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Shortening ski length?

Original Post
brody zafa · · Anchorage, AK · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 190

Does anyone have experience with cutting down a pair of skis shorter? I have some skis that I will be using as summer skis but are too long. Can anyone direct me to a forum or give advice if this has been done. Looking to cut it down from a 186 to 178ish.

My guesses include using a table/band saw and then applying epoxy and clamping the tails. Any suggestions?

rocknice2 · · Montreal, QC · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 3,847
Brady Deal wrote:Does anyone have experience with cutting down a pair of skis shorter? I have some skis that I will be using as summer skis but are too long. Can anyone direct me to a forum or give advice if this has been done. Looking to cut it down from a 186 to 178ish. My guesses include using a table/band saw and then applying epoxy and clamping the tails. Any suggestions?
Ski faster it's easier than cutting skis.
RockinOut · · NY, NY · Joined May 2010 · Points: 100

I would imagine any kind of reciprocating saw would separate the layers within the ski. I also think that shortening a ski would affect its performance, unless its an old school straight ski and not the more recent parabolic/shaped skis. By cutting the tail you're essential standing more towards the back of the ski and what was the middle and under your boot is no longer.

Why not just sell them and put that $$$ towards a proper sized ski.

bobbin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 0

If you really want to do this, try cutting through the metal edges with a hand hacksaw, and then cutting the core of the ski with whatever - jig saw, band saw, cross cut hand saw. I cut a snowboard in half longways by cutting the edges first and then using a jig saw for the main cut, although I dulled the first jig saw blade that I used, probably from the fiberglass layers. Then seal the cut part with varnish or epoxy.

However, I agree that this is unlikely to yield a ski with the sidecut where you want it relative to the boot. People on TGR have occasionally lopped off the raised part of a twin tip tail, but that's more to get a flat tail than to go down a size.

Larry · · SoAZ · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 50
bobbin wrote:However, I agree that this is unlikely to yield a ski with the sidecut where you want it relative to the boot.
Will also completely mess up the camber.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski#C…
Ryan Williams · · London (sort of) · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,245

Bad idea for so many reasons.

Jared Scheid · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 65

Be a man and ski em long(ish).

Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

It is really hard to think of a situation where the additional performance you would get by cutting off 8 cm could possibly justify drastically altering a ski in that way.

If you are too cheap to buy a lighter ski, just suck it up and deal with a slightly heavier ski.

If you are too cheap to buy a new ski to do some unbelievably gnar narrow chute that absolutely positively requires a ski 8 cm shorter, you should probably be good enough to not need to ask the question or at least not ask it on mountainproject.

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186

Brady, have you thought about mounting the bindings in a more forward or centered position? This can make the ski seem shorter when initiating turns.
Back in the 90's, before the Salomon 1080 was available to the public at a reasonable cost,we use to bend the tail to make a twin tip ski. It seemed like the best thing to do was use a blow torch, cut, re-tack the edges with screws, epoxy, and use rivets on the ends to keep the layers from delaminating. In the end, the skis would only last a season and the big killers were the edges ripping out or water(in the spring/summer)getting into the core.-Good Luck!

brody zafa · · Anchorage, AK · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 190

Thanks for all the helpful input from several of you.

I am actually an advanced skier and this is merely a fun project I was wanting to try with an old pair of skis I have laying around.
If I do end up trying it I will let you know how it goes.

Chris S · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 446
Brady Deal wrote:Thanks for all the helpful input from several of you. I am actually an advanced skier and this is merely a fun project I was wanting to try with an old pair of skis I have laying around. If I do end up trying it I will let you know how it goes.
Its possible, but you'll want to rivet the tails as well - otherwise it will delaminate fairly quickly (i.e., one day on firm snow). With a heat gun, a form and some clamps you can make twin tips too.

Yes, its been done before. ;)
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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