I always preferred wider decks. Started on a Hobie “Super Surfer”, mid 60s vintage. Replaced it with a replica “Super Surfer” from another company when urethane wheels came along. Rode that one to death and went through a few others until I got the wooden “Flite” that I still have and use, occasionally.
Around 1964 Jim Phillips and i were building skateboards in the Base Wood Hobby Shop in Hawaii. We started out with regular old metal skate wheels and all we could do was ride straight on down a ramp at a loading dock. Making any kind of turn was pretty much impossible.
One day we got my Dad to give us a ride to a Roller Rink in Honolulu and were able to buy a used pair of skates. These were (I think) Roller Derby skates and they had composite clay wheels.They were quite hard but softer than steel. We bolted these trucks on to our boards and it was like night and day. We could carve turns and pump the board to get forward speed.Were very stoked. Our boards got better also…laminated like fins with a a few layers of glass.Mine had a Surfboards Hawaii logo I cut out of a magazine. We spent hours skating all over the place. Right about at the same time it seems as if Hobie came out with skateboards and the rest was history.
My very first skateboard was home made. I found a pair of old rink skates in the basement. “Shoe” type with wooden wheels. Quite likely belonged to my uncle when he was in high school (1940s). I cut the bottom plate in half, drilled extra holes in it, and screwed it to a piece of wood. Everywhere I skated, it left a trail of sawdust. The wheels eventually wore unevenly into an oval shape. I then got the wheels off the other skate and rode those 'til they wore out. Finally, I bought a real skateboard.
nice to hear from you mr. clean!
hope all is good for you and yours.
herb
My skateboard was like Sammy’s. Only my dad made it from rollerskates he bought from a roller ring. He wasn’t going to go out and buy one with the steal wheels when he could make a better one for his sons. Hit a pebble with those wheels and they’d stop on a dime. We made them out of scrap plywood when the Cadillac Wheels came out. Bought Logan Earth Skiis when we graduated to swimming pools and and drainage ditches. Good fun when the surf was flat.
Herb, I’d like to see some of your 70’s skates. More on the carving end of skating and not the speed deal. That was too crazy for me. Mike
your first ?
good goin'
you're on your way to being a skateboard builder elite !
herb
I put larger wheels on it and cut out slots so they dont bite.
i tried to look for the 4.5 in. trucks but i never found any at a reasonable price.
even roller skates are expensive.
next step is to improvise for the grip tape.
Go to a boat yard/marine supply store. They sell that stuff by the foot.
Get a bottle of PVA (wood glue) wipe it on with a rag/paper towel then pour sand on it.
Pat it in then tip off the excess
Let it dry then skate
You can also use varnish or resin instead of wood glue.
my saying in life has always been.
i lived thru some amazing things some would call miracles.
most would not have survived my path,had they walked in my shoes.
an angel in my pocket.............
jesus in my eyes................
in god's hands.............
or
a devil in my pocket........................
you make the call.
herb
the sand idea didn't work so well.
used spray on glue with sand from park.
gonna try some grip tape i picked up
fell bad yesterday and messed up my leg.
still fun though
[img_assist|nid=1057698|title=mini1|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480]
[img_assist|nid=1057699|title=mini2|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=480|height=640]
[img_assist|nid=1057700|title=mini3|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=515|height=640]
Oldschool mini I made out of red oak a while back. Soooo much fun 
Has it really been 6 years since I built this?
Gee theres some good old memories locked up in those pics ^^^^^
got another piece of wood.
i'll see if i can kick out a replication of the mini. probably have to limit it to 32 in. though.
like the val surf model/if i could get the trucks.
