Ski Builders Forum

So, i have made a couple of pair of skis so far. Both times on other peoples equipment and I am trying to set something up in my garage. The vacuum press that i used was a sandwich set up between two metal plates in a plastic bag. The camber was achieved by bending the whole package over a centre point and curving up the tip and tale. I would like to build a table press with a silicone sheet. I know which pump i am going to get and where i will get the silicone sheet. What i have been over thinking is the mould itself. I have been trying to come up with something adjustable for length and camber but all that has done is prevent me from getting started.

What i am looking for is maybe some photos of someone vacuum table and mould set up. I have searched different threads on this site and there are a couple of hints but one project just kind of ended and OAC is in the middle of moving so not sure he has posted anything about his set up. Any help would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime i will start getting my gear together now that ski season has finally started.

Pat

So i dug up this post from OAC from 10 years ago (http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewt ... =18&t=2531) which offers a lot of information on the table and from the photos how he built his mould. The tip and tail sections seem to be the tough part to ensure that you get the rise you want and the center section seems to be a length of 3/4 plywood with a spacer underneath to form the camber. In my mind this looks to be adjustable in the sense that you can get different cambers and lengths by changing the spacers underneath and putting in longer or shorter sections of 3/4 plywood.

Of course this was 10 years ago and OAC might have made significant changes to his set up since then.

I do have a couple of questions though,
1. how is the airhose plumbed into the table. I assume from underneath but not sure of the location or if this assumption is correct.
2. attaching the silicone to the frame, he is using screws but not sure if this is the best method.

The search continues but the build starts soon!

You build a frame with hinges on the back, which holds the vacuum silicone sheet. On the underside you attach a seal (rubber , neoprene,...). You put the lower mold on your table, your ski pack on top then you lower the frame and clamp it just enough so you can build a vacuum. Frame will get sucked down and is airtight then. So far the theory

Silicon sheet you can wrap around and clamp/screw with rect wood to your frame.

Vacuum line seems best to be inside the silicone sheet so it stays in the center of your breath cloth. Or / and you use a vacuum pipe around your mold (looks like a spiral, prevents the vaccuum path to be blocked by the silicone sheet.

Thanks for the run down. I am pretty clear on the table itself, although the location of the vacuum line is still up in the air. If the mould is ontop of the intake then there must be some channels under the mould so the air can be removed.

I am really more interested to see what others had done to make an adjustable mould for the camber/tip/tail. I will be making my own skis in the 175 to 182 cm range but my wife is a little shorter and my ski partner skis on 190 to 195. If i am taking the time to get set up i want to be able to make skis for all of my friends...Mvmtnbiker posted a link to some great photos of his mould and vacuum press set up. I am hoping that he will be able to post photos of the mould with out the metal topsheet so i can see how it connects and adjusts.

I will try and post photos of my progress, i will be ordering the pump and silicon sheet soon and then if i can heat my garage start building the table.