10th Build

So it’s been a long summer but winters back and so is ski building here at my house!

here’s my latest build – it’s actually another 170 cm all mountain pair – pretty much the same shape I’ve made before (I really enjoy the shape!) – here’s the specs:

length: 1700 mm
Running Length: 1450 mm
Tip/Waist/Tail: 131,95,121
Stance & Sidecut Setback: 50 mm
Radius (@1700mm) – 17 meters

Layers (from top to bottom) – Hickory Veneer (paper backed), 20 oz triax e-glass, 9mm thick core (poplar/maple), 1″ wide uniaxial carbon fiber, 20 oz triax e-glass, base

Core construction is pretty much the same as I’ve done in the past so I’ll skip those pics. One thing I did differently is I cut my core slices really close to the final dimension in order to reduce waste and get more cores from a chunk of wood. when I pour the sidewalls, I use a couple strips of duct tape at the deepest parts of the channel to catch any seepage through the bottom (which is only about a mm of wood).

here’s the laser doing it’s thing on the topsheet:

and a short video:
https://imgur.com/rFhjdk3

here’s the bases getting edged. I decided to do it right on the table this time – I’m also still using the end nippers. I’ve tried making a couple of the edge bending jigs shared on this forum but really it’s just so clunky in practice, with all of the edge flailing around while I wrestle with the bender fixed to something, that I think at this point I’m just faster with the nippers. The radius also isn’t consistent through the tip so that complicates using the vice jig.:

in the press:

and the wonderful sight of a successful layup! Something I figured out for this build is to use some small nails (outside the ski footprint) to keep the topsheet aligned instead of it sliding around while the vacuum is pulling, then having to open the press, readjust, and repeat. I just hammered them in a bit then clipped the rest of the nail off so it’s flush. The second thing I did different is I used hot glue for my core alignment pins instead of super glue. way faster and easier.

all cleaned up and cut out:

that’s that project. I’m currently working on a new shape for my friend whose a telemark skiier – should be interesting – they’re going to be some sort of big-mountain hybrid type ski – I’m thinking similar to elan ripstick 106’s. I’m also going for an asymmetrical tip and tail shape which should end up pretty neat lookin’. I’ll share more once I start finalizing some design parameters!

hope you’re all enjoying the beginning of ski season!

-Jon