Looking at a set of skis my buddy just got. Atomic Automatics. They used a single piece around the tip, second piece around the tail and the two side pieces. The edges come together in the usual spot if you were doing partial edges.
Is this new?
Oh and what the heck i cant even go look at a pair of skis anymore...
This ski build project has rewired me. All i do is look at edge gaps, top sheet imperfections and sidewall overlaps when i look at new skis.
Cornice wrote:
Oh and what the heck i cant even go look at a pair of skis anymore...
This ski build project has rewired me. All i do is look at edge gaps, top sheet imperfections and sidewall overlaps when i look at new skis.
HAHAHAHA I can relate to this so much! Instead of shopping for skis - I look at them to critique them, compare them to my own, and reverse engineer them
Cornice wrote:
Oh and what the heck i cant even go look at a pair of skis anymore...
This ski build project has rewired me. All i do is look at edge gaps, top sheet imperfections and sidewall overlaps when i look at new skis.
HAHAHAHA I can relate to this so much! Instead of shopping for skis - I look at them to critique them, compare them to my own, and reverse engineer them
Yup... was at the ski stores yesterday checking out this years designs.
One pair had finger joints every 2-3 inches (can't remember what they were)
I used to make three-piece full edge wraps with a butt joint in the tip and a piece across the tail with a butt joint on each side. I thought it would make a stronger edge bond for banging the skis about while standing them up against the wall, etc. Plus it's easier to get a perfect fitting edge if your ski design has tight bends at the ends.
My ski shapes have a short flat across the tail end with tight radius bends at the corners, it's difficult to achieve great results using two-piece edge wraps, but I do two-pieces now just to save time. I don't worry about getting the edges perfectly matched to the bases at the ski ends, tiny gaps get filled with epoxy and wax anyway. I concentrate on getting a great edge fit along the sides of the ski where it's more important.
Also, I was checking out ALL the new models at Christy Sports at Snowbird last weekend (Oktoberfest). I noticed that many of the big fat skis have been stiffened up significantly compared to previous years, especially in the middle of the ski. I like this trend.
-S
Last edited by SHIF on Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
every time i get my edging process down to about half hour(after pre bend), i then discover a new trick or two, that makes them fit even better, but usually makes me more OCD on my edgework and slows me down more.
When done tinkering with my edges, they fit my shape with two clamps; however, i still end up with small gaps, most of which disappear after pressing and grinding.
Yea i was just at dicks sporting goods, looking at burtons that were "hand made in china", edge gaps, wierd blems that only a board fabricator can notice .
At some point my local shop will ban me from pointing out all the crappy production errors (not really). Although the number of sidewall gouges you see is surprising.
Four piece - my money would be on cost, issues with tip compliance and falling production values. With a four piece, presses like ours with a static bottom mold still create a bridge between the very end of the tip and the start of the butt joint (there or there about's). The lack of a joint minimises the potential for a bridge and allows for better compliance. Plausible?
IMHO a single piece is better and compliance is a matter of using cams, toggle clamps or actuators.
Last edited by Richuk on Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
I have 0 compliance issues with a one piece edge wrap. It is PITA to bend but as long on you are getting good mold compliance and enough pressure in the tip it should not be an issue.
I think a 4 piece edge has more chance to fail in some way especially if those joints are near the apex of the tip bend.