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nigelc

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Posts posted by nigelc

  1. i guess that makes more sense. Putting some of the material in shear rather than pure tension or compression. I had not considered thatthe metal was not just a flat sheet. Could the longer path for vibrations also affect the dampening?

  2. my understanding is that the reason early metal boards delaminated is that it is very hard to stick anything to a non-absorbent surface. The epoxy will not soak in so there is an issue with bond failure in shear. What titanal offers is an efective chemical etching of the surface of the aluminium sheet to allow a much better bond, hence no delam. As for metal not stretching, it is far stretchier than most fibres. The justification for metal laminates that I have seen on these pages - quite reasonably - is that the metal laminate has a very different natural frequency to the composite and so performs some dampening of vibration. I had assumed when looking at titanium skis that this would be why such a very expensive metal with a strength to weight not much better than Aluminium would be used. Perhaps it has far superior dampening characteristics. Titanium certainly is better with fatigue.

  3. Most of the boat composites I am interested in are carbon/nomex/carbon sandwich. Glass composites was a long time ago. I do see the occasional aluminium honeycomb core, or some pvc foam (like some old rossignol boards) on some cheaper layups. Also many different orientations of fibres to deal with the differrent stresses including often gluing unidirectional fibres in specific places to cope with rig loads. I haven't done an analysis of skis but I would have thought the stresses were relatively simple. From what you are saying I guess you think that titanium is just a gimmick with little or no real justification over aluminium/titanal. Shame. I thought we might be seeing a whole new generation of titanium boards

  4. My apologies I am not looking to directly contradict you even if I came across that way. My statement should have been phrased as a question. Essentially I guess the expression "strength" is not specific enough - are we talking stiffness, tensile strength, toughness etc. My engineering is limited to some composite structures in a marine context, where mostly we are concerned with panel stiffness. Pure tensile strength is sometimes of concern in rigs, where PBO is used for rigging

  5. I have just spent a couple of weeks shopping for new skis for my wife, trying and comparing different types of skis from different manufacturers. I noticed that a few high end skis are boasting titanium innards. Do any other forum members know what this is all about? is it a metal laminate like the titanal in metal carving boards and there for the same purpose(s). If so what advantage does it offer over the aluminium laminate?

  6. Hi Matiu

    I will be in CP from end of july - around 27th 28th for about a week, and possibly a few days 12th -18th. I sent you an email to your new address but it must have got lost in the spam filter. Are you bringing some of your new boards to NZ? I would love to try one.

    Looking forward to a good winter

    cheers

    Nigel

  7. Hi Kip

    Yes I am definitely going to hokkaido in february and really looking forward to trying out some powder boards. No other updates apart from that and actually spending more time thinking about the upcoming NZ season than next feb, allthough by coincidence I am typing this from a hotel room in shibuya, tokyo. have you ever snowboarded in Japan? Are you still trying to manufacture shaw 6.5's with Lee? I havent seen him for a while now but used to work with him at ENL

    cheers

    Nigel

  8. we don't get much real powder here in little old nz. I am so looking forward to trying out a swallowtail in deep light and fluffy. I think i will try and use my SB413's with the bomber spring things backed off to be very flexy at first and then try some softies after that. I don't want to start another soft/hard in powder thread - yawn - so keep your powder dry guys. if you know what i mean. I guess that the stiff end of soft boots are malamutes or drivers or even the top end raichle/deeluxe. What are good softies at the more flexible end?

  9. That looks like a comprehensive range of boards with some powder specific shapes. I guess I am thinking that if the snow is powdery enough not to use my usual setup (prior wcrm 177) then i need something like a swallow tail or fish-like. I am happy - ish with the prior in shallow "resort" powder. Or will be after a day or so. So can I rent a swallow tail in hirafu. And what kind of soft boots do i go for in deep powder - stiff or the opposite end of the spectrum?

  10. Some skier friends of mine are organising a trip to Japan so I may go along in February. From what they say the snow is predominantly powder so possibly not suited to hardbooting. I haven't been in soft boots for years and don't have good memories of them but may have to try. Anyway i think i will take one board/boots/bindings set and bank on trying to hire approriate gear

    Does anybody here have experience of the snowboarding scene up there? is there a possibility i may be able to hire something like a swallow tail or other powder specific board?

  11. I agree that the resorts do nothing to enforce this - last season I had a snowboarder jump onto a cat track leading into the lift line in full view of the lifty. He struck me in the side of the head. F*ing scary. Thank god for helmets. The lifty told him he was a naughty boy but refused to pull his pass. I lost it and smacked the offender a good right hand while telling the lifty that if he wouldn't do anything I would. The lifty told me i was a naughty boy. we carried on riding. I understand that what I did was not right but the resorts inaction render this sort of thing much more likely. On both parts

    I don't agree that it is untrained beginners causing the problem. To go that fast you have to have been riding for some years. There is no way that these dudes do not know that you give way downhill. However just waht that means appears to be lost. each time I have been hit this year I have been accused of traversing as if that gives them a license to hit me!

  12. I hate being in accidents. I do a lot of road cycling and so I am familiar with being in the right while nursing injuries and the stupidity of that stance. The last one was $1500 damage to the front of the car that hit me and i was off the road for some time. I ride both my road bike and my snowboard very defensively. On the snowboard I look uphill every time i can while on heelside, which is most turns. I always wait for a gap before I start out and I am willing to wait a long time to reduce risk.

    The state of the art of the straight liner has developed to the point that they are going so fast that its impossible to avoid them every time. One of them will get you eventually. Two of my friends this year were hit while stationary at the side of the trail while in plain view. Neither moron even stopped. This has got much worse over the last few seasons.

  13. one of the problems is that while the rules make clear that those downhill have right of way they also say that those traversing must give way. In every incident I have been involved with this year the other party has claimed I was traversing. When I am carving i am often changing edges across the fall line, particularly when trying to control speed. No matter how many times I have pointed out to the moron involved that as they were not in sight uphill when i started downhill then they must have been overtaking me they have refused to accept they were in the wrong. Its one thing being hit by an idiot, but when said idiot then claims its your fault the red mist comes down. I have in the past made mistakes and hit people on the skifield, though not for some years. In all cases I have been horrified and apologised profusely. I understand that it is not a perfect world and sometimes things do not go to plan. This attitude of messing up and then not accepting responsibilty i do not understand at all. The last offender this year abused me so much that i had a total loss of temper.

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