Method of making a composite foamed resin ski

摘要

A pre-shaped aluminum plate is held against the flat end wall of an inverted mold cavity by vacuum pressure communicated through bore holes in the wall leading to a vacuum chamber in the mold body. A high temperature PTFE gasket shaped to match the plate fits in an annular recess in the wall to provide a seal between the wall and plate. Polyurethane foam expands and hardens in the mold cavity to further press the plate against the wall and to form a foamed plastic water ski having a flush aluminum deck. The mold cavity has a curved side wall to produce a ski having a radiused edge about the deck.