As we said last week, it is still possible to skate during a pandemic! As long as you are alone and follow the distancing instructions, you’re good to go! It’s true that skating flat alone in front of your house can get boring after a while and that’s why today, we will show you how to build your own box!
A quick look in your toolbox, a visit to the hardware store and you’ll be ready to start your construction! First of all, prepare all the necessary equipment and set yourself up comfortably in a vast area.
You got your materials and tools ready? Let's start our construction!
BUILD THE FRAME
Just like a house must be built on a solid foundation, your skate box should also be built on a solid frame so it supports of all your tricks without flinching. Take two full length 2x4s and place them parallel to each other on the ground. Then cut another 2x4 into three equal parts. Position two at the ends of the uncut 2x4s to create a rectangle, then add the third one in the middle for additional support. Screw all this together.
Once the base of the frame is built, you will want to do the same for the top of your box, but adding additional small 2x4s in the middle so that the sliding surface supports your weight. Start by placing the long 2x4s on the ground, then add the smaller ones at the ends to form a rectangle, just like you did with the base. Finally, add as many small pieces of 2x4 as you want in between. We went with 5 total here.
CONNECT BOTH PARTS OF THE FRAME
Now that you have the top and bottom parts of your frame, you need to connect both pieces together. To connect the bottom and top of the frame, you're going to need six small 2x4s. Position your 2x4 pieces on all corners and in the middle and screw them to the bottom part of your box. Then add the top part of the frame and screw it to the top of the vertical 2x4 pieces. (see photo)
Once the support beams are in place and fixed and the structure is fully secured, it should be stable and solid. In fact, it should support your weight. Try to hop on the box and if it supports you without flinching, you can keep going!
PLACE THE PLYWOOD
The frame of your box is finished, now is the time to create the surface on which you will skate. Place your sheet of plywood on the ground and put the skeleton of your box on top. Trace the outline of the upper surface and the front side of the box on the plywood with your pencil and cut the two pieces with a saw.
Before placing the plywood on your box, make sure it completely covers the top of the box, but doesn’t go over the edges of the frame. If it does, make sure to cut the extra. The front should also be fully covered. Fix the plywood to both sides using screws and make sure that it is nice and sturdy before you go ahead with the Iron angle.
PLACE THE IRON ANGLE
The last part of the process, but not the least! The iron angle is the part of the box on which you will slide or grind. The angle must therefore be positioned where the pieces of plywood that you have just placed on your box meet. Screw the angle on both sides of the box, apply a layer of wax and that’s it! Your box is ready to be skated!
