Ski Builders Forum

Been messing with some 3-D base profiles on some homemade sticks for the last couple seasons. Was wondering if any of you guys had some similar experiments, theories, drawings, proto's, etc.

You just blew my mind. Those look really cool!

wow! Done with a cnc?

No CNC. Can't swing that high roller stuff. Things are pretty lo-fi as I'm working with %60 of an 8x12 un-insulated garden shed.

The one that looks sort of... skateboard-ish (for lack of a better description). What is the idea behind that? Like physically what does it accomplish? Very cool looking, if nothing else!

Awesome looking designs there mate. Its good to see some swallowtails.
I have toyed with the idea of a basic 3d nose on the board I have designed but my main turn off is alignment of the layup in comparison to the mould. Are you pressing or vac bagging?

Very interesting! What does the 3-d base design do for you? I've seen it on the tops but never on the base. Love seeing new and innovated stuff.

I'm guessing that the 3d base allows for there to be less contact width (new term???) which could allow the board to have better carving hardpack performance. Could allow the board to have 2 different turning radii. 1 in hard pack when the thinner portion of the base touches and 1 in powder where the entire board base is contacting.

The idea was to be able to get the board on edge easier as these are mostly ridden without bindings doing the powder surfing thing. Having the extra leverage point to lean it on edge also allows the boards to be quite a bit wider than usual. Keep the board short but don't lose much surface area, keep things nimble in tight pockets. Turns out they ride hardpack with bindings on quite well. Can ride quite lazy on crusts and crud when flat based as there is zero edge contact until you lean on it. The drift and spin factor is kind of fun too. I am doing the vacuum press thing.

The skateboard looking one is kind of something like the dps spoon idea having cleats for traction due to this one only having sidecut between the bindings. It seems to bite better than the others in softer snow but I can feel them slow things down on hard pack. Mind you this board shape should just stay in soft snow anyways. Might try to do a version of this shape with only the step in the profile and see how they compare. That'll probably be next season by the time I make it happen.

These are somewhat like the '80s vintage "sintered" bases that had the groove down the middle to break down suction. This is a different concept but I'd bet that it still glides faster than the equivalent flat board.

Hi. Nice one. How are you shaping the base material? Do you do anything prior to bagging? Like heating or ......... C.

Wow - great work. Any huck type video coming our way?

I'm impressed

Thanks guys. The base material just follows the contours of a mold that goes in the press. The profile is built into the core as well.

As for huck type video I put out this short edit with one of my first test decks last season.

http://vimeo.com/31688399