Thought I'd throw this on for anyone who checks this forum occasionally in the hope that someone has actually posted something , or is it just me?

I really liked the look of the Classic Hamboard. It would cost a small fortune to have one shipped from California so I thought I'd build my own. It's 6'6x15". Yeah that's right!

So I started off by downloading the outline from the net, and scaling it up in CAD. This gave me a nice stencil once printed and cut to size. I used my ghetto bunnings press to combine pine ply with a bamboo veneer on top for that classic hamboard look. It's dead flat so no need to worry about concave etc.

After tracing the outline on to the pressed ply, I cut it out with a jigsaw. The wheel wells were done with a grinder.
Total thickness is 1" for a classic hamboard so I tried to stick with this. It was way too flexy for me, so I added a stringer.

Time for sanding and sealing.

All of the bamboo will be finished with a clear gloss polycrylic, the bottom will be painted. The bamboo is too nice to paint over.

Looks sick. Looks long too.

Thanks thedrip, glad someone is following

Time for paint. I've decided to go with a fairly simple design. My art skills are sketchy at best.

I'm using a water-based paint as my clear is water-based. Navy blue on one side, royal blue on the other with a white racing stripe to separate the two.

Using foam brushes for the paint, I will do the clear with my HVLP sprayer.

Ready for clear coat

Not a small fortune, a large one.
If you want a look at the real thing....
Great effort, good idea.

Worth every cent so far

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JoffaDan said...
Ready for clear coat

I like the risers to avoid wheel bite. What trucks are going on and wheels, duro and size?

Nozza, between the hammie's and the sic's you've got a nice collection going there. Looks like fun

Thedrip, I went with all the standard hamboard parts - 78a 97mm Abec 11 wheels (I see they've since changed these to 90mm hamboard wheels), Abec biltin bearings and original S8 200mm spring trucks.

The Hamboard wheels roll over a lot of stuff that would have you nosediving on the pavement on normal skateboard wheels.
Red springs are good - i'm 90 plus KG.
Still experimenting with how tight to wind the trucks - staying as loose as I can.
Pulled left calf muscle Wednesday night - grabbed and tore on take off.
Thought I would be OK today, but couldn't push - land paddled instead.
If you've bought those bits in, the complete board might not have been that much more.
PM me your location - I'll meet up and show you the board if you want.

By the way, Stand up last post 1 hour ago, Board Talk 2 hours ago, club talk weeks, Street Sup 2 minutes (21 minutes before that) - don't worry about no none posting in here . Although it was a quiet few months.

I'm getting onto that build,
sweet ride

Nozza, I had to import the S8's but I think i still ended up a fair way in front. I have a family member who lives near Huntington and travels back and forth to Vic regularly, so the option was there, but to be honest I kind of enjoy these little projects so that's why I decided to have a crack myself.
If you are ever near the surf coast let me know, would love to check out the real deal. I bet yours is a heck of a lot lighter than mine. This thing is a beast, I'm a bit worried about going up/down hills. I've got a backup plan if it get's too much - Electric Hamboard. I've been inspired by this video I found on youtube of Chris Chaput.


Capt_Newmo, I still have the CAD file with the scaled up outline. If you would like it PM me your email address. Might save you a bit of work.

I've finished all of my clear coating now time for polishing. More pics to come soon...

Just weighed mine - about 13kg.
Picks up speed at a frightening rate.
The Bamboo Classic in the pics is in Jan Juc - i'll PM you contact .

How do you blokes like the original trucks?

I love mine but have them on a short board for a more shortboard feel than your big boards.

I do question having originals on such a big board though,I would far rather a more traditional type truck,but that's just a opinion without riding such a big magnificent beast.

Nozza don't tighten the trucks as you will.destroy the white plastic things inside the truck,I forget what they are called. And if you do crack them,and you will. Well make sure you order quite a few. As original are very hit and miss with their customer service. So if you want a tighter or looser feel change the springs. Also order the springs you don't have when you order the plasticy things. Order them now so you will have them lol.



Also on the springs,don't be afraid to change the springs from front to back

Good to see this thread back

As a novice, I have no idea about the trucks.
I like the feel of the board so far.

Photos have come in out of order as usual.
JoffaDan, these are the Hamboard wheels on the Classic - 97mm (Why does a US board maker firmly in feet and inches label his wheels in millimetres?)




This (these?) is / are the trucks on the classic.
Chrispy, where is the white plastic thing?
I tightened, then loosened again - note supplied alan key.
I'm about half a turn tighter than supplied at the moment.
The red springs are a "Fat bloke" option over standard black springs - I am over 90 kg.




As shipping was so expensive, when I ordered to Classic, I also got a 'shortboard" Hop, 3'9".
Same shipping cost for two boards as one, so half the price.
We later added the second Classic to justify it being cheaper still.
The Hop has different wheels and trucks, that I don't have a good photo of.
It is more stable / "tighter" than the Classic



This is as close as I have to a photo of the trucks.
Urethane rather than spring.



Or from another angle (just)



I am surprised how much I am enjoying the Hamboards.
Original plan was as a form of static balance beam to improve balance and learn / practice cross stepping (or even just stepping).
Got a bit out of hand and carried away.
Side issue I have discovered - I surf (or attempt to) natural, but I instinctively started to skate goofy - I balance on my right leg and push with my left.
Tried the other way, can't stand one legged on my left foot well enough.
Consulted the expert here, I am now skating from the back of the board - still push with my left leg but have the right towards the back, bring the left up in front to natural stance.
Left leg calf and Achilles still giving me bother from sudden overuse.
Got confident enough for a landpaddle on Monday, ended up doing way more pushing than I planned, left calf complaining again yesterday. But surprised myself by doing over 4 km on the board in 40 minutes or so.
Good to see this thread, any discussion of things that are fun!

Hey Chrispy, The only chance I've had to try the Originals is when I mounted them up to the board after cutting it out, I took it for a quick spin around the block to make sure I didn't spend the extra time sanding/painting/finishing, only to have it snap in half on the first skate. They did seem very different. The only reason I got them is because it's what they use on the real decks. I'll report back once I've had a chance to go for a proper skate. Can't wait.

Good advice regards the plastic wave cams and springs, I read similar reports on the net. Picked up some spares when I ordered them.

hey nozza,the white things which i think are called wave cams[i should have googled] are inside the truck.

the more you tighten the bolt,well you will crack the cams.

There are also white springs. i run a black in the back and white in the front.

If im just sliding i will change it again.

You skate mongo nozza thats the lovely term people give champs like yourself and me. push with ya front foot,well your a mongo

Nozza no idea about metric/imperial mix! Did you get your boards fairly recently? Wondering when they changed from Abec to their own Hamboard wheel...

Boards arrived April 1st - hope that's not significant.
Ordered and shipped late February.
I am in email contact with Pete Hamborg - can ask him if you want.

Just asking out of interest sake. I see all their boards have had a significant price reduction since I checked a few months ago. I remember this time last year a classic bamboo was close to $600 US. Thinking by manufacturing their own wheels they've been able to cut costs and pass the savings on to customers.

Really liking the look of that Huntington hop you have. Might have to be my next project.

Also here is a handy video that explains how to maintain originals.

Where did you get or where do you get the spare springs and wave cams?
Originals store in US said they don't ship to my address

You don't really need to maintain them(original trucks) . I ride along all the beach oaths with all the crap and mine are going strong 2years later. The hardest part was getting the white lithium grease?

Just leave them alone and sk8 them. If it becomes noticeable,or you just like fiddling, go and clean them

Nozza I ordered directly from Originals. That was ages ago though (I had been planning this build for a while just never got around to it). I see hamboard sell them just out of stock at the moment.

Chrispy is right, unless you over-tighten they should be ok. I just posted that video to show how they go together, and where the wave cams are located.

If you have a problem with them PM me and I will send you mine to keep you skating, should be able to organise my contact in the USA to get more.

No problem, not planning to fiddle (yet)
Just doesn't hurt to have some stuff on hand if things go wrong.
But I may try the stiffer springs at some stage.

Finishing is done, time to mount trucks and wheels. More pics after a few laps of the block

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JoffaDan said..
Finishing is done, time to mount trucks and wheels. More pics after a few laps of the block

Must be a long way around the block!
We are waiting.

Haha sorry Nozza, was having too much fun!
Really happy with how the board has turned out. It rolls for days and I'm liking the original trucks. I see why hamboards use them now. Final weight is 12.4 KG which I was pleasantly surprised with...
Here's a few pics of the finished product.

Nice job!

How did you paint the line down the middle without having any paint bleed? Also what paint did you use?