Cutting your own ski tips

[TracerBullet]

So here's a potentially awful idea.

I've got some surface new lifes that are about at the end of their new lives. I like them quite a bit on anything that isn't ice - for me they're stable at speed and really playful in deeper snow - but the tip width makes them almost too floaty sometimes. Since there is so much material in the tip and tail (symmetrical @ 151 mm) I was considering picking out templates of other skis' noses/tails and shaving the new lifes down a bit to porpoise more in soft snow and maybe act a little more directional. Sort of like cutting a surfboard blank.

Anyone have any experience shaping their own tips and/or tails from existing skis? Any suggestions of tip shapes you'd be particularly interested to see on the new lifes? These skis are beaters at this point and I'm primarily doing this out of curiosity.

The goal is a stable, playful, slarvy ski with a longer turning radius that can dive when I want it to. Isn't it always?

[SiSt]

Do it. A combo of a bandsaw and belt sander should get you there quite easily.

Nothing to lose, easy and fun project.

Edit: Just want to add, don't try changing the radius. Tapering the tips and tails, absolutely, but don't start messing with the actual radius of the sidecut.

[abraham]

Delta did a good job reshaping one ski tip on a flight last season.

[TracerBullet]

Maybe I should just take a bunch of Delta flights until I find a shape I'm happy with.

@SiSt - yeah no interest in messing with the sidecut, just meant the poor man's TR of tip/mid/tail width ratios.

[SupreChicken]

Dude, post those results with pics! Sounds fun

[dark_star]

Agreed, post pics! Also, first-rate selection of avatar.

[2FUNKY]

I remember a ski vid where Pollard was using a sanding disk on a right angle grinder to shape the tip for his Opus ski. Might be an option since you can grind a little, ski, grind more and so on till you get it dialed.

[danielbroski]

I saw in a Line video a few weeks ago about the building of the new Opus, and in the process Eric Polard cuts and sands the tips of the prototype. Give it a try!

[swerve]

Draw some new shapes on the tip/tail and then use an angle grinder to cut/sand the new shape. Or just go free hand, put a coarse grit sanding disk on the grinder and take a little off here and there until you like the shape. Depending on how much material you take off you might need to seal the edges where you've cut into the wood core.
I wouldn't try and reshape anything along the running length of the ski but on the rockered tips and tails there shouldn't be any problems.

[Rob Stokes]

Unless I'm mistaken your gonna end up with a ski with a wider tail than tip? If so, fuuuuuuck that.

[TracerBullet]

Unless I'm mistaken your gonna end up with a ski with a wider tail than tip? If so, fuuuuuuck that.

I'm just that good at skiing switch. No, I'm cutting the tails down too.

Sounds like it's a go, anyone have suggestions on tip/tail shapes? Thinking I might shoot for something close to a Renegade.

[danielbroski]

Make sure to use real sharp blades so there is less vibration and possibility for delam

[skimaxpower]

Make sure to use real sharp blades so there is less vibration and possibility for delam

Indeed. After you get the new shape dialed, you'll want to seal the exposed wood with epoxy (and maybe even install some screw-rivets so you can look like Seth Morrison.)

[GeezerSteve]

Make sure to use real sharp blades so there is less vibration and possibility for delam

Abrasive blade is the way to go to avoid delam

Sounds like it's a go, anyone have suggestions on tip/tail shapes?

When whacking tails I grind a radius on the corners to avoid the catchies