I started doing some research today into the various materials that goes into a skiboard and found a wealth of information. What started this was comparing the Summit Maurader 125 vs the Lacroix Carbon 125, with the Maurader using p-tex 4000 vs. Lacroix using p-tex 2000. Therefore, I think it could be helpful to start some threads about the materials used.
First topic was "What is Titanal?", now comes The Core:
Most skiboards have a wood core. Ash, Spruce, Poplar, and Beech are common. Most skiboard companies use vertically laminated cores for a more predictable flex pattern. A vertically laminated core consists of several strips of wood, maybe 3/4 inch wide, lined up side-by-side like a miniature hardwood floor, with each strip going down the length of the board. The stringers are the strips of wood that run through the areas occupied by the inserts. The stringers are often a stronger wood, such as Ash, whereas the rest of the core might be a cheaper wood, like Poplar. Ash has a maximum insert strength of around 1500 lbs/insert, whereas Poplar is more like 900 lbs/insert. Wood cores can be either straight or pre-cambered. Pre-cambered wood cores have a camber milled directly into the wood. Boards with straight cores get their camber entirely from the press while the epoxy cures. Pre-cambered wood cores extends the life of the board by preserving the board camber longer.
Cores will deviate in stiffness by a small amount from board to board, however the important thing is that each core should have a symmetrical flex pattern about the long axis. This symmetry is often achieved by creating a core that consists of two half-cores, where each half-core core is half the width, and a mirror image of the other half.
The type of core also determines how well a board holds its camber: Salomon Snowblades used a foam core, which provided a highly consistent flex pattern. However, Salomon Snowblades with the foam core tended to lose their camber quickly.
Question for all, what about other woods for the core, such as bamboo, which is super strong and super stiff, plus easily environmentally sustainable as it is technically a grass and grows really fast.
First topic was "What is Titanal?", now comes The Core:
Most skiboards have a wood core. Ash, Spruce, Poplar, and Beech are common. Most skiboard companies use vertically laminated cores for a more predictable flex pattern. A vertically laminated core consists of several strips of wood, maybe 3/4 inch wide, lined up side-by-side like a miniature hardwood floor, with each strip going down the length of the board. The stringers are the strips of wood that run through the areas occupied by the inserts. The stringers are often a stronger wood, such as Ash, whereas the rest of the core might be a cheaper wood, like Poplar. Ash has a maximum insert strength of around 1500 lbs/insert, whereas Poplar is more like 900 lbs/insert. Wood cores can be either straight or pre-cambered. Pre-cambered wood cores have a camber milled directly into the wood. Boards with straight cores get their camber entirely from the press while the epoxy cures. Pre-cambered wood cores extends the life of the board by preserving the board camber longer.
Cores will deviate in stiffness by a small amount from board to board, however the important thing is that each core should have a symmetrical flex pattern about the long axis. This symmetry is often achieved by creating a core that consists of two half-cores, where each half-core core is half the width, and a mirror image of the other half.
The type of core also determines how well a board holds its camber: Salomon Snowblades used a foam core, which provided a highly consistent flex pattern. However, Salomon Snowblades with the foam core tended to lose their camber quickly.
Question for all, what about other woods for the core, such as bamboo, which is super strong and super stiff, plus easily environmentally sustainable as it is technically a grass and grows really fast.
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