10th Ski Build – 170 cm All-Mountain Skis with Hickory Veneer Topsheet
After a long summer away from the workshop, winter is back and so is ski building at my house! My latest project is a pair of 170 cm all-mountain skis, based on a shape I’ve built before and love. This shape has been a reliable performer for versatile riding and I’ve been refining my process.
Ski Specs
- Length: 1700 mm
- Running Length: 1450 mm
- Tip / Waist / Tail: 131 / 95 / 121 mm
- Stance Setback: 50 mm
- Radius: 17 m @ 1700 mm length
Layer Stack (Top → Bottom):
- Hickory veneer (paper-backed)
- 20 oz triaxial E-glass
- 9 mm poplar/maple wood core
- 1″ uniaxial carbon fiber
- 20 oz triaxial E-glass
- Sintered base material
Core and Sidewall Process
This core construction followed my usual methods, but I did make one notable change:
I cut my core slices close to final dimensions to reduce waste and get more cores from the same wood stock. For sidewall pours, I used strips of duct tape in the deepest part of the channel to prevent resin from seeping through the thin (1 mm) wood bottom layer.
Here’s the laser doing it’s thing on the topsheet:
and a short video:
https://imgur.com/rFhjdk3
Edge Bending and Base Assembly
For this build, I decided to edge the bases directly on the table instead of using a vice-mounted bending jig.
While I’ve built a couple of edge benders based on community designs, I find I’m actually faster using end nippers. The ski’s variable tip radius makes jig bending tricky, so hand bending works better for me.
and here’s the press doing it’s thing:
Pressing and Alignment Tricks
In the press, I tried two new techniques:
- Hot glue instead of super glue for core alignment pins — much faster and easier to work with.
- Small nails (outside the ski footprint) to keep the topsheet from sliding as vacuum pressure is applied. These get clipped flush before pressing.
Finishing the Skis
After pressing, I cut out the skis on the bandsaw, cleaned them up, and smoothed the edges. The layup came out perfectly flat, always a relief.
What’s Next
While this pair is ready for tuning, I’m already working on something new: a telemark ski for a friend. The design will take inspiration from the Elan Ripstick 106, with an asymmetrical tip and tail profile for both performance and style.
Hope you’re all enjoying the beginning of ski season!
