www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Mike first cut the nose of a race board in 1996!! It was a project that would not be re-vived for several years. This past season , among numerous other projects, Mike re-visited his "Split Nose" technology. Those that have ridden his boards know the difference his bindings plates, driver plates , snow-stix and split tail technologies make. Enough so, that to date almost every board owner has ordered a second! After spending the late spring in testing, Mike has moved from proto-typing to production. His first split tip and tail board built specifically for this technology is on it's way to South America for on snow testing. Here are some photos of the proto type that helped to set the final specs for the currently developing models. I only got a couple spring days on it , but it was amazing! I can't wait to get one on real winter hard pack! I don't have their ok yet, however I can say that there are orders in and boards being built as we speak. Mike promises photo before they ship. I will hold off on specs etc until the owners chose to "roll-out" their new Tinkler Full split system boards. The new boards do not have the extra inserts and flex shunts. This was a part of the testing phase. Providing adjustablility in an effort to pin point the "where" and "how much" factors. Yes, I did get a bit of extra snow through the split, however Mike cuts them in a way that minimizes this. See the last photo in the gallery for a shot after a "slushy" spring run. I loved being able to adjust both tip and tail. Thanks to the locals that kept the "Secret" under their hats for the last couple months. Much appreciated! When do I get mine?? Mike has several current orders to complete prior to November, however he tells me he has room for two more orders that he can promise completion before the snow flys. Please don't call in December and expect to have it by Christmas. Now is a good time to get your board started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Ong Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Your not that far away from having a split board :) OR SKIS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Interesting. So you could "theoretically" have a stiffer board on toeside or heelside, and a softer board on the other side. If you wanted to, that is. Perhaps these boards should be named "Tinkerer" instead! Coiler did a split tail and nose board a number of years ago. I'm still not sold on the whole concept of partially split boards. I would think it would put a kink in the flex pattern. But I've never ridden one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Bryan, Have there been any failures in the Tinkel split tails? My (limited) experience with split tails was breaking 2 burners in 3 days... Just wondering if Mike has been able to strengthen the design while maintaining flex... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Well, this is an amazing thing. Just have to ride my Tinkler 202 splittail with titanal plate first which came in last week. Can't wait to ride mine, first thing. Never seen such nice craftmanship, thanks, Mike. He's done a nice job Just anxious to hear about the ridingperformance of this new 'tail/nosesplitter'. Greets, Hans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedzilla Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Ok, I have to ask......how much $? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 These are all unique master pieces, so also prices are not equal. So best answer you get from man itself, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 In the neighborhood of $1500 – $1900… depending of what you want… I think… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedzilla Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 ahhh....it's in the "don't even ask the wife" category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Interesting. So you could "theoretically" have a stiffer board on toeside or heelside, and a softer board on the other side. If you wanted to, that is. Perhaps these boards should be named "Tinkerer" instead! Bingo!, Except it is not theoretical, it is what we have been doing with the split tail . It allowed the rider to adjust the flex of the tail along with the dampening. Example is my heel side is my strong side. I can stiffen it up and soften the toe side to get a bit more flex if I want. Being able to tune the board on the fly is one of it's advantages. The others are dampening and overall performance. As Pokis pointed out, every board starts from scratch. Every core is created and profiled with a rider in mind. Each Tinkler I have ridden is different from the other. Some more similar than others. One of the reasons I would like to get as many Tinkler owners together some time and do some serious testing. There just aren't many out there to "borrow" and the owners tend to be pretty reluctant to hand over their prize board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Bryan,Have there been any failures in the Tinkler split tails? My (limited) experience with split tails was breaking 2 burners in 3 days... Just wondering if Mike has been able to strengthen the design while maintaining flex... Good question Matt. Trust me the Sims Burner and it's issues were not unknown to Mike. We are all big fans of the Burner. He was there so to speak! Tom Sims was the first (and only, please don't quote me on this one) to actually provide inserts factory for the Tinkler Snow-Stix from the factory. As a collector I am looking for the Snow-Stix that came with a Sims sticker on them. Let me know if you have one. Back to your question. As of this date , I do not know of any broken tails. Mike definitely builds them in differently and there is a balance between flex and protecting the split. I know I have taken a few fairly knarly beaters with no damage. Understanding that nothing is unbreakable. Some are hard on noses , some are hard on tails. If you are breaking allot of tails, I would not recommend you have a split built even knowing Mike's board will hold up very well. Hope that helps. Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Well, this is an amazing thing. Just have to ride my Tinkler 202 splittail with titanal plate first which came in last week. Can't wait to ride mine, first thing. Never seen such nice craftmanship, thanks, Mike. He's done a nice job Just anxious to hear about the ridingperformance of this new 'tail/nosesplitter'. Greets, Hans. Love to hear back Hans, glad it arrived safe and sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Bingo!, Except it is not theoretical, it is what we have been doing with the split tail . Okay, I suppose tuning the flex is not theoretical, but I think the benefit to a carved turn is. I mean, I can't see how a split in a board can do anything to the flex pattern other than put a kink or hinge in it at the point where the split begins. Therefor, the board is not going to bend into a smooth arc along its entire length. I know the problem of boards kinking in the middle is what Donek sought to remedy with its quadratic sidecut and specially matched flex pattern. Sean has some very interesting side-by-side closeups of boards in mid-carve and the results are telling. Perhaps this is not a bad thing, in the case of a split tail board like a Burner, where you are supposed to mount them ahead of center - maybe the length of the board ahead of the split handles the job of carving, and the length of the board behind the split handles some other job (quasi-suspension?). Perhaps. But I just don't see a benefit to putting two kinks in a board. Theoretically, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 In the neighborhood of $1500 – $1900… depending of what you want… I think… Correct, a "System" board starts at around 1750$ A board with a driver plate , binding plate and/or Snow-Stix. The boards being built with Titanal are more , each board is unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Okay, I suppose tuning the flex is not theoretical, but I think the benefit to a carved turn is. I mean, I can't see how a split in a board can do anything to the flex pattern other than put a kink or hinge in it at the point where the split begins. Therefor, the board is not going to bend into a smooth arc along its entire length. I know the problem of boards kinking in the middle is what Donek sought to remedy with its quadratic sidecut and specially matched flex pattern. Sean has some very interesting side-by-side closeups of boards in mid-carve and the results are telling.Perhaps this is not a bad thing, in the case of a split tail board like a Burner, where you are supposed to mount them ahead of center - maybe the length of the board ahead of the split handles the job of carving, and the length of the board behind the split handles some other job (quasi-suspension?). Perhaps. But I just don't see a benefit to putting two kinks in a board. Theoretically, of course! If that were the case , I wouldn't either. Quite the opposite, I have yet to ride anything smoother, more flowing. Those that followed my methods, know I will ride/ buy / what works for me. I have been fortunate enough to have some very fine snowboards over the years. The good ones "Raise The Bar" and change my perspective. Mike's boards have made it very hard to ride "Mono Construction" boards regardless of builder. Even riding his boards without a plate or stixs is quite a difference. Jack, if you can pry Mike away from building boards long enough, I think you would enjoy the conversation. Flex and dampening have been on Mike's brain since he was a scrappy little surfer kid in New Zealand and HI. It moved from theory to real world before you were born. :Sorry, now I know why old guys love to use that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 These are all unique master pieces, so also prices are not equal. So best answer you get from man itself, Mike Well said, from another guy that appears willing to try anything in a quest for the ultimate carving experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 Your not that far away from having a split board :) OR SKIS James, I only wish I had the wide "Ryan M" board when I was at Mt Rose. I would have loved to see what an ECer of your caliber would have had to say. Given that it is shorter and stiffer than you might prefer. Still trying to figure out to do with a 20cm wide board. I know , I know, "Go wide, you will never go back" :p I rode the board and I loved the sidecut and it was beefy, the transition just felt like I was driving a lumber truck and it is the lightest shortest Tinkler I have!! You guys do friggin rip!!! Thanks again for an excellent day!! PS. I know this photo is Rob not James, but I just got lucky and snapped his at a better time. James photo (two pictures ahead is about a 1/2 second too late) Photographer wanna be's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Bryan, Can you post the specs for this proto type? Lengths, waist and nose/tail. Thanks Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Bryan,Can you post the specs for this proto type? Lengths, waist and nose/tail. Thanks Ray Here you go: Keep in mind this is approx. (measured free-hand) Overall Length: 190cm Running Length:172.5 (contact pt to contact pt) Tip Width: 23.3cm Waist Width: 18.3cm Tail Width: 22.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Sure, I still have it at my place. Shhh! Hoping Mike forgets I have it. Yeh right! I will have to measure it. Give me a day. Bryan Ok, thanks. Bryan, I have the strong feeling you will need to get your own (which I think you will), Mike will NOT forget :p I heard a couple more boards are going under the press this week. Seems he is moving ahead nicely... Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Yes, I think you are quite right I am afraid. Yes, I am anxious to see one of the T N T Splits! It complicates things a bit, I now have TWO boards I need to have built! Bryan Here is a short clip of my first couple runs on Palmer with the Proto. Please don't hold my performance against the board! :D I guess it does serve a purpose of demonstrating the durability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Definitely looks like it works Bryan Thanks for sharing! The fact that you were riding in mid-June...NO FAIR ;) I need to plan a late spring/early summer trip to Hood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 hmmm, looks like a great smooth ride It seems it sacrifices a lot of skidability, but hey its a carving board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 My question is, how will the TNT Split perform under great conditions compared against other top of a line board... but I somehow have the feeling this thing really works. Seems another exiting season is ahead of us with many news products available. Can’t wait for all the reviews. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Bryan, It looks like the TnT you have there does not have a Tinkler plate attached to it. Is it also compatible with the plate? Think about that combination: snow stix, TnT, split nose and tail....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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