I built this board so that I could ride with my son, although he has all but taken ownership for himself. I thought about laminating a deck using some bamboo panels that I have left over, but ultimately decided to start with an old-school solid wood platform. I used up some VG fir leftovers, and threw in a couple of strips of sapele for contrast. The fir is light and stiff, but soft enough to shape easily.
I jointed and planed the rough blank until it had a slight flex with my weight when placed on some scrap where the wheels would mount. Just enough spring for a comfortable ride. I mocked up the curves with cardboard and further refined it at the bandsaw. I used a 40 grit flapwheel to dish out the top surface by a few mm, and to round the bottom edges by the same amount, leaving the truck mounting areas flat. The grip tape is strips of 3M non-slip from the corner hardware store, though next time, I think I'll use grit sifted over a clear finish. Trucks are some 10" wide Alpine Gulwings ($30 on craigslist, incl. wheels and bearings). Wheelbase is 28", which is moderately long.
It rides really well, and might just need to be reiterated.
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