Guys and Gals,
I just wanted to pop in from a busy season of building and riding. I have finally made some prototype skis for my first season as a new manufacturer of twin tip skis. I am based out of Frederick, MD and I hope that in the next few years I will have some really cool skis to show you guys and hopefully sell to you all. I have a website which is basically holding my spot on the web. www.mantisskis.com , This season I have been busy with a newborn daughter, and as she is my first, I have been very busy learning. I also hold down a day job as a construction superintendent so it has been hard to keep focused on ski production.
I took my first pair of prototype skis out for a test drive this past week and they really ripped. These skis are called ,"The Czar of Gnar". They measure 118 tip, 104 mid, 114 tail. 173's. 100% Bamboo wood core with ABS sidewalls. 12mm thick core underfoot, with a taper to 2 mm with ABS tips and tails spacers. Custom graphics sublimation printed into custom topsheets. As you may be able to tell my topsheets slipped a bit in the press and went off center. I had a hard time keeping my core center lined up as well when pressure was put to the mold. These are all things that I know I can work out very easily on my next set.These were heat cured at 140 degrees for 30 mins. and then at 190 for 40 mins. Band saw cut and ground clean, then hit with the router at a 25 degree side bevel to finish the clean look of the sidewalls. I am pretty stoked that I can share with you my first ski out of the press and I look forward to showing you guys some more skis in the future. This summer I will try a reverse camber design and perhaps a mogul ski. Here is a link to the photos I have uploaded as well as the picture of the finished product I am trying to attach here in the post.
Thanks for your time DCSki!
For More Pictures of Mantis Ski Production!

Schweet!!! I like em. Keep up the work.

BTW, I've always heard ABS sidewall construction but never really knew what it meant. Care to elaborate?

Cool. Would like to see the step by step process.

nice!

No problem David. The sides of the ski above are black. I use ABS plastic and bond it to the side of the word core. You can see a picture of this on my photo link. I use the same epoxy that I would lather on during the layup process. I let this cure out at room temp for about 7 days. The ABS basically protects the wood core from getting water damage through the layers. It also protects the wood core from core shots when your skis bang together. I tend to like the look of an ABS sidewall over cap construction where sidewalls are not visible. Although, in cap construction sometimes the sidewalls are actually under the topsheet layer, you just can't see it. Sidewall offer a bit of cushion and flex to your ski. Some people love em, some people don't. There are a bunch of people out there who think that putting an angle on a sidewall ruins the structural integrity of the ski. I would agree that it does degrade some stiffness, but ruin I doubt. Hope this was helpful. I am not the foremost authority, but I think I may have helped. LOL.

Cool. I will update my website soon showing the step by step process.

like this

http://www.vimeo.com/8635535

Maybe a little less spastic! I about fell out of my chair watching that.

Guys and Gals. I'm back again. I just pumped out a new model for 2011. The Snallygaster 183cm. 121-90-121. Vertically laminated wood core. ABS sidewalls and tips and tail spacers. 2 layers of 22oz. Triaxial braided fiberglass. Full single layer of biaxial carbon fiber interlaced with kevlar. Custom sublimation printed graphic bases and topsheets. Had Brian at Pro-Fit hook me up with an awesome grind job on the fresh virgin base material. He perfected the edges and mounted my Jester Schizo's on the puppies. Mounted at furthest forward position at core center. This will allow the binding to be slid back fully for deep pow. I have attached a link to the slideshow video showing my new shop and the process in order from conception to reality. I hope you guys enjoy. I'm getting closer and each build is becoming more and more professional. Not 100% there yet. Hoping a manufacturer in the US will partner with me on my designs and I can get Mantis Skis off the ground and get some out to the shops soon. Either that or I have a very expensive hobby. lol. Big props to Brian at Pro-Fit again. He really knows his stuff and it was nice to talk shop with him. He really takes them time to get your set up correct. I highly recommend him. Knowledgeable and a solid dude.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BK1CMdjc78
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Long time no see! The skis are looking schweet!!

Thanks David.Hope to see you on the hill sometime. I'll have a new video up sometime soon. It will show the layup process and edge bending etc. I couldn't put on the Contour P.O.V. camera because I kept draining the battery life on it and decided to keep moving to get these done for the season. Who knew I would have an extra month from warm weather? This stinks.

Send me a pair and I'll hock them here around the local hills....

Here is another edit of the layup process. Yes it is very spastic, but at least you know I am putting all the right pieces into my skis. Hope you guys enjoy.

http://youtu.be/HPd8c0lN3O0

Some new news for you guys and girls. Mantis skis has almost secured a deal with a U.S. Manufacturer to build this set of skis for us east coasters. I'm going to let you all know when and if this goes through. You may end up seeing them in some of the local ski shops next season and possibly a banner up on this site next year as I need to keep up with the marketing. Here we go!

Look like some sweet sticks for making the most out of the mid-atlantic gnar. Good luck as you get things up and running!

This is pretty wild I must say!

Skis look nice. Curious about that press though, you dont get any deflections? What pressure are you pressing at by the way? It looked like you were hiding when you inflated the bladder. I know they make alot of noise with the wood.