I love skateboarding, so what better way to practice CAD and CAM than creating my own electric board?

Based on the battery-life and top-speed that I desired, I first determined what motor I was going to use for the board. With the motor selected, I could begin designing my motor-mount.

My primary goal with this project was to refrain from buying a pre-built kit for mounting the motor to the skateboard truck. The motor-mount I designed went through several iterations. I first laser-cut an acrylic version just to confirm my dimensions.

To introduce myself to the world of CAM and CNC machining, I recreated the motor-mount out of wood on a desktop router, incorporating a counterbore to seat the 3D-printed pulley.

After a few broken endmills, I ultimately made the aluminum version of the motor mount. I incorporated slots (instead of holes) in the motor mount so I could tune the tension of the belt.

Processes & Tools Used:

CAD/CAM • CNC Milling • Laser Cutting • 3D Printing • Welding