The boy mechanic, book 3

by Unknown

How to Make Skis

To anyone who can use a saw and plane, the making of a pair of nicely balanced and durable skis is a very easy job. Ski making is far easier than snowshoe construction, since each runner is made from a single piece of plank, and no intricate filling is required. In choosing the wood, either hickory or ash will give satisfaction, because both are heavy woods, as well as strong and flexible, and may be worked down much thinner than birch, fir, or other materials. If it is desired to fashion the skis from the rough material, procure two ash, or hickory, planks, about 9 ft. long and 2 in. thick. Should the maker wish to hew his own material, select a sound and straight tree, about 10 in. in diameter, free from knots for at least 10 ft., and fell it during the winter. Place the log in the crotch of a stump and cut a groove along its length with the ax, taking pains that the groove is straight and about 1 in. in depth. Turn the log over and make a like groove in the opposite side. Rap the bottom of the grooves lightly with the ax, to start the split, and drive in small wood wedges, gradually working them along as the wood splits. At some points the wood will very likely split away from the groove, but by cutting these fibers, the split may be kept along the grooves. As the strongest and best grain of the wood will lie closest to the bark, only enough of the outside should be hewn away to make a flat surface, for this is to be the running surface of the ski. Skis may be made in any length and width, but for a man of good height, 7 to 8 ft. is the correct length. In [Fig. 5] is given a complete layout pattern for an 8-ft. ski, and from the dimensions it is an easy matter to fashion skis longer or shorter by making use of these well-balanced proportions. While the plan of the ski may be drawn directly on the plank, it is an excellent idea to make a paper pattern, and laying this down on the board, trace around it to get the correct outline.

Fig. 5
A Complete Layout Pattern for an Eight-Foot Ski: From These Dimensions It Is an Easy Matter to Fashion Skis Longer or Shorter by Making Use of These Well-Balanced Proportions

Fig. 6
The Wood is Selected by the Way in Which the Growth of the Grain Runs

When purchasing the sawed material, the buyer should endeavor to obtain a plank which has been sawed out from the lower portion of the trunk of the tree, from the outside. The dealer will not be able to assist in choosing lumber for this particular purpose, hence the buyer should know something about the growth of good wood in the tree, and how to pick out this desirable material by noting the run of the grain. This is very well shown in [Fig. 6]. The letters A, B, and C show the run of the grain produced by the ring growth of the tree, and D, E, and F indicate the appearance of rings, in the run of the grain seen in the sawed plank. The best possible choice for wood is represented by A and D, because the layers of good and elastic wood run deep, and there is practically no soft layers of punky wood. That represented by B and E, and that of C and F, contain a larger percentage of soft layers, and while skis can be, and often are, fashioned from this kind of material, the wood is less strong and flexible than that of wood showing the grain as A and D, hence the latter should be chosen whenever it is possible to do so. While wood of fairly close grain does not necessarily indicate inferiority, if the material is hickory, yet if ash is selected, the purchaser should select an open, or widely spaced, grain in preference to a close and even-grained plank. And this is so because in all trees the grain represents the more quickly grown soft wood—formed in the period of greatest growth, which is in the spring and summer months—hence the more grain present in the plank and the closer it runs, the more soft and punky wood is present, and the less durable the material will be for the purpose.

When drawing the dimensions on green, or partly seasoned, timber, a certain amount of shrinkage will occur, hence be sure to allow for this and make the width about ¹⁄₄ in. greater. When working seasoned lumber, this need not be taken into consideration.

After the outline of the ski has been sawed out, the bottom, or running surface, should be planed perfectly smooth, with the grain running straight and true from the point to the heel. The ski should be worked down to the desired dimensions before bending, and from the top, or upper, side only, never from the running surface. When the correct thickness has been reached, the bend at the point may be put in by soaking the wood well to make it pliable. This is most easily done by heating water in a wash boiler, and when the water boils, place the ski across the top and thoroughly soak the wood by mopping with the boiling water, using a cloth tied to a stick. That the bend may be gradual and not too abrupt, do not attempt to bend it to the desired arc at once, but gradually work the wood and resort to numerous hot-water treatments until a good 6-in. bend is obtained. The arch in the running surface is easily obtained, and if bent too much, is easily straightened out when cold. Of course, more bend must be given the skis than the actual curve will be when finished, since the wood will straighten out somewhat as it dries. Some kind of a form will come in handy, and this may be furnished by making a rough frame and placing a short length of log of the proper diameter at the bends, or the tips may be lashed, or cleated, to the floor of the workbench. A very easy method is shown in [Fig. 7].

Fig. 7

After the bends are made, the hole for the foot binding should be put in, and if the wood has been left plenty long, the skis may be trimmed off at the heel so that they will balance nicely when lifted by the toe straps. This is the best way, for while a few skiers prefer to make the heel light and weight it with lead, there is no advantage in doing so.

The groove in the exact center of the running surface should now be cut in, which is made about ¹⁄₈ in. deep, and ³⁄₈ to ¹⁄₂ in. in width. A grooving plane is most convenient, but a small gouge, if carefully used, will do as well. The groove should run from the heel to the beginning of the bend.

To finish the ski, sandpaper top and bottom smooth, and rub down with linseed oil to which little paraffin, or beeswax, has been added. The running surface of the ski should be finished with oil and waxed, and it is an advantage that the entire ski be finished in the same manner, as less snow will stick to the tops than if varnish is used. The experienced skier is more concerned about the running qualities of his skis than the finish, but the novice is more likely to be attracted by fancy implements. When varnished tops are wanted, a glossy and durable surface is obtained by brushing on a couple of coats of good spar varnish.

A tube, or cake, of wax should be carried by every skier, for the running surface must have numerous coatings that the snow may not stick to the wood. Both paraffin and beeswax are suitable, and the skier may use one of the several good preparations put up in tubes and in cakes, or melt up his own, as preferred. A good cake, or hard, wax is made by melting up 10 oz. of beeswax with 5 oz. of rosin. When melted, stir in 1 oz. of turpentine and pour in small boxes to form cakes of convenient size.

The running surfaces are often waxed by rubbing the wax on and then going over the surfaces with a hot flatiron. This is a good method, providing only a sufficient quantity of wax has been applied. A too liberal application of wax cannot be called a disadvantage when running downhill, but it will make the runners so slippery that climbing uphill is difficult.