DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1

[carvewell]

@timvdp the stock layup consists of three layers. The sensor and adjacent shims, full size plastic protective layer, then grip tape. On the prototypes I've built so far, the sensor is recessed into a pocket I machined in the footbed, I omitted the protective layer to keep everything level without any "bump up" around the sensor. With the full sensor I'm going to have PSA protective plastic cut the same size as the sensor and I will machine a pocket the depth of the sensor and the protective plastic. Then the grip tape will layup in a continuous plane.

[cr4p]

yeah - it is DONE and so far it works like a charm!!

10. assembly after 2nd lacquering
    

11. finished
    

with @SeeTheInvisible ´s great OWheelBuddy App I tested the proper functionality of the sensor first - it still reacts PERFECT on engaging and on disengaging without any delays - exactly as before.

so far I have only tried it out indoor, but the grip is just U N B E L I E V A B L E!
like @ashewheeler , @timvdp, @No and others have already said, both, the vicious grip tape and the concave makes a day and night difference. since i directly changed from the original footpads to this solution i can not really tell, how much each of the measures (grip tape/3-side-concave) contributed to the result, but the result is just amazing.

it will take some weeks before i can for sure tell how satisfied i am, because i still have to ride it under different conditions - especially off-road, because this is what i designed it for.

so to reach my personal goal of my "perfect DIY-off-road-OW" i am just one step behind my intended result:

1. black carbon foiled (according to @J-Glide ´s awesome tutorial)

2. one of @njcustom awesome magnetic custom carbon fenders
   (coated it with a black-rubber layer to cover the scratches from off-road riding)

3. "DIY mobile super charger"
   to extend the off-road rides (still wanting to replace it with a improved version from andi)

4. a DIY undercoating protective layer

5. DIY 3-side-convace decks
   (as described within this thread, but inspired by @ashewheeler ´s & @No ´s pioneering work)

6. viciuos grip tape

7. [yet missing, but allready ordered] @no ´s discovered treaded hoosier tire (in D30)

[carvewell]

@cr4p 😵 so sick dude can't wait to hear more about it🤘🤙👌

[cr4p]

i was just out for a ride at one my favorite tracks and i have to say that i am completly stoked!

of course i have to admit that i am kind of enthusiastic because that little DIY project went so well, but at the moment it feels like the holy grail of onewheeling - during the whole ride my foot didn´t even move 1mm from its position, carving hard is much easier and the OWheelBuddy app showed no sensor disconnect at all. secondarily i pushed my personal top speed, but that was only due to some over motivation resulting from that experience.

[ltl]

@cr4p Great work, thanks for sharing. How did you put the grip tape over the sensor. Did you protect it and if so with what material?

[jeffmccosker]

These look amazing!

[carvewell]

@cr4p rad test site

[No]

@cr4p it's so beautiful... you win the sexiest OneWheel award lol

All of it is extremely well done, I admire your woodworking skills, also, the screws are a nice touch...might have to borrow that when I do my V2 mods...

[timvdp]

@cr4p said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

i was just out for a ride at one my favorite tracks and i have to say that i am completly stoked!

of course i have to admit that i am kind of enthusiastic because that little DIY project went so well, but at the moment it feels like the holy grail of onewheeling - during the whole ride my foot didn´t even move 1mm from its position, carving card is much easier and the OWheelBuddy app showed no sensor disconnect at all. secondarily i pushed my personal top speed, but that was only due to some over motivation resulting from that experience.

Factory finish dude...very NICE!!....I think we all need to pace ourselves a bit now..since the new version boards are about more power and the decks we make...I am a little bit afraid we will push the boards a bit to hard wanting to go + haha...so be carefull people, it still has a V1 motor!;)

[cr4p]

thanks a lot guys!

@ltl said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

How did you put the grip tape over the sensor. Did you protect it and if so with what material?
the original griptape has a thin foil at the position where the sensor is, to avoid it sticking to the sensor.
you can easily reuse this foil.

both, the sensor and the foil are very thin. you can just reuse it from the old griptape, it is very easy to remove it from there. before you attach the new griptape, just place the foil exactly over the sensor, so the griptape can not stick to the sensor.

you could built kind of a pocket (like @timvdp & @ashewheeler ) suggested. this would be of course the most professional way to do it and if you would do any mass production for sure you would do it that way.
but i did not care about that, because sensor and foil are very thin and the viciuos griptape is very thick. you can´t hardly see it and - more important - you can´t feel it.

[timvdp]

@cr4p said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

thanks a lot guys!

@ltl said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

How did you put the grip tape over the sensor. Did you protect it and if so with what material?
the original griptape has a thin foil at the position where the sensor is, to avoid it sticking to the sensor.
you can easily reuse this foil.

both, the sensor and the foil are very thin. you can just reuse it from the old griptape, it is very easy to remove it from there. befotre you attach the ned griptape, you just place the foil exactly over the sensor, so the griptape can not stick to the sensor.

you could built kind of a pocket (like @timvdp & @ashewheeler ) suggested. this would be of course the most professional way to do it and if you would do any mass production for sure you would do it that way.
but i did not care about that, because sensor and foil are very thin and the viciuos griptape is very thick. you can´t hardly see it and - more important - you can´t feel it.

I used doublesided tape underneath a thick plastic sheeth(office supplies) with griptape on top ...not because i think i will damage the sensor with my feet... but more for protection against small sharp objects/ rocks in between the deck and my feet resulting in small pressure points.....but probably a bit oaranoid..also never take the fender of so rocks are a thing from the past

But even if the sensor breaks after a while...it's only 50$ for a new footpad set!:):) so no worries..

[cr4p]

@cr4p said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

[yet missing, but allready ordered] @no ´s discovered treaded hoosier tire (in D30)

done;-)

[jeffmccosker]

@cr4p how do you like the ride with the threaded?

[Solaranlage]

That looks just awsome. How does it ride?

[FutureBoy]

@cr4p Fantastic! How does it ride?

[cr4p]

i have wrote a few word within @no´s thread because i think there is where it belongs too;-)

this thread is more about the concave footpads.

[Solaranlage]

@cr4p Whats the hole in the middle of the Sensor-Pad for? Love your Project btw.

[kelp]

ify ou started with a slightly bigger board could you have all the edges be a bit more rounded?

[cr4p]

@Solaranlage said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:

@cr4p Whats the hole in the middle of the Sensor-Pad for?

i do not know what it is technically for, but the original pad also has it. in the middle of the sensor it has something that looks different and this is what is going to be placed exactly over the whole. maybe something to allow pressure compensation? no idea, just guessing...

i just did it the same way as the original pad has it.

[cr4p]

@ltl said in DIY project: Concave Footpads for V1:
How did you put the grip tape over the sensor. Did you protect it and if so with what material?
the original griptape has a thin foil at the position where the sensor is, to avoid it sticking to the sensor.
you can easily reuse this foil.

both, the sensor and the foil are very thin. you can just reuse it from the old griptape, it is very easy to remove it from there. before you attach the new griptape, just place the foil exactly over the sensor, so the griptape can not stick to the sensor.

you could built kind of a pocket (like @timvdp & @ashewheeler ) suggested. this would be of course the most professional way to do it and if you would do any mass production for sure you would do it that way.
but i did not care about that, because sensor and foil are very thin and the viciuos griptape is very thick. you can´t hardly see it and - more important - you can´t feel it.

i have to add something here.
during the last testrides it happend twice that after jumping of the board (without a regular dismount) the board (sensor) did not disengage immediatly. during the first rides it wasn´t like that, but i now had it twice. it is the same behaviour as some of the new board do have at the beginning (which seems to go away at the original boards after a while).

i will now watch closly watch this issue, and probably will have to change my mind and build this "pocket" for the sensor to have the "normal" behavior with immediate disengaging.

[cr4p]

i had both of my brothers testride my modified board yesterday, and both said it is a major improvement that changes the agility a lot!

both immediatly noticed a big difference during the first few meters resulting out of the pads and the new tire.
one of them already has a board, which he is now going to modify in a simillar way (hoosier tire already ordered yesterday), the other one at least said that the feeling that he initially did not like at Onewheels is now gone, because it now behaves more intuitive/agile in the curves.