:: View topic - How to mass produce Skis and source material

We've got to do an assignment at University.

We have to design a Supply Chain of a Ski and Ski binding.

For instance, what would I make (e.g. wood core) or buy as a manufacturer?

Which are pros and cons of every option etc...

Does anybody know where I can get any relevant information on this topic?

I haven't found that much so far and I guess no Ski manufacturer is willing to blab where they source their materials and how they design their manufacturing processes... At least I have found this forum which gives me a first impression on how to build your own skis;)

Cheers

Thoemel from Snowy Switzerland

Could you possibly ask a bigger question? If you read everything on skibuilders and everything on the graf forum you will get some idea.

-you would need to make the cores yourself or get some specialist woodcompany to make them (like Hess & co).

-you buy the bases from Durasurf if you'r in USA, IMS or Isosport in Europe.

-The edges are from Friedrich Deutch or Walholz-huber in Europe.

-Small stuff like insets are from a couple of places in the states or some place in Europe

-topsheet you get from the same places as bases and sidewalls

-epoxy and fibreglass you can get many places

Then you need a core profiler, and usually a press with a heated mold. (some use an autoclave) of course you need to finish the ski with a basegrinder etc.

there are some usefull videos out there, one nice one here from the Karhu/Line factory;

http://www.grafsnowboards.com/linksidx.htm

what do you study?

Hey

Thanks a lot! I found all these links on this forum after I had written this post....I guess it will help me a lot

I've already been on the hompeage of Hess and it offers a great deal of information.

Well, I study Business Process Management, a mixture of engineering and economics, majoring in Supply Chain Management.

Cheers

Thoemel

http://www.zeroprestige.org/

that's pretty cool....

yup

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/gallery/gallery.asp?action=viewimage&categoryid=4&text=&imageid=196&box=&shownew=

It came out the idea to organise a kind of "Conference on ski building".

There would be one in Europe, and one in US (bigKam).

It will be very interesting and useful to see what are people is doing and it is much nicer to talk live, rather then posting on a forum (no beer on the forum)

It will be also a great occasion to sell/buy/swap materials, like edges and bases, that are usually not very easy to find.

So, who is interested just post when, in his opinion, it is the best time to do that (I would say mid-January, February) and the suited location (I would avoid the big ones).

Then I start by suggesting Innsbruck with all of it's ski-part manifacturers.

during ISPO the 29. jan. -1. feb would be nice.

..and I am totally against that beer thing

That's a great idea! I'll be happy to join for the European meetup if the date is ok.

I'm not that far away from Bernex as I'm currently taking studies in Fribourg so mayme we'll see each othero occasionally when the big white comes to the alpes vaoudoises and valais.

Great idea - we should include some skiing (Nordkette or so) to see the constructions under real world conditions

I agree with that, its solid advice that i would follow myself.

i think a conference is a great idea! Kelvin, littleKam and i have discussed the possibility of having one here this year. we're thinking of an informal one in the Pacific Northwest area come Feb or Mar.

i like that you guys in Europe are thinking of doing one. if you do, keep us informed and write about it. we'll be glad to advertise and post photos and related info from the event.

i envision in the near future an annual SkiBuilders conference where everybody with homemade skis get together to share info. it would be fun to test others' skis. we can even hold races and ski comps. start thinking more about this.

for those interested in a US event this year, please chime in. we'll most likely schedule for Whistler or someplace close to the Seattle this year.

and speaking of Europe. i'll be in Munich on Dec. 28th. from there, i'll be heading to Austria and Cham to ski. i'll be spending some time skiing inbounds as well as in the backcountry. if you're in the area, let me know. we'll make some turns together.

Cool, I wanna spend as much time at winter Austria as possible, so I hope we can meet somewhere and rip some powder lines!

I am living in Maine at this point in time and have should be completing my press in the next few weeks. If my timeline can hold, I plan on skiing on my first pair on my birthday at the end of January.

I would be very interested in meeting to ski and and talk ski building.

Brian