I never got good enough, nor could spend enough time on the slopes to join a ski patrol. But tried to keep at it over the years despite no one else in family including son ever interested. Dropped out maybe 10 years ago. Then similar age friend in EAA, similar experiences who never stopped, but was finally having a blast taking the G-klds. He inspired me to dust off the old boards, buy a new pair of boots, and start up again last winter. We skied a lot together, for me locally wherever senior rates applied for the day.
A couple years after buying the Dynamics in HS, I ripped an edge out on a rock, trying to get one more day before the slope closed in MD for the year. I was able to build up the missing wood, patch in fiber glass with epoxy in a tube, and straighten and re-attach the steel edging for about a foot along the damaged area. Fortunately right under the binding area, so not as critical as it could have been. That successful repair, and the history of those skis which were still essentially hand made at the time, kind of stuck in the back of my mind. The repair has held up to my sporadic use over 50 years but the edges are filed thin and the base is starting to look like rodents are chewing around it, where it is too thin to hold P-tex anymore.
Last year, perusing ski sites like Ski-Talk, i noticed other people were actually building hot skis and ones with interesting graphics.
As it turns out, there are some 137 USA niche/custom ski builders, almost 500 internationally, and probably hundreds of individuals building skis and boards for themselves.
ExoticSkis.com Home Page
Of course there are also builder forums, Skibuilders seems to be the most active:
Ski Builders Forum - Index page
On vacation in NH a couple weeks ago, i stopped in to visit a wonderful couple who are building up a pretty comprehensive supply business.
Sandwich Tech | Ski & Snowboard Building Materials
Both engineers, and really down to earth. They make building skis seem quite accessible.
Matt talked about building the wooden cores.
Then Kate explained how she bends and attachs the steel edges to the base material, prior to laying up and pressing the skis.
They keep several options/weaves for 'glass and carbon fiber reinforcement, at least a couple base options, and all the other supplies.
They are just finishing up interior construction for their store/Office/shop space, probably obvious from the photos and drywall
Doing it all themselves -it's coming together nicely!
I do plan to build a pair - once our house is buttoned up for winter, and some other projects finished to clear out the shop.
smt