Ski Builders Forum

From experience, how many of these things can I get a Home Depot [hopefully a guide for noobs (like myself) in the future]

• MDF
  Vacuum Tape
  Vacuum Bagging Film
  Vacuum Pump
  A planer to cut the core
  Epoxy Resin
  Cores (Wood [pref. Bamboo])
  Fiberglass
  Edges
  Base Material
  Top Sheet Material
  Tip and Tail Spacer Material
  Sidewalls
  Rubber tip stopper

Thank You

probably just the planer and the MDF, maybe the bamboo if you buy flooring but not too sure about that one.

Ha. Basically nothing. Tools like planer/router. MDF. That's about it.

MDF, planar, and core wood (although they won't have bamboo in lengths long enough for a ski core, you have to go to a bamboo specialty store for that). For most other woods though like poplar, maple, spruce, etc they'll have boards that work great.

They will have fiberglass and resin, but certainly NOT the kind you want to use in skis!!!

Building plastic works okay for vacuum bagging... it isn't optimal but it works in a pinch. Packaging tape also works for vacuum tape.

If Home Depot sells refrigerators, then you can build a vacuum pump from home depot supplies... that is a stretch though.

Most stuff for ski building takes effort to get. That is basically why not many people do it. For example, lots of people build houses, but all of the materials are readily available, at home depot. Skis are a little more special.

Why are you so interested in Bamboo core anyway? Pine works great, and is cheap.

You can get a nice substitute for vacuum bagging tape at HD sometimes. It's called sealant tape and is found in a 50' roll, in the roofing dept. About half price of most composite suppliers.

try the bamboo at a specialty flooring store (try to get non-varnished), but HD has a limited selection of wood for cores (oak, poplar, pine, cherry, etc.)