Redwood City, CA – August 27, 2008 – Zazzle, (www.Zazzle.com), the only on-demand retail platform for consumers and major brands, today announced the launch of custom skateboards. Developed in collaboration with the Zazzle engineering team and Andy Howell, former pro skateboarder and founder of ARTSPROJEKT, a unit of Zazzle, custom skateboards will be produced within 24 hours of ordering, a first for the industry.

Zazzle worked with Howell to develop the skateboard technology platform, and partnered with the best in the business to offer a unique and comprehensive product offering. Skateboard decks are seven-ply North American maple and Zazzle’s patent-pending manufacturing process is the first to utilize new printing technologies for one-off custom skateboard decks, producing a beautifully vibrant image.

Consumers are able to choose from a wide variety of pre-designed decks by Zazzle’s contributor community and content partners at www.zazzle.com/skateboards, or design skateboards from scratch at www.zazzle.com/custom/skateboards, by uploading their own art, images and text to create the board they desire, instantly. The consumer experience to create-your-own custom skateboard or choose from an extensive array of pre-designed skateboard templates is intuitive, and products are viewable in real time, allowing consumers to view all elements of the skateboard as they design.

About Zazzle
Infinite and Instant, Zazzle is the only, on-demand retail platform for consumers and major brands, offering billions of retail quality, one-of-a-kind products shipped within 24 hours. Offering the largest library of customizable digital images from world-class brands, Zazzle enables content owners to unlock their entire libraries of content, making it available for purchase and customization by consumers. Through Zazzle’s innovative on-demand retail and technology platform, users can instantly create, customize to fit their personal style, purchase and sell a near infinite array of products online. The company launched in 2005 and is based in Redwood City, California. For more information, www.Zazzle.com.

Workers and lurkers skating the mini ramp at USS Skate on International Drive in Orlando.

I got the bad news yesterday that a friend and fellow skater Harry “Dirty” Callahan has passed. He was always inspiring to skate with and was a good friend, he will be missed by many.

SPONSORED BY: theSkateboardMAG, Pharmacy Boardshop, DVS, Lakai, BonesSwiss, Alien Workshop, Crimson Boards, OGIO, Powell Skateboards, Active Mailorder, Blackhole Boards, Mechgrip, & Imperial Motion.

Why couldn’t skaters be the next BAND~Aid (SKATE~Aid), consistently coming together to make a difference in our World? SkateMyWorld.org believes they can & hope they will!

Skaters can participate in monthly Charity Raffles, for as little as $1, raising donations for skate My Worlds Global Organization of the month. And, in this Spirit of Giving, donating skaters could Win a Cash GRAND PRIZE (up to $10,000) and Great Skate Prize Packages from their Sponsors.

SkateMyWorld.org is raising donations, now, for African AIDS Orphans, benefiting 3 African based Organizations featured in CNN’s Documentary, “Where Have All the Children Gone”. their First drawing will be held on May 1st, 2008. It only costs a buck!

COME ON SKATERS, LET’S DO THIS THING!

How to Build a Skateboard Ramp

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

It is time to take that skateboard out and do some jumping! Now all you need is a ramp for that jump. You can build your own ramp, that is sure to get you on your way to creating a quality jump!

Steps

1. Decide what you want to build. There are a lot of web sites that have plans for free, and then there are ones you buy. Find the free ones are just as good or better than buying them, and for wood ramps you almost always need power tools.
2. Find a place to store it. If you have a place to keep permanently, great! If not, make a smaller jump that you can put in your garage or move it out of the way and tarp it.
3. Design it: How big do you want the jump? How much wood do you have, assuming you have the right type wood. Pressure treated (PT) lumber and plywood is best to use for ramps that are to be stored outdoors. However, if you are able to store your ramp indoors or need it to be light-weight for portability, use untreated lumber as it decreases weight and saves money. If not you will need to improvise with what you have. You need to decide whether you want a mini-ramp (a small version of a half-pipe, usually with no VERT, 8′ and below, a kicker (launch ramp) or a quarterpipe style of ramp. Be creative, but practical. if you have any questions on design, contact your local skateshop or skatepark…they deal with ramps all day long.
   • Figure the base size. (how big is it going to be at the bottom?), then add a few inches at the base so you can have extra inches on depth at the top. Calculate the dimensions. How long, wide and tall will it be. If it’s a jump then it will probably be kind of small.

4. Sketch on the plywood a basic curve of your ramp and add an extra flat spot at the top, a little shorter and a little longer for distance and taller for height.
5. Cut three panels from plywood, once you sketched your curve. If your jump is too long or if you’re worried about strength you can add more in the middle. Doing this tends to add a lot of extra work. Don’t start nailing yet. Figure out where you want your 2×4s for support of the curve, no more than about a foot between each.
6. Cut notches into your plywood at the center so you can put each 2×4 in where you will nail it to the panel on each side. You want a flat face along the curve to nail a final piece of plywood to. You want the skinny side of the 2×4 on the face of the curve, so you can have a nice, flat curve.
7. Nail a few 2×4s to the back and inside of the plywood panels to keep them safe and solid. Add the 2×4s to the inside (you will need the 2×4s on the inside so they will be slightly shorter) so you can nail through the plywood into the 2×4.
8. Decide where you want the 2×4’s (for the curve-the ones for support need to be nailed to the plywood without notches) in the middle panel and cut the notches. Trace the notches onto the insides on the other two panels (this will be about where the ends of the 2×4’s will be nailed).
9. Nail the 2×4’s to the end panels so that they line up with the middle notches, make sure they are level as well.
10. Confirm it is sturdy. If not go back and either add more supports or more plywood.
11. Complete the face piece, aka (the curve). Thick plywood doesn’t like to bend,so for the face piece (the curve) you want it to be thinner. Start by nailing the bottom. If there’s a bit of a bump at the base, you can add more wood. You even the connection to the ground out. Nail it to the 2×4 underneath all the way across in several places, this will help keep the curve nice, and from the start nailing a few nails into each crossmember make sure the nails are going into the 2×4’s!
12. Add a strip of plywood to the top, and you’re done!

Tips

• For better results and a sturdier ramp, take the time to use screws instead of nails. Screws tend to not stick out after time. Who wants to snag on a rusty nail after catching air?
• For a good wood jump you need decent wood. Don’t get any that have huge holes where you’ll ride. If it’s rotten in spots, that kind of wood makes bad jumps and is asking for trouble.
• If you want a finished look, add some more sheets of plywood to the back.This could be the launch ramp of a table top or just a plain ramp to get up on a picnic table. Have fun!
• Adding a layer of thin masonite can make your ride on the ramp smoother, as well as adding a certain degree of cushioning in the probable event that you fall.
• If you’re having trouble with it tipping over, add some 2×4s or plywood to the back at a 45 degree angle to keep it from tipping, sort of reverse wheely bars.
• To make a catch ramp you can do that with less of a curve, or make a long triangle with some supports across the center, and down the sides and middle!
• For a table top you basically just make a sturdy box, or a “table” shape and add plywood to the top. Add some support across the top and some to the legs for a bike. But just to be careful, add a launch ramp and,or a catch and it’s finished.

Warnings

• As with any extreme sport, be sure you have a safe location and a sturdy ramp. Taking the time to make the ramp correctly will result in a better performance and safety.
• Always wear a helmet when jumping.
• Using a dirt jump, as suggested in step one, is going to get your bearings really dirty. Stick to wood ramps.
• NEVER Ride on dirt or sand! It is very bad for your bearings. Grass is ok for practicing ollies.
• There are special boards with off-road wheels, and bearing protection,if you want to be able to ride in dirt or sand.

Things You’ll Need

• Open space for jumping, preferably a flat, paved area.
• Plans for your ramp.
• A few 2×4’s
• A couple sheets of decent plywood
• Hammer
• Nails
• Level or straight edge
• Pencil/marker for design
• Some good friends to help out and have a good time doing it!
• money

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