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Plans for skis

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Posted

Does anyone know were I can get plans for skis. I have time but not money to buy skis. So I would like to build them. I am interested in fiberglass type. Thinking of a foam core covered with glass.

Thanks

Dave

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Posted

Does anyone know were I can get plans for skis. I have time but not money to buy skis. So I would like to build them. I am interested in fiberglass type. Thinking of a foam core covered with glass.

Thanks

Dave

I dont have any plans, but I do have some fiberglass ski's for mine. I can take some pics and measurements when I go to storage in a couple days and post those up for you if it would help!

:BC:

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Posted

If you want to leave your options open, An outfit called Acrolite sells plans for skis made from uhmw(that thick plastic) and aluminum for a very resonable price. Check them out at acrolite.com.

Jack

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Posted

I dont have any plans, but I do have some fiberglass ski's for mine. I can take some pics and measurements when I go to storage in a couple days and post those up for you if it would help!

:BC:

Thank you that would be great. I made be able to design from that.

Dave

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Posted

If you want to leave your options open, An outfit called Acrolite sells plans for skis made from uhmw(that thick plastic) and aluminum for a very resonable price. Check them out at acrolite.com.

Jack

Thanks, I just looked at the web site and that made be a good option.

Dave

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Posted

Not sure where I snagged them from, but here's a couple of pics of an aluminum frame-type ski I had on file that might give you some ideas.

post-53-13196690710602_thumb.jpg

post-53-13196690798278_thumb.jpg

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Posted

When I was a young/poor aviator in Alaska we used to use skateboards with Teflon bolted/laminated to the bottom, then retro-fitted of course.

Now you can buy used snowboards very inexpensively and they  make great skis...  Ron 

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Posted

I like the pictures dholley posted! Simple but solid looking! Can I pirate that design? LOL!!

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Posted (edited)

You might wanted to ping Av8r3400 (Larry) as he has (or had) a pretty neat ski set up that I think he made. I believe the attached pic is of his Model 4 - 1050 with skis attached.

skis (14).jpg

Edited by RobS

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Posted

Wow!  That is an OOOOLLLLLDDDD photo.  Probably from the first winter I had that plane.  Those were Avid Skis that I got from Airdale.

IMG_0133.jpg

These are my "new" skis.

Skis_Flying.thumb.JPG.1ff38b28c7ece00f45

On the wing...

Video evidence:

 

 

(Headed to the airport tomorrow to do my first Mangy annual and rig these skis on it...)

 

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Posted

That was a fast year!  Time flies when your havin fun!!

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Posted

Yes it was, Larry!

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Posted

Larry, did you find the skis to be big enough? It's fun watching your front tires decide whether to turn or not in the video. 

The only down sides I can see with these type of skis is that you couldn't change tire sized and still use them and it appears you have to modify the axle or something to make them fit. 

Do you need a longer axle for them as well?

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Posted

Larry, did you find the skis to be big enough? It's fun watching your front tires decide whether to turn or not in the video. 

The only down sides I can see with these type of skis is that you couldn't change tire sized and still use them and it appears you have to modify the axle or something to make them fit. 

Do you need a longer axle for them as well?

Most guys will set them up so they are running 850s on skis.  You are not going to be landing in the big stuff with skis on so you dont need monster tires.  The smaller you go the less drag etc.  Not sure on Larry's but its easy to make them so they will bolt on with very little modifications.  I made my axles on my other gear longer so I could slide them out when on wheels and slide them in when on ski's.  With wheel skis you can make the mounts so they just bolt on to each side of the axle and not change anything.

:BC:

 

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Posted

I run the 21x800-6 Desser tires.  I made these skis to work with them.  If I had a small amount of Leni's money I'd change them out to AK Bushwheels in the summer.  I don't, so I don't. 

On my Grove gear, there is an axle mounted outward for the wheel, tire and brake. There is a similar axle mounted to the inside that the ski runs on, making the install a couple minute process, I don't even need to lift the plane.  The old skis were much more labor intensive to mount. 

In all reality these skis are probably too big.  They are 60" long, 16" wide in the front and 8" wide inside the tire.  Most straight skis are only 8" or less wide. 

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Posted

Thanks Larry, that helps. Any chance you have pictures of the attachment on the inside of the axle? I'd love to wrap my head around how they mount. I keep thinking about building some for my plane but don't because we haven't seen enough snow here in the past year to think too seriously about it. 

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Posted (edited)

I run the 21x800-6 Desser tires.  I made these skis to work with them.  If I had a small amount of Leni's money I'd change them out to AK Bushwheels in the summer.  I don't, so I don't. 

On my Grove gear, there is an axle mounted outward for the wheel, tire and brake. There is a similar axle mounted to the inside that the ski runs on, making the install a couple minute process, I don't even need to lift the plane.  The old skis were much more labor intensive to mount. 

In all reality these skis are probably too big.  They are 60" long, 16" wide in the front and 8" wide inside the tire.  Most straight skis are only 8" or less wide. 

2 divorces in 5 yrs ... Leni would like a small amount back of what he used to have :lol:

My skis are 70" long and 12 or 13"wide an many times I have wished they were larger.  It all depends on what kind of snow conditions you operate in.  The skis I make for the new plane will be larger than airglass 2500.  There is no such thing as too much flotation when you find some deep fresh snow!

 

:BC:

 

Edited by akflyer

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Posted

 

2 divorces in 5 yrs ... Leni would like a small amount back of what he used to have :lol:

 

 

I tell ya, Mister, it's time for you to switch teams.  You obviously don't know how to work this side of the field...

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Posted (edited)

 

2 divorces in 5 yrs ... Leni would like a small amount back of what he used to have :lol:

 

 

I tell ya, Mister, it's time for you to switch teams.  You obviously don't know how to work this side of the field...

ehhhh.. no.. :lol:  this side just has a hard time being good when I am gone 50% + of the time...

:BC:

 

Edited by akflyer

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Posted

Thanks Larry, that helps. Any chance you have pictures of the attachment on the inside of the axle? I'd love to wrap my head around how they mount. I keep thinking about building some for my plane but don't because we haven't seen enough snow here in the past year to think too seriously about it. 

 

 

Sorry for the crappy blurry phone pic...

Ski_Axle.thumb.JPG.02498523640a607792017

 

Ski_Mounted.thumb.jpg.10dd0a6605a6346f85

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Posted

Awesome way to mount them Larry!

:BC:

 

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Posted

In the summer I put a piece of PVC pipe over the axes, held in place by the washer and axle nut to protect them from damage and just leave them mounted.

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Posted

That makes perfect sense now I see it! Thanks for posting up the pictures. Plenty good for me to figure out what you were talking about.

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Posted

December flying in Wisconsin...

IMG_2409.thumb.JPG.a6edc0a6e2953bb853c0c

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Posted

December flying in Minnesota.

IMAG1223.jpg

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