I've used only hard maple sidewalls so far. Once I trim to the edge out of the flash, set the sidewall bevel, and expose raw wood, I impregnate the sidewalls with epoxy (I use Silvertip) thinned with lacquer thinner (manufacturer's spec). When that's good and dry, I lightly sand with 220 to give it ...

You mean a rabbet for the edge tangs? If you run the edges all the way around the ski tip, then I'd say yes. Otherwise, you risk some base flatness distortion when you press. I do that and make small router templates for each piece of tip and tail fill for each ski design. I use double-sided tape to...

I use the same super glue as for the edge tangs to base connection. I make sure the ends of the cores and spacers are true and square, sand with #80, and stick 'em together. I pre-bend the tip spacers, which also have the same rabbet as the cores, to the bend of the shovel. Every once in a while I'l...

I really like these for cutting flash - best I've found. The zero kerf lets me cut flush to edges without damaging them, and they seem to last longer than others by far. You can get them at Home Depot even cheaper than Amazon - I think about 12 bucks for 5. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J1CSWI/?coli...

Looks like your photobucket account got locked or disabled.

FWIW, when I was getting started, I gleaned this from the site here that has served well: "As a general rule of thumb, the ball of the foot goes at the mid running surface (MRS) and the center line of the boot goes to the waist, so for general design guidelines, the waist is usually back about ...

I do a really standard routine - heat the areas of the edges that will get bent to yellow hot with MAP gas torch and clean off the debris with a dremel and 80 grit sanding wheel. I use a pair of modded nippers as documented on this site for tip curve bending and do a full wrap of the tips with a joi...

Delam in the mold?! Hard to imagine. Maybe try a different epoxy? I use System 3 Silver Tip - never an issue, even at 27. Maybe the rubber is focusing pressure on the tips and tails because of leverage or something? Sounds very strange.

My $0.02: For a lot of reasons, I think vacuum is the way to go; you're on the right track. For sure, pre-bend tips and tails of base and core. Per above, all the pieces need to be really right before vacuum. Don't expect a vacuum press to set the shovel and tail curves. You don't want that tension ...

NM - Found the link on the old thread:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/w2zhdmuzk ... mmsexe.xls

Don't think it's the same - it's an Excel spread with active fields. PM me with email and I'll send it.

Thanks for replies - sounds about right. Got it figured from the ski flex .xls that's kicking around to make a decision on thickness close enough to try out.

Not having much luck with search. Can anyone point me to a thread or able to share info on how a ski flex for a given core profile will change with width? So far I've built only race-narrow (65-68 mm underfoot) carving skis for the icy east. Am about to start start some with 85 - 88 mm underfoot and...

I've only used quartered hard maple, steam bent to camber profile. Easy to join with core and excellent grip on ice. It might be hard to convince me to use plastic of any kind.

"Anneal, wire brush, clean with solvent of choice that doesn't leave residue." - x2. I bend them to the bases, laid up flat with superglue every third tang, then use a tip bender rig to shape tip and tail to profile before press. No delams. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/midfielder...