Pablo's Weekly Workshop Diary: 18th October 2026

Oct 19

8 min read

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9yH49jg-Ats

Another week, another collection of custom quad roller skates heading out of the Pabloskates workshop! This week has been all about getting skates finished, packed up and into the hands of their new owners. We've had some classic Nike Bauer Vapor VIIs, a couple of lovely Bauer Vapor X200 builds, a customer conversion involving the fantastic Nike Flexlite 7 boots and a striking set of Bauer NSXs. We've also been sending out our 3D printed jam plugs, with orders coming through eBay, Vinted and directly from our regular customers. It's been a proper mixture of old-school hockey boots, modern quad skate hardware and plenty of time spent at the workbench. Let's have a look at what's been happening! 🛼🔥

🏒 Nike Bauer Vapor VII Quad Skates Find a New Home!

First up this week, we've said goodbye to a lovely pair of classic Nike Bauer Vapor VII quad roller skates, which have been sold through Vinted and are heading off to their new owners. These older Nike Bauer boots have a fantastic retro look, with their silver, black and red detailing and unmistakable early Vapor styling. They've been converted to quad skates and fitted with traditional-style plates, giving them a whole new lease of life long after their original days on the ice. There's something particularly satisfying about seeing these older hockey boots still being used rather than ending up forgotten in someone's garage or, even worse, thrown away. They don't make them quite like this anymore, and we're always pleased when another pair finds someone who'll appreciate them. Enjoy your new skates! 📦❤️

💜 Bauer Vapor X200s Heading to Someone We Skate With!

Next up, a beautiful pair of Bauer Vapor X200 quad roller skates, finished with white plates and purple-and-white laces. These have gone to someone we regularly skate with at Rollerworld Derby, which makes this particular sale a little more personal. Normally, once a pair of skates leaves the workshop, we don't get to see much of them again, but this time we'll hopefully get to see them being enjoyed out on the rink! The black Bauer boots look fantastic against the bright white plates, while the purple laces add just enough colour to make the whole setup stand out. One of the best parts of running Pabloskates is seeing people actually using the skates we've built, especially when they're people we know from our own skating sessions. We're looking forward to seeing these rolling around Rollerworld! 💜🛼

🖤 Nike Flexlite 7s on Sure-Grip Avenger DA 45 Plates!

Now here's a combination we absolutely love! This week we've been working on a customer conversion featuring a pair of Nike Flexlite 7 hockey boots mounted on black Sure-Grip Avenger DA 45 plates. The Flexlite range has always been one of our favourites for quad conversions, and the distinctive silver styling of these boots looks fantastic sitting above the black Avenger plates. Unlike traditional 10-degree plates, the Avengers use a 45-degree double-action truck arrangement, offering a very different skating feel with plenty of potential for responsive turning and manoeuvrability. Getting the mounting position right is particularly important with these plates, especially because of their shorter wheelbase and distinctive truck geometry. This is exactly the sort of custom work we love doing at Pabloskates, taking a fantastic pair of hockey boots and combining them with quality roller skate hardware to create something completely different. What a cracking-looking setup! 🔥🛠️

🔴 Bauer NSX Quad Skates Sold on eBay!

Another pair leaving the workshop this week is this striking set of Bauer NSX quad roller skates, which have been sold through eBay. These boots feature Bauer's distinctive black styling with red detailing, and the bright red plates really bring the whole build together. Add the matching red-and-black laces and red axle detailing, and you've got a pair of skates that certainly aren't going to disappear into the background! We love a properly coordinated build, and this one is a great example of how choosing the right plate colour can completely transform the appearance of a pair of hockey boots. The Bauer NSX is another popular model for quad conversions, and it's always good to see one of our completed builds heading off to a new owner. Another pair packed up, another happy skater hopefully just around the corner! ❤️📦

❤️ Another Pair of Bauer Vapor X200s for a Regular Customer!

The Bauer Vapor X200s have clearly been popular this week, because we've also had another pair sold to one of our regular customers! This time the boots are finished with white quad plates and red-and-black laces, giving them a completely different appearance from the purple-laced pair featured earlier. It's amazing how something as simple as changing the lace colour can alter the look of an otherwise similar setup. The black boots, white plates and red accents work particularly well together, creating a classic sporty colour combination. We always appreciate repeat customers because it means someone has trusted us enough to come back for more, and for a small independent workshop like ours, that really does mean a lot. Thanks again for the continued support, and we hope you enjoy your latest addition to the skate collection! 🛼🔥

🖨️ Our 3D Printed Jam Plugs Are Selling on eBay!

It's not just complete skates heading out of the workshop this week! We've also had more of our Pabloskates 3D printed jam and dance plugs selling through eBay. These little accessories might not look particularly exciting compared with a complete custom skate build, but they're a great example of how we've been expanding what we manufacture ourselves. Available in a variety of colours and designs, our jam plugs are intended for skaters who prefer something smaller than a traditional toe stop when practising spins, pivots and dance skating. They're deliberately affordable at just £1 per pair when purchased directly from our website, because they're designed to be inexpensive, replaceable accessories rather than something you need to worry about scratching. We make them right here in the workshop, and it's lovely to see people discovering them through different selling platforms. Who knew a little bit of 3D printed plastic could keep us so busy? 😂🖨️

🖤 Bauer X-LS Quad Skates with Black Ventro Pro Turbo Wheels!

Rounding off this week's collection of outgoing skates is a lovely pair of Bauer X-LS quad roller skates, which have been sold through Vinted. These are finished with black plates and black Ventro Pro Turbo wheels, creating a wonderfully coordinated all-black setup. The white Bauer branding and detailing provide just enough contrast to stop everything blending together, while the black wheels give the skates a purposeful, understated appearance. Not everyone wants bright colours and flashy accessories, and sometimes a simple black-and-white combination is exactly what works best. The X-LS is another modern Bauer boot that lends itself nicely to quad conversions, and it's great to see another pair heading off to someone who's going to put them to good use. Enjoy the skating! 📦🛼

📦 eBay, Vinted and Regular Customers: Keeping the Workshop Busy!

One thing that's particularly noticeable about this week is the variety of ways customers have been finding and buying our skates. We've had complete builds selling through eBay and Vinted, repeat business from regular customers and a custom conversion for someone who already had their own boots. That's exactly the sort of mixture that keeps a small independent skate workshop ticking over. Some people discover Pabloskates while looking for a particular pair of vintage hockey boots, others come to us specifically for a custom conversion, and some already know us from the skating community. Whatever brings someone to the workshop, the aim is always the same: properly converted quad roller skates, carefully assembled and ready to be enjoyed. It's especially satisfying when a customer comes back for another pair or recommends us to someone else. That sort of support means more than any advertising campaign ever could! ❤️🛼

🛠️ Why Proper Hockey Skate Conversions Matter

If you've followed Pabloskates for a while, you'll know that we take our hockey skate conversions seriously. Turning an ice hockey boot into a quad roller skate involves considerably more than simply removing the blade and bolting a plate underneath. Every boot is different, and the construction of the sole, the mounting position, the shape of the plate and the hardware being used all need to be considered. Some boots require additional carbon fibre reinforcement, while others have moulded soles that need a different mounting approach. We've worked on a huge variety of Nike, Bauer and other hockey boots over the years, and that experience helps us choose an appropriate solution for each build. Whether it's a traditional plate or something more specialised like the Sure-Grip Avenger, our priority is always creating a properly mounted setup rather than simply making something that looks good in a photograph. Although looking good certainly doesn't hurt! 😉🔧

❤️ Thank You for Supporting Pabloskates!

Another week of orders, another collection of skates heading out into the world and another reminder of why we enjoy doing this so much. Whether you've bought a complete pair of quad skates through Vinted, picked up something on eBay, commissioned a custom conversion or ordered a humble £1 pair of jam plugs, your support makes a genuine difference to our little independent business. We're particularly grateful to the people who come back time and again, as well as those we get to skate alongside at Rollerworld Derby. There's something pretty special about being part of the skating community while also helping keep its wheels turning. Thank you to everyone who's supported us this week, and we hope you're all enjoying your skates! ❤️🛼🔥

🛒 Looking for Your Own Custom Quad Roller Skates?

If you've got an old pair of ice hockey boots sitting in a cupboard, or you've spotted a pair of vintage Nike or Bauer skates that you'd love to turn into quads, why not get in touch? At Pabloskates, we specialise in converting ice hockey boots into custom quad roller skates, alongside plate mounting, de-blading, carbon fibre reinforcement and a growing range of wheels, bearings, laces, toe stops and 3D printed accessories. We also regularly list completed skate builds through our online selling channels, so there's always something interesting coming and going. Visit https://www.pabloskates.com to explore our products and services, or contact us to discuss your next custom build. You never know, your skates might end up appearing in a future workshop diary! 😁🛼

🛼 Until Next Week!

That's another week wrapped up at Pabloskates! We've said goodbye to some lovely classic Nike Bauer Vapor VIIs, sent two very different pairs of Vapor X200s to their new owners, worked on a fantastic Flexlite 7 conversion with Avenger plates and dispatched more Bauer NSX and X-LS builds. Even our little 3D printed jam plugs have been getting in on the action! It's been a week of keeping the workshop moving, finding new homes for old-school hockey boots and getting more people rolling on custom quad skates. As always, a massive thank you to everyone who has placed an order, followed our progress or recommended Pabloskates to a fellow skater. Have a brilliant week, enjoy your skating, and we'll see you in the next workshop diary! 🛼❤️🔥

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See you next week for another workshop update!

Paul – Owner, Pabloskates

Roller skating is an incredibly subjective activity, and what works brilliantly for one skater might not work at all for another. Everything from boots, plates, wheels and cushions to mounting positions and skating techniques comes down to personal preference, experience, skating style and individual comfort. The opinions, reviews and recommendations I share are based on my own knowledge, experience and time spent both building and skating on different setups. They are my opinions, not universal truths. Your experience may be completely different, and that's absolutely fine! There's rarely one perfect setup that suits everyone. I always encourage skaters to experiment, ask questions and discover what works best for them, while ensuring their equipment is properly fitted and safe to use. Ultimately, the best setup is the one that works for you, not necessarily the one that works for me.