New guy in olympia wa

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Jay
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:25 am

New guy in olympia wa

Post by Jay »

Hi everyone,
I have enjoyed reading everyones ski making adventures on here and though I won't be posting much until I have read more and actually built some skis I wanted to at least say hello and introduce myself.
A bit about myself and my ski tastes ...I live in olympia wa, ski primarily at crystal and have been sking for thirty years 10 of which was east coast ski racing. I primarily ski metal core all mountain skis like my mantras , and blizzard magnums, atomic Rex's. If it's going to be a firm groomer day I get out a pair of gs race skis.:)
I look forward to learning from all of you and maybe make myself some skis:)
skidesmond
Posts: 2337
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:26 pm
Location: Western Mass, USA
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Post by skidesmond »

Cool, a fellow racer! This year I'll be researching materials for a metal ski. Titanal is hard to find and when you do find it, it's expensive. So, I'm looking for alternative metals/materials. I've been looking at high grade AL and even forms of steel and stainless steel. The main trick it a good bond.
Jay
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:25 am

Post by Jay »

I checked out your website, nice skis!!
If you skied usaa racing in the 80's and 90's we raced each other!!
I have been thinking about this already and one idea I was mulling over was sanding the metal for a good bite and then spraying it with an automotive epoxy primer a day or two before lamination....at which point it wouldn't be fully cured and would stick very well to the epoxy used for the next layer. that's what epoxy primer is designed for , so we should try it!
One thing to research would be what layup epoxy and what primer would be compatible. getting them from the same manufacturers may be important.
skidesmond
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Location: Western Mass, USA
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Post by skidesmond »

I was never that caliber of racer. My racing career spanned high school, occasional NASTAR and now Corporate racing. I attended a 2 day slalom and GS racing camp through PSIA a couple weeks ago. Learned a lot.

Lots of info on this site about bonding metal into a ski. Never thought about using epoxy primer. I have some ideas. I'll be posting them when I get started. The primary reason I want to try using metal is to make a damp, torsionally rigid, longitudinal flexible ski.

Just came across self ectching primer, an alternative to epoxy primer for metal. Seems like these primers are used to properly prep the metal for paint or bondo. I don't know anything about either one, but that's why this forum exist :D
rnordell
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Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:16 am
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Post by rnordell »

I've used both 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 in my skis. Both are readily available with their common use in the aviation industry. The best bonding options have both mechanical and chemical bonding. I first abrade the surface, with a quick hit on the 80 grit drum sander. I then acid etch and chromate conversion coat (Iridite or Alodine) within 48 hours of layup. Look up MIL-DTL-5541. I treat all the aluminum parts in my skis with this process. Beware of disposal requirements as the chromium in it is toxic. I work in the aviation industry so I just run over to our aircraft paint and strip shop whenever I need parts coated. There are some alternative products/processes I would like to try in the future. One is AC-130 and AC-131 metal prep, the other is phosphoric acid anodize (with and without epoxy primer).
Jay
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:25 am

Post by Jay »

Very cool, it's great that you race, I have thought about joining the crystal masters program out here...I've just been too busy.
I paint cars as part of my hobbies and am really well versed in paint, there is no better bonding and stable product than a good two part epoxy primer, especially If you have good clean metal, which in our case there is no reason not to..self etching primer is not as good for adhesion to the metal or the next layer of paint..or in our case epoxy... Self etching is kinda of used as a bandaid for doing poor prep work on an oily rusty old car... good prep work and epoxy primer is the right way.
twizzstyle
Posts: 2204
Joined: Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:25 pm
Location: Kenmore, Wa USA

Post by twizzstyle »

Welcome to the forum! There are a few of us from the PNW.

I ski at Snoqualmie, have most of my life. We try to get down to Crystal once or twice a year, but I never made it this year (I know you're still open... but I'm not willing to do the drive just for green valley).

Here's my only tip for you - keep your first pair simple. Save the metal experiments for pair #2, you'll want to get down the rest of the process before you deviate too much from the "standard" homemade ski. Depending on your prior experience with some of this stuff, there may be a steep learning curve :)
Jay
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:25 am

Post by Jay »

rnordell wrote:I've used both 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 in my skis. Both are readily available with their common use in the aviation industry. The best bonding options have both mechanical and chemical bonding. I first abrade the surface, with a quick hit on the 80 grit drum sander. I then acid etch and chromate conversion coat (Iridite or Alodine) within 48 hours of layup. Look up MIL-DTL-5541. I treat all the aluminum parts in my skis with this process. Beware of disposal requirements as the chromium in it is toxic. I work in the aviation industry so I just run over to our aircraft paint and strip shop whenever I need parts coated. There are some alternative products/processes I would like to try in the future. One is AC-130 and AC-131 metal prep, the other is phosphoric acid anodize (with and without epoxy primer).
Wow thanks for the insight on this, I think I remember reading another post of yours where you discussed it.
Jay
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:25 am

Post by Jay »

twizzstyle wrote:Welcome to the forum! There are a few of us from the PNW.

I ski at Snoqualmie, have most of my life. We try to get down to Crystal once or twice a year, but I never made it this year (I know you're still open... but I'm not willing to do the drive just for green valley).

Here's my only tip for you - keep your first pair simple. Save the metal experiments for pair #2, you'll want to get down the rest of the process before you deviate too much from the "standard" homemade ski. Depending on your prior experience with some of this stuff, there may be a steep learning curve :)
Thanks twizzle! You know there is 10 inches of fresh tomorrow in green valley...Im headed up!
I'll keep my first pair as simple as I can...thanks for the advise!
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