Prototype development At this stage we developed a vacuum formed model

at a 1:5 scale of our skateboard deck. We used the

MDX 40 to cut out our mold, and the Vacuum former
with 2mm hips for the deck. We then had to cut the
skateboard deck to shape using the scroll saw, sand
the edges using the disk sander, and stick on some
wet and dry sand paper as grip tape.

Cutting Veneers to size
and disk sanding edges
At this stage we assembled the 7 veneer sheets
depending on the direction of the grain, they had to
change direction each sheet for maximum strength.
We the cut the veneers using a Stanley knife and a
ruler, then used masking tape to keep them together.
We then sanded the edges of the veneers so they
were not sharp and there was no hazard of piercing
the vacuum bag. To sand the timber veneers we used
the disc sander, just to curve the sharp corners.

Applying glue and
vacuum bag press
molding your deck
At this stage we got all the required tools and parts
ready before we began gluing. Once fully prepared
we used a roller and PVA glue and applied it on the
surfaces of the veneer sheets, and ordered them in
the correct order as we went. After they were all
glued we had to be quick to get them in the vacuum
bag on top of the mould I developed myself, as the
glue began to dry in 20 minutes. We then used a
vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of the bag after
sealing it. We put the hose of the vacuum cleaner
over the valve of the bag and sucked the air out.
Finally we used the pump to suck the last amount of
air out and put more pressure in the bag.

Producing your
template design
At this stage we used the computer program 2D
Design V2, and designed a profile we liked. We then
had to split it up into different documents, by
printing a section and drawing a marking point for
the next print. We then used masking tape to stick
the sheets together and then finally stuck them onto
the timber centrally and with the kick lengths
desired.

Cutting deck to size At this stage I used the bandsaw, I slowly cut out my
profile roughly leaving a few millimetre gap around
the profile to sand off. We used the template design
made in the previous step to guide bandsaw
correctly and close the final line of our deck.

Sanding edges After completion off the cutting we used the disc
sander to sand the last few millimetres. We used
sanding blocks and different strengths of sand paper
starting with P80 and working our way up; we
continued this until the deck was the correct shape.
We got the bulk of the dents and imperfection offs
with P80 sand paper, then slowly moved down from
P120 to P180 and finally made it smooth and perfect
using P240.

Putting dye on the deck For this step I chose blue as the ink I was to use for
dyeing my deck. With a small concentration of ink
mixed with water I created a shade that I liked best,
through testing on scrap pieces. I used a clean rag to
dab into the ink and water mixture and then spread
over my deck, it was important to achieve an even
spread of ink across the deck to reduce the chance of
uneven shading and reduced aesthetic look.

Stencil designs and
spraying
To create the stencils we used the computer
program 2D Design V2. We designed the stencil and
made it only an outlines because thats what the
Vinyl cutter recognises. Then after printing the using
the vinyl cutter we used a scalpel to peel off the
sections of vinyl we wanted colour on. The first
spray we did on our deck was with Grey Primer, this
allows the paint to bond better and makes the
graphic look more professional. Then 2 coats gloss
white for the background colour. I then arranged the
vinyl paws in the position I wanted and spray them
with black spray paint.

Drilling Truck Holes For this step it was essential that we were precise
with our measurements, other wise the holes would
not line up with the trucks. We found the best spot
for our truck on out board and found the centre
point for the width. Following this we added 27mm
to either side, as this was half the width of the truck
of the centre point to guide the truck. Next we placed
the truck in the correct position making sure it was
correctly lined up, and marked through inside the
holes where the screws go through on the truck.
Following this we used a nail punch and hammer to
create a dent in the surface, which let the drill fall
into place correctly. Then used the pedestal drill to
make the holes, completing these steps for both the
front and back trucks holes.


Transfer Paper For this step we grabbed the printed transfer paper,
and lukewarm water. We soaked the transfer paper
in the water for 30 seconds then used carefully
peeled the white support paper off the back. We
carefully placed this on the deck and lined it on
correctly on the board, removing the air bubbles and
crinkles in the transfer paper, this step was quite
fiddly because it was crucial not to let the paper fold
over itself. The dabbed all the water away and left to
dry for approximately 3 hours. The final result is
shown on the left.

Clear coat finish This step was quite simple; it involved painting the
varnish onto the cleaned deck surface on the bottom,
on top of the graphic. Spreading it with a paintbrush
did this; the clear coat finish improved the aesthetic
appeal of the board as well as further protection.