Finishing and flattening
Quotes are verbatim and attributed to their original authors.
The most common finished-ski defect on the forum is a warped or asymmetric base, and almost every case traces back to how and when the base was cut. Getting a flat, symmetric base is mostly a matter of a few disciplined habits.
Cut the base last
Base plastic moves, so cut it as late as possible:
Let the plastic relax
Cut the base off the roll, split it for width, and let it lie flat for a day or more before cutting to shape — and keep the shop at a stable temperature:
Some builders go further and "pre-warp" the base by warming it to about 100 °F to erase the plastic's thermal memory before cutting.
A symmetric template
A hand-cut template is never identical on both sides; the fix is a single template used twice:
Hold it while you edge it
Attach the edges while the base is held flat — many builders keep it clamped or vacuum-held to the template — bend the edges symmetrically, and attach both sides at the same time working tip to tail, so the edges don't pull the base one way. Leave the edged base on the template until the moment you press.
Veneer topsheets
If you use a wood veneer topsheet, brittle or wavy pieces can be flattened with a veneer softener (SuperSoft 2 is named), which "does not affect bonding to epoxy" once it is dried (#3744).