Category: Make your own split

After several years of abusing my first Lib Tech Jamie Lynn splitter, it was time to move it to rock board status and make another one,if for nothing else than I find the art of turning a solid board into a splitboard rather fun. Like my previous Lib split, after spending the past couple of years using the board for ski patrol, it was a good time to turn it into a splitter. I find Jamie’s board to work really well in most conditions, and for that reason they make good homemade splitboards. A project like this can take as little as a day or so to complete if you get after it, but I like to work on them over the course of a few weeks as time allows. Below is a picture of the board before cutting it.

Although one can get pretty involved with precision tools to cut a splitboard, I find using a straight edge and a circular saw to work just fine. I like to make sure I measure and mark the center of the board in multiple places, and then connect the dots using a straight edge and a sharpie marker. Before using the circular saw, one thing I find helpful is to cut the first couple centimeters along the line from the nose and tail with a hack saw, which helps to keep the board from splintering at the ends during the cut. Then, after carefully placing the straight edge on the board with clamps, it’s ready to cut. Slow and easy does it…

Following the cut, the next step for me is to tape the board halves back together with masking tape, and then measure from the tip and tail to drill for the split hooks. After measuring, I apply the split hook templates and center punch where the holes need to be drilled, followed by the actual drilling. After drilling, it’s time to counter drill just the right amount from the base in order to set the screws so that they are flush with the base (or just a little beyond flush). A little bit of epoxy goes in the holes next to keep the wood from getting wet during use, and then the split hooks can be installed.

Next up, it was time to drill and install the touring brackets and heel risers. As usual, the first step is to center and tape the Voile templates over the board, after measuring where you need to put them.

Following the application of the templates, I will center punch the holes and drill through board with the appropriate sized bit for the touring bracket screws and heel lifter screws. The next step is to flip the board over and carefully counter drill the holes for the t-nuts with a paddle bit. Easy does it here, since you have to be extra careful to keep from drilling too deep. I like to drill just deep enough to only barely get into the wood core, so that the t-nuts are just 1/16 of an inch or so below the base of the board when installed. It’s easy to drill too deep if you get too aggressive.

Below are a couple of shots of the t-nuts after installation, along with the epoxy I like to use to fill the holes after installing the t-nuts, as well as to seal the edge along the board cut.

To actually fill the holes, I mix a bit of black pigment into the epoxy when mixing, since I like the look of black holes in the base of the board better than the color of regular epoxy after it dries. A small paint brush usually does the trick to applying the epoxy, and then I come back the next morning and cut/scrape the excess off with a razor blade. Of course it always helps to have a beer or two on hand when doing a project like this, and for this project I was glad to have a tasty Incredible Pulp Blood Orange Pale Ale from Boneyard Beer on hand.

Once the hole were filled with epoxy, I sanded down the epoxy along the cut line of the two board halves, and my new split was ready to ride. Below are a couple of shots of the finished product looking at both the base and top sheet sides of the board.

Detailed instructions that I like to consult when creating a new split are the DIY Voile Split Kit instructions, found here. Overall, this was another fun project, and it’s been great getting this split out on snow for both touring and riding the past several months.

Several years had passed since I made my last split, and since I primarily use the splits I make to ride in marginal early season conditions, I found myself looking to make another one.  The board of choice for this project would be one I’ve come to love over the past several seasons — my Lib Tech Jamie Lynn 160.  As with the other splits I’ve made, I was able to secure an old board from Ryan at Bergs Ski & Snowboard Shop to practice cutting on prior to sinking the saw blade into my own.  My board, along with the old Burton Charger, are shown below, marked with ink and ready to cut…

Cutting the board is always one of the most nerve-racking parts of the process.  You can get pretty elaborate, but I generally just use a circular saw equipped with a blade that has 60 carbide tipped teeth, along with a straight edge guide.  It’s important to make sure you cut is spot on, and this is where the practice board comes in handy.  Before cutting, place masking tape along the length of the board where your cut will be to keep the topsheet from splintering.  Easy does it…

I generally use a hacksaw to cut the first inch of the tip and tail of the board, which helps when making the full cut.  It is essential to do this if your board has full wrap metal edges (mine did not) to keep the metal edges from blowing out.  Here’s a pic of the board post cut…

After cutting the board, the next step is to lightly sand each of the halves along the cut.  Once that is complete, I used spar urathane to seal the wooden edges to keep moisture out of the core.  I’ve used epoxy in the past, but the spar urathane was easier to apply.  I’m curious to see how it holds up.  Apply masking tape along the top sheet to help collect any residual urathane…

The next step in the process was to drill holes for the Karakoram clips I planned to use to keep the board halves together.  I used sticker templates from Voile (I purchased the Voile Mounting sticker template pack) to hold the board together, and then drilled the holes.  The first step is to check placement of the hooks over the stickers, then center punch the holes, and then drill through the board with a 3/16″ drill bit.  The final step is to drill the base of the board using a 3/8″ countersink drill bit to a depth just deep enough that the screws for the split hooks sit flush with the base.  The board post drilling is shown below…

With the split hooks installed and the board looking like a snowboard again, it was time for the next step in the process, which involved drilling for the touring brackets and heel lifters.  For this part of the project, I had a bit of help from my son as shown in the photo below…

Drilling for the heel lifters, bindings, and touring brackets is pretty easy, but does take patience.  I used t-nuts for mounting.  The first step is to drill a pilot hole (after applying the voile sticker template) at each location using a 1/8″ drill bit.  Next, each hole is drilled with a 19/64″ drill bit completely through the board.  The final step is to drill the base with a 3/4″ paddle bit, but not all the way through, only enough for the t-nuts to sit just under the p-tex.  I usually drill to the wood, then take just the slightest amount of wood out with the paddle bit.  Here’s a shot of the board with all the holes drilled….

With the holes complete, it’s time to install the t-nuts.  I used a hammer and large flat head screw driver.  Pounding the t-nuts in with the hammer gets them flush with the board, then pounding on the flat head with the tip placed over the t-nuts allows them to sink below the base so you can fill the hole with p-tex or epoxy.  I chose to use epoxy.  The first step was to rough up the t-nut by sanding it a bit so the epoxy will adhere to it better, then apply carefully with a syringe tube….

I used a black pigment from Tognar Toolworks to color the epoxy, and the epoxy I used on this split and a few others is the G/Flex 655 from West System, which works great on splits. After the epoxy dried overnight, I used a razor blade to scrape/cut the surface flush with the base, and the base was ready to go.  All that was left to do was install the tip clips, and mount the hardware, and she was ready to go.  Here’s a shot of the board in ride mode….

And in tour mode….note I upgraded the straps and highbacks on my Spark R&D binders to include the Surge Rip ‘N’ Flip highback and pillow line straps…

With the board complete and ready to go, I was itching to take it out for a maiden voyage.  The trouble was, this winter has been pretty non-existent.  Nevertheless, I got it out on snow at Willamette Pass, and it performed flawlessly.  Needless to say, I’m pretty stoked on how it turned out….

 

The second split I made was from one of my favorite powder riding boards – a 164cm Joni Makinen Option. As with the Burton Custom I’d split previously, the first thing I did was locate the center of the board (on the base side) and mark it with a marker. I made several measurements and marked the base with dots and connected them into a straight line when I was done. Next, I made sure to tape the middle of the board along the top sheet with two-inch masking tape so that the laminated top sheet would cut cleanly and not crack. To start my cut, I placed the board in a vice and used a hacksaw to cut the board ends and metal edges for the first inch. This ensures that the metal edges don’t blow out when you cut with the circular saw. To make the final cut, I put the board on my work bench and mounted my straight edge to it to get a straight cut. I first practiced on a 2 x 4 (and the beater board) to make sure the distance was accurate. Here’s the board post cut:

Given my affinity for riding the board in powder, I decided to turn it into a swallowtail split. I used a jigsaw to cut out a portion of the tail to make it a mini swallow. This was rather easy, but I wouldn’t want to use a jigsaw for a bigger cut. I sanded the cut edges with some fine grit sand paper and then set to work on the rest of the project.

After cutting the board, the next step was to drill the holes for the split hooks. I chose to use Karakoram clips on the Makinen. First, I drilled through the board using the Voile template from the split kit, then finished the holes by using a wood paddle bit on the base for the screws. To prep the board for drilling, I used the Voile sticker and some masking tape, which held the two halves in place nicely. Remember to center punch the holes prior to drilling…..

The below picture shows the base of the board after drilling with the 3/8″ paddle bit and drill that I used. After drilling, I removed the excess base material along the holes with a razor blade to ensure a clean hole.

Next, I drilled the holes for the touring brackets and heel lifters, again using the templates from Voile. These were easily applied to the board with masking tape. It’s important to find the center point of the board and place the touring bracket just ahead of that. I drilled a pilot hole with a 1/8″ bit, and then completed the holes with a 19/64″ bit.

Counter sinking the holes on the base of the board was the next step, which allows for placement of the t-nuts. I used a 3/4 inch wood paddle bit to drill through the base material until I came to wood core. Once the base material was removed, I drilled slowly into the wood core so as to not remove too much material. You’ll need to go slowly at first until you get the hang of it. This is where a practice board comes in handy to help you get the hang of drilling. Test the depth of the hole by placing a t-nut into it. You’ll want the t-nut to be about 1/8 of an inch below the base of the board so you can fill the hole with p-tex and cover the t-nut. Again, any excess base material can be removed with a razor blade. Drilling on your board is one of the funnest parts about making a splitboard, and gets material all over the place…

After drilling for the touring bracket and heel lifters, the next step was to align the pucks for your binding stance. I ride goofy and with a duck stance, so I used the template stickers from Voile, placing the rear foot on the regular side to account for my duck stance. The new Voile pucks have 2 holes per puck, compared to 4 holes for the old pucks, which makes for less holes in your board – always a good thing. Counter sinking the holes on the base of the board proved much easier then when I did the same thing on my DIY Burton Custom, as the regular hole pattern on the Option didn’t interfere with the t-nuts, so I didn’t have to drill out any metal inserts. After all the holes were drilled out, I used 655-K West Systems two part epoxy to coat the exposed wood before hammering the t-nuts into place. Here’s a shot of the board with the t-nuts installed on one ski…

Once the t-nuts were in, I mounted the Voile pucks on each ski, then put my Spark Blazes on the board to see how they fit. The fit was near perfect, though I had to sand one of the pucks just a bit for the pin to fit smoothly. I also mounted the heel lifters and touring brackets using the screws and hardware provided from Voile. Though I center punched all my holes and drilled straight, one of the holes on the touring bracket was offset by about 1/8 inch. This was enough that I couldn’t mount my Spark LT brackets, but I had no problems with the regular Voile touring brackets. The holes on the Spark LT brackets are quite small, as everything is machined down to the minimum to ensure the utmost in weight savings. No worries, I’ll use the LT’s on my factory board and other DIY, and the Voile’s will be more than capable on this board. If I split another board however, I’ll definitely pay a bit more attention to this if I plan on using LT brackets. Here’s a shot of my board with all the holes in the base…

Next up, I drilled the holes for the Karakoram tip clips on the nose. With the swallow, I didn’t need clips at the tail. I used a screw driver and hammer to roll the rivet which was a major PITA. There must be a better way to do this. It ended up working for me, but just took awhile. I’d think this would be the most trivial part of building a split, but it ended up being the most challenging for me. When that task was complete, I filled in all the base holes with metal p-tex using a heat iron. The excess was easy to scrape away with a razor blade, and for a finishing touch, I melted regular p-tex over the hole and scraped it with the razor. Tognar Toolworks had all the tools I needed for the base repair on this job. Note: be sure to add the p-tex after you mount the hardware, or you’ll end up redoing several of the holes like I did. Here’s a shot of how I patched the base with the heat iron an metal binding p-tex…

After the base repairs were complete, I applied epoxy to the cut edge (inside edge) to seal the wood core from moisture, using the same mix as for the base. Placing tape along the base of the board allowed any excess epoxy to collect on the tape. Lastly, I added the Karakoram board clips to complete the project. Most people add these first, but I just used masking tape when needed during the construction process, and added the clips at the end (I did check my drill job though initially to make sure all was well). Finally, I cleaned the base with a citrus solution, waxed it up, added the Spark Burners, and it’s ready to ride! Here’s a pic of the board complete again…

And of course, I took a few photos of the board in tour mode….

Tognar Toolworks had all the materials I needed for my project except the epoxy. Here’s the website:

http://www.tognar.com/

The following describes how I converted my old 160 cm Burton Custom into a splitter for backcountry use. The first step was to cut the board in half with a circular saw. Measure twice, cut once as the saying goes. Cutting through an old Burton requires not only cutting through wood, but also the metal inserts due to the three-hole design. Easy does it with the saw.

I then applied a few layers of two part epoxy to the exposed wood core and exposed inserts. Each layer takes about a day to dry. I used 655-K West Systems Epoxy and found it to be very good. My next step was to mount the hooks. I taped the two board halves together along the entire board, with some tape running across the board in three or four places as well. The Voile templates I used worked fine, and I was able to mount the hooks in place easily, after center punching the holes and drilling with a 3/16″ bit. I did epoxy the holes after drilling to ensure water would not enter the core.

Next, I mounted the touring brackets on each board half. First, find the center of the board by the balance test, and then apply the Voile sticker template. After center punching the sticker holes, I drilled the 1/4 inch holes through the board and followed up by using a 3/4 countersink wood bit through the base and just into the core. I went into the core about 1/8 inch so I could use metal p-tex to fill the holes. I coated each hole in epoxy and then pounded the t-nuts into place. Repeat for the other board half.

I followed the same procedure for the heel lifters (different drill bit), though in hindsight I think I could have got by without using the t-nuts and just used wood screws, as there isn’t a lot of stress on the heel lifters. This would have resulted in a few less holes in my base that needed patching. Here’s a shot of a base patch:

Tip clips were next, and these went on pretty easily. The template worked fine and I used a hammer and the Voile pins to flare out the metal on the base side. Next, I went to work mounting the bindings. This proved to be the most difficult part for me. I opted to use t-nuts and screws instead of the wood screws as I figured this will be a more bomber setup. I used the Voile templates and made a slight adjustment for my rear foot since I ride a slight duck stance. I ended up having my slider pucks slightly offset from my drilled holes.

In hindsight, I definitely would have spent the extra $$$ on the factory pucks (this would allow some adjustability and two holes in your base per puck instead of 4). For my bindings, I used 1/4 x 5/8 inch flat head screws and 1/4 inch t-nuts. This seemed to work well. With Burton’s hole pattern, I ended up hitting metal in a few places. I was able to drill some of it out, but not all and again think some of this could have been avoided with the use of factory pucks. You can see the metal in the lower left hole in the below picture:

Again, I coated the holes with epoxy:

I wasn’t able to utilize any of the existing holes to get my stance setup the way I wanted, so I just drilled 4 holes per puck, which meant more patching. I filled the factory holes with epoxy:

For the few holes with a little metal, I cut off one sharp corner of the t-nut and positioned the nut in the hole and pounded away. Then, instead of metal p-tex, I used epoxy mixed with some black epoxy pigment to get the black color to match the other holes. A sharp razor let me get the filled holes flush with the base:

I had to drill out the Voile pucks a little bit to get the puck holes to line up with the t-nut holes, but then had a hell of a time getting the bindings mounted. I finally figured out I had to shim and sand the pucks. I used some of the old rubber from my Voile slider tracks under the pucks for a shim. This allowed me to mount the bindings. Here’s a shot of the finished board top and base:

Finally, I mounted my Sparks and am mostly finished. I still need to apply a little more epoxy to a few spots and wax the base before I’m ready to go.

Tognar Toolworks had all the materials I needed for my project except the epoxy. Here’s the website:

http://www.tognar.com/