many to choose from).
A Skateboard Brake (You can get these anywhere skateboard parts are sold). A-Pulley Wheel with 1/2″ Bore (I used a 6″ pulley wheel, you will need one for every motor you have.
What you’ll need to build your electric skateboard
One Skateboard Deck (for the base)
A Set of Trucks (2x if building a normal longboard size, 4x if building a shorter board).
8-12 M8 Hollow Core Bolts (depending on how thick your decks are, how long your trucks are, and how thick of a battery pack you choose to use).
You’ll want one wire for every two motors – M4 Nylon Washers, These will go around where your axles are so you don’t get wheel bites.
Skateboard Grip Tape (You can use any size you want, just make sure it’s the same length as your deck). You can find grip tape at any skateboard shop or online.
A Drill with a drill bit to fit your axles – Two 1/2″ PVC Pipe Couplers (You can find these at any hardware store) – Two 3/4″ PVC Pipe End Caps (Again, you can find them at the hardware store)
An Electric or Cordless Drill – A Metal Hole Saw Jaw Set (This is what you use to drill the holes in your deck and trucks.
A Metal Hole Saw (I bought a 34mm hole saw at the hardware store) – A Piece of 3/4″ PVC Pipe (This is how you make your handle.
You may need to cut it down depending on how long or short you want your deck to be and how tall you are. A Ruler or Measuring Tape – A Pencil – A Sanding Block (or some sandpaper) with 120, 220, and 400 Grits.
An Electric Skateboard Motor.
A Charger for your battery (You can get these online, Amazon has many to choose from).
An Electric Skateboard Kit
A 6V 10Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery (The kind you find in electric bikes. I got mine from my neighbor).
How to choose the right components
Now that you’ve gathered all the parts and tools, how do you choose the right components to fit your needs? First, you need to decide how much power and torque you want your skateboard to have. Torque is how fast something can accelerate. Higher torque means that it can accelerate faster.
You also need to determine how fast you want to go. The faster you go, the more power your system will require. A higher voltage battery pack will be heavier but may give you a faster top speed and it will last longer.
Testing and tweaking your electric skateboard
Once you build electric skateboard, how do you know how well it will perform? I recommend buying some extra pulley wheels and axles so you can test how well it performs.
You can find extra axles and pulley wheels just about anywhere that skateboard parts are sold.
Try to use the same deck. How does it feel? Is it too heavy or too light? You may have to sand down your deck, trucks, and pulleys to be as light as possible. If you can, try buying some 1″ wide grip tape and putting it on your deck to see how it feels.
Make sure your bearings are well oiled, your wheels are tightly fastened, and your axles are straight.
Tips for riding your electric skateboard safely and effectively
Be aware of your surroundings. If you don’t, you’ll feel how hard it is to ride a skateboard when you hit a crack.
Be careful how fast you’re going. It’s too easy to hit cracks in the sidewalk and lose your balance.
Practice turning slowly. You don’t want to lose control of your skateboard when you’re traveling at a high speed.
To build an electric skateboard, Make sure you have good grip tape so you don’t slip off! The grip tape should be the same length as your deck.
If you put grip tape on your deck, make sure it’s 1″ wide to avoid any problems.
When going down a hill, how fast you’re going determines how much brake you’ll need and how quickly your board will decelerate (using the regenerative braking feature).
If you don’t know how to stop, use the manual brake (push back on the throttle).
FAQs about building and using electric skateboards
Q: How long does the battery last?
A: It depends on how fast you’re going. If you’re traveling at 10 mph, it will generally last around 5 miles. If you’re traveling faster, the battery won’t last as long.
Q: What is regenerative braking?
A: This feature charges your battery while you brake. So, the faster and harder you brake, the more energy is returned to your battery.
Q: How heavy is it?
A: It depends on how you build your board. If you make the deck longer or wider, your skateboard will be heavier. My board weighs around 35 lbs (16 kg).
Q: How long does it take to charge? A: It depends on how drained your battery is. If you’re only partially discharged, you can begin recharging it right away. Otherwise, allow around 8 hours to completely recharge your battery.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: A lot. You can buy the parts necessary to build your electric skateboard.