How to Prepare your Ski or Snowboard Base and Edges for Layup

Before you move into layup, your bases and edges need to be fully prepped. Here’s how I go from raw P-Tex sheet and steel edge stock to a base/edge assembly ready for pressing.

Step 1: Base Graphics

Start with the graphics. There are two main approaches:

  • Sublimation – where graphics are heat-transferred into clear base material.
  • Inlays – using a drag knife or die-cutter to cut colored base materials and piece them together like a puzzle.

Once the graphics are applied, you’re ready to flatten out the base material and cut it out.

Sublimated ski base graphics of clouds in the sky before the edges are added.

Step 2: Cutting Out the Bases

Use a CNC machine or router template to cut out the base shapes from your P-Tex material. It typically comes shipped in rolls, so you need to weight it down on a flat surface for a couple of days to ensure it sits flat and the CNC gives the cleanest, most consistent results. A router template works just as well.

Cutting out the shapes on a CNC. I use double sided tape to hold the material to the spoilboard. A vacuum jig works better.

Step 3: Rough Edge Bending

Take your steel edge roll and cut rough lengths using a Dremel with a grinder or cut-off wheel. Always leave a little extra at the tip and tail — you’ll fine tune later. I like to use the sidewalls of the core as a bending template. Lay the edge stock against the sidecut and gently bend it to match the curve. This gets you close before fine-tuning the fit directly against the base.

Using edge benders and a grinder to cut the edge material to roughly the right length.

Step 4: Fine-Tuning and Notching

Now carefully fit the edges to the base. You’ll need to notch the base inward by the edge width (2.2 mm in my case, but match to your edges). Where the edge stops, the base notches back out to full ski width.

The edge will be trimmed off at the notch and tucked in for a smooth transition to sidewall at the tail.

Step 5: Clamping and Supergluing Edges

Once the edges are shaped, clamp them tightly to the base. Then, place a small bead of super glue every 2–3 tongs to tack the edge in place. Remove the clamps, and the base/edge assembly is ready.

Ski edge clamped to base and temporarily superglued in place

Ready for Layup

At this point, the base and edge assemblies are complete and can be stored for the layup with fiberglass, core, carbon, and topsheet.