CDW for metal edge

For discussions related to the type of materials to build skis/snowboards and where to get them.

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G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

CDW for metal edge

Post by G-man »

As many of you might already know from some of my previous posts, I have been trying to locate a U.S. source for metal edges for quite some time (in addition to SBM). I'm quite sure I've read every post ever submitted to this forum (at least I think that I got them all) and have spent tons of hours searching on the internet. I've come very close to purchasing full coils from Austria, but the shipping was way prohibitive. I've contacted companies, who at one time made metal edge, to see if it might be possible that they would dust off the old tooling and again produce metal edge (came very close... still a possibility).

I've noted on an occasional post on this forum, the mention of a company named CDW. I looked them up on the internet and e-mailed them in Germany (the only address listed). However, they never responded to my e-mails, so, I gave up on them. Then, in a post on June 7, Kelvin suggested "try CDW in Ohio" with phone number. "Ohio?", I thought... "CDW is in Ohio?"... "Too good to be true". I copied down the number and stuck it to my computer. I'm not sure why it took me so long to give them a call... partly, I suppose because I was already working on a couple other 'long shots'. I was also maybe not looking forward to another likely disappointment.

But, today I called them. Those of you who have been doing business with CDW in Ohio all along, already know that my 'big search' is over. But, I'm guessing, from some other posts that I have read over the months from builders looking for a source for metal edge, that I'm not the only builder who just didn't 'get it' that a CDW facility was actually located in the U.S. So, this post is for those builders.

CDW in Ohio (Cleveland to be exact) is a 'service center' (as they called it) for the primary manufacturing facility in Germany. The service center imports master coils of metal edge from Germany and cuts and/or bends the product for customers in North America. They report to supply pretty much every snowboard and ski manufacturer in North America. They have no minimum order and welcome all customers. They offer a number of different styles of edge, sandblasted or primed. Samples of primed edge are available upon request. They also sell VDS rubber damping foil, imported from Germany. I don't have pricing, yet, but I will pass that info along when I get it. They don't have a website, but their phone # is 888-267-5718.

I'm sure that a number of posters on this forum assumed the rest of us all knew that a CDW was located in Ohio... and maybe I'm just the only bonehead who didn't. If that's the case, it's not the first time and it certainly won't be the last. I'm just hoping that this post might save some other hopeful ski builder all the effort that I've been through these past few months. By the way, I did a site search for 'CDW' today to see if I just missed all of the obvious clues to their location. The only post that really gave an indication that they had a U.S. base was Kelvin's. Thanks very much, Kelvin.

Cheers to all,

G-man
kelvin
Site Admin
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Location: Jackson Hole

Post by kelvin »

Glad it helped. We should put that in the links sections.

If you find out how much VDS cost, please let us know. I never thought of asking if they had VDS.

Thanks

-kelvin
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

Hi Kelvin,

Yes, I bet it would be helpful if CDW were listed under the links page. I was trying to think of any other good sources to list there. I realize that you may not want the page to get too big, as it might become combersome. I have placed a few oredrs for fire hose from Rawhide
Fire Hose. They are very pleasant to deal with, prices are good (about 5 bucks a foot for 5 inch hose), and shipping has always been really quick.

Yes, I'll post the VDS price when I get it. The sales person who deals with ski stuff has been on vacation, but, I think that he's due back any time now. VDS seems to be so hard to come by and is so expensive... I hope that CDW turns out to be a good source for it.

On a side note, I sometimes wonder if I confuse our European friends with some of the grammer that I use. "5 bucks" (as used above) is American slang for '5 dollars'. I'm not even sure where the term 'bucks' came from, but, I think the term has been around for the last hundred years or more... just in case someone was wondering.

Cheers,

G-man
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

It took a little while to hear back from CDW (summer vacations), but I placed an order with them today. Pricing seems very good. Primed edges are $1.59 for an 84 inch length. They do offer a stainless steel edge and I ordered a few of them to try out. CDW reports that the stainless edges are not real hot sellers because they are so "difficult" to work with. I'll give them a shot, though... guess I'll have to learn my own way about what the difficulties are. The stainless edges run about $5.00 each. I also ordered VDS damping foil. It is $.45 per meter for 50mm wide material.

What a great new material source!! The only remaining real hurdle to a successful ski building future is the issue of reliable bonding of the UHMW sidewalls... oh, ya... and global warming.

G-man
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Post by MLReed05 »

G-man wrote:It took a little while to hear back from CDW (summer vacations), but I placed an order with them today. Pricing seems very good. Primed edges are $1.59 for an 84 inch length. They do offer a stainless steel edge and I ordered a few of them to try out. CDW reports that the stainless edges are not real hot sellers because they are so "difficult" to work with. I'll give them a shot, though... guess I'll have to learn my own way about what the difficulties are. The stainless edges run about $5.00 each. I also ordered VDS damping foil. It is $.45 per meter for 50mm wide material.

What a great new material source!! The only remaining real hurdle to a successful ski building future is the issue of reliable bonding of the UHMW sidewalls... oh, ya... and global warming.

G-man
Any update on the stainless??
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

I just got the stainless edge yesterday. It looks interesting. It is primed, which they say improves bonding. It is 6.0mm wide instead of the 7.7ish of the edge that I've been using, and the teeth are smaller/greater in number. It works well with the usual 1.4mm base material. The 'running' portion of the edge is 2.0mm x 2.2mm, just like the regular edge. Soon I'll be stripping some of the primer off and doing some corrosion testing, and I'm anxious to see how it bends. Whatever the "difficulities" are, they don't imediately jump out. It'll be a couple of months before I actually get to build a ski with it... lots of fall chores and family visits to deal with. Oh, the edge runs $6.00 each.

G-man
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

If you find out how much VDS cost, please let us know. I never thought of asking if they had VDS.

Thanks

-kelvin
Got the VDS yesterday, also. 25mm x 70m for $31.50. It's exactly the same stuff that I've been getting from another supplier (don't want to mention names... I think it's important to support more than one source, just in case one should suddenly cease to exist... not good to have all the eggs in one basket).

G-man
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Post by MLReed05 »

I just got in some edges that CDW bent for me. They came out pretty nice and were not too expensive. The only catch is that I had to by 30 pieces.
Rich C
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:16 am
Location: CT

Post by Rich C »

MLReed05 wrote:I just got in some edges that CDW bent for me. They came out pretty nice and were not too expensive. The only catch is that I had to by 30 pieces.
Im looking to have my edges pre-bent in the future. What kind of information did you have to provide for them to bend the edges - just a cad or .dxf file with the base outline? How accurately were they shaped?
MLReed05
Posts: 82
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:12 pm
Location: Western MA

Post by MLReed05 »

Rich C wrote:
MLReed05 wrote:I just got in some edges that CDW bent for me. They came out pretty nice and were not too expensive. The only catch is that I had to by 30 pieces.
Im looking to have my edges pre-bent in the future. What kind of information did you have to provide for them to bend the edges - just a cad or .dxf file with the base outline? How accurately were they shaped?
You have to send them an actual template. They basically fit dead on...just had to trim the length down a bit
Jordan
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:18 pm

Post by Jordan »

what is the website for CDW, or a non 800 number, apparently it dosent work where im from.
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

Phone number is 216-267-5500. Ask for Mark. No website that I know of.

G-man
Jordan
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 10:18 pm

Post by Jordan »

thanks.
G-man
Posts: 600
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: northern sierra nevada

Post by G-man »

You're welcome

G-man
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