Ski Builders Forum

After talking with headmonkey I have came to the conclusion that laying the sidewalls up during pressing can create a weak bond between the sidewall and core due to the probability of there being voids or gaps since there is no sideways pressure. As we've discussed here a few times though this bond isn't really all that important, and a lot of people have a hard time keeping the sidewalls on during profiling but then have no problems with them after layup. The assumption being that the bond on the top and bottom of the sidewall is what matters. I started thinking, why not use superglue? I tried a test section and after 15 minutes it seemed pretty damn bomber. I had to pry an edge up and pull hard with a pair of pliers, the glue stayed on the wood, and peeled away from the ptex sidewall. I haven't tried poly glue, but from what I have seen on here this seemed a lot stronger. Anyone have any opinions or experiences with this. Is there a reason using super glue to attach the sidewalls to the wood core before profiling is not a good idea?

i've just been using cheap 2 part (syringe style) epoxy from the hardware store with no problems. Bond seems pretty bomber and profiling is painless.
I like the idea of using a cyanoacrylate glue though....quick n' easy.
Did you abrade or flame?

I didn't do anything to either test pieces, so I would assume a slightly abraded core and flame treated sidewalls would be a better bond.

after reading on these forums that happy monkey snowboards was using polyurethane glue to attach his side walls, i decided to do a test piece myself.

i could not break the UHMW off of my test core piece with me hands, so i grabed my 22oz framing hammer, and started taping it lightly then harder.
i have no idea how much force i actually used when the sidewall eventually poped off but it was respectable amount. I am sure that epoxy wouldnt have held up as well. the nice thing about polyurethane glue is that is epands slightly and fills any voids. I have been using it in my longboards and it seems to have alot more pop then other glues and epoxy aswell.

also when the sidewall did break off it had chunks of wood stuck to the side showing just how strong the bond really was.

I usually only use cyanoacrylate when the two things I'm glueing together are porous so they soak up the glue (think balsa wood for model airplanes, etc). It can't soak into the p-tex so you're just getting whatever surface bond you can get.

Also, cyanoacrylate is very hard and brittle once cured, so after repeated flexing of the board it might break down. Testing it out is the only way to know for sure though.