Make an "ice rink" but with blocks of graphite, which has a low friction coefficient.

It can be resurfaced as required with a modified Zamboni. When the blocks wear down too much, just replace them. Regular ice skates should work fine.

No need for refrigeration.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 14 2019

wax version Warm-weather_20_27ice_27_20rink
the whole ball o' wax... [gtoal, Jul 15 2019]

Synthetic Ice https://en.wikipedi.../wiki/Synthetic_ice
Synthetic ice is a thing and is usually made with high density polyethylene. [tatterdemalion, Jul 18 2019]

Hockey Shot synthetic ice tiles https://www.hockeyshot.ca
One such manufacturer. [tatterdemalion, Jul 18 2019]

air-sled https://www.amazon....oving/dp/B00BC2028U
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 05 2019]

This chick gets me. https://imgur.com/gallery/ol4d3Tq
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 10 2019]

Just got the weirdest visual from that. Black ice, black lighting, glowing sticks puck rink and uniforms in a nausea inducing fluorescent display of hockey Tron.

<shudders a little>
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 14 2019


Can we? Can we make it dark, add glowsticks, and some techno and ecstasy? There is absolutely no chance that the edition of razor-sharp footwear and dancing to these elements will result in injury.
-- Voice, Jul 14 2019


I'm given to understand, if I recall correctly, that a good deal of the low friction of an ice skate is due to very small scale melting of the ice.
-- Voice, Jul 14 2019


{mutters something about 0K and hovering just above the surface}
-- Dub, Jul 15 2019


I think I posted something like this a few years ago, except with wax rather than graphite. And microwaves under the floor to heat your skate blades to help the wax melt as you skate over it... yep, linked:
-- gtoal, Jul 15 2019


A heated Teflon coated rink would enable users to skate around on frying eggs, or on bacon rind blades. [crumb for the graphite]
-- xenzag, Jul 15 2019


Graphite is very soft, and disintegrates into a fine black powder that gets everywhere. Even a few minutes of working with it gives one the appearance of working in a coal mine. So, you will probably want to provide full face masks and breathing apparatus for your skaters.
-- mitxela, Jul 15 2019


Available at the skate rental counter for a modest extra charge.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 15 2019


I'm not sure if a non-frozen alternative to ice is necessary. These days, it's possible to by skates that have wheels on.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 15 2019


Or even to buy them..... hums contentedly.
-- xenzag, Jul 15 2019


I see you have mis-read, mon amie. An easy mistake for one not fully versed in our language.

Let me give you another example: "Can one misunderstand something?" "Yes, it's possible to by careless reading."
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 15 2019


Actually I think it's you who needs to by a copy of the book 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves'.
-- xenzag, Jul 15 2019


//it's possible to by careless reading// buy the word, or buy the hour?
-- pocmloc, Jul 15 2019


You can't afford him, ducky.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 15 2019


My buyword is "let buygones be buygones".
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 15 2019


Shut up, [bigs], if you know what's good for you.

OK, so we weren't specific about what's underneath thr rink surface. Wr were rather hoping no-one would ask.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 16 2019


Another downside of using graphite is that abrasion by the skates would turn it into PM2.5 carbon dust, which is pretty nasty to the lungs.
-- gtoal, Jul 16 2019


,
-- wjt, Jul 18 2019


Re <links>, polyethylene isn't such a good neutron moderator, unless it's made with C2D4 instead of C2H4 ...
-- 8th of 7, Jul 18 2019


Gallium might work instead of graphite.

Gallium melts at body temperature and is solid at room temperature, so it miiiight melt like water ice.
-- sninctown, Jul 27 2019


Mercury would be interesting; it was used to make near-frictionless self-levelling bearings in lighthouses.

That was before the dangers were fully understood of course. Now, GPS is used for marine navigation, and the practice of using lights on towers to lure ships to where the rocks are has been largely abandoned.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 27 2019


Ice skates are directionally frictionless.

A human-sized air hockey table would be fun, with the small problem of no way to slow down and no way to steer.

A giant tank of mercury, if spun, takes the shape of a parabolic mirror, and could be used to look at stars (directly overhead only) when not being used for skating.
-- sninctown, Aug 03 2019


//A human-sized air hockey table would be fun//

Agreed. I use something called an air-sled at work, [link] to move heavy appliances. It's like two elongated miniature air-hockey tables upside down plugged into the outlet of a shop-vac. You can push a full stand-up freezer around a room with your pinky*, so of course at least once per use somebody** has to try riding them without ending up ass over teakettle to become... HoverMan!.

*Okay so maybe not 'your' pinky.
**As I usually work alone that somebody is almost always me.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 05 2019


// I usually work alone //

Still no progress with the, er, "personal hygiene" issue thrn ?

The new diet didn't help any ? Or the carbolic baths, or the special Adult Garment with the elasticated apertures and the activated carbon lining ?

Don't give up hope ...
-- 8th of 7, Aug 05 2019


Could happen... you don't know.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 05 2019


Ha ha, [8th] is still using carbon moderation in his pile
-- Voice, Aug 15 2019



random, halfbakery