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custom ski design?

#1
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9/9/09 at 11:09pm
  • Joined: April 2009
  • Post Count: 7
so i'm a graphic designer by hobby, and i had the fortune to end the last season with a busted-up binding.

Long story short, i want to make my own design and put it on the ski, then find a binding to match. If this is too much of an optimistic endeavour, please tell me.

If not, do you guys have some tips? How should i go about printing the design? Should i first strip off the old one and how? Have any of you guys done it before? How would i attach the printed design to the ski, if that is the way to do it?

FYI my skis are solomon foils
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#2
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9/12/09 at 10:43pm
  • Joined: January 2005
  • Location: Renton, Wa
  • Post Count: 1,304
I've not tried anything with graphics on skis (yet) but there are many websites that provide content describing how to make skis.  You might try to Google "make your own skis" and browse some of the results.

Many of the graphics you see 'on' skis are actually in them.  The graphic image is printed either on a sub material, then covered with a top layer... or maybe printed on the bottom-side of the top (clear or translucent) layer. 

If this is the case with your Solomon skis you'll have a heck of a time removing the current graphic.  You might be better off placing the new graphic (with an opaque background) over a well-sanded surface, then coating with a new protective (clear) layer. This will likely affect the flexibility of the skis but not too much if you don't overdo the overcoat material.

Again, you'll find many material descriptions and methods listed on the many "make your own" websites out there.

.ma
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#3
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9/14/09 at 8:08pm
  • Joined: April 2009
  • Post Count: 7
 thankfully that's exactly what i was thinking. I've already sanded down the surface, now just need to decide on a design and glue it on

thanks!
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#4
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9/15/09 at 1:52am
  • Joined: April 2007
  • Location: A pleasant peninsula
  • Post Count: 7,499
I have no experience with gluing a design onto skis but I'd be very interested in your process and results.  Please let us know how it turns out.

Here's a thread about custom spray paint graphics.

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/55088/painted-my-new-pe-s

Good luck!

My dog loves the bumps too.
-melpark 

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#5
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9/15/09 at 3:04pm
  • Joined: April 2009
  • Post Count: 7
heh, of course. While i'm here, here's pics of the sanding process:
[URL=http://img190.imageshack.us/i/img0772q.jpg/][IMG]http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8273/img0772q.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://img193.imageshack.us/i/img0773n.jpg/][IMG]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4865/img0773n.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
no, i'm not really gonna be able to do anything to the underside. That'll be fun to explain.
[URL=http://img268.imageshack.us/i/img0774t.jpg/][IMG]http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7751/img0774t.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
just to show that they've seen some abuse in the one season i've had them xD
[URL=http://img186.imageshack.us/i/img0775k.jpg/][IMG]http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6829/img0775k.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
This was after i had hand-sanded the first ski. At this point i remembered that we own a belt sander and did the rest that way
[URL=http://img15.imageshack.us/i/img0776np.jpg/][IMG]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5356/img0776np.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
one ski done, moving on to the next
[URL=http://img193.imageshack.us/i/img0777js.jpg/][IMG]http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6920/img0777js.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
two ski done

i'll start posting up some design ideas, see what you guys think of them
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#6
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12/11/09 at 10:58am
  • Joined: March 2009
  • Location: Omaha, NE (Just 600 miles East of Breckenridge)
  • Post Count: 1,007
Edelweiser in Austria will put your design on a ski.  I am also a graphic designer.  

I think they have a 2 ski minimum.
"Asps - very dangerous - you go first"

Sallah
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