Similar to other ski/snowboard forums with a recommended shop list, I am going to throw out where I have gotten my materials from with the appropriate contact information and a little review of each merchant. Hopefully we can get a really comprehensive list of reviews together so a new builder can get involved without a ton of bad experiences.
With that being said, I only wish that the Skibuilders.com store had been active when I started building. Thank you so much for this website and continuing to evolve everything for the builder benefit.
All of my sources are US domestic, hopefully some international builders will post up their suppliers.
Base/Topsheet/Tip and Tail Spacer/Sidewall Material
Crown Plastics
www.crownplastics.com
116 May Drive
Harrison, Ohio 45030
Phone: (513) 367-0238 1-800-368-0238
Fax: (513) 367-4004
I have always had a good experience when dealing with Crown. I typically call them up and have them e-mail me a list of the manufacturing overrun material and can buy, at least the base material, at a significant discount. They were also fine with smaller orders from the overrun material when I first started building. They also offer graphics sublimation services, but I have never used them for it so I have no experience with the process. My material has always been at my door within 1-3 weeks, and they will process a card over the phone.
Edge/VDS Material
C.D. Walzholz
www.cdw.de
5221 West 164th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44142
Phone: (216) 267-5500
Fax: (216) 267-5533
Call them up and talk to them before you order anything to make absolutely sure that they have what you are looking for. They offer edge bending services, but I have always bent edges myself so have no real experience with everything that service entails. Make sure that you get a price quote e-mailed to you also. My last large order of VDS from them came out significantly more expensive than what they told me, but I did not have a hard copy of the quote to back me up. Also, the last time I ordered from them they were still on a C.O.D. system, and would not process a card over the phone. To place a final order I had to send an e-mail with what I wanted to Mark from CDW. Shipping has been very hit or miss. I ordered 80 edges and it showed up in 5 weeks, I ordered 200 edges and it showed up in a little more than 3 weeks.
On a side note, where has everyone been getting their VDS from nowadays? I am very interested in sourcing a new supplier for rubber after my last CDW price hike experience. Where is the tan VDS coming from, and is it a natural gum rubber? All I have ever seen is black.
Composites
Raka
www.raka.com
3490 Oleander Ave.
Ft. Pierce, Florida 34982
Phone: (772) 489-4070
Fax: (772) 461-2070
Raka supplies a wide variety on composites, epoxies, and accessories. I have always received a quality product from them with very fast shipping and very reasonable prices. They process cards over the phone and Larry is nice and helpful. Small orders are processed as quickly as big orders.
Vectorply
www.vectorply.com
3500 Lakewood Dr.
Phenix City, AL 36867
Phone: (800) 577-4521 or (334) 291-7704
Fax: (334) 291-7743
A high quality product and good people to work with over the phone. Shipping was fast. They have specific sales reps based on your region that they will put you in contact with if you call their main office.
Epoxy
QCM Industrial
www.qcminds.com
930 Central Ave South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: (800) 321-0170 or (253) 859-0933
Fax: (253) 859-0935
Extremely helpful technical team that will steer you in the right direction based on your particular manufacturing setup. Many different resin/hardener blends to put together. Make sure you talk with them about how you are pressing so you get the resin/hardener blend that will work best for you. Several people have seemed to have issue with some of the higher viscosity resins that they have received. They will process a card over the phone and my shipping has been fast.
West System
I am leaving out the contact info because you can usually find West System epoxy locally. It worked really well for me when I was cold curing, albeit the price was a bit high relative to other resin/hardener systems out there.
Core/Sidewall Material
Renneberg Hardwoods
www.renneberghardwoods.com
Midwest and Montana
I log my white ash myself, but I get my yellow poplar from Renneberg. I know core material is usually sourced locally, but with their distribution points it seemed appropriate to list it. I have always gotten a high quality product at a reasonable price with excellent customer service. When I have told them about what I am using the wood for, they have been pretty excited about it and let me come in and select the cuts I want even for bulk orders.
Wood Veneer
Certainly Wood
www.certainlywood.com
13000 Route 78
East Aurora, New York 14052
Phone: (716) 655-0206
Fax: (716) 655-3446
Extensive selection of veneer, great sales and specials section, fast shipping and in my opinion excellent prices. The veneer search function is great and can help you initially narrow down the look you are going for. Call to place an order and make sure you talk to them about the specific material sizes of the pieces you are interested in if you are looking to minimize waste.
Tuning Equipment
Sun Valley Ski Tools
www.svst.com
2033 S Century Way
Boise, ID 83709
Phone: (800) 758-8857 or (208) 378-4300
Fax: (208) 378-1799
Anything you need from basic ski tuning supplies to production finishing machines. Very helpful staff.
CNC Equipment
ShopBot Tools Inc
www.shopbottools.com
3333 Industrial Dr
Durham, NC 27704 USA
Phone: (919) 680-4800 or (888) 680-4466
Fax: (919) 680-4900
As Ferris Bueller once said, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." I know a lot of you out there have had great success in building you own CNC and I wish I could have done the same, but for the rest of us there is this solution. I bought mine in the summer of 2008 and absolutely love it. Again, it is not practical for everyone, but for me it was the best way to never have to worry about using one bay of my garage ever again. The staff is extremely helpful and the communication from ordering to having the street in front of my house blocked off by a 53' trailer was superb.
Well, these are the basic people I buy from. Hopefully we can expand this list with other specific local suppliers to fill in the holes and expand the community. Any specific questions, holler.
