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How To Make A Concrete Fingerboard Obstacle

Watch the video below, and then follow this guide to learn exactly how to create skateable concrete sculptures.

Tools and Materials

• Rapid-set cement

  • Cement-All brand recommended

• Sheet of aluminum

  • An aluminum “FOR SALE” sign is a cheap option

• Thick paper or cardboard

• Sandpaper of varying grit (150, 220, and 400)

• Masking tape

• Mixing bucket or vessel

• Level

• Hot glue gun & glue

• Strait edge or metal ruler

• Mixing tool

• Protective gloves

• Protective eyewear and face mask

• Chicken wire (optional)

• Spray clear coat (optional)

Designing a fingerboard obstacle:

Start in your mind’s eye. Try and visualize the most beautiful skate spot that you can conceive. Think about which angle a skater may approach, and how backside and frontside tricks might be executed. With your eyes open, translate this image onto the paper with a few sketches.

Making a mold of the Fingerboard Obstacle:

Once you’re set on the design, create a model by drawing out the actual faces of your shape, connecting them along folding lines. This model should be drawn with the actual dimensions that you have in mind, such that it may be cut out in one or more pieces and taped together.

Take care to make angles precise and use a strait edge to ensure that the obstacle has a uniform height. The blueprint below was designed with a height of 40mm.

Cut out your design from the paper, and layer it on top of your aluminum sheet. Trace your design to make an exact replica on the aluminum. Draw interior lines to indicate where the model should be folded.

Cut out the aluminum shape, and begin to bend it into a model of your obstacle. Using a strait edge and clamps will allow you to apply even pressure while bending.

Admire the shape of your obstacle, then begin taping all of the seams with masking tape. Use as much tape as necessary to ensure that the mold is water-tight and no cement will leak out once poured.

On a flat surface, use a level to check that your mold is not crooked. This is a critical step. Even if the pour is executed perfectly, the result will be a wobbly obstacle if the surface is not level.

While there is plenty of technique to pouring concrete, the quality and shape of your mold is the ultimate determinant of how well your sculpture will come out. Just as fine artists will aim to show no brushstrokes in their masterpieces, the best molded concrete sculptures are smooth and consistent.

Reinforcement:

Before you pour the concrete, consider the overall shape of the obstacle and if it has any potential weak points in its structure. It may be a good idea to support these areas with a wire skeleton. I find that chicken wire or wire mesh works well. Reinforcing the shape ensures that if the object cracks, it doesn’t break fully in two pieces.

Simply cut chicken wire into the shape of your mold and set it inside.

It’s time to pour.

Pouring a Concrete fingerboard obstacle:

I recommend Cement-All brand cement, for its ease of mixing, quick cure time, and smooth finish. Cement-All has a 4:1 mix to water ratio.

Once you’ve added the water to the cement mix, stir thoroughly. Turn the mix over while scraping the bottom to make a homogenous mixture with no dry lumps. Just like making pancakes!

Make sure you are wearing a face mask, eye protection, and gloves. Wet, uncured cement can reach pH levels of 12 or higher (extremely basic) and contact with the skin can cause burns. You don’t want to breathe this stuff in either.

When pouring concrete, make sure you have a game plan. have all of your tools laid-out. This will allow you to move quickly and prevent the material from thickening before your work is complete.

You should aim to have your concrete fully-poured within 4 minutes of adding the water to your dry mix.

Fill the mold evenly, making sure the wet material reaches any corners first. Once the mold is full, shake and vibrate the mold vigorously. This will allow air bubbles to rise out of the pour.

Within 15 minutes, the cement will harden. The cement will be fully stable in 1 hour, and ready to be de-molded in 2.5 hours.

De-mold your sculpture. If you plan to re-use the aluminum mold, take care not to bend it.

Finishing the obstacle

Admire/evalutate your work! There will likely be some rough edges, which can be sanded down. At this point you want to assess if the result was what you expected. If you aren’t happy with the result, was it because of the mold? Was the surface not level? Depending on how successful the result was, you may want to go back to the drawing board. If you’re stoked, it’s time for sanding.

Sanding:

Begin with a low-grit sandpaper like 150 or 220, sanding every surface evenly and leveling-off any excess material around the edges. Once thoroughly sanded, move to a higher grit sandpaper such as 400 to achieve a consistent finish.

Finally, wipe any cement dust off of the sculpture with a damp sponge or rag. For a silky smooth finish, add a few drops of water to the surface of your obstacle and sand with your high grit sandpaper in a circular motion. This wet-sanding will leave your obstacle with the baby’s-bottom finish that I’m certain you’re after.

sealing:

Choosing to seal the obstacle is a matter of preference. Some prefer the tactile sensation of a “crunchy” ledge. If this is what you’re going for, then there’s no need for sealing.

Alternatively, a few layers of a spray clear coat will provide a lasting, buttery ledge and a shiny finish.

If you wish to seal your obstacle, spray a few even coats of satin finish clear coat, with about 30 minutes between each coat.

Fingerboarding is so much more than skating at 1:8 scale.

The Bounty Archive Structure-1 was designed by Erik Reeves.

Please leave a comment if this guide was helpful.

If you have any questions about this process, materials, fingerboarding, or otherwise, contact Bounty Archive Management.