Posted by Carly Ayres | Date Posted: 15 November, 2010
As part of an independent study with professor Charlie Appleton last spring, Patrick O’Sullivan ’12 and Brett Newman ’12 designed and manufactured a pair of powder skis. As avid skiers, the process of making skis intrigued them, but they were even more interested by the control they could have on the materials used in their boards.
From the outset, their focus was on using materials with the smallest carbon footprint, so they swapped out traditional poplar cores for end-grain balsa, replaced the default fiberglass with basalt fiber, removed the plastic top sheet and instead used natural wood veneer with a natural waterproof finish.
O’Sullivan and Newman plan to keep pressing skis, and exploring the possibilities of sustainable ski production.
For more information feel free to contact bnewman[at]g.risd.edu or posulli[at]g.risd.edu
wow. these guys are sooper hot. risd has some serious studs.
and the way they handle all that wood… *blush*