e wrote:Tip/Tail delam, not sure if you did this, but did you oxidize the pe after sanding?

No, I spaced the oxidizing. I had planned to flame it. Is there a chemical oxidiser option?

Looking good! It's cool to see everyone's different approaches to the same problem. You look like you have another suitable solution here.

A good ol base grind should take off all of that packing tape and it might get rid of that crease. It might, but if I were a ski shop, I doubt i'd be too enthusiastic about gumming up my machine with the adhesives from this nasty tape. I think that the heated press really magnified the bond of the ...

Time for me to introduce the "NICE KILT" s http://photos.wakeboarder.com/data/500/medium/skis_002_small.JPG These are our very first skis so they definitely have their flaws..... First off, they are comically soft. We'll be skiing them for the first time this Wednesday but just hand flexin...

but is it sealed off or is the compressor on it the whole time? The compressor is on it the whole time. The compressor doesn't run. (unless a leak somehow developed) It's there just in case there is a little leak. I have the pressure to the press regulated down to 40. The compressor kicks on when i...

What's up with having both concave and convex ends on the cores? Just wondering why... Good work! I noticed that most everyone uses the convex shaped core ends. I thought that it would make more sense to have the core extend to the edges as far forward as possible. My thinking was that the edge pre...

Okay, here are the images from the latest progress. I will edit this post and add descriptions as soon as possible. The press is all lined up & ready to go into our primative oven. This has been a reasonably effective way to contain the heat & reach the desired temp of 170* F. We're using a ...

Pressed some skis today!!!!! I have a lot to say about it and several photos, but no time for the words, or mechanism for uploading the images here at the firestation.

I am very excited.

thanks!

Alex wrote:I used a mixture of resin and cotton flakes that i spreaded carefully on the base with a squeegee. The result is an allmost flat surface above the base/edges setup. My base was perfectly flat after pressing.

Additonally you get a stronger compound edges/ski.

What are cotton flakes???

More test blocks. This time with fabric graphic layers. LEFT: White lightweight fabric under clear ptex with blue spray paint top left, green grease pencil center right, and red sharpie bottom left. The white fabric turned transparent and the wood is visible beneath it. The red sharpie bled with the...

We did some test laminations with some of the different components we have procured to see what will work & what won't. I've been looking for a topsheet material that is clearer than Ptex but bonds well to the rest of the ski. You can see in the images below that it is very clear, but didn't bon...

My first shape is going to be the same as my 185cm salomon pocket rockets. My thinking is that this is a familiar shape to me & I will be able to guage the flex character of the core profile we've chosen compared to a known ski. Our core is 10mm this under foot with the underfoot platform extend...

We are getting very close to being able to press our first skis!!! Here's what's been going on lately........ Our first core is alternating strips of Maple and Poplar. The planks are glued together & now I'm planing them to get them square. Very nice effect with saw dust on the camera lens don't...

8"x18" I beam is perfect. Mine is 8'x16" and will be able to press two skis at a time, no problem. Because of the size of the steel: Hacksaws are definitely out. Sawzalls are definitely out. Circular saw with metal cutting abrasive blade are a maybe. This would need to be the large ch...