Another of my major interests is constructing and creating. Making things with my hands and being able to hold the end product that is fully functional and aesthetically pleasing is one of the most satisfying experiences that i have witnessed.
Construction starts with 8 ply's of European Birch.
Construction of the press was the most time consuming and tedious part of construction. A great deal of measuring, rearranging so that each slat in the press was as accurate as possible!
The deck just after it was removed from the press. Note the strands of fibreglass between each veneer, an epoxy resin with fibreglass cloth was used as the adhesive between veneers.
Bandsaw used to cut the 'platypus' like shape from the ply's.
Researching and Ideation of the main design for the bottom of the longboard.
I settled on a Platypus, drawing inspiration from the symmetrical shape of the deck.
Styling and texture inspiration came from artists such as Tomas Guerena and Andreas Preis, both designers have worked in the longboarding industry designing graphics for Loaded and Landyachts longboard companies.
Re-glueing and clamping a veneer that delaminated due to a poor coverage of resin, then a final sanding and the deck is ready to be oiled.
To finish the deck i used a combination of linseed oil to help bring out the grain and add lustre, with a polyurethane finish that will help protect the deck from minor knocks and add a gloss finish.
My first test run. It rides like dream!
Special thank you's go to Gemma Teese (http://www.behance.net/gemmairis) for the really hi-res photos and action shots. And my former employer and good friend Wayne who supplied the majority of materials, tools and a helping hand durng the Pressing process.
Thank's for taking the time to have a look at my 'Summer' Project!
- Kyle B
