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How to Build a Tech Deck Half-pipe

Tech Decks are miniature skateboards called fingerboards. These tiny skateboards, which are operated with your fingers, require miniature half-pipes to perform tricks on. A Tech Deck half-pipe can be completed in an afternoon and is a great beginner woodworking project. A few materials, which can be purchased at a hardware store, are required for this project. If you prefer not to purchase a jigsaw, it can commonly be rented at hardware stores.

Things You'll Need

Sheet of flexiply 12 by 8 inches
2 1-foot squares of 1/4-inch plywood
Jigsaw
Hot glue gun
Pencil
Ruler or straight edge
Sandpaper
2 dowels, 8-inch

Instructions

- 1
  Fold the flexiply in the curve that you want your finished half-pipe to have. Maintaining this curvature, place the flexiply on one of the sheets of plywood so the lowest point of the curve sits about an inch away from the edge of the plywood.
- 2
  Trace the part of the curve that bows towards you on the plywood with the pencil. Remove the flexiply from the plywood after it has been traced.
- 3
  Draw vertical lines with the pencil on the plywood. The lines should start at the two endpoints of the curve. Use the ruler or straight edge to ensure the lines are perpendicular to the front edge of the plywood.
- 4
  Cut out the completed shape you created in Steps 2 and 3 with the jigsaw.
- 5
  Place the piece of plywood you sawed in Step 4 on top of the other sheet of plywood to use as a template. Trace the shape onto the plywood with the pencil. Cut it out with the jigsaw, resulting in two identical pieces of plywood.
- 6
  Sand the plywood shapes. Smooth the edges and the flat sides with the sandpaper.
- 7
  Place both pieces of plywood 8 inches apart to form the bases of the half-pipe. The plywood should be sitting on their long, flat sides.
- 8
  Apply a dab of glue in each of the bottom corners. Place one of the ends of one of the 8-inch dowels over one of the dabs of glue. Place the other end over the dab on the other piece of plywood. Repeat this with another 8-inch dowel.
- 9
  Hold the dowels and plywood in place for two minutes to allow the glue to dry.
- 10
  Apply glue to the underside of the edges of the flexiply. Place the flexiply on top of the curved edges of the plywood to complete your half-pipe. Hold it in place for two minutes to allow the glue the dry.

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