Ski Builders Forum

I was wondering what would work best if I put a 6 or 10 mm bamboo sidewall or just leave my bamboo core as it is. Just thinkin if the sidewall gets damaged water moisture has to travel through a layer of epoxy before it can reach my core. Or I just let me core run to the edges and hope the bamboo doesnt delam. what do most people do with bamboo cores who dont use p-tex sidewalls

is it the same kind of bamboo?

if the outer strip of the bamboo is pretty solid, i'd just leave it, no sidewall.

i'm gonna use bamboo sidewalls cuz i'm using a poplar core. But if my entire core were bamboo, or if the outer strips were, then you're probably gonna end up with a stronger "sidewall" that's part of the core if you dont bother with attaching another strip as the sidewall.

My skis have vertically laminated bamboo cores with UHMW sidewalls. I'm in the process of building a couple more skis, this time using Macaranduba (Brazilian redwood) decking boards for the sidewalls. This rainforest hardwood is about as tough as UHMW but it cuts, sands, and bonds like wood because it is wood. It also adds structural integrity to the core unlike plastic sidewalls. It is commonly used as decking and left unfinished. It is unaffected by moisture and I believe it will make a fine sidewall.

If you consider having bamboo side walls, I would machine an offset sidecut radius on the bamboo cores, then glue on strips of bamboo as sidewall blocks. This way you minimize the open grain of the material, basically no end grain exposed to the elements. Of course you must use P-tex tip and tail filler too.


Cheers,
-S

SHIF,

how much does that decking material run for ?

bobbyrobie wrote:
how much does that decking material run for ?

I bought nominal 1x4 planks for $2.30 per linear foot. Twelve feet is plenty to make sidewall blocks for 4 skis.

These measure 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches. I ripped them into strips 5/8 inch wide with a strip left over to make into stirring sticks. Use a ripping blade.

This wood has very straight and tight grain. I solvent wipe the faying surfaces on the woods prior to spreading Titebond type 3 glue.


Cheers,
-S

SHIF,

I am very intrigued by the possibility of using macaranduba as a side wall. Have you had any trouble with warping or twisting in your experience with it? I have had the unfortunate experience of working with it on a deck. I had a lot of trouble with the wood warping and twisting after it was installed. It was to bad enough to start shearing the stainless steel screws. Also how does it accept glue?

Skierguy wrote:... Have you had any trouble with warping or twisting in your experience with it? ... Also how does it accept glue?

No warping or twisting. I thought for sure that the narrow strips I ripped from a 1x4 would warp but they stayed very straight.

I solvent wiped the gluing surfaces on both the sidewall strips and core, then used Titebond type 3 adhesive. This is a cross linking glue that holds the Macaranduba very well.

No issue at all during profiling. I've had trouble with UHMW staying bonded while planing the tapers but this hardwood is solidly bonded to the bamboo cores.

Be sure to use a ripping blade and some feather boards on your table saw fence because this is very dense hardwood to cut.

Cheers,
-S