Ski Builders Forum

Hi,

I am planning to make my own pair of ski´s. Now I think I can make most of the ski, the only thing that is not completely clear is the graphics.
I´ve read somewhere here that normal paper and inkjet printer doesn´t work because it causes delamination.
So what possibility´s do I have to make graphics?

Rice paper + inkjet? Are there any other ¨cheap¨ solutions to make a nice design?

pretty cotton cloth from your basement.

Cotton fabric works for me.
Tons of patterns to choose from.
I make small graphics on the inkjet printer
so far so good

sam

cotton through your inkjet... yeah it sounds weird.
and rice paper through your inkjet.
or like they said, just cotton fabric that has cool designs.

I haven't tried fabric, but I've had excellent results with rice paper. You can't even tell its there once its wetted out.

are you doing full length graphics with rice paper? or just small pieces

The "Sticks" text on the ski on the left is rice paper. (the other ski says "Piggy".... they're the piggy sticks)



The text is probably 14" long, one piece of rice paper. You could do a full length, you just have to be careful with the rice paper in your printer. I tape the rice paper to another piece of paper as a backing to give it more stiffness, because the rice paper is very thin and flimsy. It comes in a big roll though, so you can have a sheet as long as you want.

Here's a better closeup so you can see the clarity of the rice paper. can't even tell its there!

how and what printer do you configure to print and full length graphic?

Most printers you should be able to set a custom size, just do it 8.5" x whatever length you want.

But again, I haven't tried printing rice paper sections longer than 14-15 inches yet.

does any of you have experience with transparent bases? I was thinking of using ricepaper or cotton fabric but lay it directly on the base and then the edges on top of that so one doesn´t see the edgeankers (or what ever you call them). or would that compromise bonding of the edge to the base?

Check out Schöckls thread and pictures. He did something similar with a skimap of Monte Rosa.

http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewt ... acuum+pump

what do all the professional companies use to put their graphics on the boards/skis? do they mostly do sublimation? i am a custom airbrush artist but i dont want to spend 10 hours to airbrush every single board i make. ive thought about just screen printing the back side of the top sheet. this would work ryte? but, however, you cant do as cool looking graphics with fades and shading etc. correct?

You can do fades and whatever you want digitally in programs like photoshop and then have a pro sublimate or screen transfer onto ptex, base or top sheet or nylon topsheet. Or do custom airbrush and scan or copy to make replicas. All of which takes money and its about spending as little as possible to get a desired result.

yeah i am an airbrush artist. but i dont know where to find a scanner that would scan that large of an area and then where i could find some one to subliminate the the surface for me.... fed ex doesnt do that stuff do they?