# Variation to Skis



## router01 (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi all,
had a thought about making a set of skis on the weekend and thought I'd make my rails slightly differently.

Rather than have a thread on the outside of the rail, I've tapped a hole into the end of the rail.

I got some 12mm galvanised mild steel bar, grabbed it in my drill press using a 25mm block of mdf with a 12mm hole dilled through it and a compression slot cut through the hole in the MDF. 

I then compressed the MDF around the 12mm bar with a vise clamp. This wasn't entirely successful and I then had to put a c clamp below to bolster the grip.

To get the rails long enough I had to turn the head on my drill press and pop a hole through the base.

I drilled a hole in the ends of the rails and then tapped them with a 6mm 1mm pitch tap. I found some stainless button headed cap screws to use and some fender washers to grab the ski.

The I was just about to make the ski's themselves and a transformer blew in our neighbourhood cutting power off!
Oh well now I have a job for next weekend 

have attached some pics below
cheers - Simon

ps there are some pics of a quickie circle jig I made. After looking around here though, I think Im going to have to rebuild it with a bit more beauty attached, you guys do some nice stuff!


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## lastberserker (Sep 24, 2011)

Sweet looking jig, Simon! I think I'll CC it :-D


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## router01 (Aug 23, 2011)

Thanks Alex, 
I'm really going to have to re-do that circle jig though after seeing some of the nice projects on here 

I saw someone useing that nylon they use in kitchen cutting boards which has sort of taken my fancy, looked very nice, and would slide beautifully.

again, thanks for your kind comment
cheers - Simon


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Simon, it's not nylon... it's polyurethane.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

router01 said:


> Hi all,
> had a thought about making a set of skis on the weekend and thought I'd make my rails slightly differently.
> 
> Rather than have a thread on the outside of the rail, I've tapped a hole into the end of the rail.
> ...


Whilst I think that you've hit on a good idea in making a female thread, something that most members would be capable of doing, I really don't think this is a SKI jig, as shown it appears to be a jig for routing slots only.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Harry, if you read the post carefully you will see the photos are a circle jig.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Mike said:


> Simon, it's not nylon... it's polyurethane.


Mike,

Polyurethane or HD Polyethelene?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Mike said:


> Harry, if you read the post carefully you will see the photos are a circle jig.


Michael, the thread is headed "variation to skis" and nowhere in the text could I find a mention of the word "circle"


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Harry: 
"ps there are some pics of a *quickie circle jig *I made. After looking around here though, I think Im going to have to rebuild it with a bit more beauty attached, you guys do some nice stuff!"

Jim, Oops! I believe they are just polyethylene. The HDPE is self lubricating and feels really slick.


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

A little tip for you Harry. If you are looking for a particular word on a webpage, press control F, and a little window pops up where you can type the word you're looking for and then it will find and highlight that word on the page.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thank you Gav for that magic tip. As a circle jig I consider Simon's jig to be excellent, it demonstrates "thinking outside the box" and I look forward to seeing photographs of his version of router skis.


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

*Not yet a ski jig*



router01 said:


> Hi all,
> Rather than have a thread on the outside of the rail, I've tapped a hole into the end of the rail.
> I got some 12mm galvanised mild steel bar, grabbed it in my drill press using a 25mm block of mdf with a 12mm hole dilled through it and a compression slot cut through the hole in the MDF.
> I then compressed the MDF around the 12mm bar with a vise clamp. This wasn't entirely successful and I then had to put a c clamp below to bolster the grip.
> ...


Hi Simon.
I'm in the business of making a ski setup for myself, and I was captivated by the metal workmanship of your invention. I usually try metal first, then wood for my projects, and enjoyed your clear presentation.

I recently made a copy of a SOSS template, and used that template for routing SOSS Hinges (3/8"). 
Your ski template looks like my SOSS template on Steroids. 
So I have to agree with Harry that in its present configuration, it is not yet a ski jig. 

However, I really like your idea of a "captive" router inside the jig, and I may try to copy your basic design, only using a small Dremel-type plunge trim router to rout my small SOSS hinges.
Keep up the good work.
Mark


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

It's getting better all the time!


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

gav said:


> A little tip for you Harry. If you are looking for a particular word on a webpage, press control F, and a little window pops up where you can type the word you're looking for and then it will find and highlight that word on the page.


Hi Gavin, 
Nice tip, but I tried it out & nothing happens on my computer.

Ski Jig:
If you add blocks to the ends then the jig could be used as a small ski jig.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Try EDIT select FIND , it should pop the window up..  note the hot keys next to the Find item..

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jlord said:


> Hi Gavin,
> Nice tip, but I tried it out & nothing happens on my computer.
> 
> Ski Jig:
> If you add blocks to the ends then the jig could be used as a small ski jig.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

jlord said:


> Hi Gavin,
> Nice tip, but I tried it out & nothing happens on my computer.
> 
> Ski Jig:
> If you add blocks to the ends then the jig could be used as a small ski jig.


I followed Gavin's instructions and it worked fine, perhaps this will help.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

harrysin said:


> I followed Gavin's instructions and it worked fine, perhaps this will help.


Thanks Harry. That worked.


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## router01 (Aug 23, 2011)

Hi Guys,

sorry to cause confusion, yes, I also took a pic of a circle jig that I made and threw it in.
The 3rd last pic is the ski rails and the 2 last ones are the circle jig.

I made 2 different lengths of ski rails, as I had some shorter bits of 12mm bar left over (waste not want not) these are also shown in the 3rd last pic 

cheers - Simon


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## router01 (Aug 23, 2011)

ps - since posting those pics, I just haven't been able to get back to the project.
I am presently in Melbourne Australia conducting a web training course! It got sprung on me 3 weeks ago and I had to produce all the training material in 3 weeks! next week I've got another one in Sydney, luckily there are only 8 people at that one, this week I have 14 and its quite hectic.

Boy, Im looking forward to getting home and being able to play with my toys again!

cheers - Simon


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

router01 said:


> ps - since posting those pics, I just haven't been able to get back to the project.
> I am presently in Melbourne Australia conducting a web training course! It got sprung on me 3 weeks ago and I had to produce all the training material in 3 weeks! next week I've got another one in Sydney, luckily there are only 8 people at that one, this week I have 14 and its quite hectic.
> 
> Boy, Im looking forward to getting home and being able to play with my toys again!
> ...


Another use for short rods is a router support, in this case I'm using part of a side fence but one is easily made.


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## router01 (Aug 23, 2011)

Another good tip 
Thanks Harry
cheers - Simon




harrysin said:


> Another use for short rods is a router support, in this case I'm using part of a side fence but one is easily made.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

You're welcome Simon.


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