Flotoma Snowboards

[nistler]

Hey guys, I've been lurking around on this forum for quite a long time. I've been trying to make an account for the last 1-2 years and no one would verify it. Luckily, it was verified not too long ago and I now chose to begin building my first snowboard. I've learned a lot by looking around, but I still have a lot to learn, so I will be asking a lot of questions in this post. Starting off, I'm going to be making a Pneumatic press out of wood. I haven't seen any others use the same idea as mine, but I have used it for making skateboards and it seems really strong. As for the snowboard, I'm going to be making a rockered board with wood sidewalls and tip spacers to keep it cheap and easy. I mainly chose to do make skis and snowboards because I've been really bored recently and snowboarding and is one of the things I actually feel like I'm half decent at. I'll post my first batch of pictures and other stuff I cant think of right now tomorrow and I would appreciate any feedback on my build.

-Henry

[gozaimaas]

I use a plywood press. Im interested to see your design.
I found I needed some 20x20mm steel square tube laterally across the bottom of my press to stop deflection leading to convex bases.
Other than that it worked flawlessly from day 1 and has many pressings under its belt now.

[nistler]

I use a plywood press. Im interested to see your design.
I found I needed some 20x20mm steel square tube laterally across the bottom of my press to stop deflection leading to convex bases.
Other than that it worked flawlessly from day 1 and has many pressings under its belt now.

I've seen your press before. I'm surprised its not more commonly used because of how easy it looks to make. If I hadn't of already made the press I have, I would of no doubt copied yours. Super simple and looks like it wouldn't cost too much money. Also I was looking through your Goz thread, you can make some really good looking boards.

Also, I'm trying to post an update but I have to wait until I have 2 legitimate posts before I can post pictures, so I don't know when that will be because I already posted twice.

[skimann20]

to keep it cheap and easy.

RUN, run a away... there is absolutely nothing cheep about this "hobby". I wish you the best of luck. KEEP is super simple for your first board. don't shoot for the moon, trust me on this.

did you see skidesmond's press? do a google search. I've seen it in person and it truly is a great idea if you can't get your hands on steel beams. If you sandwich sheets of metal between the wood "beams" it will be even more ridged.

Cheers!

[nistler]

This is my press as of right now. Later (once get all my materials) I will probably put some plywood down and maybe make some wood square frames. I'm going to go back to working on the press once I get my mold finished and once I get bladder so I can actually test it. I dont know if it will work as well as I thought though.
This is mine as of now






Skimann20; I've seen Desmonds press, and that was a lot of wood. To the point of where it would probably of been cheaper to just use metal. I'll keep it in mind though, I could try to layer up 2x6 horizontal like his. Thanks for pointing it out.

Also I'm getting ready to make my mold, how does my rocker profile look?
It has I think 14mm of rocker and I got the tip height my from snowboard that I got a few years ago, I just made them on a tighter radius because of the relaxation. (Tips have a height of 7cm, the solid colored part on the bottom is how thick my mold will be, and the board will be 158 cm.)

[gav wa]

That press doesn't look strong enough mate. Maybe space your long lengths closer together and use 4 across the top and the same on the bottom. You are going to have about 15-20 tonne of load on it when pressing.

[nistler]

That press doesn't look strong enough mate. Maybe space your long lengths closer together and use 4 across the top and the same on the bottom. You are going to have about 15-20 tonne of load on it when pressing.

The wide angle lens kind of distorts the picture but from side to side is 8" (20cm) and from the inside they are 5" or 13cm. I was thinking I could put my bladders right under each long length of wood to put all the pressure on the thick wood. I probably will have to to resort to putting more 2x6 across, but I don't know without having my bladder and testing it myself.

[chrismp]

You don't want to build a wooden press based on guesswork and experimenting! They're grenades! Have a look at this guys blog: http://holuta-ski-design.blogspot.co.at ... notes.html

He built a wooden ski press and even did his calculations, but it still exploded right in his face. Quote:

"A few seconds later I could feel my mouth getting warmer and filling up with blood. The pressure relief valve was connected to the ski bladder and when I relieved the pressure the front brace broke outward and struck my jaw. My teeth went into the side of my cheek and I ended up needing two stitches in my mouth. I did have safety glasses on and eventually noticed bruising on the bridge of my nose where the glasses protected my eyes."

He then went on to build a stronger version, which seems to be working.

If you must build a cheap and easy press, try gozaimaas' design found here: http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4108

[gozaimaas]

Abort mission.
Seriously its not going to work, the thing that makes timber weak is the grain, you press will fail along the grain somewhere I guarentee you. I had the same dramas with my original timber pressure box.

My ply press is strong due to the multiple layers within the ply, then multiple layers of ply, then lots of support rods sharing the load.

It might sting you now to think it wont work but one day you will look back and laugh ;-)

[gozaimaas]

Abort mission.
Seriously its not going to work, the thing that makes timber weak is the grain, you press will fail along the grain somewhere I guarentee you. I had the same dramas with my original timber pressure box.

My ply press is strong due to the multiple layers within the ply, then multiple layers of ply, then lots of support rods sharing the load.

It might sting you now to think it wont work but one day you will look back and laugh ;-)

[vinman]

Agreed, that thing won't hold. If an air bladder can bend steel I beams what's it going to do to a couple 2x6s?

Abort and rethink what you are doing.

[knightsofnii]

ive broken welds and bent steel i-beams with air bladders.

do. not. attempt. this.


i'm placing my wager at 25psi, bob!

[knightsofnii]

think about it this way:

would you park that nice red VW on top of your press frame?
would it hold?

would you park TWO of them up there?

[skimann20]

I'm not going to repeat what everyone else has stated. You really should talk to skidesmond. He would be able to supply you with more info but I believe he even gets slight deflection with his crazy beefy press.

If you are looking to do it on the cheep, maybe try something like this:
http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1820

To give you an idea, decking stringers have to be 2x8" for anything under 12' long and 16" on center (this holds 40lbs per sq. FOOT live load and 10lbs per sq FOOT dead load). You'll split those 2x6" as soon as your add pressure, guaranteed. You're going to be putting over 60,000lbs per square INCH.

just trying to watch over your safety and have you make a decent product.

[amidnightproject]

I would seriously reconsider that design. It's not going to hold any amount of pressure and you are looking at a ticking time bomb. Wood under pressure is scary stuff.

It's not that a wood press won't work. It's just no one wants to see you get hurt.