Ski Builders Forum

Whats up ski builders?

I'm planing on making skis this summer and super stoked to get started. My question is are there any instructions posted making a cat track for the ski press?

Thanks guys!

Just look at some photos.

Take square aluminum and cut it to the width you neeed. The drill holes at the end to run cable through.

I've also been looking into building my own press and was wondering if a cattrack is even necessary? Wouldn't the hose distribute the pressure equally over the cassette? Seems like the cattrack would leave pressure voids between members.

Sure Aspen. However, you need a very wide hose to press fat skis and even wider for snowboards.
Plus without a cat track the hose would tend to wrap over the ski and leave dents in your upper aluminium sheet of the cassette.

Having said this some forum members aren't using a cat track and are getting great results. And you can get custom built bladders for pressing skis/snowboards that are wide hose based setups (often used for cap construction).

In regards to building one:
I think Aluminium is best (lighter than steel), but steel or wood can be used.
Choose a width (the width of your press)
Cut a s##load of pieces to that length
Drill two holes in each piece
String them all together - I strung all mine on bungee cord. Others have used metal rope with springs at the end. It is important for the cat track to be able to "bend" to the shape of your mold so the bungee cord or springs allow this change in shape.

I think general consensus is that the pieces of cat track in the tip and tail shouldn't be wider than 20mm (allows them to conform better to the curvature, especially tighter radii). Pieces along the camber (especially flat camber) can be wider.

If using aluminium 3mm wall best, but some have used 1.6mm wall.

I was wondering if there is any reason that square tube is used for the cat track. All pictures of presses with cat tracks I have seen use square tubes. Would using round pipe be able to distribute the pressure similarly?

No. If you're using very thick metal for your cassette, it might be ok, but you'd have a gap of 1 diameter between your pressure points. If you're using thin sheet metal you're going to get poorly dimpled skis. With the square tube, you only get gaps in the tip/tail, and its small.

Makes sense. Thanks

Don't waste your money on Aluminum for the cat track. I used .75" X 1.5" for the main "flat" portion, then .75" X .75" for the tip and tail, wall thickness is .065" works great. You will save money, and less holes. I used .125" cable, (Home Depot) Just my 2 cents....cheers

steel?

Ten Four!!!

Steel makes sense until you add a heater.

Explain???? Works great for me.

Aluminium acts as a heat sink. Steel conducts the heat. In the absence of the right insulation, it must get quite hot. Personally, I like to keep the hose as cool as possible.

Richuk wrote:Aluminium acts as a heat sink. Steel conducts the heat. In the absence of the right insulation, it must get quite hot. Personally, I like to keep the hose as cool as possible.

why not to add insulation?
okay regular fiberglass will not work, that's understandable. in this case several layers of thick fabric under cat-tracks will do better than nothing at all. That is direction I am will be going when time comes for the blankets.

MR - you're definitely the guy I would ask!