3d printed mounting jig

[oldirty]

Edit: printable files now available here: https://skijig.com

For those who like to mount their own f***ing skis...but hate paper templates...

I wanted to share a project I've been working on the past few weeks to build a 3d printable ski mounting jig. I've never been super happy using paper templates for mounting my skis. It's not difficult, but my abilities to find center consistently have never made the engineer in me happy. It always seems for me that I spend 90% of the time it takes for the mount finding the damn center line, and in the end always feel like I'm a few mm off.

Here are design requirements:
- Self-aligning around ski center line
- Interchangable mounting patterns (like jiggarex)
- Ability to set BSL (240-360mm)
- Be mostly 3d printable with the exception of a few pieces of hardware

Basically the design uses a right-hand and left-hand 1/4-20 screw, coupled togther, to move the jaw pieces in and out at the same rate. This self-aligns the jig to center. Jaw opening range is ~66mm - 146mm. The rails are 1" x 1/8" aluminum flat bar. This provides rigidity to the jig and gives a surface to 'slide' the toe and heel patterns on. The toe and heel patterns get locked in with a set-screw.

I figured there might be a few mags that have (or have access to) a 3d printer. I hope to make the files/bom open for download so anyone can download them and make one of these things. I will put the files on thingiverse once I've tested it out. Also, I hope that with making the design 'open', others can make improvements or add to the available binding patterns as new ones become available.

Any feedback is gladly accepted. I want to make mouting with a jig more accessible.

I've got the 3d model complete and have started printed pieces. Here's some pics (pattern is for look pivot @360 bsl max):

[CHAIR_97]

Like[emoji106]

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[ACH]

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X2

[thefortrees]

Hell yeah! Great idea mang

[PeachesNCream]

Beautiful. Are you thinking of this just for personal/mag use or maybe turning it into a little side business like B & D? Any idea on what it would cost to make?

Great design. Looks like the blue and grey parts would be universal and then you could buy the red parts for specific bindings? The only issue I'm wondering about is if it's all hard plastic, would the jig have a tendency to slide? I'm thinking something as simple as a built in C-clamp or bar clamp with rubber stoppers could do the trick.

I haven't used a real jig before (just paper templates) but how is the hole depth determined. I've just always used the ski bit with a stopper on it.

Mounted a pair of bindings this weekend with a paper template and probably spent 15 minutes just aligning the template. The engineer in me feels your pain as well.

[Eluder]

Looks like a fun project.

Anything to prevent the bit from eating the drill bit guides?

How do you determine proper BSL?

[ACH]

Anything to prevent the bit from eating the drill bit guides?

https://www.mcmaster.com/drill-jig-bushings

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Nice work. Another worthy project would be 3D printable binding shims, especially if it could be done for under $20 a pair. I have no idea what the price of printing with ABS/Nylon/HDPE would be.

[oldirty]

Beautiful. Are you thinking of this just for personal/mag use or maybe turning it into a little side business like B & D? Any idea on what it would cost to make?

I wasn't really my intent for starting the project, but I did have that thought. Wanted to get some feedback first before investigating that. You mentioned B & D, is he the mag that did the jiga-rex? I was thinking this could be a cool community/open source project but I realize not everyone has CAD/engineering/3d printer. I figured worst case you could always have the asian kid down the street print it up for a couple bucks if I made the files available.

Having priced parts out it seems adventageous to bulk buy everything and pass the savings on. My mcmaster cart alone for this is over $110, but thats because you have to buy 100 screws, 40 nuts, 6 ft of threaded rod, etc. When you get it down to unit costs its somewhere ~$35 in parts alone for the whole jig. Definitely feasible..

Great design. Looks like the blue and grey parts would be universal and then you could buy the red parts for specific bindings? The only issue I'm wondering about is if it's all hard plastic, would the jig have a tendency to slide? I'm thinking something as simple as a built in C-clamp or bar clamp with rubber stoppers could do the trick.

Yeh, basically. The frame and jaws stay, but you can swap out the binding patterns for whatever binding you need.

I haven't used a real jig before (just paper templates) but how is the hole depth determined. I've just always used the ski bit with a stopper on it.

https://www.mcmaster.com/8865a143 that bad larry right there.

Also, there was a question on setting bsl. Basically there will be an adhesive mm tape measure on side of the aluminum rails (see below). It will be a left-right and right-left tape butted together at the center of the rail, so it ascends in both directions from the center. The binding pattern slides have a built in arrow which will point to the ruler allowing you to set the bsl. (sorry, hard to explain). I.e. for a 315 bsl, set the front slide to the 31.5 cm index and set the rear slide to the 31.5cm index, tighten the screws, and you should be good to go.

Here's some updated shots of the model:

[neufox47]

I’ll take one. Do you offer 2 day shipping?

Seriously though, I’ll buy one. Regretted not buying a Jiggarex.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Beautiful. Are you thinking of this just for personal/mag use or maybe turning it into a little side business like B & D? Any idea on what it would cost to make?

Great design. Looks like the blue and grey parts would be universal and then you could buy the red parts for specific bindings? The only issue I'm wondering about is if it's all hard plastic, would the jig have a tendency to slide? I'm thinking something as simple as a built in C-clamp or bar clamp with rubber stoppers could do the trick.

I haven't used a real jig before (just paper templates) but how is the hole depth determined. I've just always used the ski bit with a stopper on it.

Mounted a pair of bindings this weekend with a paper template and probably spent 15 minutes just aligning the template. The engineer in me feels your pain as well.

As far as I've ever been able to tell, you always use the stepped bit. The holes don't have a set depth as much as guide the drill. I've even seen over zealous drilling make some not so nice holes in a ski.

[waxoff]

I would seriously contemplate a jig like this but only for marking or center punching the hole locations, but drill free-hand like done with paper templates. That way you wouldn't have to worry about the jig life being threatened by the drilling.

[HAB]

I'm in the midst of making something very similar, but with machined aluminum and steel parts. I'll post pics when I get a chance. It's going to be overkill, but it'll last forever and it's been a fun project.

[oldirty]

I would seriously contemplate a jig like this but only for marking or center punching the hole locations, but drill free-hand like done with paper templates. That way you wouldn't have to worry about the jig life being threatened by the drilling.

I think this is the biggest problem to overcome. You could use a center drill to start/mark the holes with the jig. Then follow up with a regular drill with stopper after removing the jig.

Something like this:

https://www.mcmaster.com/2915a75

I would like to provide a drill guide though mostly for the insert folks. Getting the he perpendicular is key, so an integrated drill guide would be nice. The drill spacers are $10/piece which is just too much for this project (idea is cheap and accessible). I've got a few ideas for a sleeve that would cover the bit, keeping it from chewing up the template, and still providing a vertical guide.

An ultra-short flute bit would fix this problem if such a bit existed off the shelf. I may look at having a custom bit made to support the jig.

Great feedback!

[HAB]

Use a removable drill bushing with a shoulder, and just move it from hole to hole. That's what I'm doing.

https://www.mcmaster.com/8493a131