Roller skating is a great way to get some exercise while also having fun. Roller skates can be rather expensive, however, with most brands costing more than $50. As an alternative, individuals can make their own pair of roller skates with a few common items found around the house. Creating roller skates on one's own is a moderately easy process that requires just a few common household materials and tools, all purchasable at local hardware stores.
Materials needed to complete this homemade roller skate project include an old pair of tennis or gym shoes, wood slats, a power saw, rubber wheels, screws, washers, a wrench or screwdriver, and a power drill.
Step 1: Cutting Wood Braces and Installing on Old Shoes
Cut the wood pieces to be used for this project as the wheel braces into small, thick slats using a circular saw. These slats should be just wide enough to fit on the sole of each shoe, two for each sole. Cut each wood slat to a thickness of at least one inch and wide enough to cover the entire span of the shoe's toe line for adequate body support.
Step 2: Aligning Screw Holes, Wood Braces, and Preparing Skates for Wheels
Line up the wood slats to make sure the whole toe line and heel are covered on the bottom of each shoe. Drill two holes on either end of each wood slat at their ends. Drill similar holes in the old tennis shoe sole to line up with the holes in each wood slat. Compare the hole sizes needed with those on commercial skates to assist with this process, if needed. Drill all holes using a drill bit large enough to make the holes observed on other commercial skates of the same shoe size. Drill through the bottom of the shoe from the outside for convenience and accuracy.
Step 3: Attaching Wheels to the Bottom of the New Skates
Screw the rubber wheels into each wood slat and tennis shoe sole by using a screwdriver and four screw and washer pairs. The length and diameters of these screws should be long and thick enough to secure the wheels onto the bottom of the shoe, regardless of sole thickness. Tighten each washer with the wrench to make a snug fit. Make sure the wheels include hardware such as an axle and sturdy base as opposed to individual separate wheels. Purchase a pre-made commercial roller skate wheel kit if needed.
Step 4: Testing the New Skates with Body Weight and Balance
Put on one of the new skates to determine if any adjustments to the screw tightness or wheel alignment are required. The user should be able to stand straight on the new skates and maintain balance while standing or skating on the wheels.
If one begins to have trouble finding wheels for the new skates, try using the wheels off of an old carpet sweeper or similar machine. These wheels will also typically come paired with a metal pivot base ideal for roller skating. Make sure the shoes being used have a thick sole to allow for adequate support while drilling into the shoe; drilling into a thin sole may cause unneeded damage to the shoe as a whole.
Sources:
Popular Mechanics, The Boy Mechanic, Vol.1; accessed February 2011
Skates.com, Build Your Own Skates; accessed February 2011
Adam Fonseca - Adam Fonseca is a certified Lean Six Sigma Change Agent and an accomplished golf writer. He currently works in health care ...
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