They are longer and wider than a traditional skateboard, and their larger wheels allow riders to move faster, and enjoy the thrill of speeding down a steep hill with ease.
Meaford resident Alistair McCall discovered the sport of longboarding while at college studying computer science.
“Most people discover new things when they go to college, I discovered longboarding,” explains McCall, “One of my roommates had a board, I jumped on it and I discovered that I could go really far, really fast, and I didn't fall off it like a normal skateboard.”
Along with his instant love of the sport came a desire to make his own boards, so from his workshop in rural Meaford with the help of a few friends, McCall has been quietly churning out custom-made, hand crafted longboards for the last four years, and now with his company AM Wood Skateboard Co., McCall is hoping to step it up a notch.
AM Wood shifted into a full time business in March, and this year alone they have produced more than 120 longboards that have been shipped to customers across North America. From Southern Ontario to the southern United States, longboarders are discovering these high quality boards that are produced right here in Meaford.
“They are going absolutely everywhere,” says McCall with justifiable pride, “I have a lot of customers in Texas and California. Lucky them, they don't get snow.”
McCall says that there is a large longboarding community in Toronto, and his sales have been growing there too.
He points out that the longboarding community is different than the often stereotyped street-skater community. Show up at a longboarding event says McCall, and you won't find a crowd of shaggy-haired, reckless daredevils. Instead you will see a community that puts safety first, with nearly all participants donning protective helmets, elbow pads, and slide gloves to protect their hands.
“It is a different culture. For us, no helmet equals no fun,” offers McCall.
That difference in culture is perhaps in part why AM Wood boards are developing an ever-growing fan base.
AM Wood boards are produced with environmentally responsible materials, and top quality components.
“Our boards are made right here in Meaford. One guy handles the production from start to finish. So you get exceptional finishes. Many longboards have almost a mirror finish on the bottom of the deck. On our higher end boards I focus a lot on green materials and low impact construction,” explains McCall.
In order to reduce the environmental impact of producing their boards, AM Wood uses Canadian Maple wood, water-based, non-toxic finishes, epoxy resins that are 50 percent biological materials, and recently they have been incorporating woven hemp and basalt materials into their board construction.
Though he had no previous experience with woodworking, McCall was determined to find a way to make his own boards. He attended some workshops to learn the basics, and the rest he has taught himself.
McCall sought the expertise of established board manufacturers online, and he asked a lot of questions, and then spent many hours experimenting in his workshop.
“Then I went into my garage, and I slapped together the most disgustingly MacGyvered press you've ever seen with concrete bags and straps,” recalls McCall with a chuckle, “And somehow I made a board. And I just retired that board two months ago, it lasted me for four years.”
The production process has come a long way since his first attempt to build his own board, and McCall says that AM Wood is ready to grow significantly.
Their product line now includes a range of board styles. From a standard 37 in long board designed for thrills on the hills to a dancing board that is five feet in length, AM Wood is constantly designing something new.
“In the next five years I'd like to see us with an industrial workshop with four or five employees, producing three to four thousand boards a year, shipping all over the world. I want this to be big. But the one thing I will never give up is the hands-on approach. I want to keep it local, I want to be as green as I can, and I want to keep the quality way up there,” says McCall.
AM Wood boards are available by visiting their website, and if you have a board enthusiast on your holiday shopping list, there is still time to place an order for one of their locally made longboards. You can also find them on facebook by clicking here.
