MISCELLANEOUS:
 weight: n/a
 epoxy: Duratec
 tipspacer:  white ABS plastic
 inserts:  stainless steel M6, 7mm for G3 Targa binding pattern
 

GRAPHICS:
The base graphics (not shown) of the Ahmos included a crude attempt at creating a die-cut graphic of a rose.   The rose was cut out of the base material with a sharp utility knife. During layup I poured red epoxy into the rose cut out and let it cure to hopefully appear as a die-cut graphic.  It didn't work.  The epoxy wasn't red enough and there were some bubbles in the epoxy which made the rose look mediocre.  However, the topsheet graphics turned out a little better.  They were created by using a layer of black flannel (laminated above the fiberglass composite layer) with white watercolor cutouts of the letters "ahmo" and of a rose arranged on the top. 

BUILDER:  Kam S. Leang

MANUFACTURED DATE:  October 1, 2004

DRAWING FILE:  download the *.dxf file for the Ahmos

COMMENTS:
The Ahmos were the second pair of skis to come out of my garage ski factory.  With the Ahmos I wanted to test the durability and functionality of a ski using only the minimum of materials required for construction.  For this reason, the skis do not include damping elements or a topsheet.  The black flannel served as the topsheet layer with several coats of polyurethane varnish as added protection.  On the Ahmos I also wanted to test out a new method for creating sidewalls - that is to use epoxy as the sidewall material.   I did this by creating a sort of trough in the wood core and simply poured white epoxy into the trough.  The skis turned out quite well.  The polyurethane varnish added a nice sparkle to the ski but it also captured a lot of dust which gave the topsheet a slight sandpaper texture.   
 

THE RIDE:
November 28, 2004: Mt. High Resort, CA by Kam S. Leang  Nothing but smiles during my first run on these skis!  They have a similar feel to my 02-03 Karhu Jaks (Line Mothership) except for being a lot softer and much easier to turn because of the Ahmo's tighter turning radius.  However, the softness is complimented by the ski's high torsional rigidity which enables them to hold a nice edge.  Just from this first day I can tell that the varnish coatings are not going to protect the topsheet very well.  I think using a topsheet is necessary for ultimate protection in the future but perhaps a better varnish will do.  Also the sidewalls already show signs of damage.  The epoxy is starting to crack on the inside sidewalls because of ski-to-ski collisions.   Despite the ski's durability issues, the Ahmos are a really fun ski to ride and seem to handle a wide range of conditions well.