PRO TIP: never put the screws in from the outside to the inside. That will cause your rail to bend up making it prone to hang up on things. Instead, screw them In from 1 side to another.
Yeah I remember the ones that basically looked like a really big single spacer that covered a large portion of the bottom of the deck and had cool cutout patterns. My friend got one of those, tried to act like he was better than all of us, then the board slipped out from under him when he went to slide.
30 years ago, it was only true for the cheap board (DSC) from the big retail stores (all included for about 20-30$ cdn). I've bought my first "SantaCruz" skateboard the same year, in Québec for almost 270$ cdn. You had to buy each parts separately (even bearings and grip tape). So, none of this was include.
Always predrill your holes when installing screws into wood, especially hardwood! Driil a hole the size of the screw shank or just a bit smaller! It will remove just enough wood and give the screw threads a uniform surface to bite into! Use wax on the screw heads to make installation easier! Remember, you are only drilling into the deck about a 1/4 of an inch! And if you do strip out a hole cut and glue in a small wooden dowel! An 1/8, 3/16 dowel should do. Just drill the same size hole as the dowel, glue it in, let dry and you have something solid to work with again! If that's too much work, you really don't care! So hack away, Butchers!
Or, you could apply a dab of wood glue and snap some toothpicks off into the hole to fill it in. Cheaper, and more commonly available than dowel. Plus, it doesn't fill in as much, so it won't bind the screw up.
I use a very small piece of tape and wrap it around the bit to mark it. That way you avoid drilling through. Former union carpenter. Work smarter, not harder.
To repair a stripped out screw hole, cut a small piece of a bamboo skewer (found very cheep at any supermarket), and glue it into the hole using wood glue, or super glue. Let the glue dry (sand anything that sticks out), then just screw the rail back in its original position. Done!
i have no idea if youre going to see this reply but im having this problem with my rails and i cant find any videos on it and ive only found your comment on something about this, how exactly do i do this? i heard on guy say toothpick but i just cant picture how to do it. im sorry if none of this makes sense
I know this is an old video but I have a tip that might work. At 3:05 when a screw hole gets stripped for a Guitar strap the easy at home fix is to shove a toothpick in the hole, break it off and add some wood glue. After it dries there is now something the screw/s can hold onto.
I learned that hand screwing can actually make it strip more than with a power drill. I did my first two rail installations with a power drill set resistance to 5 and it didn't overtighten it was perfect. I decided to move them closer together because they were too far apart and the graphic was getting destroyed, but I did it with a screwdriver last time and it gets tight but then it starts slipping and won't fully tighten into the deck. I have the rail rattles and they are SO FRUSTRATING!! One screw from each rail won't fully sink in and I don't want to move them again because I already moved them. I hope I can resolve that issue soon. Awesome video!
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I have even seen people use a thin strip of double-sided tape or even some gorilla glue on the underside of the rail to keep them from rattling too much. Another thing I have tried in the past is grabbing different wood-specific crews from the hardware store. They seemed to work better than the stock screws the rails came with. Hope this helps!
What I do is I get some heavy duty double sided tape and then place it on the deck rails so when u place it on the deck it won’t budge and u can drill it in without a problem cause decks are slippery af
I started skating on the cusp of old school fish tail boards and new school popsicle sticks. Everybody wanted to distance themselves from the 80s so nobody would be caught dead using rails. I think I’m gonna get some for my board. I do remember how fun it was to slide with them.
very nice video. I remember as a kid deck rails used to come on nearly every deck. Now you can't even find deck rails in a store or it is near impossible to find.
Omg thank you so much man, my town is very small and has maybe like 5 people in the skate scene so A lot of the curbs are very crusty and I’ve been trying to boardslide on them and it doesn’t go to well but this has literally saved my life (and my board)
Thanks for posting this video. I'm getting reacquainted with skating after 30 years and am happy to see rails are coming back. Back in the day we would mount rails with sex bolts (Rat Nuts?) because the wood screws wouldn't hold. Not easy to locate these anymore-what's up with that?
A tip for screws into wood I learnt the hard way, to avoid stripping wood, drill thin pilot holes. All that's left is to turn the screws in. The threads are made easier and you can use a hand screw driver too.
The issue with them rattling loose and striping out the holes can be better solved by putting double sided sticky tape between the deck and the rail...this will keep them from loosening and take care of any rattling...
So in another reply you guys mentioned you don't want deck rails that are longer than your wheel base, but almost every deck rail I see is 14.5" long, where as a majority, or fair amount of decks have a 14.25" wheel base. I ended up buying Santa Cruz rails cause they're the only one I see that are 14" long. Am I missing something?
You can use wood glue will work well for putting rails on. Also try a small pilot hose smaller than your screws. About 1/4 of the screw size and add some wood glue. Should never come off.
If you want secure rails that don't come loose, screw them down from one side to the next, then remove all the screws and take a blade to cut back the wood that's been pulled up from the screws cutting their holes. Screw the rails back down and they'll never rattle loose again
Change it when it breaks or when you just want a new board. I have three different set ups right.... one for street and one for the skatepark and one with cruising wheels for travel or speed skating.
Man back in the 80s I got teased for using these, but they just didn't get the reason for using them, plus the Santa Cruz back then came with a threaded dowel that went all the way through the deck and a screw on the bottom, rails would get loose but I'd tighten them. I also used a tail bone and sometimes a nose bone great for grip and super fast slides, add sex wax and it was killer. Glad to see rails again because they open doors for tricks for sure.
@@epasternak4206 I'm surprised you got teased for using rails in the 80s because they were the norm back then. As far as I'm aware, just about all boards had them during that time period. These days, I notice a lot of anti-rail comments.
I’ve been using rails for a little bit and I’ve seen that they actually make the board more durable and less susceptible to breaking. The board I’m skating now use to have rails and now that I’ve taken them out, there’s just little holes and I’ve yet to see any problems. You should be good.
Have def noticed that rails have dunn a comeback. 🤙 It's cool, and kinda interesting 🤔 to see at the same time, 4 a dude like me, who started sk8in' on a Mike McGill -vert deck. 😊 With these huge, hard and hollow 👎 rails on it... Then goin' thru that early 90's 'really small wheels -era'. ('Bout the same time my teeth fell off.) 🤪😭 When rails wasn't considered "cool" anymore, 😏 and whatnot... Continued 4 a while to use these thinner, kinda softer -ones, 👌 and those I liked, fr. 👍 Then took 'em off. Mainly 'cause the spots were so waxed 🕯️ out by then. And the tricks had changed so much. + Peer pressure, of course. 😂 But yeah... In sum ways sk8boardin' has done came a full circle. (Like the rails, board-shapes, etc available nowadays.) Personally I don't think that they make the board weaker. 🤔 They're useful on, 4 example; Boardslides on rugged-ass ledges, without wax... And they help a lot on Grab -tricks. 💪 'Specially on learnin' the harder ones... Really depends on what you's used to. 🤔 And at least, it won't hurt to try 'em... Aight. Ramblin' grandpa 😆🤣 out. ✌️
I've been having a hard time with this. For whatever reason, no matter what I try to do, the screws strip all the wood from the deck on the heelside of my board. The toeside was fine and went in without any problems at all, but heelside has been giving me headaches. Is there any way I can fill in the holes? I have about three for each screw a few mms apart. Very frustrating as this is a brand new deck and didn't expect the wood to be so easily stripped (my last deck was nearly impossible to install the rails, and these they won't go tight no matter what). Open to any tips on how to get the screws to NOT strip the wood/how to fill in the holes left by the rails so I can try again. I have minimal woodworking experience
There isn't really anything that you can fill the holes with and re-screw into them securely. Wood putty can fill the holes, but it's not sturdy enough to mount the rails securely. Your best bet would be to fill the holes with wood glue or maybe some epoxy and let that bind the screws into the deck. I hope that helps! - Tim
Is there a reliable way to get the position of the rails as close to symmetrical as possible? Should I just measure, make a little temporary pencil mark, and then measure the other side? It would drive me crazy if one side or the other is just a little bit off or not straight.
You should probably be tightening them every other day or if they start chattering or if they get a little loose. It's best if the rail is flush with the deck, but a tiny gap will probably be fine. You might just need to tighten the screws closest to where the gap is? Stay safe out there! - Tim
I wonder why the manufacturers just don't use t-nuts/sex bolt and you drill 7/32 clean holes into the board. Then you can mount snug and never worry about it loosening up. I think you have to drill the slide rails a little wider to accommodate the t-nuts, but it seems like a better solution than relying on the board wood for keeping the bolt secure.
I saw Michael Relevant’s video on rails where he revived his almost broken board by adding rails on them so it provided more structure and therefore a lot durable. You should check it out!
You can install these on any size board as long as the wheelbase is longer than the rail itself, and they're pretty light. You might be able to feel the extra weight, but it'll only take a few minutes before you're used to it. 👍
Back in the 1980s, kickflips were the only flip tricks I was doing on a board (with rails.) And I had no problem at all. Of course back then, boards were also generally heavier and wider as well but I had no issues with the flipping.
If you're using a screwdriver, just make sure you're putting constant pressure down on the screw as you're turning it and even when you're readjusting your hands to turn it again. Just be patient and you'll get it done. As far as double sided tape, it just helps keep the rail in place while your hands are occupied with the screw/drill/screwdriver/whatever else... Some guys just glue the rail down before putting in the screws so that if a screw gets loose the rail won't chatter so much. Have fun sliding everything! 👍 - Tim
I've never actually seen metal deck rails, but who knows, you might be able to find some out there or maybe fabricate your own. I feel like it would make boardslides very sticky and odd feeling. We would have to call it a board grind instead. 😆 If you do find metal deck rails somewhere, let us know! Cheers! - Tim
@@MattBlytheTheOne You should be able to find them at a skate shop, but smaller shops might not have them because there's not a very high demand for them because they're primarily used for Freestyle skating. We have a limited selection of Nose rails and Tail protectors, but you can check them out here. I hope you can find what you're looking for! Cheers! 🍻 - Tim www.tactics.com/skateboard-deck-accessories/ra-15767
@@tacticsboardshop Have you tried polymorph plastic pellets? Might be worth trying and making a video? Give me a shout out if it works 😊 th-cam.com/video/TdVDX-gVa5U/w-d-xo.html
If the holes don't get stripped but the rails get worn down, can you put rails in the same spot? How likely are they to get stripped and does it change the durability of the board?
You would be able to replace the rails using the same holes, but it might be a good idea to squirt some wood glue into the holes when you're mounting the new rails on there to get a more secure mount. If you don't mount the rails securely, it's quite common for the rails to get ripped off at some point when your skating and strip out the holes. But if you get a good mount the first time, it's less likely that they'll fall off. I know the strength of the deck is a concern for a lot of people but I've had many deck rail users say that it doesn't compromise the integrity of the deck. 👍 Cheers! - Tim
Are these good for beginners I want to keep my graphic but I still dont have board slides on lock would that make it harder to learn boardslides and do you have to use the screws or just double sided tape
Why would rails make board slides harder? It's the opposite. They make board slides much easier. With plastic rails, there's less friction compared to a bare wooden deck when sliding on metal or concrete.
Is putting deck rails any harder or different on a carbon fiber deck? I wonder because, recently I got a Santa Cruz VX deck and I'm checking to see if I should be weary of anything during installation. -Thanks in advance to whoever answers this.
I would imagine that a carbon fiber or fiberglass deck would be more difficult to get into the board. It might make the rails stay in better? I don't think the installation would be any different, it might just take more pressure for the screws to pierce into the carbon plies. If you do it, let us know how it went! Cheers! - Tim
@@tacticsboardshop I recently put on the deck rails on my board and, it didn't seem too difficult compared to a regular deck considering I used a screwdriver. You still need to put in a bit force to get the wood screws in the body. Also since the VX deck is a bit thinner than some other deck, I ended up not using a power drill for the screws since I could have over drilled it and risk drilling the screws through the deck and peeking out on the other side. Luckly, I did a quick check by just putting the screw next to the deck and eyeing it to see if it is too long. So anyone concerned be, careful if you have a thinner deck.
You can drill a pilot hole, just make sure not to drill to deep. Try not to drill more than halfway through the deck. Trust me, I know from experience. Once you start drilling it's easy to go all the way through the deck.
I once installed these, after a couple boardslides on curbs, a screw became exposed. I then tried to fs Boardslide a flat bar, leaning back to counter the added slickness, got stuck on the screw and ate it...
Hey bro I have seen an old skater dude having his railed through the board! I forgot the name of the bolts he named but do you happen to know? I am barley doing research right now.
I just picked up a Flight Deck and even though the graphic is simple, the purple color way is sick: i want to get rails but worry the extra screws will basically void the integrity of the Flight Deck and cause it to snap sooner. Can anyone confirm this to be true or false? Thank you!
I have no experience with Flight Decks, but I've screwed a lot of things into fibreglass/plywood boats, the integrity of the board will hardly be effected. Predrill a hole the size of the shank of the screw and use a screwdriver if you want to be extra careful.
They do add some weight, but it's not enough to throw you way off and prevent you from doing all of your normal tricks. It makes sense that the deck might lose a little bit of pop, but I don't think it makes much of a difference. It's not like a pressure crack that originates from the hardware holes and flexes with the nose/tail. It seems that the most important factor in the pop is the density and rigidity of the tail, and the way it bounces off the concrete. But I'm not a physicist! 😅 Cheers! - Tim
Rails are super light. I doubt most people would notice any difference in weight. And as for pop, back in the 1980s when just about all boards had rails, some people were doing huge ollies. It didn't seem to affect them negatively. I remember once in a carpark in the 80s, some guy was doing ollies over about 7 skateboards stacked on top of each other.
Non so pro tip, mark spot where you want the rails . Sand the graphics and add some liquid nail before you screw them down and they want strip screw holes out as fast😉
They're the Spitfire Lock-ins, but Spitfire stopped making them and replaced them with the Tablet shape that has flat sides for better grind lock in. 👍 www.tactics.com/spitfire/formula-four-tablets-skateboard-wheels/natural-99d
To all of you asking about rails let me say they're great. Only beated by everslick ( a plastic layer that covered the whole downside of the board) it's sad this became a memory since brands prefer weaker boards and more sells...
When I was skating around 30 years ago, rails were the norm. Pretty much every skateboard had them. The very first time I tried a board slide (with rails) on a double sided curb in the 1980s, they worked perfectly. Slid really well with no effort. When I got back into skating fairly recently, I tried to do a board slide on a double sided curb with a modern board that had no rails. Did not slide at all. Not even a millimeter. I then tried again with more speed. Still no slide. I conclude that rails must make a huge difference. I'll definitely be getting some for my modern board.
There are nose and tail guards but they went out of popularity in the late 80's when freestyle started to phase out. Nobody uses them because they pretty much nullify your board's pop, making flip tricks really awkward and hard. But they're out there if you want them, they're pretty much exclusively for freestyle boards. Cheers! - Tim
Tactics Boardshop thanks for the answer where do you get one of these? I lately thought we cud produce Metall or some sort of titan decks or the last shade of the deck they would not be breakable and would slide insanely better
Powell peralta used to make them in the 80s, they were called short ribs. I'm not talking about the tail bones, the short ribs were actually rails made for the tail. It looks like Creature currently makes a similar product called atomic blocks.
The rails might be defective? Is it like the holes in the rails are too small for the wood screws to sink in? If you got them from us, hit up customer service and they'll be able to help you out. 888.450.5060
@@josiahsiboro9741 Yep, it sounds like you got a defective set of rails. It happened to me once too. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the screws to fully sink into the rail because the screw holes weren't big enough. That caused the screws to stick out of the top and only go in about 1/8th of an inch, which isn't enough to secure the rail. It was very frustrating just as you have experienced. If you got the rails from us, hit up customer service and they'll help you out with a refund or a replacement. 888.450.5060
Idk ive had pretty much theae issues with hardluck rails. Hardluck rails the acrew basically always sticks out 1mm due to the screw hole depth. I was going to buy pig rails thinking that these hardluck rails are trash.
not really. if you’re a beginner and aren’t good at boardslides and attempt to do one with deck rails you’ll likely slide faster than intended and will slip out and fall.
Not at all. Your deck gets a little bit heavier, but its barely noticable. If the screws got loose, your board makes weird sound when you pop. That kinda pisses me off sometimes
They won't really add any strength to the deck. They might keep your deck together for a bit after you crack it, but they won't prevent the deck from breaking if you land on it wrong. Cheers! - Tim
I never really learned how to skate, but back in like 1986 or so my parents bought me a board at the swap meet in San Diego, and I remember it being REALLY wide compared to boards I see in videos nowadays. Like seriously a foot or so wide. It had rails, and I wanna say it had something on the front and the back also. I haven't managed to find any pictures quite like what it looked like online.
Why Dont People use Epoxy that way you dont weaken the board by drilling screws into a board making it pressure crack and by putting holes in the board?
It depends on what your sliding. On coping you definitely shouldn't need wax to slide the rails. But if you're sliding on concrete or something that's a little chunky, you might need some wax. 🧊👌 - Tim
I love skating rails, it makes my board slides feel like I’m sliding on butter but after a couple months the screws start to come off with every boardslide I do
I put some on my scooter deck since I recently got into that to ride with my 3yo son. I was hoping to get someone's opinion on how long they last because they seem like concrete destroys them pretty fast, I've only had them on a day or so but it seems like they "melt" off rather quick. I'm sure they don't on metal. Just wondering how long yours generally last? Thanks 🤘
I like board rails, but if the screw head breaks, you're F'd. I had that happen a couple times. Then there is a hole in your board filled with metal and there's nothing you can do to get it out. And you'll never be able to put the rails where you want them.
Instead of using wood screws. You can use sex bolts, like the old school bones rat nuts. Save the drama of wood screws coming loose and having to use double sided tape.
You forgot the part where they don't get flat to the board and then slip and dethread the screws and you just give up on the whole idea of getting it perfect. 😅
If you have questions, check out the full blog here. Cheers! www.tactics.com/info/guide-to-skate-accessories
Do rails help with balance on boardslides on ledges and rails?
Actually, they do help a little bit with forward and backward balance on boardslides, but they aren't going to help with side to side balance.
wow I just searched up how to put on deck rails and where to put them and this video from a few minutes ago showed up
They’re watching you
@@reillyjarrosiak63 whom
The algorithm has presented itself to you
Nice
blue pill or red pill
PRO TIP: never put the screws in from the outside to the inside. That will cause your rail to bend up making it prone to hang up on things. Instead, screw them In from 1 side to another.
Those grey rails look sickk.
These came on every board when I was a kid
Yeah I remember the ones that basically looked like a really big single spacer that covered a large portion of the bottom of the deck and had cool cutout patterns. My friend got one of those, tried to act like he was better than all of us, then the board slipped out from under him when he went to slide.
30 years ago, it was only true for the cheap board (DSC) from the big retail stores (all included for about 20-30$ cdn).
I've bought my first "SantaCruz" skateboard the same year, in Québec for almost 270$ cdn. You had to buy each parts separately (even bearings and grip tape). So, none of this was include.
How come?
My uncle gave me his old skateboard, and it had pre-drilled holes for rails to be installed.
Always predrill your holes when installing screws into wood, especially hardwood! Driil a hole the size of the screw shank or just a bit smaller! It will remove just enough wood and give the screw threads a uniform surface to bite into! Use wax on the screw heads to make installation easier! Remember, you are only drilling into the deck about a 1/4 of an inch! And if you do strip out a hole cut and glue in a small wooden dowel! An 1/8, 3/16 dowel should do. Just drill the same size hole as the dowel, glue it in, let dry and you have something solid to work with again! If that's too much work, you really don't care! So hack away, Butchers!
Or, you could apply a dab of wood glue and snap some toothpicks off into the hole to fill it in. Cheaper, and more commonly available than dowel. Plus, it doesn't fill in as much, so it won't bind the screw up.
I use a very small piece of tape and wrap it around the bit to mark it. That way you avoid drilling through. Former union carpenter. Work smarter, not harder.
Pro tip put double sided tape under it to secure it when screwing the screws in
My work has 3M double sided permanent tape, they don't know it but they've been sponsoring me for years now 😂
You forgot that rail help you grab your board for when you do airs
Depends where ya put em
To repair a stripped out screw hole, cut a small piece of a bamboo skewer (found very cheep at any supermarket), and glue it into the hole using wood glue, or super glue. Let the glue dry (sand anything that sticks out), then just screw the rail back in its original position. Done!
i have no idea if youre going to see this reply but im having this problem with my rails and i cant find any videos on it and ive only found your comment on something about this, how exactly do i do this? i heard on guy say toothpick but i just cant picture how to do it. im sorry if none of this makes sense
I know this is an old video but I have a tip that might work. At 3:05 when a screw hole gets stripped for a Guitar strap the easy at home fix is to shove a toothpick in the hole, break it off and add some wood glue. After it dries there is now something the screw/s can hold onto.
I learned that hand screwing can actually make it strip more than with a power drill. I did my first two rail installations with a power drill set resistance to 5 and it didn't overtighten it was perfect. I decided to move them closer together because they were too far apart and the graphic was getting destroyed, but I did it with a screwdriver last time and it gets tight but then it starts slipping and won't fully tighten into the deck. I have the rail rattles and they are SO FRUSTRATING!! One screw from each rail won't fully sink in and I don't want to move them again because I already moved them. I hope I can resolve that issue soon. Awesome video!
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I have even seen people use a thin strip of double-sided tape or even some gorilla glue on the underside of the rail to keep them from rattling too much. Another thing I have tried in the past is grabbing different wood-specific crews from the hardware store. They seemed to work better than the stock screws the rails came with. Hope this helps!
What I do is I get some heavy duty double sided tape and then place it on the deck rails so when u place it on the deck it won’t budge and u can drill it in without a problem cause decks are slippery af
That is actually quite a good tip
I love that tactics is showcasing a Cal Skate deck in the beginning of this video. Oldest skate shop still operating. Located in Portland Oregon!
I started skating on the cusp of old school fish tail boards and new school popsicle sticks. Everybody wanted to distance themselves from the 80s so nobody would be caught dead using rails. I think I’m gonna get some for my board. I do remember how fun it was to slide with them.
I love just hanging out at tatics
very nice video. I remember as a kid deck rails used to come on nearly every deck. Now you can't even find deck rails in a store or it is near impossible to find.
Omg thank you so much man, my town is very small and has maybe like 5 people in the skate scene so A lot of the curbs are very crusty and I’ve been trying to boardslide on them and it doesn’t go to well but this has literally saved my life (and my board)
do not screw the ends first,you can get a "bubble" in the middle
Thanks for posting this video. I'm getting reacquainted with skating after 30 years and am happy to see rails are coming back. Back in the day we would mount rails with sex bolts (Rat Nuts?) because the wood screws wouldn't hold. Not easy to locate these anymore-what's up with that?
Thank you for this video. No other decent one like this... for us who bought our first skate for the kid it is awesome. Appreciate it.
A tip for screws into wood I learnt the hard way, to avoid stripping wood, drill thin pilot holes. All that's left is to turn the screws in. The threads are made easier and you can use a hand screw driver too.
Hi! Can you make a video on how to install skid plates on Street boards to prevent razor tail and good pop? Thanks!
some things to note with screws is to predrill and don't screw all the way in yet without screwing in the other ones, will save you a lot of trouble
The issue with them rattling loose and striping out the holes can be better solved by putting double sided sticky tape between the deck and the rail...this will keep them from loosening and take care of any rattling...
So in another reply you guys mentioned you don't want deck rails that are longer than your wheel base, but almost every deck rail I see is 14.5" long, where as a majority, or fair amount of decks have a 14.25" wheel base. I ended up buying Santa Cruz rails cause they're the only one I see that are 14" long. Am I missing something?
You can use wood glue will work well for putting rails on. Also try a small pilot hose smaller than your screws. About 1/4 of the screw size and add some wood glue. Should never come off.
If you want secure rails that don't come loose, screw them down from one side to the next, then remove all the screws and take a blade to cut back the wood that's been pulled up from the screws cutting their holes. Screw the rails back down and they'll never rattle loose again
Do “when to change skateboard decks” I’ll love to watch that
do it whenever you want to? lol I don't think that should matter
change it when its fucked up or something its up to you lmao
Change it when it breaks or when you just want a new board. I have three different set ups right.... one for street and one for the skatepark and one with cruising wheels for travel or speed skating.
I just ordered some from you guys the other day 🤙
Thanks for the support! 🙌
Man back in the 80s I got teased for using these, but they just didn't get the reason for using them, plus the Santa Cruz back then came with a threaded dowel that went all the way through the deck and a screw on the bottom, rails would get loose but I'd tighten them. I also used a tail bone and sometimes a nose bone great for grip and super fast slides, add sex wax and it was killer. Glad to see rails again because they open doors for tricks for sure.
@@epasternak4206 I'm surprised you got teased for using rails in the 80s because they were the norm back then. As far as I'm aware, just about all boards had them during that time period. These days, I notice a lot of anti-rail comments.
Thank you for putting this out,
I feel like these would make the board crack easier... having all those screws in the wood. I didnt know people still did this these days.
I’ve been using rails for a little bit and I’ve seen that they actually make the board more durable and less susceptible to breaking. The board I’m skating now use to have rails and now that I’ve taken them out, there’s just little holes and I’ve yet to see any problems. You should be good.
They stable the skateboard more if yo. Board cracks then the rails would hold the deck in place.
Have def noticed that rails have dunn a comeback. 🤙 It's cool, and kinda interesting 🤔 to see at the same time, 4 a dude like me, who started sk8in' on a Mike McGill -vert deck. 😊 With these huge, hard and hollow 👎 rails on it... Then goin' thru that early 90's 'really small wheels -era'. ('Bout the same time my teeth fell off.) 🤪😭 When rails wasn't considered "cool" anymore, 😏 and whatnot... Continued 4 a while to use these thinner, kinda softer -ones, 👌 and those I liked, fr. 👍 Then took 'em off. Mainly 'cause the spots were so waxed 🕯️ out by then. And the tricks had changed so much. + Peer pressure, of course. 😂 But yeah... In sum ways sk8boardin' has done came a full circle. (Like the rails, board-shapes, etc available nowadays.) Personally I don't think that they make the board weaker. 🤔 They're useful on, 4 example; Boardslides on rugged-ass ledges, without wax... And they help a lot on Grab -tricks. 💪 'Specially on learnin' the harder ones... Really depends on what you's used to. 🤔 And at least, it won't hurt to try 'em... Aight. Ramblin' grandpa 😆🤣 out. ✌️
@@a.s.konttinen w h a t
NO... They Do Not make your board weaker & crack. Use some T-Bolts.
I've been having a hard time with this. For whatever reason, no matter what I try to do, the screws strip all the wood from the deck on the heelside of my board. The toeside was fine and went in without any problems at all, but heelside has been giving me headaches. Is there any way I can fill in the holes? I have about three for each screw a few mms apart. Very frustrating as this is a brand new deck and didn't expect the wood to be so easily stripped (my last deck was nearly impossible to install the rails, and these they won't go tight no matter what). Open to any tips on how to get the screws to NOT strip the wood/how to fill in the holes left by the rails so I can try again. I have minimal woodworking experience
There isn't really anything that you can fill the holes with and re-screw into them securely. Wood putty can fill the holes, but it's not sturdy enough to mount the rails securely. Your best bet would be to fill the holes with wood glue or maybe some epoxy and let that bind the screws into the deck. I hope that helps! - Tim
when i installed these rails 3 screws installing stripped out the wood and wouldnt hold, decks should be predrilled
Is there a reliable way to get the position of the rails as close to symmetrical as possible? Should I just measure, make a little temporary pencil mark, and then measure the other side? It would drive me crazy if one side or the other is just a little bit off or not straight.
Yes, the most accurate way to place them would be to use a ruler to measure it carefully and put pencil markings as guides and screw markers. 👍 - Tim
How often should you be tightening them? Also, should there be a gab between the rail and the deck? Thanks :)
You should probably be tightening them every other day or if they start chattering or if they get a little loose. It's best if the rail is flush with the deck, but a tiny gap will probably be fine. You might just need to tighten the screws closest to where the gap is? Stay safe out there! - Tim
I needed this a few days ago
I wonder why the manufacturers just don't use t-nuts/sex bolt and you drill 7/32 clean holes into the board. Then you can mount snug and never worry about it loosening up. I think you have to drill the slide rails a little wider to accommodate the t-nuts, but it seems like a better solution than relying on the board wood for keeping the bolt secure.
I just got these rails and they didn't come with screws. Any one got size recommendations for screws? I was guessing prob like #8 x .375 long would do
Replying to say I would also like to know the size just so I can go to Home Depot and get some good quality ones that will last longer/be stronger.
I saw Michael Relevant’s video on rails where he revived his almost broken board by adding rails on them so it provided more structure and therefore a lot durable. You should check it out!
I just realized, why are you using your lock-in wheels backwards? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the shape of the lock-in wheel?
I just got Santa Cruz one's yesterday and they already snapped in half just from one day of skating 😐
Me too lmao. I didn’t even hit a single boardslide and they broke
What is yhe best brand of deck rails? I see bones , pig etc... whats the pros go to deck rail like andy anderson etc?
How wide are the skrews?
wow I never thought it helps keeping the board graphic clean. might as well try one out
but it makes the board slightly heavier so it's a bit more work when you pop
@@Choco_Bada ah right, thanks for the info
@@Choco_Bada Rails are super light - more or less feather weight. I doubt most people could tell the difference in weight with rails installed.
I stripped the first hole on my deck and now I feel like a loser
I felt that one lmao
Do these work on 7.5 inch boards? I only see people install these on larger decks, also seems like more weight when it comes to doing flip tricks.
You can install these on any size board as long as the wheelbase is longer than the rail itself, and they're pretty light. You might be able to feel the extra weight, but it'll only take a few minutes before you're used to it. 👍
Back in the 1980s, kickflips were the only flip tricks I was doing on a board (with rails.) And I had no problem at all. Of course back then, boards were also generally heavier and wider as well but I had no issues with the flipping.
If I use a screwdriver what are some tips to make it easier? And also what happens when you put double side tape before you put the rails?
If you're using a screwdriver, just make sure you're putting constant pressure down on the screw as you're turning it and even when you're readjusting your hands to turn it again. Just be patient and you'll get it done. As far as double sided tape, it just helps keep the rail in place while your hands are occupied with the screw/drill/screwdriver/whatever else... Some guys just glue the rail down before putting in the screws so that if a screw gets loose the rail won't chatter so much. Have fun sliding everything! 👍 - Tim
Tactics Boardshop thanks so much Tim
Can o get metal board rails? I want to reinforce my board so it doesn’t break.
I've never actually seen metal deck rails, but who knows, you might be able to find some out there or maybe fabricate your own. I feel like it would make boardslides very sticky and odd feeling. We would have to call it a board grind instead. 😆 If you do find metal deck rails somewhere, let us know! Cheers! - Tim
@@tacticsboardshop Thanks Tim, where do you buy your tail protectors?
@@MattBlytheTheOne You should be able to find them at a skate shop, but smaller shops might not have them because there's not a very high demand for them because they're primarily used for Freestyle skating. We have a limited selection of Nose rails and Tail protectors, but you can check them out here. I hope you can find what you're looking for! Cheers! 🍻 - Tim www.tactics.com/skateboard-deck-accessories/ra-15767
@@tacticsboardshop Thank you mate. We don't have skate shops on the Isle of Wight lol
@@tacticsboardshop Have you tried polymorph plastic pellets? Might be worth trying and making a video? Give me a shout out if it works 😊
th-cam.com/video/TdVDX-gVa5U/w-d-xo.html
If the holes don't get stripped but the rails get worn down, can you put rails in the same spot? How likely are they to get stripped and does it change the durability of the board?
You would be able to replace the rails using the same holes, but it might be a good idea to squirt some wood glue into the holes when you're mounting the new rails on there to get a more secure mount. If you don't mount the rails securely, it's quite common for the rails to get ripped off at some point when your skating and strip out the holes. But if you get a good mount the first time, it's less likely that they'll fall off. I know the strength of the deck is a concern for a lot of people but I've had many deck rail users say that it doesn't compromise the integrity of the deck. 👍 Cheers! - Tim
@@tacticsboardshop Thanks a lot, I'll probably buy some!
How do you keep the screws from coming out
Are these good for beginners I want to keep my graphic but I still dont have board slides on lock would that make it harder to learn boardslides and do you have to use the screws or just double sided tape
Double sided isn't strong enough to hold them in place. You need to use the screws, or epoxy them on, or both. 👍
Use T-bolts or Rat Nuts as they were called back in the 80s
Why would rails make board slides harder? It's the opposite. They make board slides much easier. With plastic rails, there's less friction compared to a bare wooden deck when sliding on metal or concrete.
Is putting deck rails any harder or different on a carbon fiber deck? I wonder because, recently I got a Santa Cruz VX deck and I'm checking to see if I should be weary of anything during installation.
-Thanks in advance to whoever answers this.
I would imagine that a carbon fiber or fiberglass deck would be more difficult to get into the board. It might make the rails stay in better? I don't think the installation would be any different, it might just take more pressure for the screws to pierce into the carbon plies. If you do it, let us know how it went! Cheers! - Tim
@@tacticsboardshop I recently put on the deck rails on my board and, it didn't seem too difficult compared to a regular deck considering I used a screwdriver. You still need to put in a bit force to get the wood screws in the body. Also since the VX deck is a bit thinner than some other deck, I ended up not using a power drill for the screws since I could have over drilled it and risk drilling the screws through the deck and peeking out on the other side. Luckly, I did a quick check by just putting the screw next to the deck and eyeing it to see if it is too long. So anyone concerned be, careful if you have a thinner deck.
Nothing happens, it's the same thing
You can drill a pilot hole, just make sure not to drill to deep. Try not to drill more than halfway through the deck. Trust me, I know from experience. Once you start drilling it's easy to go all the way through the deck.
Double sided tape helps reduce chatter a ton!
I once installed these, after a couple boardslides on curbs, a screw became exposed. I then tried to fs Boardslide a flat bar, leaning back to counter the added slickness, got stuck on the screw and ate it...
Hey bro I have seen an old skater dude having his railed through the board! I forgot the name of the bolts he named but do you happen to know? I am barley doing research right now.
Company called Railz has these crazy bolts that go through the board
I love them, mostly cause I don't like damaging the artwork on my board.
I just picked up a Flight Deck and even though the graphic is simple, the purple color way is sick: i want to get rails but worry the extra screws will basically void the integrity of the Flight Deck and cause it to snap sooner. Can anyone confirm this to be true or false? Thank you!
I have no experience with Flight Decks, but I've screwed a lot of things into fibreglass/plywood boats, the integrity of the board will hardly be effected. Predrill a hole the size of the shank of the screw and use a screwdriver if you want to be extra careful.
so, you’re saying that my deck will last forever? i want some of these
Does putting rails on add a noticeable amount of weight? Also do they make you lose pop?
They do add some weight, but it's not enough to throw you way off and prevent you from doing all of your normal tricks. It makes sense that the deck might lose a little bit of pop, but I don't think it makes much of a difference. It's not like a pressure crack that originates from the hardware holes and flexes with the nose/tail. It seems that the most important factor in the pop is the density and rigidity of the tail, and the way it bounces off the concrete. But I'm not a physicist! 😅 Cheers! - Tim
Tactics Boardshop alright thanks tactics. I’ll be sure to pick some up at the Eugene shop!
Rails are super light. I doubt most people would notice any difference in weight. And as for pop, back in the 1980s when just about all boards had rails, some people were doing huge ollies. It didn't seem to affect them negatively. I remember once in a carpark in the 80s, some guy was doing ollies over about 7 skateboards stacked on top of each other.
Non so pro tip, mark spot where you want the rails . Sand the graphics and add some liquid nail before you screw them down and they want strip screw holes out as fast😉
I just got the notification 4 days after the post haha 😂
the ones I ordered from Powell came with screws that don't fit the predrilled holes
What wheels r u using in the vid?
They're the Spitfire Lock-ins, but Spitfire stopped making them and replaced them with the Tablet shape that has flat sides for better grind lock in. 👍 www.tactics.com/spitfire/formula-four-tablets-skateboard-wheels/natural-99d
@@tacticsboardshop ok 👍 tysm bro :)
To all of you asking about rails let me say they're great. Only beated by everslick ( a plastic layer that covered the whole downside of the board) it's sad this became a memory since brands prefer weaker boards and more sells...
Santa Cruz is making everslick decks again.
@@ejb7555 also madness sells a deck with an ever slick like material that is great
Are the doom sayers rails good or nah?
As long I 've been skating I never knew the reason why they put them on a board.
When I was skating around 30 years ago, rails were the norm. Pretty much every skateboard had them. The very first time I tried a board slide (with rails) on a double sided curb in the 1980s, they worked perfectly. Slid really well with no effort. When I got back into skating fairly recently, I tried to do a board slide on a double sided curb with a modern board that had no rails. Did not slide at all. Not even a millimeter. I then tried again with more speed. Still no slide. I conclude that rails must make a huge difference. I'll definitely be getting some for my modern board.
Cud I ask why they are not invented on the tail and nose? It would be hella helpful and won’t shred your n and t
There are nose and tail guards but they went out of popularity in the late 80's when freestyle started to phase out. Nobody uses them because they pretty much nullify your board's pop, making flip tricks really awkward and hard. But they're out there if you want them, they're pretty much exclusively for freestyle boards. Cheers! - Tim
Tactics Boardshop thanks for the answer where do you get one of these? I lately thought we cud produce Metall or some sort of titan decks or the last shade of the deck they would not be breakable and would slide insanely better
I put grip tape underneath. When you first stick it make sure sand the new grip tape a little. Than is easier.
banemszokás Mordor tactics sells the bones tail bones, but not much reason to have on the nose, and they make tricks hard
Powell peralta used to make them in the 80s, they were called short ribs. I'm not talking about the tail bones, the short ribs were actually rails made for the tail. It looks like Creature currently makes a similar product called atomic blocks.
how do you take out screws that are already in the rails?
What kind of screws are they? You should be able to just unscrew them if the rails are pre-installed.
Is it ok to screw on deck rails onto a carbon fiber board?
yes completely fine
Hey my rails aren’t flush with the deck. What am I doing wrong
The screws probably have to be tightened a bit more to close that gap. What kind of rails are you using? - Tim
Creature rails
I’ve try to put my pig rails on my board 3 times and the screw holes keep striping, but the screws are not in all the way so I don’t know what to do
The rails might be defective? Is it like the holes in the rails are too small for the wood screws to sink in? If you got them from us, hit up customer service and they'll be able to help you out. 888.450.5060
Tactics Boardshop one of the screws got stuck in the hole and the other screws won’t stay in because the screws won’t sink into the wood
@@josiahsiboro9741 Yep, it sounds like you got a defective set of rails. It happened to me once too. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the screws to fully sink into the rail because the screw holes weren't big enough. That caused the screws to stick out of the top and only go in about 1/8th of an inch, which isn't enough to secure the rail. It was very frustrating just as you have experienced. If you got the rails from us, hit up customer service and they'll help you out with a refund or a replacement. 888.450.5060
I had the same problem with Pig rails, I won't buy any Pig products again.
Idk ive had pretty much theae issues with hardluck rails. Hardluck rails the acrew basically always sticks out 1mm due to the screw hole depth. I was going to buy pig rails thinking that these hardluck rails are trash.
put the drill in reverse first to start the holes, then switch and send the screws home.
Theyre like training wheels for board slides!
not really. if you’re a beginner and aren’t good at boardslides and attempt to do one with deck rails you’ll likely slide faster than intended and will slip out and fall.
Do you loose any pop if you put these on? I just saw it from the other comment
Not at all. Your deck gets a little bit heavier, but its barely noticable. If the screws got loose, your board makes weird sound when you pop. That kinda pisses me off sometimes
Im not sure, I wouldn't think so though. They will add a little bit of weight to the board, but I don't think thy decrease actual pop
Rails weight has no influence on your skateboard. The amount of junk food does
Back in the 80s when just about all boards had rails, some people were doing huge ollies. So their pop wasn't negatively affected.
Do the rails come with screws
Yep! 👍
It says not to use a drill.
Do rails make it harder to rock to fakie?
No but there will be less friction
do board rails keeps my board breaking?
They won't really add any strength to the deck. They might keep your deck together for a bit after you crack it, but they won't prevent the deck from breaking if you land on it wrong. Cheers! - Tim
What happens if I strip one of the bolts
What if the screws are to long and they go through my grip tape
if the screws come with the rails they won’t be too long
I never really learned how to skate, but back in like 1986 or so my parents bought me a board at the swap meet in San Diego, and I remember it being REALLY wide compared to boards I see in videos nowadays. Like seriously a foot or so wide. It had rails, and I wanna say it had something on the front and the back also. I haven't managed to find any pictures quite like what it looked like online.
80s boards were like 10 inches wide
Nose and tail bones were on boards in the 80's. My board had rails, nose, and a tailbone😊
I bought some pig rails and every single screw head was sticking up, the rails wasn't counter sunk enough or the screws were too big. Avoid Pig Rails.
Just learned my lesson with this. They don't provide proper fitting screws that flush within the rail and junt out.
Was looking up this video for my pig rails and you are right!
Oh dear I just ordered some
@@harrythebatt22 lmao dat profile pic
Can your shop do it?
I installed them and as soon as I popped my first ollie they fell off
Dave C. how do you prevent that
@@isaacfox5999 Pay attention to the information in the video you are leaving your comment on lol.
Mans really has his lock ins wrong side out💀
💀💀💀😂😂😂😂💀💀💀
probably to even out some coning
A lot of skaters do that
What are lock ins?
@@Dave-om4kv wheels
Thanks
Why Dont People use Epoxy that way you dont weaken the board by drilling screws into a board making it pressure crack and by putting holes in the board?
In the nineties some rails came with double side glue tape. Never worked. The hard impact a deck receives makes necessary screws
If you strip out your placement too bad drill a 3/8th hole and fill will 3/8ths dowels covered in wood glue sand flat re apply grip tape
Would recommend rails for a beginner
With those do you even need wax to slide
It depends on what your sliding. On coping you definitely shouldn't need wax to slide the rails. But if you're sliding on concrete or something that's a little chunky, you might need some wax. 🧊👌 - Tim
@@tacticsboardshop I used rails for board sliding on a concrete curb in the 1980s and they worked great. Wax wasn't really required back then.
I love skating rails, it makes my board slides feel like I’m sliding on butter but after a couple months the screws start to come off with every boardslide I do
I put some on my scooter deck since I recently got into that to ride with my 3yo son. I was hoping to get someone's opinion on how long they last because they seem like concrete destroys them pretty fast, I've only had them on a day or so but it seems like they "melt" off rather quick. I'm sure they don't on metal. Just wondering how long yours generally last? Thanks 🤘
Also I just noticed your user name. Random as fuck since my wife's name is Tayler Ward
@@preparedtobereckless maybe she secretly skates (° ͜ʖ °)
Use double sided tape to hold them down when screwing.
I never thought I’d see rails in 2022.
Nice & Thanks :)
I like board rails, but if the screw head breaks, you're F'd. I had that happen a couple times. Then there is a hole in your board filled with metal and there's nothing you can do to get it out. And you'll never be able to put the rails where you want them.
The only way to prevent that i found, is to buy screws from a hardware store made of steel.
Instead of using wood screws. You can use sex bolts, like the old school bones rat nuts. Save the drama of wood screws coming loose and having to use double sided tape.
idk morty
@Tactics Boardshop could you tell me what shoes he was wearing? those look sick!
Those are the Nike SB Zoom Blazer Mid in White Leather. 🔥 - Tim
www.tactics.com/nike-sb/zoom-blazer-mid-skate-shoes/white-white-white
fuck yeah liam!!!!
can you reuse them
Definitely! As long as they're in decent shape, you can take them off and put them on a different deck. 👍
@@tacticsboardshopthank you
You forgot the part where they don't get flat to the board and then slip and dethread the screws and you just give up on the whole idea of getting it perfect. 😅