Andrew
Andrew building his skate bar
As a skateboarder, Andrew is conscious that there are few spaces where teenagers can practice skateboarding, biking and roller-blading. At home he uses a rail to skate over which, as he improves, needs to be adjusted for height or angle. This led to his decision to make an adjustable skateboard rail which can be disassembled and taken elsewhere. He could also see real benefit in the possibility that such a product could reduce the related damage that skateboarders cause in public grounds, such as parks and schools, when they search for something to perform their stunts on.
Andrew identified many key factors to consider in the design. He wanted a rail to be adjustable to suit the average skateboarder, who is improving skills, and which could be changed to different heights and lengths. The rail needed to be strong to take being knocked around and able to be left out in all weathers. It needed to be lightweight, easily assembled and disassembled for transportation, and easily stored. It was essential that the leg supports were thin enough that they didn't interfere with the skateboarder and stable enough that the rail wouldn't tip over.
Although he had fellow skateboarders as his clients, Andrew was keen to design a rail that could also be used by bikers and roller-bladers and was conscious of the need to price it to suit his potential market. He originally planned to use stainless steel because of its superior weathering and 'grinding' qualities, but this would be too expensive and a little hard to work with. Instead he compromised and decided on aluminium which is more cost effective and weighs less.
Designs for the skate bar modelled in Google SketchUp
Andrew is pleased with his outcome, particularly the length as a long rail is needed, and that the adjustment works so well. He built it so that it could be attached to another rail if desired, which means the shape of the rail could be changed.
He did some research and found that there isn't anything similar, with these angles and heights, on the market. He thinks there might be a good future for this product, possibly in Australia or the United States.
Andrew says at the start it was quite exciting and that it was a lot of fun doing the experimenting and testing. He enjoyed sharing ideas with other people in the class and found the mixed class worked well, as the Year 13 students could use their experience to help classmates if the teacher was working with somebody else.
Andrew plans to try and pick a harder project in 2007, to push himself a bit more, and is thinking of a career in design when he finishes school.
