BUILD A SNOWBOARD | HOW TO XV

Building a snowboard is a labour of love, but unfortunately it is not something you can do in your garage, I thought you might like to see how it is done anyway.
In this weeks episode I visit First Track Labs to build a prototype for my new Rossignol XV, I go through the whole process from design conception, choosing and testing sustainable materials through to the layering up and pressing of the board, ready to take up the mountain to test.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Filmed by: Craig Douglas at Ridgeline Studios: theridgeline.ch
Edit by: Tim Burgess
Motion Graphics by: FX Pergola.
Thanks to: First Track Labs, The North Face, Rossignol, Fatmap & Smith.

[@achopson3445]

this is like my absolute dream of a job to have this facility and make custom snowboards by costumer request

[@user-qb5to1kk4k]

XV you are the best thank you for your energy and openness from Russia with love

[@Maks_Nemo]

hell yeah

[@luc4662]

Finally a good looking top sheet on an XV! Bring that design to prod!

[@M.Mae.M]

Great to see you old friend!

[@ericangermair]

Beautiful board and great team work !! 🔥

[@williamaoues1879]

Plus de 20 piges que tu m'inspires et je ne cesse d'être étonné grâce à tes vidéo ✌️

[@projectadd7418]

Put that board into production with that graphic, I will absolutely buy it. (N+1 being the formula for the number of snowboards one needs with N=the number of snowboards one owns)

[@mugel212]

Would love to give it a try because the standard width of the XV is a bit to small for hard carves and big sized boots.

[@ludobus822]

Magnifique..... c'est beau de pouvoir vivre de sa passion, merci de partager ça avec nous !

[@rallysquirrel]

I would love to have a graphic like that!! You had a simple graphic on your Rossi before you had XV, maybe 2010 model. Loved that 168cm ride !!

[@jpfc1200]

Trop cool de voir ce processus! Merci! Moi je dormirai avec elle aussi, trop belle 👌 Profite bien le teste.

[@sylvainvaysset6531]

Excellent de voir la conception d'une board 😍 je dors avec direct 😝

[@roddefrancoise399]

Superbe planche !! très bonne idée cette vidéo pour nous montrer tout le process !

[@someoyou]

Plastic stripes also are reusable! If you are - be consecutive 😊 Loved idea of graphics, really awesome

[@BigPigCrew]

Super intéressant , merci beaucoup !!!

[@88null5er]

😍what a beauty🙌🏻

[@bambaam7186]

great work!

[@mesharin4831]

Best snowboard building tutorial, thank you so much 👍

[@HOWTOXV]

Thank you, much appreciated. Xv

[@WaechterDerNacht]

This board looks great! Probably also gonna try and calculate first to see how far off i am... not sure if a snowboard or a pair of skis though.

[@darrendix5163]

My favorite snowboard video maker. Another really interesting watch, and as always, feels like hanging out with a bro!

[@HOWTOXV]

Thanks. much appreciated. Xv

[@Billdukes]

magnifique! les mêmes montagnes que chez moi au Chablais français mais vues de derrière!

[@v4s1l1]

What a beauty!!

[@iorrrrr]

Cool, thanx for that knowledge

[@ffdananderson]

Sweet board!

[@Moondaka89]

Ca fait rêver.

[@joepetch308]

I Rode the XV last season. Not only great in the pow but solid on harder snow and pistes. The magtek really does its job. I left it at home this season, a big mistake!

[@elialenger3677]

Magnifique vidéo et magnifique board, cela me donne envie d'en créer aussi, merci

[@tsubakisan1147]

Superbe! Merci beaucoup 😊

[@HOWTOXV]

Merci

[@homealone5087]

Sweet. Now I can make my own snowboard.

[@andreataio1548]

Big up from Italy!!!!

[@andreataio1548]

snowboard lovers

[@TheOrgon]

looks supernice

[@Donaid]

Incredibly well-explained tutorial video that really detailed and useful when you making your own DIY snowboard. thank you so much for sharing the info

[@HOWTOXV]

Pleasure - sounds like you are making your own - hope you are enjoying it as much as I did. xv

[@BasileBernard]

Shirt twins !

[@jimikonijnendijk9401]

I love it!

[@WaveWasters]

I need to fire up my snowboard press again its been to long!

[@jonbrown9490]

I want that board! Seriously though, someone should give xavier a snowboard shaper award. I've ridden a lot of boards over the years and the shapes he designs are absolutely some of the best for their intended purpose. I would go far as to say that the sushi should be rated as the all around best short/fat/surfy board in the market. It floats pow effortlessly, it's super damp, buy snappy, super nimble and holds better on hard pack than some boards 20 cm longer!

[@HOWTOXV]

Man… thank you that is a very nice compliment! There is a great team at Rossignol and both Adriens are making a great job as well as Manu Petit who tests the boards as well, I think that we are really in line with the products that we get out there. Xv

[@jonbrown9490]

@@HOWTOXV thanks for the reply! Please pass along my sentiments to them as well. You guys are doing fantastic work and deserve all the credit you get. I can't wait to ride what you come up with next!

[@happydayz549]

love it!

[@christianderonde9261]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@dimitriskonstantopoulos8093]

Salut de Grece mon amis. Love your videos!

[@arirahimzadeh]

une bonne baguette Bros : )

[@mimigigi9896]

J'aurai tellement aimé que tu la fasse gagner :) elle aurait été super belle dans mon salon :)

[@TonyAaronII]

Really well done video. Diversity at some point would be good too.

[@HOWTOXV]

Thanks - Diversity in the form of?

[@stefano059]

Love your vids! Top of the board is a piece of art.

[@HOWTOXV]

Thank you - stoked on how the graphic came out, it is taken from a friend Melody Sky's photography. Xv

[@stefano059]

Thank you, go check for Melody sky

[@freggeskos]

Still mentioned Key Points at the end, in case anyone wants to start building his own board 😂

[@GradeVisuals]

Honestly, it's been a project I've been thinking about for a while now.

[@HOWTOXV]

Someone might have that garage of DREAMS!!

[@freggeskos]

I hope though that someone has a garage of money too

[@michaeloas8935]

Thanks for the video. I see that you were using a one piece black base. However, many brands are putting multiple base pieces together like jigsaws. Does it compromise the integraty of the base? And, how do you make graphics on the base?

[@jaydel6752]

Super jolie planche! Bientôt une fabrication pyrénéenne ;)?

[@r.a.g.m3532]

Idol

[@alpine7487]

Superbe planche !! Et sinon on peut la trouver où 😜?

[@chrisherne6454]

Superb video. Thanks Xavier! Sadly, most of us don't have access to that kind of equipment. I have made surfboards, but no need for presses or clamps, it's a much more manual and less layered kind of process... But my main question is: will we ever see something like this from Rossi?

[@HOWTOXV]

Yeah - not that accessible in terms of building your own, but this is the prototype for Rossignol and the planned direction on the XV, so yes - you should see something like this pretty soon from Rossignol. Cheers Xv

[@Ldontheroad]

wau, cool snb

[@andreasonline9282]

Hello. What for a flex does this board have ?

[@piotrabudzki906]

Nice board, please let me know where I cam buy materials for diy snowboard like, edges, base etc.?

[@HOWTOXV]

I am sorry - I don't know, you can Ask First Track Labs, they will be able to tell you for sure: www.firsttracklab.com

[@borisprokhorov9600]

Thank you very much for the video. I have a question, why did you use 2 cores instead of one?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hmmm good question, I am afraid I can't remember, it was a decision made by Adrien at Rossignol who works on the technical aspect of the board, I shall ask him. Thanks XV

[@mistercarpistes6892]

Super vidéo Xavier. Je suis concepteur 3D j'ai 21 ans et cette année je vais réaliser mon premier wakeboard mais je suis aussi passionné de snowboard (je ne pense pas réalisé de snowboard au vue de la complexité) je dispose d'un atelier avec une grosse CNC etc pour travailler le bois. Cependant pour la résine etc aurait tu un tuyaux pour en trouver dans un shop ou sur internet Merci bien.✌️

[@HOWTOXV]

Hola, merci pour ton message. Desole je n'ai pas de plans la dessus, je peux demander aux gars de First Track Lab, mais C'est mieux si tu cherches de ton coté.

[@alixduvigneau7940]

Salut, super vidéo, très intéressante, c'est normal qu'il n'y ai pas l'ajout de champs "en ABS ou autre" on n'a l'impression que le champ de la bord est en bois direct. Sinon la finition bois est juste magnifique.

[@HOWTOXV]

Oui tu as raison le board est en bambou.. merci Xv

[@tuttobene790]

🤙

[@cyrilmailletwebmaster]

Ah yes , great vid ! Now the next step is >>> HOW TO BUILD AN ULTRALIGHT CARBON SPLITBOARD

[@HOWTOXV]

Ha ha... good idea... will have a word with Rossignol and get on it. Xv

[@YougsGichetski]

Is the little swallowtail really useful or is it just to had some style to the board?

[@th3oryO]

It may have a tiny effect if you go really backseat on the board but not really. The only time a swallowtail drastically changes the ride is when the cutout extends past the upturned surface and into the camber/flat part of the board, OR the back foot is very close to the tail (see the xv sushi). In the former it changes the flex of the tail and in the latter you're physically steering the board with the tail so any changes in shape will change the ride. At least that's my experience with 5 different swallowtails, I have a problem.

[@HOWTOXV]

Well I can't reply better than Brenden! Nice one! Thank you. Xv

[@ScuolaItalianaSkateboard]

dipende che trumenti hai = certo che lo puoi costruire nel tuo garage !

[@simons7067]

Awesome videos Xavier!! Re no more magnatraction on the XV does the board no longer have the insane edge hold in hard snow? I notice the split board still has it? Cheers

[@HOWTOXV]

Indeed the magnatraction is out on the normal Xv and will be out on the split from next years one as well. It was my decision as I find the the edge hold is much cleaner without it and I really don't find that you lose that much edge hold without it. I am actually quite happy that we are moving on from it, so I hope you still like it - just got to keep it nicely tuned! XV

[@maxoffpiste]

Is this Shape of next season?

[@HOWTOXV]

One of the options but yes it is the direction that we are taking for the upcoming XV..

[@clivehurdle2274]

Hi. Is it possible to repair a snowboard if the Edge has been damaged and then cracked?

[@HOWTOXV]

It will be short term repair and will not last unfortunately. Best is to take it into a shop and ask. Xv

[@bandotherando]

Anyone have a list of materials for this? I wouldn't even know where to start looking for some of the stuff

[@davidvigneux6929]

*take the baby out of the oven* Xavier ALWAYS has good advice! 😅

[@davidvigneux6929]

Seriously though, this is the sickest iteration of the XV board so far. And the picture from Melody coupled with the notes! Wow, such a huge piece of snowboarding history on a sheet of bamboo! 💪

[@mackybernardo9390]

Hi just wondering if you have sidewalls for your board? thanks!

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey - had to go back and have a look at this! But no, the sidewall is just made from the layers of core - no specific sidewall put in... if you see what I mean! XV

[@mackybernardo9390]

@@HOWTOXV got it! what a beauty of a board !

[@rieleyduysen17]

What bits did you use to get the core tapered on the cnc router?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey - We used a large diameter surfacing bit (32mm). The CNC program contains the core taper profile and machines the core to the right thickness to a 10th of a mm. Xv

[@achai2512]

Ca se passe comment pour la livraison je mets mon adresse en mp ? :)

[@lylecarlsonsurfboard]

Come surf with me in hawaii Xavier

[@KapoSBR]

Nice! What was the graphic film made of? Is it some kind of water-slide decal?

[@HOWTOXV]

For the Print we used an inkjet printer to print on Silicon transfer paper. The ink doesn't adhere to the paper and thus as soon as it comes in contact with the bamboo it releases from the paper and sticks to the bamboo. It is important to note that this is not a common technique used and that it was a DIY method to get the graphics and effects we were looking for onto the board. Pretty stoked with the results!! Xv

[@KapoSBR]

@@HOWTOXV Awesome! I am looking for techniques like this as I'm producing skateboards DIY-Style and buying a heat-transfer press is not very cheap ;-) + I'm pretty sure (even though commonly used) that 200 degrees will to some extent harm the wood. So this technique looks like a good way to go! Could you tell me the company that produces the transfer paper? Thx already for the answer!

[@bavovernimmen]

No sidewalls? 😁

[@HOWTOXV]

Bamboo side walls.

[@j.a.physio6221]

No more serrated edges?

[@HOWTOXV]

No, I have decided to take them off, as I although I like the Magnatek, I think I am happy with a more traditional version of the edges. Xv

[@simons7067]

Love your videos Xavier!! I dusted off my 2011 Rossignol experience last few weeks and was reminded of the insane icy snow edge hold!! Does your new XV have similar edge hold with the lite frame tech? or should I go for the 2022 XV? Cheers Simon

[@camguimeule2652]

"getting the baby out of the oven" bruh

[@TheDukeBoxer]

Hey XV What's the name of the resin you're using? We've been looking for more sustainable resin options for our product. Don't worry there's no competition ; ) We make climbing tools.

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey. First Track Labs useEntropy Compression Molding Resin. Cheers Xv

[@-guess-who-]

Can I have one?

[@antonchamb]

No serrated edges??

[@HOWTOXV]

No - I think I am happy with a more traditional version of the edges so we decided to take them off. Xv

[@gboates]

What happened to the XV in 2023? It WAS on my short list.

[@createkengineeringlab8302]

On dirait qu'il y a 2 épaisseurs de noyau de bois lors de l'assemblage du sandwich. Je me trompe ? Pourquoi ne pas seulement en mettre un plus épais ?

[@HOWTOXV]

Sur cette board open a essayé plusieurs trucs différents et notamment un nouveau noyau a deux épaisseurs. Je ne suis pas sur si on l’a implémenté sur la version finale d'ailleurs

[@dominiczwingli3833]

Comment as tu pu coller cette image? Et qui pourrait faire ce genre de chose Merci de ta réponse

[@HOWTOXV]

On a utilise un papier en silicon sur lequel on a imprime le dessin, ensuite une fois le dessin calque sur le bamboo on l'a fixe avec un fixateur. Xv

[@fuelbasti]

Nice board but the materials are not suistainable still. There are options with flax and bio based resins. Thats would be more eco.

[@HOWTOXV]

Thanks - definitely not perfect yet, looking into all options and hopefully just getting better and better. Will look into the resins. Thanks. Xv

[@niklasgemperle1091]

How many does this Board cost you?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey - this is a prototype for Rossignol, so compared to the normal costs of building a snowboard mould it is much cheaper, can't really give you any definitive pricing. But First Track Labs are looking to try and make consumer packages available in the future to build your own skis or snowboard. But currently they are really busy with B2B. - Not a very clear answer, sorry! Xv

[@niklasgemperle1091]

@@HOWTOXV okey thank you✌

[@sergemann5951]

No woodcore eh?

[@HOWTOXV]

Heya - yes, keeping the wood core, this one is Paulownia and Bamboo strips sandwiched together. Cheers Xv

[@sergemann5951]

@@HOWTOXV sorry I missed it but I ended up watching it again. Thanks for sharing XV! One of the best snowboard makes videos. "The Panini concept" was really good in terms of understanding the process. Merci!

[@emilianpopov9699]

First

[@jordifolch4832]

If you think seeing snowboards made is cool, watch the every third thursday series

[@pangtsr]

Wtf. No riding?

[@bennarvalo4889]

Et sinon les vidéos en français pour un français ça serait cool et surtout je comprendrai 🙂

[@Mallysh]

dude be veeery careful with using the name of LEGO!! they are suing the hell out of ppl using it in the wrong way.. hahahaha

[@HOWTOXV]

Ah - hope they don't come after me, thanks for the heads up. Xv

[@Mallysh]

@@HOWTOXV ;) guess not in this context... but they are for sure over protective with their brand. A German „brick“- KZbinr is getting some mail due to some usage of the Term Lego and has to take down videos. But we aren‘t here to talk about that! Great videos love to watch them in times of treval restrictions they kind of help me through I guess I will be back to the alps next winter. So keep it up! Make is happy and more educated ;) Thanks!