Day 009 ( I think)

Sometimes one doesn't get where they plan on going. Today the forecast looked promising and "relatively safe" . The goal was to skin up and take a look at Sh$t For brains. That didn't happen as the snow was giving way and we kicked off a small slide. That was enough to head down. So we did....next time maybe.

Updates

We received confirmation that our sidewalls, top sheets and tip/tail spacers have left Cinci Ohio! That was a 5 week lead time. In those 5 weeks we experienced some quality snow as well as infrastructure improvements. We managed to cut the cat track aluminium yesterday.

We pick up our vinyl stickers Monday. We constructed a variety of cores that are made up of a mix of poplar and bamboo and simply bamboo. Lots needed to be done and lots still to do...so we go off to do it. Tomorrow being "Saturday" we are heading up to "shit for brains" to look down her. The snow isn't filled in but we will find some turns. Maybe a video and some pics will be in order.

Stickers

If you need and Graphic work or stickers made out of vinyl, this is your guy:

Rudy is "cutting out" 50 Grace stickers in the next couple of weeks...feel free to ask for one, first one is on us... Self addressed stamped enevelope to Grace Skis LLC, 3819 Gilpin Street Denver co 80205...

Poor tele skiers,

We have a few friends out there still lifting their heels, i even drop a knee every once in awhile. It feels good to wear those comfy boots and use my quads. Two years ago I was all for Tele and back country use. Now, tele is reserved for the resort. I slipped on a pair of the Dynafit Titans, and they changed my world. The sole, walk mode and weight are perfect. When i eventually ski them with 110 or 120 underfoot i will pass a better judgement. Just wait till the trickle down theory happens and the Titans technology is implemented in a Recreational boot! get a load of Andrews point, one of the most hard-core back country skiers on Earth, on telemark vs. AT in terms of Weight, Safety, and Functionality:

“It is one of the engineering marvels of the world how a tele binding with half the function and parts of an AT binding can weigh over twice as much.”
“AT bindings use a mechanical system of springs and cams to release the skier at a predetermined load. Tele bindings stick with their organic roots by using your ACL as a biological release mechanism. The AT system is reset by stepping back into it, and the tele system is reset by stepping into an emergency room.”
“For years, telemark binding designers have struggled to find a balance between having freedom on the uphill and control on the downhill. The result is a nearly perfect division of performance: the uphill inefficiency is equal to downhill instability.”

KIWI 196 CONCEPT DRAWING

We whipped up a concept for our "powder" ski this past weekend. Skiing around in all the snow made us think fat. Originally the plan was to make the KIWI a rockered twin with a reverse side cut. Of course, this may still happen as it is evolving. it cam out of our heads and Auto CAD like the above picture. 168 upfront, 140 under foot and 158 in the tail. We relied on a footprint similar to ones actual foot and toes. The tip carries 168 straight back from the tip for 18cm or 7" for you Americans. The tail does the same for 15cm. Each end will rocker from the flat 45cm center binding mount area.. The tip will rise 2.5" inches and tail 2.25". As we look at it on screen the Ash center flat area needs to move forward to give the ski a more even flex and accommodate switch landings. The KIWI will be flexible up front, flat and stiff underfoot (like a surfboard and stiff out the back. We enjoy a stiff ski in the tail to dip in powder and scrub speed on the piste. Keep in eye out as the KIWI evolves throughout the winter.

OZ Snowboards

If you or a loved one is going to make a snowboard purchase soon, buy an OZ Snowbaord from Adam Browning. adamcbrowning@gmail.com

Adam has constructed a custom shop in Arvada Colorado, perfectly fitted with his own CNC machine and home brew kits. Perfect combination I think. His favorite board that is going into production has an early rise tip and tail with camber under the bindings. Same as our Kylie skis. He added triax carbon fiber under the bindings and added 1" uni-CF strips lengthwise. (uni CF strips are unidirectional Carbon fiber tapes that stiffen the flex where he wants it stiff) Adam has tested it and loves the responsiveness and pop. Riding in Colorado, in our soft snow (we hope) the combination of wood core and carbon fiber is perfect. Adam has made the right choice to deliver a board that will excite you. Shoot him an email, maybe pre- order a board, he will customize the top sheet as well...

Burn Longboards

Check these guys out up in Fort Collins. Burn Longboards are putting together some nice long rides. Grace Skis and Burn use the same bamboo in our cores. They wrap with a double bias fiberglass and we do our thing, buy the flex is appreciated in both rides! They are running a 50$ off deal too so get some for the holiday season. My nephew is! How about that web site as well, I dig those graphics.

Kylie Camber Molds

Big day today, we managed to get the base molds CNC'd today. With grand help from our friend Ramone. This was exact, perfect and very much a time savor. Tomorrow we will stack the base mold in the press. All that is left is heat blankets and a cat track. Anyone have a line on 1"x1" aluminium channels?

Living with Doubt

"Living with doubt ... is almost always more profitable than living with certainty.People don't like doubt, so they pay money and give up opportunities to avoid it. Entrepreneurship is largely about living with doubt, as is creating just about any sort of art.If you need reassurance, you're giving up quite a bit to get it.On the other hand, if you can get in the habit of seeking out uncertainty, you'll have developed a great instinct".

Seth Godin

Day 005

What a day at the Basin, ran into Tracy, the half owner of our future touring ski namesake, the Jake. Congrats to her and Fiance David. I actually didn't catch if they are engaged or married..either way congrats and happy skiing. I have a feeling a few more turns will be had with the Tracy/David crew. The rest of the motley bunch was comprised of ski bum veterans whose prime was somewhere in the early 90s. Isn't that the beauty of skiing, when one's prime is overdone, they can still pursue a perfect turn. As one graybeard said today, "Skiing is simply fun". Then we enjoyed the best Bloody Marys ever concocted above 10,700 feet, all paid for by that polymath with a few gray hairs on the chin.

Words to think about

Times are tough, we all know this. This dedication to manufacture skis is one we are fully committed to. Gutting a kitchen to make a shop, selling cars,still for sale if anyone wants to help out the cause! For you, 2000$getting housemates to help with cash flow, begging for pre-orders, sucking up pride and working cash jobs whenever and wherever. We are committed.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back—Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless
ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A
whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Goethe, I bet he skied...

Grace Kylie Cores

We made up this nice system to squeeze two cores at a time. What you see in the vice is a 196 Kylie core. 3 stringers of 20mm bamboo separated by 10mm of poplar and the 35mm poplar sides sandwich it all. The poplar on the sides will be milled to create the side cut. The Kylie core will have a profile of 2mm at tip and tail and 12mm underfoot, with a round curve. By round curve we mean the ski not have a flat spot underfoot. We like a ski that flexes evenly.

The profile will be cut with a 3 axial CNC machine.