Ski Builders Forum

what is the best way to layup sidewalls? should i glue them to the core first and profile them along with the core? what are some the ways you do it? thanks

dirtybird wrote:what is the best way to layup sidewalls? should i glue them to the core first and profile them along with the core? what are some the ways you do it? thanks

You really need to search first before posting, and use a little thought.


But yes, you have to glue on the sidewalls before you profile the core. How else would you do it?

thanks for the help! i did search but i have add on computers, sorry. i saw some different ways people did it including a video where a guy just laid them in during layup. im just curious to see specifically what people do. im workin on my first pair of skis and want to have everything pinned down before i order material.

i did find someone asking the same question sorry for being dumb

I have never used uhmw or abs sidewalls. Trying to avoid the use of plastics with the exception of tip and tail and base. What is the preferred adhesive used in sidewall lam? Obviously flame treat, then does tightbond or gorilla glue work? Probably the same resin a used in layup.
I got some preprofiled cores with no sidewalls attached and I glued on some sidewalls because I had small strips of cherry and then belt sanded down to meet core profile. What a nightmare, took me forever.
You could profile big chunks of uhmw to core spec and then rip them lengthwise and glue them on to already profiled cores. I have seen ski companies do that.
So you can do it either way.
Seems like I have seen several problems with plastic delam during profiling especially with a router.
Better luck with a planer profile to keep stuff stuck together?

a core supplier in switzerland runs a straight blank with sidewall strips attached to the outside, straight, through a planer.

it comes out as a rectangular core blank with straight profiled sidewalls attached to it, obviously matching in profile.

you take this, ripsaw the sidewalls off...cut your own shape into the core, then reattach the sidewalls with whatever glue you want.