Why Knot?

[loganimlach]

Let me preface this thread by saying thank you to everyone on this forum for creating such an awesome open source. I feel like i already know a lot of you, and have learned almost everything I know through your trials and tribulations, so I hope in time I can contribute information like so many of you have.

So the most common question people came up with when I said I was building skis was "Why?". My answer was always, "Well, why the f&@k not?", so a little play on words later I decided to call my skis Why Knot? as I see myself doing lots of wood veneer topsheets (I can only hope they look as good as whiteroom's). I had a little over two weeks time to hammer out all of the means to make a pair as well as hopefully my first pair as i work a 3x3 schedule in the oilfield and had a little trip to denver planned already, so I decided to use instagram to document my process under #diyskis. i did a similar process last year building a hollow wooden surfboard, #hwsdiy, check it out if you like.

Since it won't let me post photos for another post, i'm going to burn one below this then show the photo journal.

[loganimlach]

rules are rules

[loganimlach]

ugh, still no photos. i guess i'll try again tomorrow. if you're on instagram, check out #diyskis!

[loganimlach]

Here's the spotty photo journal.

all of my materials arrived on the 27th


my boardcrafter based rib design along with "modular" vacuum table for profiling cores


veneer supplies auto cycling venturi and router sled



tip, tail, and (flat) camber ribs. i decided to do the first pair flat underfoot to determine how my heating scheme would affect my camber.


ready to profile some cores


my base holder, which attaches to the vacuum table, also has a vacuum channel to hold the base down for trimming out with the router


another modular element to my table, a home made router table. the dowels slip into the holes drilled into the edge of the table and the supports rest against the side of it.


ripping 1-1'16 x 5-3/4" bamboo, super fun...


first core profiled


tip spacers attached


attaching my first edge


dry run


time to piss or get off the pot


tucking them in for a warm nap after a 50 minute layup... phew.


popped out after 3 hours of heat and 3 hours of hanging out in the vacuum just because


after their rough cut out with the jig saw. now i know why so many of you have band saws... haha


done!

[sammer]

Wow...
Did you build all that in 3 weeks?

Lookin' pretty good. Get some binding on them and try em out.
Let us know how they work.

sam

[loganimlach]

Wow...
Did you build all that in 3 weeks?

Lookin' pretty good. Get some binding on them and try em out.
Let us know how they work.

sam

yes sir, really all i did in the final week was trim out the flash and start working on another pair. it's kind of a different scenario when i'm essentially on vacation for 3 weeks and don't have anything to do. next time off i'm going to shoot for 8 pairs to last me the season.

i won't be surprised if i snap these their first time out. 2.3-11.3-2.3 bamboo core without any carbon fiber is waaaaaaaay too soft.

[dvollebregt]

Hi man,

Nice looking pair!

I'm also building ski's with a bamboe core. I'm wondering what type of fiberglass you used? Oz? And did you put two layers or one on each side?

Thanks

Duco

[loganimlach]

Hi man,

Nice looking pair!

I'm also building ski's with a bamboe core. I'm wondering what type of fiberglass you used? Oz? And did you put two layers or one on each side?

Thanks

Duco

i made the horrible mistake of using one layer of 19 oz triax on top and bottom with no carbon... the skis are noodles. there's a good chance they will snap within the first few times I ride them. the next set with a bamboo core that I make will be 22 oz triax with uni-carbon tape symmetrically on top and bottom. I haven't decided what width yet. and i also brain farted and didn't put on the nice sections of underfoot glass I had cut, so those will be going on the next ones too.

[backyardskier]

Nice work, also nice to see another ns'er make the move to this site ha.

[loganimlach]

here's the timelapse of my layup if anyone has 6 minutes to burn and chooses to waste it watching me drink whiskey and make skis:

[loganimlach]

just finished up ordering enough supplies for 10 pairs, i'm going to try to pump out 8 sets in 10 days on my next time off from work. 3 jibbing skis, 2 pow skis, 1 touring ski, then a pair for my old lady and a pair for my dad. this should be interesting.

[twizzstyle]

Nice work, also nice to see another ns'er make the move to this site ha.

I haven't been on NS in about 10 years... everybody grows out of that site eventually.

[gozaimaas]

I watched while drinking wild turkey!
Bonus point

[loganimlach]

I haven't been on NS in about 10 years... everybody grows out of that site eventually.

that's funny, i just hit my 10 year mark being on NS. I don't think i'll ever grow out of it though. the never ending shitshow is far too entertaining.

[backyardskier]

I haven't been on NS in about 10 years... everybody grows out of that site eventually.

that's funny, i just hit my 10 year mark being on NS. I don't think i'll ever grow out of it though. the never ending shitshow is far too entertaining.

I have been on there for pretty much the same amount of years and yeah it is to funny to give up.