Skateboard Design and Fabrication
During Winterim, students will immerse themselves in the culture of skateboarding while exploring the design elements that shape how a board looks, feels, and performs. We’ll visit local skateboard shops to talk with industry professionals about board design, learning why different shapes exist and how features like tip, tail, wheelbase, and concavity influence the riding experience. Students will also explore how artwork and branding on skate decks have shaped skateboarding’s identity over the years and linked it to art movements like punk, graffiti, and street art.
To deepen this understanding, we’ll spend time at skateparks talking with riders about their preferences and the ways board design affects their style and the environments they skate. By looking at a wide range of skateboards, from vintage models to modern designs, students will gain a broad perspective on the possibilities and evolution of skateboard design.
Back in the Makerspace, students will put their knowledge into practice by crafting two of their own decks: one in an “old school” style and another in a modern “popsicle” shape. Using custom two-part molds in a skateboard press, they’ll learn how mold design determines the final geometry of a board. Once their blanks are formed, students will design custom profiles and use the CNC machine to cut them out.
Finally, students will sand and finish their boards with custom graphics created in the Makerspace, then assemble complete decks with trucks, wheels, grip tape, and other hardware. With both boards in hand, they’ll test them at local skateparks, experiencing firsthand how each design performs in different environments. By riding and comparing their creations, and gathering feedback from experienced riders, students will reflect on which design choices were most successful and why.
NOTE: All students must have a skateboard helmet in order to participate in this Winterim. The cost of a helmet is NOT included in this Winterim.
Educational Goals:
Learn to use manufacturing tools and techniques to fabricate custom skate decks.
Understand how various skateboard shapes impact riding profile and performance.
Use 3D modeling and manufacturing software to design custom skateboards
Develop students’ durable skills as they work through the design, iterate, manufacture, and test the processes involved in creating functional end-use products.
Embrace and engage in skateboarding culture and history and their influence on skateboard design.
Instructor: Chris Supiro and Jeff Ellenbogen
Open to: Grades 9-12
Limit: 10 students
Cost: $325
Dates: March 6 and 9-13, 2026 - normal school hours