Time for some ski making

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t-$
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Time for some ski making

Post by t-$ » Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:00 pm

Ok, well now that winter is basically over (maybe im being pessimistic) it's time to starts the project that's been simmering on the back of my brain all winter. Build me some skis.

I was inspired by a viddy i saw of some Norse skiers and one was ripping it on handmade wooden skis. I thought, "it can be done"! So I'm gonna make some for fun. Hell, I might even throw the bmd's on them just for fun!!! Hahahah, I will update this thread with my progress.
Gonna do birch...still researching lignostone or if I will go edge less. Any input is welcomed.

Stay tuned!!

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Woodserson
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by Woodserson » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:26 pm

There's a Fine Woodworking out there with a nice article about making skis in a horizontal laminate and a vertical one. I have a copy, I can find the date later for you. UPDATE #31 of Fine Woodworking Magazine in the November/December 1981 issue

Also, there's a school in MN that has classes on making solid skis.

I got so far as ripping laminates and a base but haven't glued them all together.

I would like some Finnish Forest Skis and I think the only way I can get any is making them.

GO FER IT



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martin2007
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by martin2007 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:41 pm

Great project idea! If you're working with wood don't believe the puritanical stern-faced killjoys who say that looks don't count, "they're only superficial, it's what's on the inside that counts". BS! Of course looks matter! It's wood! Make 'em pretty!



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kumachan
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by kumachan » Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:13 am

The school in Michigan is the North House Folk School in Grand Marais. The 2018 ski making class has already happened but, here's a link to the class description:
https://northhouse.org/course-session/c ... t-1-4-2018

I've got a copy of that Fine Woodworking issue: November/December 1981, No. 31. Personally, I think that, these days, there are better YouTube videos on making Russian hunter skis that show techniques for shaping skis that could be modified to suit one's specific ski purposes.

With regard to lignostone, your best bet would be to find a pair of old, woodies with lignostone edges in good shape. Salvage those edges and glue them up on the skis your making.

Hey Wooderson, are you familiar this ski maker in Finland? I would love to get a pair of these: http://www.vilminkosukset.fi/7
Last edited by kumachan on Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:28 am, edited 1 time in total.



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t-$
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by t-$ » Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:27 am

wow, great links and info guys, thanks!! seems to be quite a bit of info out there, which is helpful :)

i probably won't go to a school...on the job training is more fun :lol:



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Woodserson
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by Woodserson » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:19 pm

kumachan wrote:The school in Michigan is the North House Folk School in Grand Marais. The 2018 ski making class has already happened but, here's a link to the class description:
https://northhouse.org/course-session/c ... t-1-4-2018

I've got a copy of that Fine Woodworking issue: November/December 1981, No. 31. Personally, I think that, these days, there are better YouTube videos on making Russian hunter skis that show techniques for shaping skis that could be modified to suit one's specific ski purposes.

With regard to lignostone, your best bet would be to find a pair of old, woodies with lignostone edges in good shape. Salvage those edges and glue them up on the skis your making.

Hey Wooderson, are you familiar this ski maker in Finland? I would love to get a pair of these: http://www.vilminkosukset.fi/7
North House, that's it. Thanks. I don't mind going alone, but I have much fun working in groups. The sharing of knowledge starts to go up exponentially. And there's a great social facet too.

Have any YouTube suggestions for us?

I would skip the lignostone. Lots of hassle.

I have seen those Finnish skis but I like these better: http://suksitehdasylonen.fi/index.html



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t-$
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by t-$ » Thu Feb 22, 2018 5:12 pm

So it looks like lignostone is basically extinct, so yeah...I'm considering and thinking and researching other options there.

I spent some time at TC Millworks today after school and getting lined out on some quality birch staves. Well seasoned and overall fairly high quality on grain and structure. The miller I was chatting with is on board with what I'm doing and even tho I'm a super small order he's gonna hook me up with quality. Working it out for me and should have it ship shape by mid week! There's no turning back now :)

Pretty stoked and my plans are in the works. Maybe all this will help it snow again :)

So woods are you thinking of going to that school??



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t-$
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by t-$ » Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:10 pm

so curious what you may think of this plan;

i'm thinking of fire hardening just the edges with a blow torch, then applying that minwax wood hardening resin on about 1/8 - 1/4" along the base and sides.

of course, i will have to test and perfect the method of the fire hardening with some of the scraps. but i'm thinking that i could leave a bit extra on both those faces but pretty much shape out the ski to spec. then fire the edges, then plane down the outter 1/16" of both sides and the bottom of the ski to bring the hardened edge to a sharp corner. then apply the resin. stain, fiberglass the top sheets, ski the shit outta em... at least, that's my plan...


and for you wooden ski owners out there, do they typically have the little channel found on the bottom of modern xc skis? i haven't been able to find good pics of any...thanks for any input!



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kumachan
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by kumachan » Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:37 pm

Thanks for that link, Wooderson, I was not familiar with that ski maker. Those are some nice looking skis! One set looked as if they were made from curled birch! Maybe a veneer? I couldn’t really tell from the pics and Google translate only goes so far. Very nice! You might see me in that North House class one year!

t-$, all my Asnes woodies have the center groove on their bases. Enjoy your time learning a new craft! I wish I had the space, or access to a shop, here to do that!



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Woodserson
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Re: Time for some ski making

Post by Woodserson » Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:05 pm

The tracking groove is on them. You can make one with a router bit. Doing it on stock blank of the ski before cutting the sidecut would help, or a fence. It's not large, I'll take a picture later for you when I get a few minutes.

Not all production skis had lignostone edges. Many of them just had wood right to the side. You can definitely try the fire-hardening method! For sure!

Not going to the class, I almost thought about it last year, but I have enough woodworking skills to figure something like this out. I just like classes, sometimes they are really great and become a larger learning event that surpasses the original syllabus. I'm usually pleasantly surprised at how much information an experienced professional can transmit in a short amount of time versus mining the internet for months.



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