my story of ski building

[Sherpa Burns]

Rockaukum, in your press pics above, do you have any issues with the tips and tails? The curvature is insanely steep. Just wondering if you have been able to get the hose to fill that void under high pressure. Thanks,

[Sherpa Burns]

Nevermind, I guess that is not your press. Those tail pieces look like they are damn near 90 degrees straight up from the base of the mold???

[novaskis]

rockaukum

i thought so and because of that your method was probably the best way to go for your press.

twizz

thanks for the reminder. head monkeys press was some what the inspiration for my press. much fancier but something to work towards

sherpa burns

you must be talking about rockaukum's press cause i know mine doesnt come up that steep in the tips.

[novaskis]

so as it turns out polyester resin is most definitely not strong enough for use in skis. i gave them to my brother as a christmas gift and an hour after getting them on snow the delaminated hard core. i will post pictures in a few days as they are at the cottage and i am in town but let this be a warning.

DO NOT USE POLYESTER RESIN IN PLACE OF EPOXY!

i am going to try to salvage some of the skis but i am not confident that it will work.

another learning experience i guess. we all have to have them right

[twizzstyle]

Yeah polyester resin has it's place sometimes (I use it making molds for non-ski stuff, along with vinyl-ester gel coats), but skis is definitely not one of them! It can also be VERY stinky stuff!

Other fun facts: Polyester resin does not chemically bond to cured epoxy resin, and vice versa (you need a mechanical bond - lots of sanding), and also kevlar does not bond with polyester resin, although I don't have experience with that, just something someone once told me.

[novaskis]

agreed twizz it is very stinky stuff.

i did not know about the bonding to epoxy but i was informed that it does not bond well with wood. the more you know right.