Ski Builders Forum

I tumbled upon this video on youtube and find it interesting how they do layup. Perhaps someone her gets it, as I really dont get the following,

- around 1:55min in the video they show the base with edges. It seems to me as the base is not cut exactly to the shape and is extending under edges?
-at around 2:04 they put glass fiber on top but there is non shaped black layer below seen, is this perhaps VDS?
- 3:04 and forward, cutting the ski on a bandsaw. the bottom is all black. is this the base, or perhaps the VDS extending past edges?

video link:

Cheers,

The base always sits under the edge tangs/fingers, all the way to the skiable (visible bit) edge.

They just missed the step of putting the vds over the edges - this is the "black layer" you are seeing - it is just sitting on top of the edges, it's generally wider than the edges and sticks out both sides.

good eye. Not sure what that is at 1:55. VDS doesn't normally go under the edge although I guess it could.

I think at 2:04 you're seeing VDS.
At 3:04 it's interesting to see the ski at the bandsaw because it looks like the base has a slight separation already from the flashing. Perhaps this goes back to what we saw at 1:55.

At 2:54 bit of editing out of sequence too. After the ski comes out of the press they show epoxy dripping out of the layup. I'd freak at this point and put the ski back in the press.

Yeah I've always wondered about that extra back that seems to be underneath the ski. I wondered if they had used the left over base material outisde the edge to support it and keep it pushed in against the actual base.
I think though it might be a masking layer to help affix the base to the mold (+/- stop epoxy from getting on the base).
Any other ideas?

It's just tape to help keep epoxy from getting under the base. Probably a super thin double stick tape. Not a bad idea.

I have always wondered what they are doing at 1:47. I cant tell what I am seeing.

At 2:19 you can see a red pad installed around the front of the binding area...first mode vibration damping? I would be interested to know what it is and if he notches the sidewall to receive it. I guess it could also be a thin phenolic sheet for binding retention...ooh, I think I like that guess better.

As falls said, I think the full black base is due to the excess base from cutting out with a draw knife being used as alignment. This would mean your cassette only needs straight sides for aligning the flash (could be the same for all skis).

1:47, is it some edge bending machine?

they have an eastman. they cut the base perfect.
I think they have vds under their edge. I have seen this in bigger euro factories.
The red part is a mystery

Do you mean they have place vds on the base before edging? In the video you can see what looks like black flash, which means the lower cassette does not have a pocket....which means the edges must be pre-attached. How would that work with the VDS in the cyano seam?