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8th November 2009, 14:11:07 : 4 PAIRS OF SKIS !
So....4 pairs of skis finished - we did one pair on Friday and three yesterday in one session. 2 pairs of GS skis, one pair having a stiffer build for fast ski action. The other 2 pairs are 166 twintips, built for mucking about on, and designed by a snowboarder...
All these skis use an innovative graphic technique. The graphics are reverse digitally printed directly onto clear topsheet material. We used texalium behind the topsheet to illuminate the graphics and show the weave through. The topsheets are corona treated after printing to get a good bond.
.jpg "2 pairs of GS skis. 27 and 17 refer to the number of laminates in the cores used. The 27 ski has a stiffer layup (more carbon and stiffer UD glass). - view original size")
^ 2 pairs of GS skis. 27 and 17 refer to the number of laminates in the cores used. The 27 ski has a stiffer layup (more carbon and stiffer UD glass).
.jpg "166 twintip with a black graphic finish - view original size")
^ 166 twintip with a black graphic finish
.jpg "166 twintip with texalium finish - view original size")
^ 166 twintip with texalium finish
.jpg "Detail of graphic on the black 166 twins - view original size")
^ Detail of graphic on the black 166 twins
^
Minor mishap ! During the pressing of the first pair of skis, the press upper mould disintegrated. Luckily we still under pressure and it had no effect on the ski. One hell of a bang though !
1st November 2009, 17:11:01 : BASE & EDGE
^
Cutting the base material using the steel template - we used ceiling props to hold the template to the UHMWPE - this gives free access to the whole edge - no clamps to move around.
.jpg "- view original size")
^
Using the angle grinder with a cutting disc, we got the edges to the correct length. We are doing a partial edge, stopping with a tucked edge in a position up in the tip, off the snow.
.jpg "- view original size")
^
The tucked edge on the tail of one of the GS style skis...
18th October 2009, 21:10:08 : BRRRRRR !
.jpg "- view original size")
^
Wow - some real life actual snow, today just above Glarus, Switzerland. Good job we now have 8 profiled cores waiting to be laminated....
.jpg "- view original size")
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We profiled these using the planer and crib method with a dab of hot glue to hold things in place. Worked beautifully - on one pair the cores matched to the exact gram which was really unexpected !
17th October 2009, 22:10:31 : SKI PROGRESS
.jpg "Ski Cores - view original size")
^ Ski Cores
We are moving forward with 4 pairs of skis - now all cores are shaped and have sidewalls glued on. 2 cores are profiled and we will profile the rest of them tomorrow.
8th August 2009, 13:08:17 : SKI PROGRESS...
^ really narrow snowboard cores...
So....we started making some skis - 4 pairs on the go right now, 2 pairs of kind of GS skis (I don`t really know the right terminology !) and 2 pairs of twintips. Cores are ash and spruce tightly laminated painstakingly by a first-time skibuilder... We have to make the cores a little wider at the tips as they came out too narrow so we`re adding extra beech laminates just at the tips - or Beech Tip Technology which we`ll obviously patent and market the hell out of ;-)
22nd March 2009, 16:03:55 : DECONSTRUCTIONISM : AND A SNOCAD-X ENHANCEMENT
TAKING APART A SKI
^ Cross section through an atomic Beta-Race 9.28 (ca 2001)
Today a friend and I cut up some old Atomic skis to take a look inside. These used to be Atomic Beta Race 9.8s from sometime around 1999-2000. They have the weird Beta construction with two ribs running down the length of the ski - turns out these ribs are filled with a tiny wood core and surrounded by foam.
SNOCAD-X : DXF ENHANCEMENT
^ Alignment holes applied to the DXF template
snoCAD-X has a new feature - when exporting the DXF it is now possible to select which elements of the design will be drawn in the file. Additionally you can add alignment holes - very useful for template building - makes it easier to align on cores for routing, and enables you to transfer the board axes to your materials. Another feature is a nose identifier which marks the nose - useful for nearly symmetrical templates. You could also use this hole to hang your template up in the workshop !
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