Ski Builders Forum

First off, I will say that I did try to search, but if this subject has been covered before, I couldn't figure out the right search terms, so please point me in the right direction.

I've got a pair of skis under my belt that I made using a friend's pneumatic press. Prior to meeting said, friend, I had purchased some equipment for vacuum bagging, but haven't gotten around to making any skis with it yet, but with our respective schedules and very young children, it's hard to find time to go over to his place, so I'm getting ready to try my vacuum bag setup.

The question is, should I do one ski at a time or the pair?

I'm thinking that if/when I screw up, screwing up a single ski would be better than screwing up the pair. OTOH, I'm worried that making the skis on separate days, with long cures at uncontrolled (room) temperatures will give me two very different skis.

Ideally someone who's done both the single and double will chime in with an opinion.

Thanks!

I've done both.
Single ski, you have more time to put it all together wet out fibers etc.
It's a lot less stressful. I've made a pair of skis over the course of a couple weeks and they turned out to be a pair.
Just make sure to remember how much epoxy and the order you built them in and you'll be fine.

If your making a single ski and screw it up, your out a pair of cores unless you can make an exact match.
I can get 2 pair of cores close but can't get them exactly the same, so if I screw up 1 their both trash.
I always make my cores as a pair.

Double ski press, you get the pair together faster, only one press cycle, less stress on your vacuum pump, less wastage of disposables.
More stress trying to get all the layers etc together before your epoxy gels.

Either way is fine. I started with a single ski until I had the process down and was comfortable working with my system then progressed to a double.

sam

Thanks for the response.

Good point on the cores.

Based on my vast experience of pressing one pair, I think I can get everything together in time. Guess there's only one way to find out!