:: View topic - Ski building pics

Hi everyone!

I built my first snowboard in 1989. The first snowboard were made of 3 layers of plywood coated with epoxy paint and was actually a pretty good ride. The steel edges were the old type that were attached with screws. Today its not that easy...

Pictures from my latest build

My new template

My edge bender

Core profiling

Test layup

The result

Next pair coming up...

143-112-133 camber 10 mm

2-12-2 Finger joint Ash core

2x600 g triax

Test layup

Cheers!

Nice start! The raised metal logos are a stand out!

Looks good, I'm digging the colorful graphics on the second pair. How did you profile your sidewalls?

Thanks Brazen! More pics coming up!

Thanks Twizzstyle! I think they will look really nice!

I am using a router table? Simple way to do it. You can also use a 45 degree router bit with base side up.

I like the raised metal logos as well. Where did you have them made?

I was referring to the black sidewalls you have attached to your wood core, and how you cut them to match your core. In your router bridge picture there is only the wood core, no sidewalls. I'm always curious how people profile they're plastic sidewalls cause I've never had good luck with it.

This picture was just to show you the router table. I will show some more pics later. I cut them about 2 cm wide and the same height as the wood core. Then I attach them to the core using loctite super glue after some sanding and flame treating. After that I use a router to make the profile. The cores on the last pics I used for a cap construction.

On this pic I use epoxy so attach the sidewalls

When the ski is pressed I just cut it out and then I use the router table to get the nice angle on the sidewalls.

I am still having trouble with keeping my plastic sidewalls to stay on when on am profiling my cores. (using the planer method) What grit sand paper are you using to sand the wood core sides before you glue on the plastic? Just looking for any tips to make it work.

Also, are you routing down the wood core and then gluing on the sidewalls? If so this seems hard for to make the clamps hold at the 2mm thickness.

Thanks

Hi Neatturns!

The sidewall material has to be sanded and flame treated before you glue it to the sidewalls. Use grit 80. I know some guys also glue one string of wood outside the sidewall to keep it together when they use the planer method. I use a router bridge and as long as its nice and clean when attaching the double sided tape it works just fine. If the core moves its ruined.

First sidewalls, then profiling.

I have also noticed that some skis have really thin sidewalls. like 5-6mm or so. Its like a semi cap construction. Maby I will try that nex time...

Beautiful logo. Aluminum?

Hi HP!

Its actually chromed plastic.

This evening I started building my new vacuum press. Inspiration from OAC (Thanks Janne!). It also includes a new mould. Pics below...

Its always possible to make things better...

Hey Deep... looks pretty sick! We're just getting started in this madness (ok, it's been a year!) and actually just pressed our first real board on Saturday. We had some serious issues with core profiling. We built a planer crib and ran it through there a million times. We were within 1 mm and almost finished when the planer gobbled up some core and ripped off the sidewall. UHHHHHHH! Just wondering how your profiling works with the router bridge. I think that might be the direction we'll take, but thought I'd ask how you like it and success/failures with it first. Anyway, your stuff looks great. Keep it up and thanks for the pics/ideas.

Hi Boardergirl!

I am thinking about buying a planer but it will probably only be used to prepair the core for profiling with the router method. The router table is easy to build and easy to use. As long as you are not building for a living its ok.

Make sure the core is absolutly flat. Use really good double sided tape to attach it to the router table. Make sure it sits like a rock. You just need tape were you will run the router. Use a large router bit and work you way clockwise until it looks good.

Good luck!

Ha ha

nice!

Only wood sidewalls these days Janne?

Yeah, the plastics just makes me negative. Some day...

It really saves you a lot of time and it looks nice too. Oak is my favorite

The thing is, I have so much sidewall material that not using it would feel wrong... It was really expensive!

It's always something...

Started up a new project that will keep me busy for a while... Next winter its time for my oldest son to pick up skiing (He loves spending time whith me in the shop) and what would be better than doing it on a pair of deepskis

My son wishing for snow...

New template. 90 cm twintip..

It also requires a very small mould

If you have build kids skiis before, I would love your input

I think Steve (skidesmond) has done little skis. You could also talk to Brett (Brazen), those goofy things he builds are only big enough for children

Very cute boy, he'll be super proud to use his own custom boards!

Thanks Twizzstyle! I know I have seen it somewhere.

I am sure Brazen has it all figured out! Those skis he make are really small and good looking!

The smallest I've made are 150cm. You'll probably be making 110? I think smaller ones are more difficult to make. The core needs to be thinner but still thick enough to hold binding screw.

Can't wait to see them and the little guy ripping it up!

I made a 95cm pair for my kid last season. The core was tough. I used some bamboo that I have left over from a flooring project. The profiling was done by planing the bamboo flat to 9mm and then the rest was with a belt sander only... I know not all that accurate, but they worked fine. He's only really snow plowing anyway...

The core was something like 8mm in the waist and 2-3mm in the tip/tail.

I used my 8mm camber mold and my existing tip and tail molds. The tip rise was a bit low but enough for him to use on groomed trails in a snow plow.

I have some left over birch that I would like to use. 2.5-8-2.5, 90-65-80 is my plan. I hope that will work fine for snow plowing...

Finished the mould this evening..

Thanks for your input guys! More pics coming up!

I made a pair for my boy last year.

Cores are always hard

They were 6mm at the waist and tapered to 1.4mm at tip and tail.

I put 2 strings of 24k CF in them and they ended up quite stiff.

Still nowhere near as stiff as his last pair though (rossys)

117cm long 114-85-103 twin tip and rockered tip and tail, flat under foot.

The first pair of skis I ever made was for my girl.

127cm 119-81-104

I think cores were 6mm underfoot down to a hair over 1mm.

Had a nice flex.

They ended up with a really funky camber but she skied the heck out of them for a couple years, proud as heck 'cause her dad made them.

No matter how they turn out your kid will love them!

Be aware though if you make a kids ski too wide it's almost impossible to find brakes to fit.

On the boys skis I ended up taking the belt sander to the sidewalls to get some clearance. You can see it in the pic.

sam

Thanks Sammer! Nice skis!

I got a old pair of skis from a friend so I took the bindings from them. I also kopied the sidecut so the bindings should be perfect

Starting on the core this evening..

Yesterday I put the kids skis in the press.

This picture is taken just before pressing.

The heat is on...

Close to a finished ski for the kid

My kids skis finally finished

Had a fun day with Jan from OAC skis today! Thanks Janne!

Rolled up 330 meters of steel edge...

Very impressed by Jans engineereing skills!

Also tried out his beutiful Wintersteiger.

Very nice piece of machinery!

Hello deepskis, Im new posting here in Ski Builders, a lot of years looking everything but recently building skis. I have a delam problem with the graphics and top sheet and I was thinking about replace the graphics with 2 layers of CF bid 5oz, is this enough? If I put only one layer of CF this could crack?

Cheers.

Tato

Hello wutato!

Yes you can replace the topsheet with cf. No problem. Just put it on top of the triax. When the skis are pressed you can screen print on top of the skis. After printing you can protect it with polyrethane

Exmple with cf

Example with glass over graphics

Cheers!

Thanks a lot Deep, here in Chile its hard to find suppliers and more difficult find someone with the knowledge about. We are going to try it the Cf this night, only two question, how many layers of CF we need to use? work it with only one layer of cf? and, can we use the clear top sheet to protect the CF and epoxy to the UV sun light and scratches without problem?

Thanks again, cheers.

Tato

As long as you use 22 oz triax under the cf it will be fine. I have only used one layer of cf. Yes the clear topsheet will be a nice protective surface. Print your logo on the back before layup. If you dont keep your skis in the sun when you dont use them you dont need any uv protection...

Very proud to present my new edge bender! Works perfect! Saves me so much time!

full wrap=no problem!

New machinery in the shop! Wintersteiger edge and base grinder

Next mission.. Rebuilding the shop to get some more space!

Love the pics of the build!

I'm really interested in how the edge bender works. Would it be possible to have a short description of how you bend an edge or maybe a couple of photos?

I'm about to build one myself (for snowboards), and came across this the other day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbjH4pCDk6U

Curious to know how it works with 3 wheels.

Cheers,

Will.

I've got a thread on here with some drawings for the dies and a description of how to build it. It's an excellent bender with great results! Yours looks great deepskis!

And congrats on the grinder, that thing's beautiful!

ww! I promised you a video and here it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crYQ3sKegKI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

And a picture..

Cheers//M

Great video and picture Deep! Really inspired to have a go at making my own revision of one of these. I'm curious though, what's the bearing on the top of the box section for?

Hey Deep, another question about your carbon topsheets... It's uni carbon right? And if so, how do you find the durability along the top of the sidewall?

Ha ha, just left over garbage

Used the handle for my old edge bender..

Hi More!

Its 0/90 about 10 oz laying over 22 oz triax glass! Looks beutiful

Just for decoration! Tha glass and vds does the job.

Gotcha, thanks.

They do look gorgeous

It must add some

Yes it does, some stiffness and some weight but not so much.

I just had to put up a sign...

Prepairing cores. Just sold a pair of skis to a guy turning 50. He will get them as a present from his family

New working space in the shop

Plenty of room for ski building!

Designs 2012-13!

Tonight I finally pressed some skis. I have 8 pairs that have to be finished within a month. Started up with the "IKEA-design"

This week we got about 30 cm of snow in Slen were I usually go skiing. Cant wait..

stayin busy! Awesome!

Looks good too! Like the Ikea throwback

Skidan "Brje"? :-)

(Jag kommer p studiebesk nndag...)

Speaking the Ikea language...

Du r vlkommen

Den svenska folkskidan Brje ligger i verkstan och vntar p att sgas ut. Skall bli kul att se resultatet men det ser lovande ut..

Thanks!

This is what came out of the press..

Will be skiing these in about 4 weeks

I know what you mean... We bought a lot of sidewall material that we are not using...

Have you used oak for sidewalls on many pairs? Do you leave the sidewall untreated or do you seal it? Have you experienced any difference in tendenciew corrosion on the steel edges?

Im about to try oak for sidewall on the two next pairs Im building. Core blanks are ready. I have read that oak will increase corrosion on metal parts due to its tannin(?) (garvesyre for the scandinavians). It makes me a little worried....

Any experiences with oak being a success / failure will be appreciaated:-)

Hi Halvard!

I have used oak on just a couple of boards and skis and it works fine. i have sealed it with epoxy. Gives a very nice finish. I know OAC use it a lot. Talk to him.

Here are some pics of the skis I made for my nephew..

...Damn proud builder. i hope he likes them

Nice! I'm sure he'll be super proud to ride those boards.