The best thing to do is not try to make better skis than the manufacturers, just make skis that are way cooler. Strange shapes, funny graphics, specialized characteristics for specific conditions, etc. The most important thing though is that you shred up the mountain on them, no matter how crazy the...

It wasn't at all pointless to heat to 105. The thing is that with room temp curing epoxy, the curing time decreases by half by increasing the temp by 10 degrees over 70. If it normally would take 24 hours at room temp, then 80 would take 12 hours, 90 takes 6 hours, 100 takes 3 hours, 105 took techni...

I figured when I built with a bladder press that my break even was around 6 pairs if they are $500 per pair. It is all in the value you put on your skis

It's a little like asking the price of a lamborghini... if you gotta ask, you probably can't afford it. :D But it is actually best to set your goals sort of vaguely (low cost, middle cost, high cost) and just always aim at that goal. But it will consume your life, then your living space, and then pe...

Except that it is basically just water-skiing. The same thing as coasting into the dock after dropping the tow line.

Now, next up Barefoot Wave Skiing!

That is amazing! AWESOME!

Sounds like you're hooked. I recommend you sell your mass produced skis while they still have some value :) The first ride on a fresh pair of skis is always an adventure... I will never forget riding up the lift strapped to The Bremallows, when the big debate was how many runs they would last. They ...

Has anyone thought about using Dyneema rope?
It is incredibly strong, breaking load for 6mm line is nearly 4000 kg. And, it isn't terribly expensive either.

I had pretty good success with an electric blanket I bought at Sears. with a little modification, it got the heat up to around 105 F which was pretty good.

Building plastic works okay for vacuum bagging... it isn't optimal but it works in a pinch. Packaging tape also works for vacuum tape. If Home Depot sells refrigerators, then you can build a vacuum pump from home depot supplies... that is a stretch though. Most stuff for ski building takes effort to...

I've made 10 pairs of skis and a snowboard if you are starting to count.

I just made an angled fitting that goes on my router out of a scrap piece of wood. It works like a charm and that way I can do everything with only straight bits and no ball bearings. I don't have any pictures of it, but it is basically a piece of wood about 1 foot long, with an angled groove in it....

I have drawn almost all of my skis by hand, on the cores. To do this, use a flexible piece of wood that has even flex, i.e. no knots. Pin the board where you would like the ends of the curve, then bend it until you get it to where you want the center of the curve... pin it there and trace. Super sim...

And, yet another tip that I found... You can get premade cores at any building supply store in Sweden... it is called 'limtra' and they cost 178:- for enough material for a pair of skis... conveniently 200 cm long and around 30cm wide. This can then be profiled as one piece and you save a huge amoun...

Oh I forgot, Kompositfabriken has excellent prices on rolls of fiberglass, check out their leftovers section... I got enough glass for 15 pairs of skis and a lot of boat fixes for about 800:-