Design & order boards using pre-made molds (SK8CAD-SB).
Design & order boards with custom molds (SK8CAD).
Design & order foam molds for vacuum-bagging (SK8CAD-RR).
Get wood molds.
For 2-part molds, please contact us for a quote.
*Experimental mold design software (STL export):
DISCLAIMER: this software is experimental - use at your own risk.
Configure custom skateboards and longboards (and molds) using Fusion 360. Sponsored by Grandma Skateboards
Convert concave drop to concave radius.
Design & order fingerboard molds, supplies, & fingerboards (design the board) (SK8CAD-FB).
Design & order fingerboard molds & build supplies (design the mold, directly) (SK8CAD-FB-MOLD).
Downloadable software for creating fingerboard molds, with more functionality than SK8CAD-FB (SK8CAD-FB-PRO).
Sign up for a board building workshop.
You can learn board building in one of three workshop formats:
1) Intro to Shaping: 1 session, 3 hours. Start with a pressed, uncut deck and learn how to shape it into a board.
Price: $190*/person. Longboard upgrade: $95/board. Registration & schedule:
2) Glue & Shape Workshop: 2 sessions, 1.5 hours & 3 hours. Select a mold from a variety of options, glue up your board, and shape it.
Price: $395* (private) or $295*/person for groups of 2-4. Longboard upgrade: +$95/board.
3) Custom Board Workshop: 2 sessions, 3.5 hours & 3 hours. Design your deck from scratch, carve your mold, press your board, and shape it.
Price: $495* (private) or $360*/person for groups of 2-4. Longboard upgrade: +$145/board.
*Note: Prices do not include trucks, wheels, etc.
Ages 8 and up may attend a workshop, though 16 and under must attend with a parent or guardian. Workshop participants may bring one partner to work together on one board for no additional fee.
To schedule a session or purchase a gift certificate, please contact Beau:
Also, please get in touch for more info regarding larger groups, special events, or shaping demos.
Testimonials:
"This experience was one of the best times my buddies and I have had in a while. Beau let us go right after it from the start and we all created some pretty awesome boards." - Mason
"WOW! My 20 year old grandson LOVED this experience... Beau was very patient and took his time to ensure all questions and concerns were addressed. Highly recommended for anyone of any age. Thanks Beau!" - Sandy
"This was an immersive experience, hosted by Beau, who was both professional and personable. He was so patient with my boyfriend (who created a custom-board), and exuded both knowledge and safety awareness when working with power tools. My boyfriend and I are so excited with his new board and hope to see Beau again for another piece in the future!" - Karalie
"Beau is a fantastic host. Super kind and helpful. Extremely knowledgeable in his craft. Truly inspiring. I had an amazing time, loved the experience!!! Absolutely recommend!!" - Jorge
Learn board building at home.
The paper fingerboard build kit.
Resources for designing & building boards.
Board building tutorials, trick tips, & more.
Free lesson plans around board building and fingerboard building.
Convert concave drop to concave radius.
Hand-shaping mold concave calculator.
Swing Arm Protractor (for measuring kick angles):
SVG (for laser cutting) and STLs (for 3D printing):
Top: 3D printed protractor; Bottom: laser-cut acrylic protractor.
How to Use:
Radius Gauges (for measuring kick radius):
DXF (for laser cutting) and PDF (for printing):
How to use:
Discuss board building.
Mission: To empower creativity through skateboarding.
Open Source Skateboards is a skateboard and longboard design/build studio, providing boards, workshops, and tools to skaters and creatives.
Open Source Skateboards was started in 2014 by Beau Trifiro, a skateboarder and engineer. Beau moved to San Diego in 2014 to pursue creative projects, including skateboard design and fabrication. He simply wanted a symmetrical skateboard that was built using responsibly-sourced materials and with published design specifications. He began publishing the specs for boards he designed, hence the name "Open Source Skateboards". By publishing these specs, skaters could better understand how their board's design affects their performance. The "open source" ethos is continued through SK8CAD, software that allows skaters to fully design boards and molds, and share their designs for free.
Through the design and fabrication of these boards, Beau recognized how much of his engineering background was getting put to use. Realizing skateboard development helped illustrate math and engineering concepts, he began teaching board building in local schools and organizations to help others better understand technical concepts and inspire creativity in others.
Beau has been skateboarding since 2000 and has competed professionally in freestyle skateboarding. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University and around 10 years of engineering experience in a variety of industries.
San Diego, CA, USA
To support the development and maintenance of the free resources provided by Open Source Skateboards, please consider making a donation:
Products generally ship within 1-2 business days, except where otherwise noted (e.g., all custom orders)
Boards crafted to order in San Diego, California, USA with sustainably-sourced 1/16" thick Hard Maple veneer.
Order using
Molds are machined to order in San Diego, California, USA using high density foam blocks.
Order using
Molds are machined to order from wood blocks in San Diego, California, USA.
To order, please with:
- your SK8CAD specs and any changes beyond SK8CAD's capabilities (alternative concave styles, rocker/camber, flares, etc.*)
- mold length, width, and thickness (we cannot machine blocks thicker than 4" at this time).
- desired offset (the thicknes of each deck + number of decks in the press at once + thickness of total buffer material).
*For customizations outside the scope of SK8CAD, a design fee typically applies.
Learn skateboard/longboard design and construction at home!
Click to get the class.
Two wheelbase range options: 12"-15.5" or 14"-17.5" (click photos to zoom).
Use this tool to mark your truck holes for the standard truck size (2.125" x 1.625").
Skate tool shown for size reference.
The Nanodek build kit includes the tools and materials needed to make paper fingerboards anywhere. Visit nanodek.com to order.
(for measuring kick angles):
SVG (for laser cutting) and STLs (for 3D printing):
Top: 3D printed protractor; Bottom: laser-cut acrylic protractor.
How to Use:
This build kit includes the tools and materials to build two finger longboard dancers.
Kit includes:
Each set includes five 1/42" veneers (3 core grade, 2 crossband grade). Veneers are approximately 150mm x 35mm. Note, crossband veneers are spliced together, but this does not affect veneer strength.
Each kit includes 4 wheels, 2 trucks, nuts, screws, and skate tool. Random colors will be selected unless otherwise requested. Please contact us for quantities larger than 30 or special requests.