Ski Builders Forum

Never used tip spacers before but going to start using them. The one thing I'm unsure of is there a need for a edge release on them like the ski cores?

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 stick 2mm fill blanks to the templates then trim and rabbet them on a router table with a guide.

If you stop the edges part way up the shovel, then you would only need to rabbet them to the point where the edges stop.

On the tails, I stop the edges on my skis just aft of the up-turn, so the tail fills only have short sections that need rabbets.

Hope that helps.

I don't worry about it, but maybe it would be better if you did.
I trust the factory abrasion/flaming more than my ability to reabrade and flame the tip fill after rebating it.
The other option is to build up the area between the edges with a thin piece of glass (0.6mm thickness of tangs) or a piece of 0.6mm wood veneer made to occupy the space.
I doubt if people like Moment or ON3P are creating a rebate in their tip/tail fill on 3/4 edge wrapped skis, but am happy to be corrected.
I think to some degree the edge material is pressed into the plastic making it not a big deal?

falls wrote:I think to some degree the edge material is pressed into the plastic making it not a big deal?

You might have a point there, but I guess only on heated presses. The plastic softens up considerably at over 80 C, which would allow for the edge tangs to be pushed into the plastic.

Yeah it does. I pressed one board several times (to test the press, full cycles, up to 100degrees C) ... after a while the abs came out of the tip and tail

But i wouldnt count on factors like that. Wheres the problem with rabetting the tip as well?

You glue on the tip spacers and then you rabbet them together with the core

No problem you just need to re-abrade and flame the rabbeted area of ptex to make sure the bonding works well. If your surface preparation can achieve the same adhesion as factory sanded and flamed ptex then it's fine. I haven't ever tried to abrade and flame untreated ptex but people on here must do it all the time after ptex sidewall profiling and get good results. It's just a step I haven't included because I like the factory abraded surface (and reflame this before layup).

True. But if youre using abs sidewall you have to do it anyways. Its not a big deal, never had problems with it.