Goat-Ham-Ah project
Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:39 pm
Hi all !
After hours of reading treads here and on other websites, I finally started building my own skis !
I first had to find what ski I will make... my program with this ski will be mainly backcountry skiing, I plan on installing Marker Duke bindings on it.
I thought it would be easier for a first pair to inspire myself from an existing model. The Volkl Gotama seemed to be the kind of ski I am looking for so that's my reference : not too long, mid-fat for eastern Canada's mountains, nice turn radius... let's try it !
Length will be 176cm, 133-105-124, +-25m radius.
I used Endre's excel sheets for almost all my dimensions (thanks a lot for that !)
I plan on vacuum bagging my skis as it's less investment for a first attempt and I have all the material for that (I make my own kayaks)
After a lot of sketching I choose a 12mm camber (it my be less when out of the mold) and I took my actual skis (Movement Yaka) as a reference for tip and tail radii. Then I made my mold.
It's made of MDF as most of you guys do covered with 3/16 wood plate, I don't exactly know what it is but it's shinny one one side and bends not too bad to follow the mold shape.
The mold is in 3 parts : tip / running length / tail so I'll be able to adjust for other models (and maybe a splitboard)
I will shape the core with a planner but first I have to decide the dimensions I'll give it. If I follow Endre's dimensions, combined with lot of measurements of pictures of those skis with bindings, I find that the binding will be far back on the ski. When trying to analyse it with flex analyser excel file (sorry I don't remember who did it but greats thanks also for him !) that's what I have :
As you can see the binding thick zone is not centered at all... do you guys think It will be a problem ? Did I made a mistake ?
Tips thickness will be 2mm (Tip spacers thickness) and the binding area will be 11mm, I think it should have a good flex considering my 150 lbs.
The core will be made out of maple and poplar, I still don't know if I will make wood or ABS sidewalls, I thought ABS would last longer but that seems it's hard to bond properly to the core, the first skis may have maple sidewalls...
I'm now waiting for my core and base templates to be cut by a CNC (a friend takes care of it) and I'll then be able to start the core.
I'm also waiting for other materials I ordered at SnowboardMaterials.com, I ordered about 2 weeks ago and I still have no news if anything has been shipped... they seems not being very good with communication !
to be continued...
After hours of reading treads here and on other websites, I finally started building my own skis !
I first had to find what ski I will make... my program with this ski will be mainly backcountry skiing, I plan on installing Marker Duke bindings on it.
I thought it would be easier for a first pair to inspire myself from an existing model. The Volkl Gotama seemed to be the kind of ski I am looking for so that's my reference : not too long, mid-fat for eastern Canada's mountains, nice turn radius... let's try it !
Length will be 176cm, 133-105-124, +-25m radius.
I used Endre's excel sheets for almost all my dimensions (thanks a lot for that !)
I plan on vacuum bagging my skis as it's less investment for a first attempt and I have all the material for that (I make my own kayaks)
After a lot of sketching I choose a 12mm camber (it my be less when out of the mold) and I took my actual skis (Movement Yaka) as a reference for tip and tail radii. Then I made my mold.
It's made of MDF as most of you guys do covered with 3/16 wood plate, I don't exactly know what it is but it's shinny one one side and bends not too bad to follow the mold shape.
The mold is in 3 parts : tip / running length / tail so I'll be able to adjust for other models (and maybe a splitboard)
I will shape the core with a planner but first I have to decide the dimensions I'll give it. If I follow Endre's dimensions, combined with lot of measurements of pictures of those skis with bindings, I find that the binding will be far back on the ski. When trying to analyse it with flex analyser excel file (sorry I don't remember who did it but greats thanks also for him !) that's what I have :
As you can see the binding thick zone is not centered at all... do you guys think It will be a problem ? Did I made a mistake ?
Tips thickness will be 2mm (Tip spacers thickness) and the binding area will be 11mm, I think it should have a good flex considering my 150 lbs.
The core will be made out of maple and poplar, I still don't know if I will make wood or ABS sidewalls, I thought ABS would last longer but that seems it's hard to bond properly to the core, the first skis may have maple sidewalls...
I'm now waiting for my core and base templates to be cut by a CNC (a friend takes care of it) and I'll then be able to start the core.
I'm also waiting for other materials I ordered at SnowboardMaterials.com, I ordered about 2 weeks ago and I still have no news if anything has been shipped... they seems not being very good with communication !
to be continued...