Ski Builders Forum

I want to apply some simple black graphics to my skis,

Is there something I can print on that only shows the ink after lay up? Acetate maybe?

Alternatively does anyone use vinyl?

vinyl will not bond to my knowledge with out an ester based resin system.
We use epoxy and it is not compatible with polyester based materials.
Polyester resin will not make a good ski.

rice paper. look up swaylocks surfboard forum, tons of info there on rice paper graphics.

Sharpie.

I bought 100 sheets of rice paper form a cake cooking supply store on-line and have been printing graphics with my HP ink jet printer and laying them up in my skis without any problem.

Great use of materials. Amazing graphic style!

Heavy Coat Paper. Better print quality then rice paper with a nicer finish product. Just have to trim away any white you don't want.

what exactly is this heavy coat paper you're using?
is it regular coated inkjet photo paper or something more special?
if it's just coated inkjet paper, how do you protect it since topsheets won't bond to it? clear coat?

chrismp wrote:what exactly is this heavy coat paper you're using?
is it regular coated inkjet photo paper or something more special?
if it's just coated inkjet paper, how do you protect it since topsheets won't bond to it? clear coat?

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm ... 69449.html

I print on a large HP Plotter. This seams to be the best bang for the buck (until I build my sublimation setup) as far as printing graphics go. Cheap rolls and great color reproduction and it bonds extremely well with the top sheet. No delams, discoloration etc. And it wont bleed through like rice paper. So if you have a complicated or busy design it wont become more confusing to the eye when your core starts to show through.

Been working well for me so far on 30 or so sticks.

Another one to show details.

damn, that's some nice results!
which plotter are you using? i guess it's an inkjet type.
i'm fairly new to this all this printing business and the tests i've made so far with regular paper always failed due to delamination.
the paper you're using has a special name in german that translates to "painted paper".
i guess i have another paper to test thanks to you!

chrismp wrote:damn, that's some nice results!
which plotter are you using? i guess it's an inkjet type.
i'm fairly new to this all this printing business and the tests i've made so far with regular paper always failed due to delamination.
the paper you're using has a special name in german that translates to "painted paper".
i guess i have another paper to test thanks to you!

Ah thats a sweet translation! I guess its fitting

This is what I'm printing with right now. Its what I have access too.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm ... 82224.html

an HP Designjet 5500PS thermal inkjet printer.

I've also done quite a few skis with normal injet paper from an 8.5x11" printer with zero delams. I ALWAYS put a super thin layer of epoxy above the graphic when I lay it down so the top sheet has something to grab onto and I've never had a problem. I never get any ink runs or smudging either.

hmm, i did the same thing, put a thin layer of epoxy on top of the graphic. but the topsheets on the test pieces pulled off with moderate force.

still that coated paper is nice to have since it doesn't turn transparent. that way i don't need to add a layer of white epoxy on my cores.

chrismp wrote:hmm, i did the same thing, put a thin layer of epoxy on top of the graphic. but the topsheets on the test pieces pulled off with moderate force.

still that coated paper is nice to have since it doesn't turn transparent. that way i don't need to add a layer of white epoxy on my cores.

Hmm. Is there a gloss coating on the paper you tested? I've never had a delam issue caused by the graphic layer. I've had delam caused by improperly prepared cores but yet the graphic layer.

nope, no gloss layer. it was some regular 90g/m² office printer paper. maybe i didn't give it enough time to fully cure.