Alloy - Aluminum Extrusion Longboard
4 Week Project
2025
California College of the Arts
Solo Project
Alloy is a commuter longboard made from aluminum extrusion and eco-friendly materials. It offers the rider storage space, a more durable design and is highly recyclable.
The Trouble with Longboards
Degradation
Traditional plywood longboards are susceptible to the elements.
Toxicity
Due to the use of epoxy resin and chemical sprays, traditional longboards are not recyclable.
Simplicity
The form of a traditional longboard offers no additional useful features to riders.
My goal is to design a longboard that is more durable, more sustainable, and offers more utility than a traditional longboard.
Aluminum Extrusion
Aluminum extrusion is already being used for durable bike and scooter parts.
It could be used to produce durable and indefinitely recyclable longboard decks.
Sketch Exploration
Development
1
Gull Wing
Visually heavy at certain angles and does not improve on traditional longboards.
2
Butterfly Wing
Curved top is better for turning. Too skinny for storage at the ends.
3
Aero Wing
Slimmed down profile with added width for plenty of storage space.
ALLOY
The deck, wheels, bearings, trucks, and bolts are all interchangeable with standard longboarding hardware.
The wheels are made from a material called "Ecothane". It offers a grippy, more stable ride and is made partially with soybeans to offset the polyurethane content.
The chosen form was also modeled at full-scale to validate and showcase the form. The model was primarily built using cardboard and 3D-printing.
Thank you for Viewing!