Using a jigsaw to cut through tire tread.

Hardware required Item Quantity 7/8-inch, No. 10 Phillips head sheet metal screws Two per foot of board Tools required Jigsaw equipped with hacksaw blades Hand drill equipped with Phillips bit Hand grinder Eye protection Tape measure Vinyl knife (for initiating cut in sidewalls) Tires required: approximately 6 tires/30-foot board

Rubber boards can theoretically be fabricated to any length. At the Noble Foundation, we've fabricated boards up to 30 feet long. Boards longer than 30 feet are not recommended because of their excessive bulk and weight.

To produce a rubber board, select a group of tires having similar tread width. Start by cutting a small slit in the sidewall close to the tread large enough to insert a jigsaw blade. Make one cut through the tread of each tire using the jigsaw equipped with a hacksaw blade.

Next, remove the sidewalls using the jigsaw. Cut as close to the tread as possible but avoid cutting into the steel bolts located in the tread. This produces sections of tread 5 to 7 feet in length and 6 to 8 inches in width, depending on tire size.

Based on the length of board needed, arrange the appropriate number of tread sections on your work bench end-to-end, making sure tread is facing down. Working from one end, slide the second section under the first section 6 inches and secure with four sheet metal screws. To insure a strong union, place a screw in all four corners of the overlapped sections of tread, being careful to not get too close (within one inch) to the edge.