Darryl Keil Last Activity 2025-02-12 2:48 PM
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Joe Calhoon

Posts: 4

Joined: 2014-12-21
Location: Ouray Co

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Subject : Pressing skis
Posted : 2014-12-31 7:49 PM
Post #37196
We have had a Blue Vacupress in our millwork shop for years. Of late we are making skis using West system epoxy with a electric blanket over to help the cure.
A few questions
We have made a few skis and the vac press seems to work fine. Reading the ski making forums a lot of people say the vac type does not have enough pressure and recommend a fire hose type press inflated with compressed air using a 2 part form. Any opinions about this? I notice a lot of these builders have small or home built vac systems. Do all types create the same pressure?

So far the laminations look good and would like to continue with the vacupress.

I would like at some point to use QCM epoxy that cures fast with heat. It requires 160 degree to cure. Is this possible with industrial heat blankets in vacupress?

I already got some info from the forum on keeping the epoxy from sticking to the bag. Any other posts here on ski building? Did not find anything with a search.

Thanks
Joe


 
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Darryl Keil

Posts: 1454

Joined: 2003-05-22
Location: Maine

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Subject : RE: Pressing skis
Posted : 2015-01-05 9:20 AM
Post #37202 - In reply to #37196
Unless you have tight radical bends or very thick resistant laminations a vacuum press should work fine for what you are doing, especially with epoxy.

You can only do 160 degrees in a polyurethane or rubber bag, not vinyl. The danger with heat at that level is getting it even all the way around. Heat generated from one side only will tend to cause warpage in the part you are pressing.


 
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Joe Calhoon

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Joined: 2014-12-21
Location: Ouray Co

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Subject : RE: Pressing skis
Posted : 2015-01-06 1:54 PM
Post #37205 - In reply to #37202
Thank you for the info Darryl.
Joe


 
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Joe Calhoon

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Joined: 2014-12-21
Location: Ouray Co

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Subject : RE: Pressing skis
Posted : 2015-03-01 8:02 AM
Post #37220 - In reply to #37205
Darryl,
I have been watching this video of a ski building shop in Europe.
http://spurart.at/en/spurart-videos/
It is hard to follow because it is fast. at about 30 seconds they are vacuum pressing the skis. Several skis in what appears to be a heated room. And I do not think they are in a bag but not sure about that either. It appears they put a separate plastic sheet over and put vacuum to it.
Do you have any ideas about this process? It looks pretty efficient.
Thanks,
Joe


 
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Don Stephan

Posts: 825

Joined: 2003-07-18
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

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Subject : RE: Pressing skis
Posted : 2015-03-02 6:47 PM
Post #37223 - In reply to #37220
I could not pull up the video. Keep in mind that production facilities often have specialized (and expensive) equipment offering capabilities not available to an individual.


 
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Joe Calhoon

Posts: 4

Joined: 2014-12-21
Location: Ouray Co

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Subject : RE: Pressing skis
Posted : 2015-03-03 8:45 AM
Post #37224 - In reply to #37223
I found another video that works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtjE1Wh_ENg

Start watching at about 2 minutes

After watching this one I think they are bagging. This one does not show the heated room clearly.
I am trying to figure if they are pressing all these with one vacumn.
Joe
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