So far my alma mater is famous for two things, the birthplace of the fictional self-aware computer Hal 9000, and the place where internet browsers were invented. And now the University of Illinois is pushing the Corn board, a composite material made from the husks and stalks of corn plants. Think of it as a replacement for particle board. Something you could build houses and miniramps out of, and well, skateboards. Technically, longboards, and just the core. It seems like you could stuff just about anything in the core of longboards, even Bonite! I’ll be impressed when they can make a shortboard out of that stands up to Canadian Maple. Actually, I’m impressed by the recycling bit. It would be great to cut down on wood consumption, although I thought particle board was already made from discarded bits of wood used to make other things. Unless anyone is specifically cutting down trees to make particle board, it’s not really going to save anything. Is it really “green” to take something that would otherwise decompose and turn it into something that won’t? The Daily Illini (The “student” newspaper run by a privately owned media company) has an article with some of the development story and an excellent misrepresentation of Christian Hosoi as a “professional longboarder.” Hosoi has signed on to the company for a forthcoming signature model. I think I would have pooped in my Life’s a Beach Elroy Jetson shorts had Christian Hosoi signed to a skateboard company from the same town as the school I was failing because I was skateboarding too much.
– Thanks to OCD Kyle for the tip.
13 comments
lou sassel
I can only guess what do they do with the corn cobs.
bobcat
speaking of corn, the Hickoids were awesome.
Dear Abbey
It’s “Corny” how many times “Corny” appeares on here
Brock75
i guess i should have read all the responses… for shame!
Brock75
Hey, I still have those Jeston trunks! Hosoi has a “pro” longboard! HAHAHA, that’s CORNY!
Greg
After all these years of riding wood, I’d love to feel what kind of action pressed corn stalk has. Pictures show no concave or kick… Can it be formed? Does it flex like bamboo, or is it rigid? Sweet design.
Frodo
Looks like it has a bio-composite (corn based) core with maple veneers on either side. Hasn’t Comet been utilizing the same basic technique, only with another type of organic-composite core, for awhile now? And don’t they even make “shortboards”, too?
masterochicken
Actually I was just reading about particle board the other day on wikipedia. They now do cut down trees especially for particle board.
hurton
yea small trees that won’t yeld lumber dimensions can be chipped for particle board
mikeD
is there nothing hosoi wont put his name on? this is just corny.
i want an atheist organization or the church of satan to start making skateboards just to invite him to do a guest model and test a theory of mine out.
Cave Man
I could see corn stalk fixins having some structural integrity. There’s already fishing rods being made called Carrot Stix, made of fibers made from carrots embedded in the typical resin matrix, and I get the impression that their modulus of elasticity is closer to graphite than it is to fiberglass, and that they may be stronger than graphite. Course we’ll all be riding tiny boards made of graphene soon (unless they figure out how to macro it).
jonjon
Your right, “corny” lol. Hasoi is not only a skate border but a business man too. Longboarding is hot right now and he wants to take advantage of that… He doesn’t need a signature longboard, he WANTS one…
mezmer
Corny. Why would Hosoi need a signature longboard?