Paint your base

For discussions related to ski/snowboard construction/design methods and techniques.

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rockaukum
Posts: 558
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:23 am
Location: Placerville area

Paint your base

Post by rockaukum »

The other day I found myself with nothing to do and headed to the shop to clean up a bit. My son just finished a build and it looked nice. With one set of cores left, I decided to build the same ski and give it a try. Full symmetrical park type ski, 130-108-130 early rise tip and tail with camber underfoot. Knowing I don't ski park I did not want to use some of the"pretty" base material. Having plenty of the clear, I decided to use it. Routed it out and attached the edges. Then I thought about painting something on the bottom of the wood core. Hitting the pages here looking for information about this. I came across a post about using water based acrylic paint and painting the base material.
Paint is cheap so I gave it a try. Made a design as I went along and kinda flood coated over it with black to hide the VDS and maybe the edge material. remember the edges were already attached? So I was very careful to not get paint on the edges until... then it was all out slop the paint on. Not caring if it got on the edge teeth or not. Completed the lay-up, mounted with tele and gave them a try. Pretty fun until I pulled one of the screws. Here are the pics of the skis and the painting of the bases. I'm really interested in how they hold up bonding wise as it will be fun coming up with other designs for the bases.
Ready for lay-up. note the text is printed on rice paper..

Image

Heading to the press.Image

Out of the press.Image

First look at the painted bases.Image

Base paint.Image

Text on rice paper.Image

sample of base paint. note I did not paint the area exposed by tip spacer. I figured it was black anyway so why paint it? Now I know, Paint it!Image

Hot coat and ready to go!Image
knightsofnii
Posts: 1148
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:02 am
Location: NJ USA
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Post by knightsofnii »

i'm stoked on that top!!! what matl is it? no top sheet, what did you hotcoat with?
Doug
rockaukum
Posts: 558
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:23 am
Location: Placerville area

Post by rockaukum »

Thanks for the nice comments. It is a highly secret method that I am reluctant to divulge....
Hah!
I just don't want to spend the money to have top sheets printed so I opt for tie-dye on basic cotton fabric. Don't see too much of this around so it fits just right with me! Hot coat is with the same epoxy I use for lay-up, West Systems. No heat blankets so everything is room temp cure. I do nuke the resin a bit prior to hardener and it flows real nice.
One coat, then sand through the grits. Second coat and use the electric heat gun to raise the bubbles (pops em!). Then depending on how it comes out, leave it or sand again then do a buff with the car waxes. Comes out nice.
Just watch out for runs and drips down the sidewalls. I use paper a towel to smooth things out on the sidewalls.
ra
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