MISCELLANEOUS:
weight: 2185 grams
tipspacer:  white ABS plastic
inserts:  9mm stainless steel with 1/4-20 threads for G3 binding pattern
width of wood core strips:  3/4 inch
epoxy: Duratec 80LM-2A resin, 80LM-2B hardener
bladder pressure:  40 psi
duration of pressing:  12 hours
 

GRAPHICS:
The graphics of the bird were inspired by the Snowbird ski resort in Utah.  No surprise there.  I'm a big fan of the Wasatch resorts. Also, having spent most of my childhood in Utah, I enjoy the surrounding Utah landscape.  So for this ski I decided to dedicate the graphic to one of my favorite resorts.  I thought the "The finger" swallow-tail would go nicely with the "The Bird" theme.  But it's not a finger pointed at Snowbird or anyone else.  So don't get offended. It's just random. 

Like the previous skis, the color of the Bird was created by laminating blue and green colored cloth into the ski.  In this case the cloth was pretty thin so I laminated one layer of cloth directly above the wood core (underneath the fiberglass layer) and then another layer of cloth beneath the topsheet (above fiberglass layer).  The result was a darker tint that allowed only a hint of wood to peek through.   "The Bird" lettering was screen printed onto the green cloth with fabric paint.

BUILDER:  Kam S. Leang (Little Kam)

MANUFACTURED DATE:  June 28, 2005

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

COMMENTS:
I made the Birds simply because I wanted to try riding a pair of a swallow-tail skis.  Telemark swallow-tail skis are rare, so I decided to build my own.   As for the design, I think the Birds are pretty traditional.   However, I did put a very small amount of inverse sidecut on the ski to get the freedom of movement.  The slight inverse sidecut retains a lot of the versatility and control that a straight (or parabolic) ski has.  Hopefully it works out as planned.  Since the Birds are concepts skis, I didn't incorporate sidewalls -- just wood. 

THE RIDE:
When the snow flies, so will the Birds..