Putting a rocker in my Sumos?

**mountain_man** · 02-20-2010, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Snow7

It's all fun and games until someone breaks their ski...

Volkl warrantee.

**Bird Blaster** · 02-20-2010, 10:32 PM

oh fuck that sucks Snow 7!!!!

**wolfelot** · 02-21-2010, 09:28 PM

Awesome thread guys. I'm very intrigued. So I just picked up a pair of 09 Line Blends that are definitely used but have some good life left in them. These skis don't have any fiberglass or metal in them which is different from the Line Prophet 90 and 100 which I think would take some homemade rocker. Would I be able to get ~ 5 mm of rocker/early rise in the tips using the techniques you guys have described? Also, is this just a plain bad idea for this type of ski even if I'm not going to use them in the park extensively?

**Bird Blaster** · 02-21-2010, 09:43 PM

I think you could get 5mm without a problem. The risk is obvious with this technique.

Booner got some great results, I am very pleased with mine (except the wrinkle), however snow7 probably is less pleased...

**Snow7** · 02-23-2010, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by wolfelot

Awesome thread guys. I'm very intrigued. So I just picked up a pair of 09 Line Blends that are definitely used but have some good life left in them. These skis don't have any fiberglass or metal in them which is different from the Line Prophet 90 and 100 which I think would take some homemade rocker. Would I be able to get ~ 5 mm of rocker/early rise in the tips using the techniques you guys have described? Also, is this just a plain bad idea for this type of ski even if I'm not going to use them in the park extensively?

Do it. This forum gives you the benefit of an ongoing science experiment. In retrospect I used too much heat and too much bend, too quickly. I saw temperatures of close to 190 deg F. Which equates to 8 minutes of high heat, with the gun about 1 to 2 inches above the ski. I had also moved my clamp point to about halfway between the bindings and the tips, just like Bird Blaster's and used a 2 1/2" block.

Long story short, go slow and in small increments and you'll be fine. With no wood or metal it looks like the your Lines should be prime candidates. Good luck!

**wolfelot** · 02-24-2010, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Snow7

Do it. This forum gives you the benefit of an ongoing science experiment. In retrospect I used too much heat and too much bend, too quickly. I saw temperatures of close to 190 deg F. Which equates to 8 minutes of high heat, with the gun about 1 to 2 inches above the ski. I had also moved my clamp point to about halfway between the bindings and the tips, just like Bird Blaster's and used a 2 1/2" block.

Long story short, go slow and in small increments and you'll be fine. With no wood or metal it looks like the your Lines should be prime candidates. Good luck!

Yeah Snow7, I saw your mishap and will definitely heed your advice. I'm debating on whether or not it is the best idea to attempt since the blends are semi-soft to start with which I'm afraid would make them really chatter. Additionally, they DO have wood cores and only ABS side walls. They also don't have any fiberglass. Has anyone out there attempted adding rocker to a similar ski?

**Nasty** · 03-02-2010, 01:58 AM

Tried to put the 2/30 tip rocker of the Coomback to my 08 Coombas. Turned out pretty close I got about 3-4/33. Used the 3 heat cycles and started with a 2x4 for the first heating and added 3/4" plywood between the other two cycles. Used a heat gun for about ten minutes per cycle and waited about 12 hours between cycles except last cycle left clamped for almost 24 hours. Clamped the ski down with a 2x4 on edge half way between front of binding and ski tip. Thanks for all the great info in this post.

**Bird Blaster** · 03-02-2010, 06:57 AM

Nice results!

**XtrPickels** · 03-02-2010, 07:48 AM

Moment Tahoe's

Tips
3" blocks under tips, clamped 19inches from tip. and compressed until binding area flat on bench and clamped area almost flat. Rocker extends 20" from tip. Heated once with both skis and one came out with much more than #2. Reheated the lesser ski alone (#1) and it came out slightly more than the #2, reheated #2 alone and it came out about the same. Each ski was heated for two separate rounds after all was said and done. Initially they sat for 12hours. The reheats were about 3 hours. This picture is about 20 hours after releasing them.

Tails
1.5 Block under tails, clamped 17" from tails. Rocker extends 17". Compressed with same method as above. Clamped them at the same time and they came out the same. I picked the clamp location after bending the tips. I wanted to be sure I was still centered in the camber area and that the tail width was less than the tip width.

I heated only once until it was pretty uncomfortable to touch with bare skin. I'd say they retained about 1/4 of the original clamp height. When pressed base to base the blocked point is now splayed 1.5". Therefore each ski is about 3/4 of an inch (19mm) at the tip. (from the 3" blocks/ books is used).

I did the exact same method with a pair of Line Prophet 90's, containing a metal layer and barely got an "early rise tip". Drastically different results between the two skis.

They are even, the picture and skis are crooked.

TIPS

TAILS

**sfotex** · 03-02-2010, 08:09 AM

Your all a bunch of cheater.

**Bird Blaster** · 03-02-2010, 12:02 PM

XtrPickles - sweet looking Tahoes!

**Snow7** · 03-02-2010, 03:05 PM

Good work people.

**wolfelot** · 03-03-2010, 01:00 AM

Bump for an awesome topic. I think I'm going to hold off on trying it with my Line Blends since they don't have fiberglass and Xtrpickles barely got an early rise with a pair of Line Prophet 90s.

**1000-oaks** · 03-03-2010, 01:15 AM

How about making a clamping rig you could place in a powdercoating oven? Warm them up slowly and evenly unloaded, than clamp them down, put 'en back in the oven for a bit (or not), then pull 'em out and let them cool. Your local powdercoater probably has extra room in his oven and would hook you up for a sixer of PBR.

**XtrPickels** · 03-03-2010, 05:44 PM

Skied teh Tahoe's today. Very fun. Much more maneuverable in tree's and bumps. Rides over the top of the chop. Stays on top of heavy untracked. Can still lay 'em over on the groomers, although you can't load 'em up and get as much pop as before.

All in all I'm pretty stoked on them.

**jerr** · 04-02-2010, 02:03 AM

Has anyone done a small amount of rocker on an xxl? And yes it is a long shot

**GnomeinGnarnia** · 04-02-2010, 09:42 AM

Try this method: http://www.newschoolers.com/web/foru...ead_id/465910/

**CaliBrit** · 04-02-2010, 10:38 AM

So my concern with the heating is that over 110 degrees epoxy begins to break down, like become a powder. There is no way back from this. Therefore, adding significant heat, you are literally breaking the only bonds that hold the ski together.

Golf clubs that have been left in a hot car lose the heads down the fairway due to this, believe me

**jerr** · 04-02-2010, 03:54 PM

I read the ns thread. A guy there (half way down the first page) did a sensational job of putting rocker into his skis, but under normal skiing they simply fell apart. He may have heated them too much but I tend to think forcing rocker into a ski is tantamount to breaking them just a little bit. Which will quite likely lead to them breaking proper in the near future. I might give this a miss.

Thanks to all that put the hard work in and posted about it, I hope they work out for you.

**XtrPickels** · 04-03-2010, 04:51 PM

I've skied the tahoes for about 15 days. They've been bashed into trees, pounded through bumps and aired in the park and cat track "hucks" to icy-flats. No issues and no loss of camber.

doughboyshredder · 04-04-2010, 09:01 PM

**fat yeti** · 04-07-2010, 08:01 PM

Im thinking of doing this to a pair of new skis (Ninthward Greener's) should I do it before I mount or wait until I mount them. I'm going to go with tip and tail rocker on these. Also updates any durability issues of the skis after rockering.

**Caucasian Asian** · 04-07-2010, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by fat yeti

Im thinking of doing this to a pair of new skis (Ninthward Greener's) should I do it before I mount or wait until I mount them. I'm going to go with tip and tail rocker on these. Also updates any durability issues of the skis after rockering.

DO IT.

I waited until after a pow day and then started adding a bit of early-rise to the tips and tails. Not so much rockered as moved the contact points back a bit. ~20cm in the tips and ~10cm in the tails. Much more lively and fun now. Tons more "pop" too.

They're so good that i've decided to sell everything else.