21" x 2.5" x 1.5"
Wood, Grip Tape, Wheels & Trucks
USA

Black Cross made 3 objects for Mini-Exhibition #5, a sled, skateboard and paipo. To follow is what Matthew McGregor-Mento said about his skateboard. It totally rocks. You can ride it. Yes, you can. "Although this skateboard references the first skateboards made by bolting a roller skate to a piece of wood it rides completely differently then those boards did. It benefits from the modern turning radius of a slalom truck, precision bearings, and urethane wheels (85A) so the ride is fast and smooth. The narrowness of the board forces the rider to concentrate a bit more on balance; bringing experienced riders back to the precarious feeling of being a beginner. Because the skateboard lacks a nose and a tail it precludes all but the simplest tricks and instead emphasizes the utility of the board as simple portable transport (which skateboards were to many of us in our youth) and also the joy of riding from point A to point B. A benefit of the design is the ability to stand the board up for easy storage and the size allows it to fit in small bags for portability. I really enjoy going as fast as possible on these boards. There's something great about being on this tiny perch and just hauling ass. Also I've never made anything that has such an universal appeal. When you ride this board you get comments and smiles everywhere you go. Ironically for such a simple looking thing these boards are remarkably difficult to make. Skateboard trucks no longer come in thin sizes. The trucks I use are the smallest size currently available on the market. Then they have to be machined down to size and the axles need to be re-threaded. Because aesthetically I prefer not to put bolts all the way through the board I have to use wood anchor screws to attach the trucks. The process for screwing in the 8 screws without cracking the wood, while keeping the trucks aligned, requires 44 steps per board. "