Ski Builders Forum

A lot of theory regarding slalom skis. Mostly in swedish, but you might get the idea..
There is a lot of talk about using aluminium, over, under the core, different thickness and so on...with André Myhrer todays swedish no.1 in slalom.

http://svtplay.se/v/2289971/vinterstudi ... 367,1,f,-1

I always like watching the factory videos. You get a chance to pick up on little things and see what can be adapted for the DIY'ers. The cassette is awesome. Richuk take note! Reminds me of yours. I think if anyone is going to go into business, a cassette like that would be a must for fast layups and consistent accuracy.... along with all the other expensive equipment

But it just goes to show too, how resource the people in this group are and create some fantastic skis/boards in their garages/basements.

Yeah, getting there seems to be somewhere in the future (if ever).
They say in the video they press at 160°C, but no time. Probably no more that 10 min.

I'm on my way of building a heater hood over my press. I'm going for heat now! I've been accused for being in the "baby stadium" of ski building! So now I have new epoxi and fiberglass. More on that project later. Will be exciting!

Moving on up with the big boys! I'm thinking a heater is in the works for next season. That way I can see my mistakes quicker

lol, you guys are funny! GReat find OAC. Are you going for infra red?

I will probably try everything(as usual) before I find the perfect solution.
Right now I'm into fans(heater fans). But I don't want the box(hood) to be to big.
I will see if I can find some "tiny" infra red.

could you elaborate on details in the vid? I have no idea until he starts speaking english.

What temp will you be aiming for J?

@ Rich: 70 - 80 °C

@MM: The whole clip is about testing and it's compnents.
They(Nordica) have develop a new SL ski, called KK2. Last year it was called KK1
The guy in the clip has problems to adjust to it. He's more satisfied with last years model. The main reason is that he feels that the ski turns quicker but is sliding easier...? But he also say in the beginning that it's more of a luxury problem. They also discuss amounts of layers of aluminium and it's thickness. When they are in the "Top secret" lab. "Franz" reveals that last years model had a shorter alu layer and fiberglass above that layer. This years model has a alu layer on top all the way in the tip. This makes the ski stiffer and not so lively as the previous. They say...
The test machines they have, tests vibrations and stiffness. And he explains the differenses he experience. It's the same as known by us..

The factory produces 340.000 pair every year! All made by hand. He gets 50 pairs.
It's in Mittersil in Austria.

As you can see they uses prepreg fibers. At least for the race skis.
When he is fooling around "building" a ski (honestly I don't think it's his favorite discipline..) he says that the first layer of fiber is uni-directional and then comes a alu layer and then a second fiber layer (triax or biax) and then the core and then he looses it yadda, yadda...

It's about it.

There is another clip in the series where he tells us that the KK2 never made it! So he's using the old ones, KK1.

In todays slalom in Wengen, he was fifth after the first run. But he ended up in 21 place! Time for som more testing?


I didn't know that Blizzard and Nordic was one?

I noticed too that they are talking about heating at 160 degrees Celsius... Must be wrong since from the data sheets i have found ABS and UHMWPE starts to melt around 120 degrees Celcius. I know from first hand experience that if you go above 120 C you skis will most likely look like a grilled cheese sandwich coming out of the press :-s
/Johan

I tested my new epoxi and fiber in the oven!
I took 15 min @ 100°C! What am I waiting for? I'm on my way out to the laboratory to create a heater!



15 min later...needs to cool of a little.

What's for dinner?... epoxy and FG...... So how did it turn out?

To hard to digest. It's rock solid!
I have buillt a box over the press now and put a heater fan inside, but it's a freakin thermostat in it which I can't unmount. And it turn off at 45°C
The research goes on...tomorrow

@Jan: if you're making the blanket yourself, i'm going to post some photos of the construction of our second (more successful) attempt to build one tomorrow.

we were able to overcome the problems we had with placing the wires properly and connecting them to the lead wires without generating too much heat in one spot.

the key to success was using self adhesive fiberglass tape onto which we applied the resistance wire and then just stuck the tape with the wire to a fiberglass cloth.
keep in mind that resistance wire (at least the NiCr one we used) can't really be soldered. that's why we used the inside metal parts of luster terminals for the connection to the lead wire.

I have difficulties to see how I can use a blanket when i use vacuum? Maybe on top...I haven't really thought about it.
Making the bed for my laminate.