Softwood core / binding retention

[breid19]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some opinions....

I just finished a all aspen core for my next pair of skis. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about the binding screws comming out. I was thinking of drilling a 1/2 hole at each screw location and expoxy a hardwood dowel into the hole. The only issue would now be that the epoxy bond between dowel and aspen core would need to resist all the pull-out forces.

Any thoughts?


Thanks

bill

[Idris]

Should not be any problem. To be safe epoxy your binding screws into place.

If you are worried about not being able to get them out later don't be. If you can't shift em, heat the screw with a soldering iron. This breaks the epoxy's grip on the screw.

[danishstock]

breid19,
Inserting a dowel would be a bigger problem than the aspen. Screws generally do not like to hold in end grain. Just drill a pilot hole, use epoxy like Idris said, and ski 'em. If they do pull out, then you can drill out for a hardwood disk and try again.

Good luck

[plywood]

i`d second that. let the woodcore as it is, but put some extra layers of glass just over the screws. as you know precicely where the screws get screwed in i`d reccoment you some small glass pieces( 4x4cm or so) just under each screw and an extra layer of glass with maybe 15cm lenght just under the heel and toe piece of the binding... should hold.

if you`re really really concerned about pullouts you could router out a pocker, just under the bindings, and fill it up with a hardwood veneer. it`s just a little risky cause the veneer tends to shift when pressin, so you have to be really careful when aligning it (i nailed mine in place) cause otherwise it can screw your whole skis.

[rockaukum]

there are posts by teleman about using a piece of steel (shim stock if memory still works). This sounds like a good way to go also. Keep in mind that what you are doing is what most ski mfgr's are doing also. IE wood core and screws into it. Just a thought.
rockaukum

[jono]

I've been using aluminum window screen under my bindings. I place the screen on top of the wood core and 12K carbon stringers and under the top layers of fiberglass. This gives the screws something to bite into and seems to minimally affect the ski's flex and weight.
The aluminum pokes out a little when I'm finishing the ski but a sharp router bit and a good belt sanding takes care of these protrusions.