Roarockit Skateboard Company provides the tools, technology, materials and curriculum for building custom skateboard decks. Students learn how to glue, laminate and finish quality maple boards in a vacuum press. No experience required, non-toxic, green technology and local to North America. This program provides a proven way for students to earn high school credits, and connects well with at-risk students. Teacher's Kits are available, along with bulk materials to outfit a small after school group to a full-term high school construction technology program. Compulsory topics can be integrated into the building such as physics, math, art and design, and woodworking. Visit our website for more information: roarockit.com

1. Roarockit Skateboard Company

2. [Schools and Groups]
Build Skateboard
Decks in Class! Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
Skateboard Deck building can be
used as a focus to include a wide Math, Science and the Physics
range of subjects into your curricu- of Vacuum
lum. Woodworking without
Power Tools
Help your students earn their manda- Skateboards are Green
tory and elective credits while
Skateboard Art and Design
building skateboard decks in class or
just build decks for fun! Business and Entrepreneurship
Teamwork, Leadership
Easy to teach, easy to learn, a win-win and Mentorship
for students and teachers.
How to do it?
Teachers now building skateboard Taking it Further
decks in class report that:
- attendance levels are up Materials/Resources
- students are focused, attentive and apply themselves to complete their
decks
- At-Risk, Over/Under achievers easily grasp the learning concepts and excel
- teamwork and mentorship occur naturally during the build process
- students discover hand work skills they didn’t know they had
- the program provides great flexibility to include required learning
- students relate well to skateboards and its counter-culture aspects
- it is a great opportunity to involve their immediate and outside community
- it can be a self-supporting program for materials
- is a great fund-raising program
Students build a laminated maple veneer deck which they can be proud to display as
an art project, or eventually use as transportation or exercise. Hardware does not need
to be a part of this project, keeping costs and liability issues to a minimum.
Roarockit skateboard deck builds do not require the use of power tools and can be
done in any classroom or even outdoors. No harmful glues, paints or coatings need to
be used. Kit parts and materials are 99% North American grown and/or made!
Skateboard Deck Building works for:
At-Risk Youth - After School - Practical Arts - Incentive / Rewards - Environmental
Projects - - Shop Class – Technical Construction – Math, Science and Physics - Art and
Design - Youth Outreach - Mentorship - Summer Camp – Skate Park and Store related
events - School and Community Fundraisers

3. Full Curriculums and
Lessons Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
Building skateboard decks in class
provides the opportunity to incor- Math, Science and the Physics
porate many lessons, some of which of Vacuum
are outlined below. Woodworking without
Power Tools
The Roarockit deck building system Skateboards are Green
has been working successfully in
Skateboard Art and Design
schools around the world since
2000. Business and Entrepreneurship
Teamwork, Leadership
Our Education Consultant, Craig and Mentorship
Morrison is a high school teacher in
How to do it?
Toronto Canada who has recently
expanded his already successful Taking it Further
Skateboard Factory program to
include a full-time curriculum based on skateboard deck building and street art. Materials/Resources
Craig will be offering his students a curriculum to allow them to earn high school
compulsary and elective credits over 2 semesters. Students will gain entrepreneurial
experience, and also receive an honorarium!
We invite you to visit oasisskateboardfactory.blogspot.com, for a progress report on
his exciting programs!
Curriculum Subjects to consider working into your own school program: (click to
open each topic in a new window)
Science and the Physics of Vacuum Pressure: Roarockit Skateboards are made
with atmospheric pressure to press the veneers over a mold into shape. Include
your own relevant experiments about the physics and practical uses of vacuum.
Woodworking: Maple veneers are known to be the best in the world for skate-
boards and are included in Roarockit deck kits. Learning about grain direction,
strength of wood, preparing, gluing and finishing are just a few of the lessons
possible.
Environment: Skateboards have a “green” approach to many topics, including
transportation, locally aquired materials, hand built, non-toxic materials, and leave
only a small carbon footprint.
Art & Design: This section is generally the area that can be expanded the most and
can fill an entire semester. Include deck graphic concepts, the history of deck art,
design and application, and many more topics.
Business and Entrepreneurship: Create an ongoing program by building multiple
decks with the reusable tools and Thin Air Press Kits. Create a company store,
manage the funds, find sponsors, this can all be part of an ongoing program.
Leadership: Once students have the skills to build a skateboard deck, they can then
assist or teach others through mentorship, outreach, summer camp and after-
school programs.

4. Science and Physics
Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Math, Science and the Physics of
Vacuum Pressure: Building skateboard Curriculums and Lessons
decks using atmospheric pressure is a
simple yet effective way to understand Math, Science and the Physics
of Vacuum
what vacuum is.
Woodworking without
Power Tools
Can you bend 7 layers of 1/16” maple
Skateboards are Green
veneer at once using a plastic wine pump
and a vinyl bag? Skateboard Art and Design
Learn why the vacuum created inside a Business and Entrepreneurship
Thin Air Press is so powerful! Use a Teamwork, Leadership
mathematical formula to work out how and Mentorship
many psi are generated by the high How to do it?
pressure pump over the area of a skate-
board deck. Taking it Further
Materials/Resources
Points of Learning:
- what is vacuum?
- what is atmospheric pressure?
- how is vacuum pressure measured?
- how many psi per deck is generated inside a Thin Air Press?
- why does the foam mold not crush under the pressure?
- when does water boil?
- why does the skateboard glue dry in the vacuum bag but not in the bottle?
- how does vacuum relate to outer space?
- what would happen if astronauts didn’t wear space suits?
- study vacuum technology in the sports, aeronautics and other industries
Demonstrations, Experiments and Activities:*
Levitation with Lung Power - incredibly, air can lift a person!
Balloon in a Bottle - why can’t you do it?
Suck an Egg into a Jar - it happens before your eyes
Magic Lid - atmospheric pressure vs. gravity, what’s the difference?
*descriptions of these are included in our Teacher’s Kits Mini-Curriculums
(with thanks to teacher Leanne McKee)

5. Woodworking Without
Power Tools Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
For years, power tools have become
the mainstay of the woodworking Math, Science and the Physics
world. While they certainly have their of Vacuum
place, hand tools are also a viable Woodworking without
Power Tools
way to work with wood.
Skateboards are Green
Vacuum press technology is not new,
Skateboard Art and Design
however until the Thin Air Press Kit was
invented, the process was rather Business and Entrepreneurship
complicated and expensive. Ted
Teamwork, Leadership
Hunter’s invention has simplified the and Mentorship
process of vacuum laminating to its
How to do it?
essence, making it easy to use and much
less expensive. Working with hand tools Taking it Further
also avoids insurance and liability issues, which are considerations in some shops and
schools. Materials/Resources
Some reading this may consider using a vinyl bag, foam mold and a hand vacuum
pump a tad simple for doing “serious” woodworking. However old dogs CAN learn
new tricks from the thousands of students who have successfully laminated 7 layers
of 1/16” maple veneer into a 3-dimensional skateboard deck by hand power!
Points of Learning
Wood:
- preparing veneer sheets with sand paper
- understanding grain direction of wood veneers
- why has the skateboard industry standardized on 7 layers in a deck
- what is the order of grain direction in a deck?
- is all maple the same?
- understanding the strength vs. flexibility of maple veneer
- why do the veneers change length and width on their own?
- what sorts of glue are used for wood laminating
- how do they make colored veneer?
- laminate colored veneer internally or as a face sheet
- using inlay or marquetry as a decorative finish
Tools:
- how does a vacuum bag work as a clamp and why use it?
- what’s the difference between a vacuum cleaner and the hand pump?
- why not use an industrial electric vacuum pump?
- using a hand scraper, hand plane, spoke shave or rasp to finish the edges
- what grades of sandpaper to use, and in what order to smooth the deck?
- how to use a wood clamp
- what other uses would the Thin Air Press be good for?
Finishing:
- stains, water-based or spray (solvent) paints, which to use and why?
- clear coatings, which to use, when and why?
- how to apply stains, paints and coatings successfully
- sanding between finish coats for exceptional finishes

6. Skateboards are GREEN
Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Making Skateboards is even GREENER!!
Curriculums and Lessons
Roarockit Skateboard kits are composed of
locally available materials. Especially the Math, Science and the Physics
of Vacuum
all-important maple veneer, which is grown,
Woodworking without
harvested and milled in eastern Canada. Power Tools
Skateboards are Green
Skateboards contribute many environmental
benefits to our society: Skateboard Art and Design
- Skateboards are non-powered eco-friendly Business and Entrepreneurship
transportation Teamwork, Leadership
- Skateboards are a non-cost form of exercise and Mentorship
How to do it?
Roarockit Skateboard Deck Kits lower the carbon footprint:
Taking it Further
- the best skateboard wood in the world is locally grown (specifically Cana-
Materials/Resources
dian) maple veneer
- maple logs are simply rotary cut into sheets and kiln dried
- wood is not heavily processed with bleaches and glues (like bamboo)
- transport of materials is local not off-shore
- no power tools are used for the deck building process
- kit parts are all (or almost all) reusable and or recyclable
- kits are designed for years of use
- kits can be used for other laminated projects, not just skateboards
- finished decks are built to last many years, not disposable
- glues, paints and coatings are water-based
- hand deck building supports local businesses and workers
- hand deck building promotes do-it-yourself projects instead of offshore and
off the shelf purchases
- custom deck building provides a potential local business to small builders

7. Skateboard Art and
Design Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
Skateboard art culture is an exciting
and relevant topic with many Math, Science and the Physics
branches to explore in both the of Vacuum
underground and legitimate art Woodworking without
Power Tools
worlds.
Skateboards are Green
This is the most flexible and expandable
Skateboard Art and Design
part of using skateboard deck building
in a curriculum. From simply designing Business and Entrepreneurship
and painting a sanded deck, to an
Teamwork, Leadership
in-depth exploration of its history, and Mentorship
skateboard art provides a rich resource
How to do it?
for learning and discussion.
Taking it Further
Art sessions can start even before the decks are built, and carry on past when they
are finished and ready to hang in an exhibition! Materials/Resources
Points of Learning:
- Elements and Principles of Design
- Logo design (encourage individual creation of personal or school logos)
- Copyright and intellectual property rights of art
- Social Messaging - local and world street art
- Stencil art
- Skate Park art (perhaps a field trip?)
- Pop culture relating to skateboards
- History of skateboard art
- Graffiti and street art, current and historical
- Stages of design, from thumbnail sketches to final layouts
- Color theory, terms and definitions
- Type fonts, hand lettering
- Using symbols to represent other things
- Paints: oil/solvent based, water based, stains
- Paint application: brush, sponge, spray, airbrush, roller, layering
- Masking tape stenciling for one-off designs
- Hand cut stencils for repeat elements, intricate patterns and design
elements
- Designing for a customer, approvals and delivery
- Art show event planning and advertising posters and flyers
- Setting up an art show, location and hanging a show
- Displaying skateboard final art decks with backdrops, support materials

8. Business and
Entrepreneurship Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
Create an ongoing program by
building multiple decks with the Math, Science and the Physics
reusable tools and Thin Air Press Kits. of Vacuum
Create a company store, manage the Woodworking without
Power Tools
funds, find sponsors, while providing
a compelling reason to come to class! Skateboards are Green
Skateboard Art and Design
The Oasis Skateboard Factory Model:
each student builds 2 (or more) skate- Business and Entrepreneurship
board decks. One deck becomes their
Teamwork, Leadership
own , then they are required to use and Mentorship
their creativity to market the other deck
How to do it?
to a member of the outside community.
The challenge is to offer their product Taking it Further
for sale, then support that sale by
completing the assignment to the customer’s satisfaction on delivery. Most of Oasis’ Materials/Resources
finished skateboard “products” are now fixtures at coffee houses and other shops
both locally and beyond the school.
Points of Learning:
- designing a marketable skateboard deck “product”
- creating a business plan
- supply & cost of raw materials
- applying for grants, loans or donations
- managing funds, book keeping and balance sheets
- management of production schedules and delivery commitments
- sales and marketing of the skateboard decks
- promotional ideas and methods
- entrepreneurship in the skateboard industry
- contributing to society and the skateboard world
- creating and delivering a social message through skateboard deck building
We are excited to announce that the first school (that we know of ) has developed a
full 2-Semester credit program for grades 9, 10 and 11. ALL courses are taught with a
Skateboard Theme including running an entrepreneurial business. Students work
with local artists & business sponsors to design custom skateboards and get the
opportunity to receive an honorarium. Students present community workshops and
art displays.
Artist/Teacher Craig Morrison is well known for his Arts & Social Change Program at
the Oasis Alternative School, and as well as his Stencil Art seminars and teachings.
Craig has masterminded this new teaching venture, which you are welcome to view:
http://oasisskateboardfactory.blogspot.com/

9. Teamwork, Leader-
ship and Mentorship! Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
Laminating decks with the
Roarockit process works best as a Math, Science and the Physics
team effort! of Vacuum
Woodworking without
Power Tools
Teachers report a high level of
cooperation and interaction Skateboards are Green
between students during these
Skateboard Art and Design
builds! Age, ability and other
issues disappear while they help Business and Entrepreneurship
each other master the process of
Teamwork, Leadership
laminating, finishing, painting and and Mentorship
displaying their skateboard decks.
How to do it?
From the skate park rider, to the Taking it Further
woodworker, to the student more interested in the art side of the project, bringing
them together with one project allows each student the opportunity to make a Materials/Resources
significant contribution to the class experience.
Once the build process has been learned, each student (depending on age) has
the potential to become a teacher or assistant. Leadership and Life Skill lessons
can be developed with this process, with programs and venues such as:
- Mentorship Programs
- After School Programs
- At-Risk Programs
- Lower School assistance
- Outreach Programs in local and beyond communities
- Skate Park Events
- Professional Development Sessions
- Science / Practical Arts Sessions
- Science Fair Demonstrations
- Summer Camps
The teamwork required to build skateboards makes this an ideal program to bring
students together. Many others will find skills they didn’t know they possessed.
Empowered by knowing how to make a skateboard has given many students the
confidence to overcome “issues”.
Skateboard deck building has proven itself to be the missing ingredient to a
curriculum that engages youth.
Points of Learning:
- Teamwork
- Leadership Skills
- Mentoring Skills

10. How to do it?
Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Teacher’s Kits are the very best way
to become familiar with the deck Curriculums and Lessons
building process, available in Street
Deck and Long Board sizes. Math, Science and the Physics
of Vacuum
Woodworking without
Both kits include 2 sets of veneer and Power Tools
glue as well as ALL the reusable tools,
Skateboards are Green
materials, instructions plus a mini-
curriculum to help you set up your own Skateboard Art and Design
class program.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Start by using one set of veneer and Teamwork, Leadership
glue to actually build one deck, and Mentorship
learning the system with your own How to do it?
hands-on session. Use the other set as a
demonstration for your school adminis- Taking it Further
tration, to promote interest in your classes or group, or incorporate the extra set
Materials/Resources
during the first class session.
The foam mold, Thin Air Press and tools are all reusable, and can be used for many
many builds.
Even if your school is equipped with parts included in these kits, we highly recom-
mend at least one Teacher’s Kit, so that the full experience of laminating and finish-
ing process is understood.
All materials and tools are available individually from Roarockit by order form, please
request a pdf to be emailed to you.
Funding: this is a major issue with almost all schools. While we frequently get
requests for donations, what we offer instead are suggestions on how schools have
found a way to start up a skateboard building program for their students.
The start-up portion of setting up a class can quickly use up a budget. However once
the tools are invested in, they are reusable and only require glue and veneer to
continue building decks in class after class.
GRANTS: are perfect to cover the initial investment of the reusable tools. Materials
can then be self-sustaining through sales or auctions of finished decks. (many
schools require students to build 2 decks per term for this reason).
MATERIALS FEE: on a per-student basis, collect the cost of the “consumable” items
(veneer and glue) instead of using the yearly budget.
SKATEBOARD FACTORY: generate a self-sustaining program by operatng a company
store and generating income through sales. Offer a credit or life skills course for the
management of this program.
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP: through personal, school and community connections.
MENTORSHIP PROGRAMMING: budgets may be available to groups that involve
mentorship. Match up pairs of under and over achievers to create a learning and
support system within your own classroom.

11. Taking it Further
Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
All over the world, thousands of custom
decks such as pool boards, drop decks, Curriculums and Lessons
dancers and downhill boards have been
designed and pressed using the Math, Science and the Physics
of Vacuum
Roarockit system by enterprising
Woodworking without
builders. Power Tools
Skateboards are Green
With Ted Hunter’s pioneering use of
foam to shape the mold, builders can Skateboard Art and Design
now design and shape their own styles
of decks. Tutorials are posted here. Business and Entrepreneurship
Teamwork, Leadership
Composite materials such as carbon fiber and Mentorship
and fiberglass can also be used in the Thin How to do it?
Air Press. Inlay and marquetry have also
been used with great success. Taking it Further
Materials/Resources
Veneer is available in uncut sheets for custom shaping, as well as larger Thin Air Press
vacuum bags. Use of a bandsaw or jigsaw will be required to trim out custom shapes.
Points of Learning:
- explore existing skateboard styles, shapes in relation to their uses
- construction planning and designing for a new or improved skateboard
- include these construction properties
- changing the number of veneer layers
- including more or less cross band grain or long grain layers
- strength and flexibility vs shape
- using different adhesives, ie: wood glue vs epoxy
- learning to use composite materials, ie: carbon and fiberglass
- drafting custom templates for a new deck design
- shaping foam molds using templates, foam sheets and hand tools
- hands-on experimentation while building custom decks
- hot wire method to shape a foam mold
Please note that Taking the Process Further as listed on this page requires a high level
of experience with both building decks in the Roarockit Thin Air Press and using
composite materials. This is not recommended for first time builders, trust us!!

12. Materials and
Resources Build Skateboard Decks in Class!
Curriculums and Lessons
All tools and materials are
available to schools as indi- Math, Science and the Physics
of Vacuum
vidual items, and in bulk ship Woodworking without
packs from our downloadable Power Tools
pdf form. Skateboards are Green
Skateboard Art and Design
Business and Entrepreneurship
Teamwork, Leadership
and Mentorship
How to do it?
Taking it Further
Materials: Materials/Resources
All Roarockit tools and materials are available to schools as individual items from
our downloadable pdf order form below.
We highly recommend that you select one of our Teacher's Kit (see items below) to
lead you through firsthand through the process of using the Roarockit Thin Air
Press technology. Also available as an introduction to vacuum laminating, are the
mini-Thin Air Press kits, a great way to keep projects on a small scale
We can assist you to choose only the materials you require, please email or call
Norah at 416 938 4588 EST. Email or fax your list of items along with your city and
zip/postal code for a ship quote. For any additional items, or items not listed here,
include them with pricing as per our website.
Please Note: Purchase Orders are accepted only from North American schools, all
other countries orders must be pre-paid by credit card (by phone or online) or wire
transfer. We appreciate your understanding.
Resources:
Many schools have been building skateboard decks as ongoing projects, in
different formats. For some inspiring reading, please visit some of our current
school websites. And if you would like your school or group to be included here,
please email us the details and your link!
Oasis Skateboard Factory (Toronto, ON)
http://oasisskateboardfactory.blogspot.ca
For tutorials on deck building steps and woodworking vacuum projects:
http://ministryofwood.com