p-tex topsheets

[breid19]

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to avoid air bubbles beneath p-tex top sheets. My plan is to use a vacuum table instead of a press.

Also will .020" durasurf conform around edges well to make a cap ski?

Thanks very much

BR

[mattman]

no...you will have to heat the durasurf material to atleast 250F in order to form it over the cap. we recently did this at 290F and the plastic formed great, but shrunk too much to use again for the press. this means we will have to thermoform the topsheet DURING the press so that it cures to the ski before the shrinkage occurs. the other option is ABS topsheets which thermoform at a much lower temperature (200-220F), but Kelvin had bad luck with ABS topsheet material and i havent tested mine yet to say how durable it is. regardless, the only way to create a capped topsheet without thermoforming plastic is to have a fiberglass or other reinforcement act as the topsheet. Woven polyesters (see raka.com) are suppose to have high abrasion resistance and might workout as a good fabric topsheet.