Ski Builders Forum

I just ordered a big board of (White boy name) Tigerwood for sidewall material. Did some research, seems to be naturally waterproof like Ipe and all those others.

But, has anyone tried to make a piece to wrap around the core for 'tip fill'?
It seems like it would de-laminate very easily, but I really want to try it. It looks sexy on SkiLogik skis and is probably more durable.

What cha think?

I just scored some 1/8" bamboo and was thinking of doing tip/tail fill with it a bit thicker than normal 2mm. The only problem I see with the full wrap sidewall tip/tail fill is no seam for glue escape but that may not even be an issue.

The skilogik sidewalls seem to hold up for the most part and they even have horizontal finger joints in them. but there is a seam between the tipfill and sidewall.

What about cardboard???

I use ipe for sidewalls. Not sure any wood will easily wrap around a ski tip. Especially a wood like ipe or tigerwood. The seam between the tipfill and sidewall should not be an issue assuming there are no big gaps. I use 1/16 veneers of ash or poplar for tip fill, 2 layers. I give the veneer a light sanding and the finished thickness is about 3mm.

What if you cut the tip shape out of a plank of wood, rather than bending a small piece around the tip. I am pretty sure I'll have to just settle for real tip fill.

gketcham wrote:What if you cut the tip shape out of a plank of wood, rather than bending a small piece around the tip. I am pretty sure I'll have to just settle for real tip fill.

huh...
Sometimes I have to wonder, whats become of the youth today...
And no wondering whats to become of the future.

gketcham wrote:What if you cut the tip shape out of a plank of wood, rather than bending a small piece around the tip. I am pretty sure I'll have to just settle for real tip fill.

I've done that with scraps of a thick 2mm hardwood veneer i had kicking around...worked like a charm. You could also use a thicker board and rip it on a bandsaw and sand/plane it down to the desired thickness.

gketcham wrote:What if you cut the tip shape out of a plank of wood, rather than bending a small piece around the tip. I am pretty sure I'll have to just settle for real tip fill.

I saw it done this way by local builder (he not posting here)
he used Tigerwood last 1--2". Wood core up to it. Basically solid piece of wood replace last section of the base and the top sheet ends on it so would totally exposed top and bottom. Looks very nice.

So if I made my core end right where the tip starts to curl and filled that with wood, profiled down to the thickness of tip fill, it won't be to stung to bend to the corner? That sounds awesome to me.

gketcham wrote:So if I made my core end right where the tip starts to curl and filled that with wood, profiled down to the thickness of tip fill, it won't be to stung to bend to the corner? That sounds awesome to me.

Depends on the type of wood you use! But you can always pre bend the tip fill by steam bending it. Pretty ease process.