Cherry Cruiser Board
A commissioned board made of a solid cherry plank. The customer had a very specific image in his head of what he wanted this board to look like; he sent over screenshots from boards he saw online along with custom graphics he wanted incorporated in to the board. It was a fun experiment in trying to execute on someone else's vision. The biggest challenge on this project was communication with the customer and incorporating feedback at ever phase to end up with something that he was happy with and that I was proud of.
Required Resources: 7 hours, $50 (deck only)
Materials: Cherry
Shape: Mini Cruiser (32”, 24” wheel base)
Finish: Minwax Cherry Stain, Eggshell Colored Spray Paint, 3 Coats Minwax Semi-Gloss Aerosol
Grip: Lucid Clear Spray Clear Grip Medium
Tools: Miter Saw, Planer, Orbital Sander, Cordless Drill, Chamfer bit
New Techniques:
Custom Spray on Grip: The customer had created a logo for his personal design brand and wanted it incorporated it into the design of the board. He gave me a digital copy of the "A" insignia and let me go at it. I wanted to include the logo as a laser etch on the back of the board and then in inverted colors as a relief in the grip on the top side of the board. The laser etching was easy, but the grip pattern took a bit of thinking through. I started by lasering a stencil. It was way too small. I bumped up the size, but when I went to spray the adhesive down, the stencil paper was too thin and the glue bled through the stencil. I wiped it clean and recut the stencil in a heavier cardstock material. The stencil, however, didn't stick down to the board very well and the glue seeped underneath the edge of the stencil keep out. After one more clean up, I when back to the thin stencil and was very deliberate with where I applied the glue and grit. It took some more rework to get the stenciled logo looking clean, but the end result was sharp.
Lessons Learned:
Communication is Key: When working on a project that is for someone else, an open line of contact with the customer is essential. My vision for the board based on our initial conversation ended up being much different from what the customer ultimately wanted. I was thinking about a board with a long wheel base and strips of light and dark wood running down the long axis. I sent over a CAD mockup with a remedial rendering, and purchased the materials from McBeath Hardwoods. His response was to the mock up was kind ("looks great") with a caveat ("it's not really what I was imagining"). From there he took it upon himself to get involved in the design process and set me over a Pinterest Board's worth of inspiration. After that, I sent him pictures and updates at every step of he way, and waited for approval before moving on. While the constant communication did add some time and effort on my part, I think it made the overall process less stressful. Unlike other commissioned boards I've done, there was no anxiety over whether or not the customer was going to pleased with the product; I knew he was going to love it because it was his design, just my execution.
