unknownSun May 07, 2006 12:14 pm
Im going to build a pneumatic press this summer to replace my current vacuum molding setup. Im going with a design very similar to the one the guys at GrafSnowboards.com built (see http://www.grafsnowboards.com/ for pictures.) It will be wide enough to press a single snowboard or a pair of skis.
Id like to hear from anyone who has built a similar press about things you would do differently, specific materials used in the press, etc. I.e., what size I-beams did you use, and would you go with larger or smaller ones if you could do it again? What size hoses? Did you use multiple hoses? How has the press been holding up for you over time, etc. Do you feel like you have enough room in your press cavity? How do you ensure that the surface that supports the base mold is actually flat?
Im also going to heat the press with silicon heat blankets. Ive seen good recommendations for MEI, so I figure Ill go with them. Im wondering how many people heat the top vs. the bottom of the board, or both?
Thanks,
Mike
unknownMon May 08, 2006 12:43 am
one-hose press is great. 2*2*18cm wide beams. Be shure to make the press long! about 2,5m total. It's incredible how much space that goes away for all the stuff in the tips (hose clamping, tip-modules bolts, etc) A table out of the press-cavity is nice for layup.
My press has a too narrow cavity, (18cm), I am rebuilding it to 30 cm, nice to have a lot of space.
The cattrack doesn't need 2*2 cm sqare tubes at the middle, use 2*3 and 2*4 and reserve 2*2 for the tips, the curve is so small in the middle that 2*4 don't make a difference.
unknownFri Apr 28, 2006 7:09 pm
i was wondering how do i accuratly shape the rails for the profiler? would it be possible to take a cnc file from snocad (is snocad even good for ski designs?) and have a shop cut them for me? if that wouldnt cost an arm and a leg that is..or is there a good method for doing it by hand? anyways, thanks a lot!
unknownSun Apr 30, 2006 9:07 pm
snocad should be perfectly fine for designing the ski shape. as for shaping the rails i've come to learn that small inaccuracies aren't noticeable. that's just my thought but i've made some skis with major profiling flaws such as severely skewed profiles and even huge dents and i couldn't tell the difference. just spend a little time with your craftsmanship and you'll get good results with less cost. the directions on the site is the method we use to make the rails. good luck!
unknownMon May 01, 2006 4:54 pm
Hey Little Kam, We just ran our first pair of courts using the thickness planer method that you wrote an article about and had a minor problem which I'm hoping you can help out with.
As the end of the core passes under the knives it bounces and chunks of the core are chipped off. It's been our good luck that the broken off chunks don't extend into the "keep" portions of the core. I notice that your core end actually hangs of the end of your wedge jig.
Do you stop the planner before the end of the core passes through?
Any insight will be appreciated.
-J
