The Create a Sk8 is a program that students and faculty can host at their schools. It is a class on how to build a skateboard, designed by Professor Paul Schmitt. The class touches on math, geography, biology, and art. There were 2 slots left to take the last class of the Expo on Sunday January 13th 2008 and I got one of them. In 1986 i bought a Jeff Grosso, ShcmiIt Stix, the one with the sock puppet and the toy box…anyway, yeah i was heavily influenced by the graphics at first, then i progressed a lot on that board so that was always one of my favorites, I just didn’t know why. Over the years I found myself riding almost every brand of deck. Overall i think i liked the Black Label decks i rode the best, i just didn’t know why. Today was the day that I learned why. I was about to take the creative journey of making a skateboard with the master, Professor Paul Schmitt.
Paul made that Grosso i had 22 years ago, and all the Black Labels that I loved so much. And to be on record I am currently riding an element 7.75, which was also made by Professor Schmitt. He has made over 15,000,000 skateboards and is the utmost authority in the industry. Professor Schmitt started by talking to us about the wood and the region of North America where it is harvested. He popped in the dvd on his Create a Sk8 program. I was blown away by two things: one of which is the amount of force that skaters undergo while doing tricks. An eight stair/impact scale set up logged a skater who is 114lbs at nearly 1500lbs of pressure when he landed a frontside flip off the stairs. Secondly, that it takes less than 8,000 trees to make over a million skateboards. About 20 minutes of explaining about the process Professor Schmitt asked if we wanted to listen to him talk all day or make some skateboards. It was like the ultimate shop class and everyone there was amped on their chance to Create a Sk8
He handed me a blank pre-pressed and drilled-that took a lot of time and difficulty out of making the skateboard. My blank was drilled with a 15" wheelbase which is perfect as i wanted to make a 70’s style surfboard skateboard cruiser. On the drive over I was thinking should i make a hammer head, or a hot dog, or a nightmare or what. Then i remembered day one of film school: keep it simple stupid. I used some of the template cards provided and got to work on my simple design. an 8" tapered in to a block tail 6.5" and a 6 5/8" point nose. Once i finished the outline, I started on the band saw. I hadn’t used a band saw since 1987 when i tried to make a board in shop class-it cracked instantly by the way.
After cutting, i discarded my scraps and stare sanding to the outline shape. After using the router I used a series of sand paper grits and sanded the edges to the finished product. I gave it a stance check on the carpet and i loved the way it felt under my feet. After cleaning the dust off of the fresh deck, the class began to dig through some markers and stencils to make their own custom graphics. As i looked at the bottom of my cruiser, I noticed that it had a natural sandy beach, ocean, waves, and horizon. All that was needed was the rising sun over the water(east coast sunrise), so i drew a half-circle to suggest a sun and i was finished. Clear coated and dried in 20 minutes and I was walking around surf expo showing off my new hand made skateboard deck from Create a Sk8.
I want to thank Professor Paul Schmitt for giving me the honor of taking his class. It was a dream come true to learn and, what can i say, when you want to learn to use the force…you gotta go to dagobah.
www.createAskate.org
Photos: C. Robben
Words: Scooter
