Ski Builders Forum

Has anyone ever tried using a cork layer in the layup? I read a few posts where there was some interest but couldn't find any results.

I think it might have some useful damping properties but might not bond well since it doesn't absorb liquids. I don't think I have heard of any big manufacturers using it so maybe I am barking up the wrong tree. Pun intended.

I saw a video of a snowboard manufacturer that looked like they were using cork. They didn't say they used it but it looked like it. They inserted an H shape of "something" into the middle of the core. Check out around 1 min into the clip:

I am not sure what that mystery "composite wood" is. It does look very light and flexible though.


I came across an interesting cork resource website. It looks like cork is used for many more applications than I imagined. I am going to look into it more but their price and order specs sheet link wasn't working. Looks like it dampens as well as I thought and also bonds well.

http://www.corecomposites.com/cork.cfm?family_id=2

Interesting website. Wonder how it would be to work with. I can't iamgine it can withstand typical woodworking tools like a router or planer. My only experience w/ cork is pulling them from a wine bottle and now most wine bottles use rubber.

Seems more durable than I thought according to the website. Imagine a cork core ski/board with tip/tail spacers, sidewalls, FG and maybe carbon fiber for added strength and pop? You would need something hard to screw the bindings into, maybe use wood in that area.

HHMMMM, this would be a fun project!

So I got a quick reply from Corecomposites and this is what he had to say:

"Thank you for your inquiry. CoreCork sent its first container to North America in May 2010. We are expecting our second container to arrive in late September. I mention this because this product is brand new to the marketplace. We have one customer in Europe using it in the construction of Snow Boards, and I have an active program with Burton Snowboards. Both of these companies are using it for vibrational dampening. I have not yet gotten to the Ski manufacturers, but I certainly plan on going there.

To date we have been selling it to the surf board market, canoes, kayaks, and to the marine market for use above water line. We would really like to work with you in ski construction and feel that this would be an excellent application. Please let me know if you would like to get samples, or if you require additional technical data.

From your description the product you should use is NL 20 which is best for pressure molding or infusion. The reason for this is that it has a tighter cell structure and will require less resin and will cut down on the finished weight. Thickness is in 1 mm increments from 1 mm to 400 mm. I look forward to hearing from you."

I want to give it a try. I am thinking just a one mm layer for dampening.

Wow, that's really cool! Getting in on the cutting edge! I wonder if it could be used in place of VDS rubber, 1mm is pretty thick compared to VDS....

Did they happen to mention the price of the product? I'm thinking of giving it a try also, even though I have enough things in the works already. But this is really interesting.

btw - I happened to catch a clip on Burton Snowboards last night. They showed one of their new cores. They said they can use up to 20 different species of wood in a board. But what was really different is they had wood running perpendicular under the binding area to stiffen up the edge of the board.

skidesmond wrote: btw - I happened to catch a clip on Burton Snowboards last night. They showed one of their new cores. They said they can use up to 20 different species of wood in a board. But what was really different is they had wood running perpendicular under the binding area to stiffen up the edge of the board.

any chance you have a link to that clip?
we're gluing up cores the same way i think, just want to see how the big guys do it.
never saw any info from them saying they used cork...i'm wondering how they incorporate it.

chrismp wrote:

skidesmond wrote: btw - I happened to catch a clip on Burton Snowboards last night. They showed one of their new cores. They said they can use up to 20 different species of wood in a board. But what was really different is they had wood running perpendicular under the binding area to stiffen up the edge of the board.

any chance you have a link to that clip?
we're gluing up cores the same way i think, just want to see how the big guys do it.
never saw any info from them saying they used cork...i'm wondering how they incorporate it.

The clip I saw was on TV, Discovery Channel maybe. They didn't mention anything about cork on the show. The wood that ran perpendicular was thin strips maybe 3-5 mm.

Here's clip I found where you can the see the wood core. It's not the same show I watched but at least you see the wood core in the first 20 sec.

http://science.discovery.com/videos/how ... de-sports/

Scroll down to the snowboard clip.

Delam, have you heard any more info from CoreCork? I contacted them as well and got an email from Lenny Brown saying about the same thing he told you.

Lenny was going to have a price list sent but I haven't received it yet. That was on 8/30. I'll send him another email. I'll let you know if I hear anything.

damn, every ''revolutionairy", idea i get, seems to be already done.

not trying to thread steal, but has anyone heard of honeycomb cut wood?

a.badner wrote:
has anyone heard of honeycomb cut wood?

These guys make houses out of it maybe?
http://www.superhoneycomb.com/


I bet on of these guys would make it already.
http://www.directindustry.com/cat/mater ... J-700.html

THis says it has a micro honeycomb oooo
http://www.balsacore.com/

now has anyone tried/ thought of it before ?

so im guessing its not a new idea .

Aluminum honeycomb was used in the late 70's by Hexcel. I had a pair, super light but the aluminum crushed after awhile and the skis kind of lost their life and camber.

Looks like the applications for honeycomb cut wood is for rigid applications. Sounds like it's mostly foam.... I'll have to read more about it. You'd have to figure a way to profile and shape it.

i have acces to steel mills and metal planers. i dont think shaping would be a prblem