Finishing

Bambi · Post by **Bambi** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 12:23 pm

Apologies if this is a bit trivial, but...

How close can you get with a jigsaw to the edges when clearing off the flash? Can you brush the edge with the blade or will that mess it up severely?
If there is still a small layer of material on the edge of the ski do you file it of prior to routing to clean up the edge?

Thanks,

B.

teleman36 · Post by **teleman36** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:58 pm

I dont use a jigsaw, but imagine that the principle would be the same as how I do it with a bandsaw. The blade is a 1/4in. 6 teeth per inch hook tooth. You pretty much have to dedicate a blade for just trimming, as you do kind of abuse it. I set the saw table at the angle of the desired sidewall bevel, and just run the edge right up to the blade. you are actually bearing the edge on the back edge of the blade. Once you get it going on track just the weight of the ski, and the right angle of feed makes the ski edge its own guide. It is a bit scary at first given the fact that you can not see the edge, and you are slicing away at you own ski you just spent hours making, out the wood blade doesnt seem to want to catch and cut into the edge. The key is to feel the edge riding on the back edge of the blade. Sometimes I don't even need to run through the router to pretty up the sidewall bevel. The blades last a lot longer than you may think, and as you do wear away the set on one side of the blade it gets smoother and less scary. Good luck, and try a few practice pieces first.

plywood · Post by **plywood** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:35 am

my experiences:
skis eat jigsaw blades! i tried nearly every type of blade: metal, aluminium, hard wood, normal wood, plastics....
the blades for hardwood work best: mine cut about 50cm per blade. after these 50cm the teeths of the blade are nearly gone.

i always try to gut as close to the edge as possible. if you put the blade parallel to the edges you can let it run against the edges. it won`t do big damages to them, because the blade nearly can not hook or cut into them if you really hold it parallel. you just have to be carful that you don`t get stuck on a single spot: i think this would create some friction and heat...and this could get you into serious troubles when the edges get too hot it possibly could destroy the ski/weaken the epoxy.

hafte · Post by **hafte** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:10 am

You can just run the blade along the edge. The hardened steel of the edge is difficult to cut with a scroll saw. Here is a pack of the blades that I found to work best. I can get around most of a pair of skis with one blade. When clean up the edges with the right angle grinder so the router guide bearing has something accurate to follow.

http://home.comcast.net/~mhafte/images/haft003.jpg

I put the url in too. Seems comcast is not putting my pictures up every time I hit a thread with my pictures... at least for me.

Hafte

MartinJern · Post by **MartinJern** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:28 pm

Did I understand u right Hafte, do u clean up edges with an anglegrinder? What disks are u using?

hafte · Post by **hafte** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:03 pm

OHya, I use a 36-40 grit sanding disk. Removes the resin/glass and sparkes on the edge. It tells you when to stop.

Hafte

plywood · Post by **plywood** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:48 am

i do this with a normal file by hand. normally i cut really close to the edge, in some places the edge is already exposed after cutting, in other areas there are maximum 2mm of epoxy sticking on the edge. because it`s mainly epoxy you can sand it down really quick.
and i really like to do this by hand, you got a better feeling and there is no risk of hurting the edges in any way...

but as hafte said: the edges are hardened, so they can withstand quite a lot of abuse

RoboGeek · Post by **RoboGeek** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:18 am

Has anybody had a saw blade catch on the edge and basically delaminate it?

krp8128 · Post by **krp8128** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:12 pm

I tired to get as close as possible, but of course I wavered a bit from the edge here and there. Then I took it over to the vertical bench sander. This worked, but it was hard to get the inside curves. Just as others have said, when you see sparks, it is time to move on. What I really need is a vertical spindle sander.

I don;t have one, so I'm cooking up a hand held version once my bearings come in.

Hafte,

Those are some aggressive looking blades, what are you using for a topsheet? I was worried about tearing mine.

rockaukum · Post by **rockaukum** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:27 pm

I've used a band saw and a jig saw both with good outcomes. Never had a blade catch an edge and cause any damage. I cut up to the edge and use the edge as the guide as well.
rockaukum

hafte · Post by **hafte** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:31 am

Those are some aggressive looking blades, what are you using for a topsheet? I was worried about tearing mine.

krp8128, I have glass top sheets sometimes with a bit of silk for color. These blades are just for removing the flash. I vacuum bag so everything gets pulled down to the edges. I'm not sure how they would work in your case. I bought 6-8 packs one day and these are the only ones that would last. Most blades, if they cut at all, would get dull and smoke very fast. I went through a whole pack on one ski until I found these.

I have not had issue with the bade catching on the edge and causing the ski damage. I have managed to toss the ski on the floor, attempted to cut into the cast iron table of my table saw, ditto the wood table I was working on, etc.

I'll work with a file at times too. the grinding disk is not too bad. It can be worked with a gentle touch. Even when I do hit the edge there is little damage just some minor scratches that get worked out during tuning.

Hafte

krp8128 · Post by **krp8128** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:37 am

Hafte,

I'm also using a glass topsheet, with a fabric graphics layer, and vacuum bagging. I have about 1/8" of wood sidewall overlapping the edges, so I was trimming the glass and wood right up to the edges. I have that exact blade you showed, but i was worried that it might be too aggressive and tear my top layer of glass. I'll give it a try next time.

This last time, I used a piece of crap budget blade (fine) from the home depot. Two blades for one ski, I think the rock maple was the hardest on the blades. I couldn't find my Lenox composites blades, they were stuck in another toolbag. These are also pricey.

kelvin · Post by **kelvin** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:12 am

Robogeek,
some jigsaw blades have offset teeth and could catch on the edge. I usually use Bosch t101b blades.

Heat really kills the blade fast. A little oil, or cutting fluid helps the blade last a little longer.

-kelvin

hafte · Post by **hafte** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 11:54 am

I just noticed also that the blades above are an up cut blade. If you do the trim cut from the bottom of the ski you shouldn't have any issue with top sheet chipping. The blade will be cutting as it is pulled up through the ski pulling the top sheet into the core.

I didn't thave any issue with these blades chipping or tearing the topsheet.

Kelvin, lubricating is a good idea. Hadn't thought of trying that. I'll have to see if I tried that blade. I was happy to find one that works and stuck with it.

Hafte

Bambi · Post by **Bambi** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:30 am

After assuming it wasn't going to be difficult I had/have a lot of problems with this step.

I think a combination of using ABS sidewalls which cause a lot of heat when cutting as well as a rather outdated jigsaw are making things difficult, but I have pretty much wrecked a pair of skis trying to cut them out. :-(

Be warned.

I have 3 pairs to cut out and the first pair I am gradually wrecking with different inadequate attempts. Does anyone have any specific experience of trying to cut out skis with ABS sidewalls?

B.

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