New Skis!

[Av8r3400 1177]

Just a sneak peak at the new Airdale design for wheel-skis. More to follow soon...

[akflyer 1427]

Just a sneak peak at the new Airdale design for wheel-skis. More to follow soon...

Looking pretty darn good! Hope they prove out!

[Av8r3400 1177]

Here they are. All I need now is some snow...

[TJay 1041]

What is on the bottom of those? Is it just cheap old plastic or is it some special 300 dollar a foot plastic

[Av8r3400 1177]

These have UHMW on the bottom.  Sourced from a local plastics supply house, Midland Plastics.

 

It wasn't cheap for a 5' sheet, I think about $100.

[EDMO 1078]

I believe the C-130 uses Teflon? Nylon would last longer, but not as slick.

I was told by a crewchief that the skis are good for ONE landing on concrete.

EdMO

Edited 20 Sep 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[Av8r3400 1177]

Teflon is a coating, not a structure.  

 

UHMW (ultra high molecular weight) nylon plastic is the standard for ski bottoms when "plastic" is used.  It is still flexible, not brittle, in extreme cold.

[EDMO 1078]

I an not a chemist, but I have made parts out of what I was told was solid Teflon, and have some in my storage box.

You can buy it from several places as flat stock, round stock, or bushing stock.

It is whiter than nylon, and slick as owlshit, and if you get a little WD-40 on the part it is even slicker.

- I made O-rings for Cessna/Ercoupe steering shafts out of it to replace rubber.

Is it the same as PTFE, or something like that? I would have to look in the catalogs.

Its a lot softer than Nylon.

As I said, I am not a chemist, just a machinist.

I know what UHMW is.

I have never seen the bottom of a ski.

David Goode in Alaska showed me some aluminum homemade wheelskis, but I don't know what was on the bottom of them.

I wonder if Leni has them now?

EdMO

Edited 20 Sep 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[1avidflyer 1983]

I've bought 4'X10' sheet of UHMW from Seeley Plastics in Duluth Mn. They also have other offices in other places. Got polycarbonate from them as well. Best price I found anywhere. Last thing I got from them was .060 polycarbonate 4'X8' sheet and it was $52. after taxes. That's about half of what ACS wants and there was no shipping. I got the UHMW 10' long because the skis I built used a piece 5' long. Jim Chuk

[KFfan 151]

It is whiter than nylon, and slick as owlshit,

EdMO

Care to share how you gained the knowledge to make the comparison? 

[LSaupe 123]

Any special about the axes you are using?  Look to be about 2" longer than stock?

[Av8r3400 1177]

The outer axles are the "wheel pants" type axles with a little threaded spud for a bolt.

The inner ski axles are just standard Grove 1-1/4" diameter axles.

[Av8r3400 1177]

I moved the ski axles to my new plane now...

image.thumb.jpeg.7fb83698fe51ec391a1a6a021ff0655b.jpeg

Edited 20 Jan 2016 by Av8r3400

[rdooley79 28]

Can you still get these skis? I thought airdale was a wish and a prayer?

Would have loved some skis here in CO this last month. Lots of snow.  The 22" Dessers did a nice job on the fresh stuff but once a little crust developed, no more snow operations for me. I can just see catching and nosing over. 

Skis look like so much fun!

[Av8r3400 1177]

Rumor has it Brett is still in business. 

Save driving up to his house I have no idea how to contact him.