Not exactly reader DIY, but still in the same spirit. I’ve got nothing against plywood, but these days it seems like more and more people are opting for concrete. I mean, it seems that way to me, but maybe that’s because I live in Portland. Ok, not fair, it’s definitely part of a larger trend. Listen, I’ve been churning this stuff out for three years now. Blah, blah, blah. Nothing interesting to say. Check out Jocelyn’s new driveway. I guess she needed to have her driveway redone anyway, so she decided to turn part of it into a miniramp. If you’re jealous, well.. we are entering the raining season.. The pictures start off level and well framed, but as more and more progress its made the horizons start to shift and the composition gets awkward. It’s almost like she was having a hard time containing her excitement. Jocelyn’s last name withheld to prevent excessive doorbell ringing.

Joesf Heffner, AKA NWeyesk8, sent in some pictures of concrete floats he made to fit the tranny on a new backyard project he’s undertaking. Check ’em out after the jump.

Reader Bill Morgan sent in some pics of his DIY project. It started as a quarterpipe painted to look like concrete. It sits in his rather short driveway, but there’s a hell of a lip where the driveway meets street. So what’s a skater to do? How about poring a nice little micro transition to make the approach work without having to ollie it? And while you’re at it, why not put some thin set on the rough patch of street? You’ve go to be in good with your neighbors to get away with that!

This week’s Shot of the Week is from Brian Baade, He mounted a camera the Greek’s board during a practice run for the X-Games skatepark event. If you watched the X-Games yesterday you might have noticed that is is actually a still image from the actual footage they played after coming back from a commercial. Check out the Shot of the Week, Bonus frame after the jump.

The EPM Network has some pics of Tristen Reasor’s cool DIY bowl project in Oregon that is being hand stacked over several different pouring days, I imagine as fast as the funding allows. I’d love to have a spine in my back yard, how about you?

Just got this image of the completed X Games superpark course made from concrete poured over a wood frame from an anonymous source. Thanks! Down the road there is another media event called the Converse Costal Carnage. Looks like they’ve got another crazy temporary bowl setup.

Boardistan has a video interview with Brian Harper from California Skateparks talking about the cement on wood structure used in the Maloof Money Cup. I sort of assumed they were going with prefab concrete elements, but it looks like they used foam underneath and concrete on top, with no rebar. The concrete can be recycled, and I suppose the foam could be too. I still feel like they should build permanent skateparks and leave them, but that wouldn’t jive with the Maloof Money Cup sponsors and the X-Games need to have large amounts of spectator seating and controlled access by the media. – Thanks to Brian Baade for the tip.

I’ve been hearing some rumblings about the new X Games Skateboard Park Course. It supposed to be concrete, and temporary, which are two things that sound like they are at odds. The street course at the Maloof Cup might have been made using prefab elements that can be disassembled and reused elsewhere, but will the same thing work on a bowl complex? The real interesting thing is that I’ve heard rumors that the X Games course will be made from concrete poured over a wood frame and/or styrofoam combo. Styrofoam in a skatepark construction is nothing new – (See here and here) It’s been used in the soon to open (already open?) Seattle SeaSk8 replacement, mainly for it’s lightweight benefits. The new location is on top of some underground elements of Seattle Center. Again, these are rumors, I haven’t been able to corroborate them, but concrete over a wood frame… puzzling. OK readers, who is connected? What’s really going on?

A reader sent in this shot of a DIY project that he was involved with last summer. It was under a bridge that spanned a small creek. Looks like there was no concrete whatsoever (aside from the support pillar) until they got involved. I asked for some more pictures to get a better overview, but I haven’t heard back in a week or so, so this is it. I can’t even tell you what state this is in. Keep sending in your DIY pics.

Now that MC’s bowl is in the finishing stretch, here’s something else to follow. Josef Heffner has demoed his DIY backyard bowl complex and in favor of a new expanded layout. Nearby, Danimal is working on building his own board press, to be constructed with veneer he plans to buy here. If you’ve got something you’re working on, we’d love to hear from you too.