Hello Everyone, I've been reading about guys installing UHMW plastic on the bottoms of there federal 1500 skis. The pictures I have seen so far are of the wider 8" skis. I have the narrower 6" skis and would like to see pictures of how the plastic is mounted to the bottoms of these?

Has anybody me done this? I see the only line of rivets is going thru the body of the ski which comes pretty close to the edge mid ski...

Thanks

Can you post a few pictures? Here is a link on how to attach center skeg http://www.supercub.org/forum/showthrea ... l-1500-ski . When I do bottoms I cut the plastic about 1/2 bigger than final product than trim with router once it is all bolted on. If you use SS screws and locknuts make sure you coat them all with anti seize or you will never be able to adjust, remove , or tighten them again. I like to use a plastic, instead of steel skeg.
DENNY

I'd just extend the plastic about an inch all around the edges. Use the thicker stuff, and that overhang will work fine. Some folks brake the sides up a bit to prevent edges from hooking in a turn.

You can attach the UHMW plastic with rivets or small bolts/nuts/washers.

Be sure to countersink the bolt heads in the plastic. And definitely replace that steel skew with 1/4 inch UHMW.

MTV

Are these the really narrow skis that don't have any bottom beyond the tunnel riveted edge? If so just drill out every 2nd or 3rd rivet. Attach the plastic with countersunk screws and countersunk washers. Countersink the plastic so the screws are flush. Like Denny said use a router for a really nice finish. You can rough cut with a table saw or skill saw. A jigsaw works ok as well but the finish won't be as nice as a router.
If the metal bottoms extend past the tunnel edge leave all the rivets alone and attach just outside he flange.

Here are the 1500s for my Cessna 120. I am pretty sure the aluminum skins that the plastic is riveted to is not original. The overall width of the ski is 12" and the skin overhangs past the stock narrow ski 2" at the back and 3.5" at the front. The thickness of the aluminum skin is .120 and the plastic is .125. The aluminum keel is 1" wide and .250" thick.

[img]https://www.backcountrypilot.org/images/photos/4192/4799/d5c82b8cda4deb1839fcdaaa.jpg/img]

[img]https://www.backcountrypilot.org/images/photos/4192/4799/fbcb257a57a787eccac87827.jpg/img]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong on trying to post the photos and I've watched the tutorial several times but anyway if you want to see the skis you can go to my photo album and look at them.......I think

Fixed.

Somehow you lost the bracket symbol between .jpg and /img.

JB

Ok I see that now, Thanks!

But, again, lose that metal skeg, and replace it with a 1/4 inch thick UHMW strip of similar dimension. That skeg will frost up bad, and I don't care how much power you have, you won't move those skis when that thing gets frosted up. Won't do it every time, but only takes once.

MTV

Thanks for the replies guys. Can someone tell me how to post a picture? Yes, my skis are the narrow ones in which the bottoms don't extend out past the tunnel at all at mid ski, that being the problem on wondering how to attach the plastic to the bottom. I would post a pic if I could figure it out.

mtv wrote:But, again, lose that metal skeg, and replace it with a 1/4 inch thick UHMW strip of similar dimension. That skeg will frost up bad, and I don't care how much power you have, you won't move those skis when that thing gets frosted up. Won't do it every time, but only takes once.

MTV

I totally agree and will when the "project" flys again.

G550 wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. Can someone tell me how to post a picture? Yes, my skis are the narrow ones in which the bottoms don't extend out past the tunnel at all at mid ski, that being the problem on wondering how to attach the plastic to the bottom. I would post a pic if I could figure it out.

If you go to the "Base" page and scroll down to "Help" and scroll down to the bottom there is a link to a video describing how to post pictures. Good luck! LOL

Ok, thanks for the help guys. Here is a pic, notice how the rivets on the tunnel are so close to the edge.

I would prefer to widen the skis if they were mine which would also help attaching the new bottoms. If however you want to keep them narrow then maybe drill out every other rivet and use countersunk machine screws of the same diameter with large area countersunk washers and have the UHMW cut to be 1" wider and longer than the existing bottom. You will probably want to drill new holes in the sections of metal bottom that are wider than the rivet line.

What kind of snow depth do you plan on landing in?

Corduroy dreams baby!

I think you can get by with every 3rd or maybe 4th on the long side runs. every other or last 4 on the tips.
DENNY