How to design your own, custom-made skateboard – and be officially, über cool.
Courtesy of Brandon Steele for Mushy Pony
There may be snow on the ground now, but if you team up with local skateboarding guru: Boz Boards, you’ll be set up with your own customized, stylish skateboard ready to roll for Spring. Sitting down with their founder, Mike Bozinovski (who’s also the creator of our Mushy Pony logo), we learned why you don’t need to be a designer to come up with a totally wicked board design.
Pony: When did you start building skateboards?
Mike: It was pretty inevitable since growing up as a hands-on kind of guy; taking apart my gadgets and toys as a kid. I just felt it so rewarding to be able to build something myself. But the idea truly sparked when [my friend] Brandon took me for my first long-boarding session. Right then it just clicked that this was something I wanted to do. So I looked up some rudimentary instructions online (this site called Toothless Longboards helped me make some basic boards at first), and from there I started experimenting and constructing something a little more unique.
Pony: And how did you become involved with the skateboard construction classes at Roarockit?
Mike: It was good that I’d been building boards for a couple of years on my own, because by the time I met [their founder] Ted, I had a few handmade boards to show him and he could see that I’d really done this before. He then took me on and starting showing me a few things at the store. He taught me this method that uses an air pressure vacuum to help curve the board and pull it into a mold. Once I learned that, it completely changed how I went about building boards and gave me a lot more freedom to customize the shapes and refine my style.
Courtesy of BOZBoards
Pony: How long does it take generally to construct a board?
Mike: You could pump out a basic board within two days. But I like to take them to a more finished, polished stage and so it can take up to a week or so.
Pony: Do you prefer long-boarding as opposed to basic trick boards?
Mike: Personally, I don’t have the balls to do the trick-deck boarding. I think to get any recognition as a boarder you need to really push the envelope and start hucking yourself down stairs all the time. Long-boarding is more about getting around town safely and cruising a little more. I don’t want to be breaking any bones when I ride.
Pony: So why skateboard as opposed to cycle, rollerblade, etc.?
Mike: It’s a totally different feeling, and it’s a style aspect too. I’d rather be seen on my board than a bicycle for instance. It’s a rad sport to learn that’s been evolving a lot recently, and there’s just something beautifully raw about being on a plank of wood and four small wheels.
Courtesy of Brandon Steele for Mushy Pony
Pony: Does one have to know design in order to design a skateboard with you?
Mike: At Roarockit, their classes teach anything from basic building (which is perfect for beginners) to more advanced classes where you start experimenting with different building techniques and materials. But as a designer, I can always go by your descriptions and whatnot and create a board personally with you if you’re not so sure on your own design skills.
Pony: How much do you charge if I were to come to you, not knowing design, and wanting a bright pink, Toronto-themed long-board?
Mike: Haha, the base price is $200, depending on what materials are involved – but most entry level, decent commercial boards start at around $250 anyway.
Pony: And why design with skateboards as your medium? Have you always enjoyed the sport?
Mike: I’ve always loved board sports, but I also think there’s a market for it. A lot of the designs I see out there are quite generic and mass produced. They don’t have the time to really focus on the various materials and prints available because they need to simplify for efficiency. Since I work by hand, I get to explore all the options and shapes, learning from woodworkers and the various patterns of different cultures. Recently I’ve been experimenting with Japanese paper for instance; gold leaf, stuff you wouldn’t expect on a skateboard. It’s functional artwork to me.
Courtesy of BOZBoards
Courtesy of BOZBoards
For more information on classes at Roarockit, visit their website here. To build a board with Mike, check out the Boz Boards website here.
XoXo
– The Cowgirls.
Looks GREAT!
Boz you are the best!