How to Build a Ski Press
A ski press is the heart of a ski-building operation. It uses immense pressure and heat to press together all the individual layers of a ski while the epoxy cures. Additionally, the press gives a ski or snowboard it’s camber or rocker profile and the tip/tail shovel by pressing the layers against a mold.
Types of Ski Presses
There are several types of ski presses commonly used by home builders and manufacturers, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:
1. Clamp Press
- Overview: Simple setup using multiple clamps or ratchet straps to sandwich the skis between a top and bottom mold.
- Pros: Low cost, accessible for beginners, no specialized equipment needed.
- Cons: Inconsistent pressure, very difficult to get good results.
2. Pneumatic Press
- Overview: Uses a very rigid frame, commonly constructed of I-beams or steel tube, with a top and bottom mold and a compressed air bladder to apply extremely high (~50 psi) and even pressure along the ski layup.
- Pros: Higher higher pressure than clamps or vacuum, even pressure, production speed & repeatability.
- Cons: Expensive and difficult to build at home, and can be dangerous due to high pressures and immense forces being restrained within the frame.
3. Vacuum Press (Focus of This Guide)
- Overview: Uses a sealed vacuum bag to apply atmospheric pressure over the entire ski surface. A ski mold with the ski layup is placed in the bag, air is removed, and external atmospheric pressure (~14.7 psi) compresses the layup evenly.
- Pros: Affordable setup compared to a pneumatic press, even pressure.
- Cons: Limited to 1 atmosphere of pressure.
How to build a Vacuum Press
Here is a picture of my ski press:
Components
Heat Source (optional): For curing epoxy or accelerating cure time.
Vacuum Chamber: I use a silicone sheet in an extruded aluminum frame that is hinged to a melamine tabletop.
Vacuum Pump: Removes air from the vacuum bag to create negative pressure. The weight of the atmosphere on top of the silicone sheet presses everything against the melamine tabletop.
Mold: The adjustable mold allows different lengths of ski and snowboard with unique camber and rocker profiles to be accommodated. This setup has a major advantage for the home builder, small shop and custom shape outfit over non-adjustable molds that are designed for mass production of a single shape.