How Seneca makes a ski

There are still people in Mongolia who make their own skis out of a single piece of wood, but you won’t see any of those on ski slopes in Montana.

Today’s modern skis, like most sporting goods, are marvels of modern technology. Bozeman ski maker Eric Newman gave some insight into how to make a ski while giving a tour of his shop.

A CNC machine (computer numerical control) can cut the base to within 1/1,000 of an inch, which Newman calls the “foundation of the custom process.” The machine can also be used as a planer to get “a very dynamic flex profile,” creating a ski that is either stiff or soft.

Another specialized piece of machinery is a heated press capable of exerting 600 pounds of pressure. Using the press allows the layers to dry more quickly and makes those layers stronger.

Seneca makes its core out of nine layers of very thin wood — thin strips of maple around a poplar core — with the structural material as close to the top or bottom of the ski as possible.

“The combination gives you the best of soft and stiff,” Newman said.

That structural layer is covered by three layers of fiberglass on the bottom and nine on top.

In the custom skis, buyers can choose the wood that will show through, like a dark Brazilian rosewood, which is Newman’s favorite. Unadorned, the skis look like nothing else on the mountain. And the woods will never rot because they are soaked in resin.

“So your skis can literally last a lifetime,” he said.

Around the edges of the ski are race-grade, high carbon steel edges imported from Austria. The base is made of P-tex (a durable plastic) that has been injected with graphite for extra toughness.

Ballistic-grade Kevlar is added to Seneca’s Backcountry skis to take an impact and distribute it along the whole fiber. It also saves weight, shaving three-quarters of a pound from each pair.

Even though the skis contain wood, Newman said, “On the whole our skis are about one pound lighter than skis of similar specifications.”