It’s no big secret how skateboards are made anymore. Everybody knows that Chinese fairies magic them out from the woodland lairs of ancient dragons, but some people are still making them locally. Here’s a video from a French company called Rekiem. The basics are the same, but everyone does it slightly different. For instance, the guys (garcons?) at Rekiem are setting up some of their decks with the graphics already screened, as well as using the pad printing process (basically a big stamp) for the top layer. Check it out.
[Source: Condense]
13 comments
kvon
Way cool vid. I dig all the dolly shots. That stamp is intriguing. I will have to try it. Maybe I’ll make a potato stamp and do a pattern all over the board. Fun D.I.Y.
JF
really cool. I love the stamp idea, so simple.
colin
I make all of my boards. I press them and everything. I would like to know how the pre-pressing silk screening works
Kilwag
Colin, The thing you need to know is that you have to be really careful when you cut out and finish the boards, because the graphic will get scratched up easily. Also, you won’t have exact control over the placement on the final board because it’s next to impossible to place the sheets in the press in the exact same location every time.
accent egu
my friends, let me help you out on that strange french language:
un gar
Kilwag
Merci buckets.
JF
guys is “gars”
kvon
Do you think the printing before pressing or cutting is status quo? It seemed to me like one time production value just for the video.
Colin: “pressing all your own boards” WOW! That is cool. Can we check out your set up online? Do you have a company or are you pressing just for yourself?
ssk
So cool
Kilwag
Kvon… Definitely not the norm, the norm is heat transfer, and for the minority that still screen prints, the overwhelming majority prints after the board has been cut out and sanded. Printing on the veneer before pressing is rarely done when you figure the percentages. That doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there doing it on a regular basis.
colin
I only make boards for my self and my friends right now. if you go look on the diyskate.com forms you can see my press.
chomp
Cool site Colin, good info too!
Noone
What is the music track called playing in the video?