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November, 2024

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Best wood for skis?

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derek.urben
Posts: 314 - Karma: 386
Hoping to build a pair, have everything else laid out. Just need to know what wood I want to use.

I want a relatively flexy ski. Any ideas?
Mar 13 2013 4:16PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
there are so many different kinds that can be used.. maple, birch, beech, fir, spruce, bamboo, etc, etc.

If you were quite serious about this, send off a few emails to some ski manufacturers (smaller ones would probably be more willing to reply) and ask what they use and if they could give you a sentence or two for their reasoning. The flex and spring etc also relies a lot on the other materials involved. For example some skis have a sheet of metal (series 7000 aluminum or something similar) to alter their stiffness.


Personally, if I was going to make a pair of skis, I really want to try it with a maple core. And I kind of want to make a park ski with lignum vitae edges under foot.
Mar 13 2013 4:23PM
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derek.urben
Posts: 314 - Karma: 386
I was thinking birch since it is one of the more common. Also it is one of the cheaper wood types you mentioned
Mar 13 2013 4:38PM
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GEORGEzimmerman
Posts: 1473 - Karma: 440
morning wood
Mar 13 2013 4:43PM
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Rparr
Posts: 5599 - Karma: 46,192
Balsa wood.
Mar 13 2013 6:05PM
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shithawks
Posts: 516 - Karma: -16
beech and carbon mmmm
Mar 13 2013 6:40PM
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The_Real_EWilly
Posts: 395 - Karma: 1,321
Like an aspen would work good or bamboo
Mar 13 2013 6:51PM
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J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
plywood
Mar 13 2013 6:57PM
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CaptainDiabetes
Posts: 224 - Karma: 161
rosewood
Mar 13 2013 7:17PM
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Hammyslapwagon
Posts: 1261 - Karma: 1,411
probably some sort of pressure treated lumber that is both durable and light
Mar 13 2013 7:19PM
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fragglemuffin
Posts: 3312 - Karma: 444
I'm no ski builder, but I have skied on multiple pairs of bamboo-core skis and loved the flex and poppy-ness they had.
Mar 13 2013 7:24PM
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eheath
Posts: 61641 - Karma: 123,431
Maple seems to be a pretty popular ski core.
Mar 13 2013 7:26PM
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JIB_WALRUS
Posts: 671 - Karma: 130
Bamboo
/thread
Mar 13 2013 7:26PM
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Balbertt
Posts: 1585 - Karma: 4,723
My father which owns his own industrial woodworking, and architectural business. he suggests Hickory, or ash wood.
Mar 13 2013 7:38PM
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90053
Posts: 2565 - Karma: 3,728
Click for larger image
for stiff big mountain ski
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for poppy park ski
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careful, this is an ent not a tree
Mar 13 2013 7:38PM
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JIB_WALRUS
Posts: 671 - Karma: 130
What kind of terrain does he ski?
Mar 13 2013 7:40PM
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Bateman
Posts: 8593 - Karma: 8,600
Bamboo, cause that would just be so fucking cool. My bamboo longbord is rather flexy so i'm pretty sure thats what you want.
Mar 13 2013 7:41PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
ash is definitely used.

dunno about hickory though, that's make for a very stiff ski. and it's difficult to work with and doesn't glue too well which definitely isn't good for skis.
Mar 13 2013 7:48PM
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Balbertt
Posts: 1585 - Karma: 4,723
He just skis groomers, I wasent thinking about flex. Just what would be good for it.
Mar 13 2013 7:49PM
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Noha
Posts: 1281 - Karma: 2,684
dont start directly with making a ski. make a skateboard or longboard deck first
Mar 13 2013 8:20PM
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J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
Click for larger image
Mar 13 2013 8:38PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13106 - Karma: 18,906
Thats a good question. I would be interested to know.
Mar 13 2013 8:44PM
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