Watch: Make a DIY Electric Skateboard
Russ Chastain 06.07.16
This is cool.
You can make yourself a powered skateboard without breaking the bank. All you need are a few parts, some time, and a cordless drill.
The first step in this video involves removing the wire from a wire brush wheel. This made the practical guy inside me writhe, because I use those wheels all the time for stripping old dirt, paint, and rust from stuff before repairing, welding, or painting. Therefore, I beseech you: If you know someone who does that kind of shop work, ask him or her for a worn-out wire wheel before you ruin a brand-new one.
Anyhow, only the hub and shaft part of the wire wheel is used. You mount it to one of the front wheels of the skateboard, with the shaft sticking out. It should have a 1/4″ hexagonal shaft, to make attachment quick and easy. Then you connect a right-angle drill attachment to it, attach a flexible extension to that, attach a long fixed extension to that, and attach your drill to that.
Then, you go zooming happily along the streets and sidewalks, like the guy in the video. Unless you’re tall–then you have to hunker down to reach the drill, so you develop back problems. That can probably be cured with another extension, though.
Enjoy.