Ski Builders Forum

Minor progress today: Picked the core up ready for sidewalls, glued on one half of the edges, cut up some aluminium (aluminum for you in the US).

Great looking work so far.

My one suggestion for putting on edges is to clamp your base to your template, get both edges all clamped up, and glue away. Even using prebent edges your base can get skewed slightly if not clamped to your template and doing both sides at once. You probably don't need to use that many clamps but use them if you got em. When doing a lot of these in production less clamps is faster and you still get tight results, especially if edges are prebent.

Your bending looks good alex.
I think you cut the base material out with the CNC so don't have a template? If not you can roughly shape one with a jigsaw and then use that to provide some firmer backing for your edge attachment.
I agree with the good dr from my reading that edging both sides as you go from tip to tail is the best way to avoid any skewing.
looking good though!

I did a test binding mount onto a 4x2 piece of pine last night. Looks OK. Hopefully will get the skis back from their grind tomorrow then mount up the bindngs on the weekend.

Thanks for the info. I was concerned about too few clamps for both sides but will try that on the next one.

You're correct Tim, I had my bases CNC cut so don't have a template, but mocking one up using a jigsaw is a good idea.

I'm waiting on getting my sidewalls made up tomorrow, will glue them then hopefully have a profiled core ready on Friday. If not, will have to wait till next week, but fingers crossed!

Gluing second edge on: In hindsight here I sould have gone with a partial wrap for my first few boards, and I used a bit too much glue in places (as you can see). Live and learn though.



The unprofiled core with insert holes:


Preparing to glue on the sidewalls:


Gluing the sidewalls:

For those interested, here's a link to my "Project Webfolio"

This is basically an online version of my thesis in progress, minus some detail. As part of it I'm required to "showcase and exhibit [...] project work to both academics and general public", so feel free to browse. It's only in the intro phase at the moment, will be updated as work progresses.

https://www.pebblepad.com.au/rmit/viewa ... e=webfolio

Alex, are those Brazillian redwood (Macaranduba) sidewalls? They sure look like it. That's what I use. Bonds much better than plastic and is just a tough.

The core looks great!

Cheers,

Thanks SHIF, the sidewalls are an Australian tree - Eucalyptus Wandoo. Very dense wood from Western Australia.

Alex13 wrote:... Australian tree - Eucalyptus Wandoo. Very dense wood from Western Australia.

Wow, that Wandoo has a high Janka index, it should be excellent sidewall material.

I use Macaranduba because it's common decking material and naturally hydrophobic. Plus it has tight straight grain and is relatively inexpensive. Ipe is another decking material that is readily available in my area.

Wood Janka Hardness Scale/Chart
1,279 Woods Listed Alphabetically By Common Name:
http://www.morlanwoodgifts.com/MM011.ASP?pageno=207

Ipe = 3680
Wandoo = 3370
Macaranduba = 1950 (another website lists 3190, go figure)

The first board is in the press! My lovely girlfriend kindly accepted my offer to be photographer, so here are a few pics of the layup. A few minor hiccups (almost forgot the inserts!) and me very stressed and feeling hectic but I got it done.











I did actually wet the second layer of fibreglass out thoroughly, just didn't get a photo.

nice one! looks like you'll have one hell of a snowboard!
btw, your vds rubber (?) looks kinda strange...is that even vds? th edges look frayed...

It's carbon reinforced rubber. It was on a roll like so:
, hence the edges looking like that.

It does look a little bit different to normal, I bought it from another forum member so hopefully it works ok.

The edge fit is a little dodgy at the tips, but it looks like it worked!

Carbon reinforced rubber...that was a new one!

That's a great looking board Alex, you must be really pleased!