homemade plate with a twist

[vapor]

I've been making DIY splitboards for myself for a few years now and have had this concept in the back of my mind for while. With the introduction of the apex plate and abit of time off due to an ankle injury the concept became a reality.

It took about a month to build after hours at work and finished up the week before the hill closed so just had to tape up the ankle and do some test riding.

First impressions: splitboards are not suppose to carve like this?!!Having the bindings attached to the plate you dont feel the flex in the interface as you do with the voile and the plate absorbed alot of the chatter that was going on while not feeling detached from the feedback that some people say you get riding plate systems.

In my opinion once insert patterns and designs get standardized in the next few years plates will branch out into the freecarve crowd as the advantages you get is truly noticable the first time down.

This pic was snapped a week ago and as you can see the transitions are short as the skiers are just getting the skins off.

[lowrider]

Welcome to the world of plates! The transition is happening one rider at a time soon we will be many.Watch for news next from the world down under.:)I've been saying but some don't believe this is going to be that next big step in snowboarding hard or soft boot!!

[vapor]

Here is another pic from a better angle without squiggly marks on it:;)

Thought you guys would appreciate the design more than the general splitboard crowd as most even have a hard time grasping hardboots in general.

[svr]

Vapor,

What is the contraption you have where the chinese hooks are supposed to be? Can I see a closer pic of it? I wondered when/if someone would try a plate system for splitboarding...seems to me you could get the best of both worlds by using a plate like yours.

cheers,

sandy

[Jon Dahl]

This is one splitboarder that IS interested. Can you pm me some more details/closeups/sketches?

Looks like you skin with the plate on your pack, and attach it during transition? Clearance for something like Dynafit toe pieces? Answers man!!!

[vapor]

SVR

Something i came up with to stiffen up the interface when i was using overlaping pucks to locate and stiffen the board halves.

Hey Jon

Hope this pic doesn't make it worse. working around the dynafit toepieces was a pain in the a$$ but worked out in the end. Its still a work in progress and have done prettier work butt ill snap off a few pics and send them to you as well as what i would do different second time around and alterations.

[svr]

Vapor,

That looks pretty cool and also looks like you made it very easy to take off so that transitions from board to skis would be relatively quick. Thanks for sharing the pics.

cheers,

sandy

[BlueB]

You've seen the Vist,

Now switch to Twist!

Great job Vapor!

[SunSurfer]

Best piece of vaporware I've ever seen!

Can you explain for us what is happening at each of the points where the plate attaches / rides on the split board below?

I'm guessing at a centre pivot/hinge & at each end the mechanism allows the plate to slide over the surface of the splitboard. It looks quite different from what we've seen on the B. Karl & Apex Composites plates so far.

SunSurfer

[zoltan]

I'm particularly a fan of the dice.

[Jon Dahl]

Just thinkin' out loud here. You could use two pins as rollers at the Dynafit toe pieces, lock the back of the plate solid, and float the front of the plate on rollers/wear strips. Might be hard to hold open the toe pieces 'till you get the plate in position, but it would be solid when locked down.

[pokkis]

But does floating nose would be better that this construction for off-piste ? Current solution looks to be very simple and working, nice job

[Jon Dahl]

But does floating nose would be better that this construction for off-piste ? Current solution looks to be very simple and working, nice job

Just thinking out loud...

[vapor]

I kept the front fixed and the rear slides that is similar to how visit is constructed. Here is a pic of the front attachment, the rear is similar but is sloted.the toepiece isint attached to the plate in any way but it does help to locate the board sections which was an added bonus.

[vapor]

Next season i'll post a thread of the experiences and durability of the design

as well as a few action shots.

Can't wait for it to snow!!

[P06781]

Its nice I like it too....

[CarvingScooby]

What's the add on weigh you put on the deck?

I felt the weigh difference between 185 board with and without the Hangl Plate. The weigh difference felt it alot worse just walking 10 min to the parking lot after 4-5 hours ridin and you walk up carrying those weigh:eek:?

How complicated to assembly? Again nice work Vapor and look forward for the pixs...

Cheers

RT

[vapor]

My soft boot voile setup comes in around 17 pounds climbing weight all on the legs. my 161 arbor with dynafit comes in around 9 and half pounds on the legs and 4 in the pack.

As it stands right now 166 arbor high 9 and 4 and half in the pack.have to give the skiers a bit more of an advantage so they can catch me.

Looking at running titanium axles to strengthen an lighten it up abit.

It's pretty much a jigsaw puzzle to put together but no harder than what i do 8 hours a day

[jacopodotti]

Hi

Great job!!!

Wich materials have you used?

Wich is the size of the plate?

Any foto of the rear fix?

Thanks.

J

[bjvircks]

... It looks quite different from what we've seen on the B. Karl & Apex Composites plates so far.

I disagree that this is different. I'd have to say that the fundamental system of the plate attach to the board, both front and rear seem near identical to the Apex Composites system, just implemented in a cost effective brute force fashion rather than a "spend whatever it takes to reduce weight and win races" approach.

just my $0.02

[SunSurfer]

Lighten up BJ.

At the time I wrote that I wasn't sure how the plate system worked, hence my question to Vapor which you did not quote.

Vapor's subsequent posts & photos show that the plate attachments at each end have the standard hinge & hinge/slide functions.

I'm still not clear what it is that is protruding through the middle section of the plate, and what, if any, function it serves.

SunSurfer

[bjvircks]

Sorry, I cannot lighten up. My lot in life is to be an ornery SOB. I will try to be nice, though. I didn't mean for my comment to be oppressive to you or anyone. Peace?

That thing protruding from the middle of the plate had me stumped for a moment too. The clue is in the reference to Dynafit toe pieces that Jon Dahl makes in post #5. These are the fronts of AT bindings which stay on the board and are used during ascent.

[vapor]

Thanks Bjvircks

I'll now call it the brute force mad scientist 150 dollar ebay experiment.

Another pic to clear things up.The rear sliding connection works but i have another idea that is going to work better in keeping snow out of the mechanism.I'm still going to use the aluminum section but machine delrin bushing for the axle as well as machining two long slots instead of four small one and holding it down with a machined delrin section.

[Jon Dahl]

Mucho illuminated. Juices flowing, waiting for more!! Gonna go find a donor board for the top part, look for Dynafit toe pieces, source some other stuff...

[crucible]

I like your solution of making clearance holes in your plate system for the front pivot plate of the Dynafit bindings.... it looks workable and KISS proof from where I sit.

It always frustrates the hell out of me when my Voile slider tracks get jammed up with snow in touring mode, and you have to mess around clearing the insides of the channels to get them to slide back into place. Having the Dynafit binding fixed in place and separate from the riding assembly seems like a viable alternative!

Does snow ever pack out in that location when the board is assembled- enough to cause dramas when you break it down for touring?

Geo

PS. The lucky dice "knobs" on the end of your axle skewers are a nice touch too!