Max skis (need help :P)

[rockaukum]

a.bdner,
Try this. Take your base materrial, cut it to shape. Then take your iron and put a coat of wax on it. Tell me if it deforms. We know it doesn't once it is bonded to the core ect. but you may find that the heat does have an effect on the material as it sits.

[a.badner]

woah. pre-waxed bases.
well heat is a total different story. i read temperature fluctations and assumed room temp to cold ( only temperatures in canada )
but heat, i can see it warped from side to side, and expanding quite nicely.

[maximegb5]

Just finished profiling the cores and reinforcing my mold. At first, I had done a BS one, since I intended to use simple vacuum, but my mother has worked at the National School of Aeronautics, and got some contacts there (director). So I just got access to an autoclave and the director of their composites department to help me with my first layup. They will also give me all the materials needed fo the vacuum. I sometime love my mom...

My cores finished a bit weird, since I had miscalculated my angle on my mold. I now have a flat core on about 100cm, centered, followed by a tapper going from 11,5 mm (center) to 2,5mm (tip and tail). The cores are on the full lenght of the skis, no spacers or anything like that. It is a poplar core with mapple sidewalls. I am also using one layer on each side of the core of beefy 26 oz triaxial FG on the whole lenght of the skis, with an extra and a half layer on top of the core for binding retention, on about 55cm lenght. I also have some P-tex intruded "clear", under which I will put a cotton fabric with some multicolor Sharpie drawing, for the graphics.

I should normally press friday, if I am able to go to the metal shop to buy the aluminium for my mold,and get the ok from the school.

[maximegb5]

http://picasaweb.google.com/11117561805 ... fHm5C_gwE#

I just finished my layup today. I will get the results tommorrow. Finally, I could not use the autoclave because their vacuum pump was broken, I instead used a Venturi system with their normal compressor. I got about 20 inches of Mercury.

[maximegb5]

The edge moved a bit during pressing, about 1mm on the outside of the ski on a lenght of 4-5 cm

The pin for core placement was a bit too long and created a convex spot on the ski, arond the top of the fixation. The paler areas around the pin are caused by the a slight concavity in the base.

[skidesmond]

I like the top sheet graphics! As for the edge/base moving, that's not a show stopper. You can try to clean out the area and fill it w/ epoxy. You can also try to scrape out around the edge to loosen a tiny bit, flood the area w/ epoxy and then try to pull the edge into the base with clamps... carefully.

Overall pretty good. Let us know how they ski.

[maximegb5]

I tried them before filling the side of the ski that did not have wood as a sidewall with epoxy to strenghten the edge. They had a really good edge hold on packed snow even though they were almost not sharpened, but only on the sides of the skis that was suported by the wooden sidewall. Luckily, both skis had about the same movement since the pins I had first installed on the base broke, so I needed to put other in places, but they did not fit the hioles in the core. On both skis, the good edge (underneath wood) were on corresponding sides, which means that they were both on the exterior feet when carving. As long as I did not put too much pressure on the inside ski, they could ski pretty well.
I was sure they would be WAY too stiff, but they were just good. I was able to carve them easily thanks to the rocker (23cm tip and 18 cm tail). They were not planned in the initial design, but I love them because they let the edges easily "bite" the snow but they augment its stability at higher speeds.
On tuesday we received about 50 cm of snow here, so I took them out for the night! They floated really well in powder, (comparatively to my elan magfire 78 and old twin tips) and they resisted about a dozen rail, three 10 foot drops and a couple big rocks in the slopes that were already tracked. I just did not have time or envy to test them on short radius turn on groomed trails that day. I'll probalby try it sunday night (if it is not raining )

[Richuk]

In the absence of fore/aft movement this is an option http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2502

[skidesmond]

In the absence of fore/aft movement this is an option http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2502

I tried that technique on my last build. Worked great. Nice tip!

[Richuk]

I saw that - I was pleased it worked. It used to hurt to drill that big ol hole

[ben_mtl]

Nice skis ! Pretty good for a first pair !
Let me know next time you go night skiing, I have the evening pass at Bromont, I hate this ski hill but at least I can go for some turns after work...

[maximegb5]

Hello all,

As my personnal project for the international Baccalaureat end-term projet (personal project), I decided to do a video on ski building (in french). I have finished it and am in the eveluation process. If some of you speak french, have time to lose by learning it and/or just feel sorry for someone who needs some help, send me a message and I will send you my evaluation sheet. It is only about 5-6 questions, watching the video takes more time than filling the questionnary.

Here are the two parts of myvideo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixucwi1c ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR8PuIDQk9E

Thanks!

[skidesmond]

Nice job and great video!