Leaf Skis

Document your personal work here. Show photos, movies, and share your secrets.

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lucacasty
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:53 am
Location: Como, Italy

Post by lucacasty »

Idris wrote:Having been lucky enough to see these skis in person. I can only say they are of the highest quality - finish - attention to detail, etc. that I have seen anywhere. Absolutely flawless ;)
Hi Idris

It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday in Camonix.
I hope to see your skis with the new finish posted soon.
Ciao

Luca
lucacasty
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:53 am
Location: Como, Italy

Post by lucacasty »

COsurfer wrote:Wow, great looking skis! can you elaborate on your water heating system? How are you holding down your wood on the CNC machine, vacuum?

Thanks!
For the heating system we used an aluminium bar that has 8 longitudinal holes.
In 4 of the I have water going in and on the other I have water going out.
Temperature 80 Celcius.
Image

For the cnc i confirm we use vacuum
lucacasty
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:53 am
Location: Como, Italy

Post by lucacasty »

falls wrote:That is awesome!!
One question: what are you using for mold release and how are you going with not getting epoxy stuck to your cassette with the two parts fixed together idea.
Again awesome press and skis!

Actually two questions: You guys have "day jobs" in the woodworking industry as I recall, and from all the nice toys you have (eg CNC).
The steel cassette is teated before every press with "non sticking liquid" (forgive me for the translation). Actually it is a sort of liquid wax into a very volatile liquid that you distribute on the cassette with a sponge.

Yes we are in the wooden industry (doors http://www.castiglioni.net/default.asp ) and this makes things much, much easier
OnDeck
Posts: 201
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:02 am

Post by OnDeck »

Great job, really. These are beautiful.
Richuk
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Location: The Duchy of Grand Fenwick

Post by Richuk »

Hi Luca,

You mentioned testing more natural finishes in an early post. What option did you go for in the end?

Rich
lucacasty
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:53 am
Location: Como, Italy

Post by lucacasty »

Richuk wrote:Hi Luca,

You mentioned testing more natural finishes in an early post. What option did you go for in the end?

Rich
Hi Rich

Last year the cycle we used was the following:
sanding+sealer+sanding+PU base+light sanding+PU finish.
The finish was great but not so natural.
We changed and now the cycle is done in this way:
sanding+sealer+sanding+finish
Avoiding the base allows to the grain to be seen as if it was treated only with wax.
The vanish I'm using is from Sayerlack:
http://www.sayerlack.it/scripts/default.asp

The codes are:
TU160 + it's hardener for the sealer
TZ 9010/00 + it's hardener for the finish
The finish in particular is fantastic because it is very hard with a 10 gloss finish but it really leaves the wood grain very natural.
lucacasty
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:53 am
Location: Como, Italy

Post by lucacasty »

Hi everybody

We did some changes on the Woodbones in order to reduce the weight.
With the standard bamboo woodcore the weight was 2400 grams per single ski.
We made a test ski with a red cedar woodcore with bamboo sidewalls and we reduced the weight to 1850 grams.
This means more than half a kilo.
This w/e we will test them on the snow, hoping to find some fresh powder that this year on the alps looks like a mirage.
14costurm
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:27 am

Ski Construction

Post by 14costurm »

So the Actual ski construction steps are the same as the "HowTo" section, even if your using the Vacuum press method? I am building a vacuum press and Skis in less than 3 months. So any and all help would be very appreciated!
szymon
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:32 pm

Post by szymon »

Wonderfull work! I've seen some of your skis last winter in shops in Italy
(Alta Badia I guess) - they are really beatifull!

I was wondering what thickness of veneer do you use 0,6mm, 1,5mm or different?
At the shops I found they have only few veneers 1,5mm and those 0,6mm are really thin...
sammer
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Post by sammer »

I think the majority of use are using the thin stuff.
The veneer I've been using is 1/42"=0.6mm.
I think if you use the thicker stuff it will crack where it bends.

sam
You don't even have a legit signature, nothing to reveal who you are and what you do...

Best of luck to you. (uneva)
szymon
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 3:32 pm

Post by szymon »

no way it will crack - I've made some tests with 1,5mm maple - it bends a lot, with no problem!
but anyway - good to know that most of you use the thin stuff - it would make it much easier as it's more choice in that thickness.
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vinman
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Post by vinman »

Don't forget that the veneer is not just pretty, it will add stiffness to your ski not to mention weight. IMO the thinner stuff is a better choice.
Fighting gravity on a daily basis
www.Whiteroomcustomskis.com
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