A Skateboard Manufacturers Dream

I came across this photo today and figured I should share it with the world.  I had a dream that still to this day I am trying to make a reality.  Back in 1998 when I first started making skateboards I became aware of how hard the manual repetitive labor was completely to manufacturer a skateboard.  I knew that my body could not take the abuse of making decks all the way to retirement.  I figured that there has to be a way to automate the process.  The photo below was nothing more then trial and error.  I had a backup plan but figured I would try this first. 

So what you are looking at is a idea I had to put the radius on the rails of skateboards before it goes through the sanding process.  We have been using a laminate trimmer for years.  A hand held router that puts the radius on the rails of the skateboard deck.  If they are blank or printed no matter what we have to make the rails smooth.  Can you imagine a rail that is not round and hitting your legs messing up on a kick flip?  I invested a ton of time and money on this contraption only to see it not even being fully tested.   Before it was even defiantly done I decided to go with my backup plan.  At this point in the development process I was finding all kinds of reasons why it would not work.  Quickly I went with my backup plan that clearly would cost way more.  In the end we did go with another solution that has been working for us for years that takes the manual labor out.  My employees are glad they don't have to hold that hand trimmer anymore.