Here’s another “How skateboards are made” segment. Youd think I’d be sick of them, but I’m not. Keep making them, I’ll keep watching them, because everybody seems to do it slightly differently, and every editor and/or industry head choses to leave out certain certain bits. This is (at least) the second such program filmed at Powell facilities. They were featured on “Made in America” a handful of years ago. I have that one archived on tape, I guess I should have put that one up first. Points of interest here: Are they really cutting out by hand and not using CNC machines? That would be hard to believe, especially when it looks like their molds were machined out of aluminum. The voiceover is comical at times, talking about colorful inks that also “protect” the skateboard. It’s amusing when they make it seem like the wheels for a specific batch of skateboards are simultaneously being poured while the boards are setting up. This show is called Factory Made, and it was on the Discovery network. Those guys love these manufacturing shows.

Join Above Coping Friday, June 11th at Errata Art Gallery 328 NW Broadway in Portland, OR. Doors open at 6 pm, events start at 8 pm. All ages, but Deschutes Beer available for 21+guests. Amazing artwork, silent auction, and raffle to raise funding to support youth skaters with chronic health conditions. I missed the First Thursday opening. It probably won’t even be too hard to park Friday.

Check out the list of silent auction and raffle items after the turn.

Flip Video, that is. It’s short. You will only waste 20 seconds of your life. I don’t know what Cisco has to do with the camera, but someone at their ad agency must like skateboarding.

Craig Snyder is working on a book called “A Secret History Of The Ollie And The Pioneers Of Skateboarding.” Believe it or not, he’s got not two, but three whole volumes planned. I’m tempted to kick in if only to see how he can fill three books on the subject. He’s been working on it for six years, so there’s got to be at least one volume’s worth. From the description it seems to be focusing on the east coast, specifically Florida, at least the first volume. He’s publishing it himself, and to that end he’s got a project set up on Kickstarter. Here’s how it works. People pledge money to the project. It can be as small as $3, or large enough ($25) to get you a copy of the book if it is published. There’s a funding goal that has to be met, and if it isn’t nobody gets charged a penny. If it is, the book gets published and you get your copy if you pledged enough. You can find more info at theolliebook.com, or the blog.

P-town Throwdown this Saturday at Pendleton Skatepark Appearances by Bacon dudes. Benji, Johnny, Oudalay, and Jeff Ferris who will be traveling here in a time machine from the eighties to emcee. I swear, the kid could be an illegitimate son of Steve Schneer. Flyer after the turn.

Tito over at Team Pain sent in some pics from a recent lunchtime session at the Broomfield, Colorado skatepark, which is currently under construction. It appears to be almost done actually, but maybe we’re not seeing the whole park. All the sunshine in those pictures, it’s like a foreign country compared to Oregon so far this wet and dreary summer. Seriously Mom Nature, WTF?

Hey, Lulu has free summer shipping on the Hopeless Old Men On Skateboards books. There is a minimum purchase.

This is from a Mr Potato Head card game that apparently features lots of different professions, skateboarder among them. We have arrived.
Why does he have braces?

– Thanks to Mark Pendergrass for the scan.

Here’s a rock and roll musical video for Darkest Of Kin by the hard rock band Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. The kids are really dancing to it with their sock hops and Walkmans. It’s hard as hell to tell in this video, but I saw a Salba, and possibly a Hosoi and a Duncan. I don’t know who else I missed.

– Thanks to Matthijs for the tip.

Venerable 80’s east coast zine out of Maryland with one of the best names ever is online. I’ve had my internet eye open for it for years, but I’ve been lax lately as Killer Dork Sessions has been up for a while now. Lots of old photos and four hours of videos if you can believe it. Plus you can download some old issues.