Federal 2000's vs 2000A's

jgerard · Dec 13, 2011

Ok, somewhere I saw a post that said the 2000 is a flat bottom ski and the 2000A is a "v" bottom. I also saw something saying one is longer or wider than the other and the A is heavier. Are the pedestals different? Is the 2000 like a fat 1500 with the a skinny pedestal?

The busted up set of 2000A's I have are going to come apart and get repaired with some serviceable parts from a donor set of 1500s (tunnels) and some new owner produced parts by making a replacement bottom from new alum sheet. So all that I'll keep are the steel 2000A pedestals and the data plates. I talked to the guys at Wipair and they can't send me blueprints but they can tell me specs on materials. Looking at the 1500s I have and the 2000As the main tunnel is identical.

This is more an exercise of curiosity to repair the Beat To HELL 2000As I have. All I need is some rivets, alum sheet and some UHMW for the bottoms. Oh yeah and a few drill bits!

Jason

PA14driver · Dec 13, 2011

I found the following info at www.shortwingpiper.org searching Federal 2500. One of the members referenced the Fereral Dwg 11R262 "Table of Weights" stating:

A2500A - 64.75lbs
A2000 - 40.99 lbs
A2000A - 48.25 lbs

It is noted that these weights are for a pair of skis with no modifications. I am not sure why the difference in weights in the 2000 models but there is obviously something there. I am always interested in these discussions as I have a pair of A2500A's and they weigh 36.25 lbs fully rigged w/o plastic bottoms. They have the concave shape and are not flat. I am not sure but perhaps there is an A2500 ski model?

John

aktango58 · Dec 13, 2011

Jason,

Paint business slow?

Do I need to send you a shovel also?

jgerard · Dec 13, 2011

George - never slow around here, I'm swamped!! I only get to post between coats of paint, Or phone calls.

I'm still looking forward to using the skis you're sending just thinking ahead to my next project.

Got a nice shovel, looking for snow shoes

Thinking about picking up a set of the model #28 "elongated bear paw" shoes
http://www.snowshoestore.com/modified-bear-paw-snowshoes.html

Jason

WindOnHisNose · Dec 13, 2011

So, Jason, I see that the edges are flat, not bent. If you followed the thread Darrel Starr has posted on rebuilding my Federal 2200's, there was some discussion regarding bending the UHMW to prevent "catching" on the edge in a turn.

Question 1: You planning on making the bottoms wider than those currently on the skis?
Question 2: If the answer to Q1 is yes, are you going to heat the UHMW and turn them up?
Question 3: Are you going to use 3/16" or 1/4" UHMW?

I can't begin to describe the wide variety of answers Darrel and I received regarding to these 3 questions...

fyi, if you haven't worked with UHMW, it is a real treat. Cuts easily. This evening I heated a piece of the 1/4" UHMW scrap, just to see how easily it would bend, what the heating did to the plastic. Bends nicely, no apparent alteration in the hardness/surface of the plastic.

Randy

jgerard · Dec 14, 2011

I'll probably use 3/16" UHMW and extend them out about 1.5" I plan to make the skeg from UHMW as well.

Jason

jgerard · Jan 8, 2012

can anyone confirm these Federal Ski's are correct?

Is the skinny pedestal on these early federal 2000's correct? It looks like what I have seen on 1500's ( look at the first post on this thread )

The data plate says manufacture date of 1926, could that be correct.

Does anyone else have a set of Federal 2000's with the skinny pedestal like these?

Jason

cubdriver2 · Jan 8, 2012

The 1500 and 1500A that I have are the same pedestal as the bottom photo in your first post. Never saw a ski with the pedestal like in the first photo so I want to see what everyone has to say also.

Glenn

irishfield · Jan 8, 2012

I was gonna go with picture #2 in the first post as the norm... and then I browsed my pic files. This is a '47 A-1500A pedestal.

Seems to be typical of the breed.

These are 1800's

The other pedestal is more like the Aero 2000 pedestal.... or at least I was told these were Aero's but they were untagged.

And I know these are Aero 3000's

jgerard · Jan 8, 2012

Yeah I was kinda thinking that there must have been a change in the style of the pedestal sometime in the 40's because all the early 1500's skis I have seen in friends collections have the skinny pedestals. I know many light plane manufactures changed stuff after WWII. I'm wondering if there is any issue as far as strength is concerned?

Jason

cubdriver2 · Jan 8, 2012

I have 3 pairs of 1500A and one set of 1500 and all have this same tapered pedestal.

Glenn

jgerard · Jan 8, 2012

What are the MFG dates on the larger triangle type pedestal skis??

Jason

cubdriver2 · Jan 8, 2012

jgerard said:
What are the MFG dates on the larger triangle type pedestal skis??

Jason

I think they are all post war and the pair in the photo are 1946 if I remember right, I'll check tomorrow.

Glenn

Bill Rusk · Jan 9, 2012

Jason

I have the elongared Bear Paw like the link you posted. I like them and I like the traditional look but the new High Tec stuff probably actually works a little better.

Bill

Captain Ron · Jan 9, 2012

A1500's dated Nov 1945 (S/Ns 1015 and 1016):

Also have a pair of A2000A's, Oct-1952, (S/N 594A on both skis):

Interesting how the serial numbers seemed to go from individual skis to pairs.

Jeff

cubdriver2 · Jan 9, 2012

Sorry Jason I was wrong, after Ron posted his 1500 I had to run out to the hangar because mine didn't look like that, quess what, the top 2 in the photo are A1500 from different pairs and the bottom one is a 1500A, all are dated 1946.

Glenn

cubdriver2 · Jan 9, 2012

Jason I'm still confused. If I look at your first post in the top photo the sides look parallel on the pedestal and the A1500 that I just posted the pedestal still looks like it has a slight taper but not as much as the 1500A on the bottom.

Glenn

jgerard · Jan 10, 2012

Glen I think it's just camera angle. Im wondering if the second set of ski's I have are some old 1500's that someone put wider bottoms on. The bottom skins are obviously newer than 1926. Did federal even make 1500's or 2000's in 1926???

There is only 1 data plate the other one is missing.

Jason

wefly4u · Jan 10, 2012

Bill Rusk said:
Jason

I have the elongared Bear Paw like the link you posted. I like them and I like the traditional look but the new High Tec stuff probably actually works a little better.

Bill

I have a pair of the same 10x36 modified bear paws and I like them a lot, if I was to replace them I would go with tha 11x40 size as I seem to sink in more than I'd like. Ok so I could lose a few, but with a pack on and soft snow, I sinkin more than I'd like and end up with a load of snow picked up with each step at times. I believe these are far better than the new style snowshoes when it comes to packing down snow for aircraft ops.

Ray

Bill Rusk · Jan 10, 2012

Ray

Ohh good point. Much better for packing down a runway.

Bill

cubdriver2 · Jan 13, 2012

This was posted over on the skiplane.org site by Harry Fenton about Jasons ski photo on the first post here

Boy, there is a set of "don't ask, don't tell" skis in terms of what's FAA approved.

The skis pictured are early 1500's which have been retrofitted with wide 2000 bottoms. There is no way that the pedestals and ski tunnels were made in 1926. This style of Federal ski did not appear until the 1940's. Skis in the '20's were still made out of wood. Aluminum light airplanes didn't appear until the mid to late 30's!

Functionally, these skis would probably work ok on a lower gross weight plane. Not sure if pedestal would have enough beef for a Cessna 170 and up. The real 2000 pedestal is much more substantial than the one pictured above.

Harry

PA14driver · Jan 24, 2012

Jason in case your interested right now at www.cabelas.ca you can get 11 x 40 Bear Paws on sale right now for $125.99 Cdn (i.e. 30% discount). Bindings are extra, but all I ever use is lengths of lamp wick and find that works the best for me. However if you search the bargain cave they have various bindings on sale. Sale is on till Feb 19th.

mvivion · Jan 24, 2012

Quick and simple bindings can be made from old inner tubes. Cut a hole for the toe of your boot, a "handle" or tab on top of that, and another hole to the rear for the heel of your boot.

Easy to don, easy to remove. Not the best for extended snowshoe trips, but what is?

Personally, I think snowshoes are something you use to get un-stuck when you did something bad on skis.....

MTV

Dave Calkins · Jan 24, 2012

mvivion said:
Quick and simple bindings can be made from old inner tubes. Cut a hole for the toe of your boot, a "handle" or tab on top of that, and another hole to the rear for the heel of your boot.

Easy to don, easy to remove. Not the best for extended snowshoe trips, but what is?

Personally, I think snowshoes are something you use to get un-stuck when you did something bad on skis.....

MTV

Got any pictures of those Mike??

Sounds like some pretty classy bindings

.......for a pair of snowshoes

...they have a purpose, I know.

cubdriver2 · Jan 24, 2012

Dave Calkins said:
Got any pictures of those Mike??

Sounds like some pretty classy bindings.......for a pair of snowshoes ...they have a purpose, I know.

Quick and simple, no straps or buckles to freeze

http://www.alaskatrappers.org/stories_recycled_snowshoe_bindings.html

Glenn

aktango58 · Jan 25, 2012

Snow shoes are like ELT's in many ways:

we are shocked at the cost, but when it comes time to use, we need the best.

I like new style shoes... First time you find yourself up to your knees in overflow, you will understand why- take an axe and beat the daylights out of them and the ice comes off. Do that with wood shoes and you are in deep trouble.

No maintenance, like varnishing, on the new stuff.

Buy the easy to put on, secure bindings. Go try them out at the store with your winter gloves on, if you have trouble in the store, find a different pair!

Are these skis from alaska you are now having trouble with?

Attach, rig to 41.30 and fly. You are digging to deep.

Pilk · Jan 25, 2012

I have a pair of Calair skis. The plastic on the bottom is gone. I would like to know
if a person can spray on bedliner without the roughness in the liner. Would this work as good as the plastic. The skis are aluminum. Has anyone tried this?

Pilk

S2D · Jan 26, 2012

Try it on a small piece of aluminum first . then put it and an untreated piece out on the snow and drag them thru the snow and see which one is slicker. I'm betting the stuff will start peeling off and you'll have a mess.

mrBIN · Jan 26, 2012

hi hi

hi there, very interesting things

badmdcnman · Jan 27, 2012

Just finished rebuilding and installing new bottoms on my Federal A2000A's . Have been missing one data tag and recently found a brand new blank tag on Ebay with the exact labeling as my original tag. Now I need to stamp the information on my new blank.

Question; It was mentioned above that the serial number for both ski's is the same number. Is that correct? The vintage of my skis is February 1960 if that should make any difference. Appreciate any insight if you know.........Thanks.......Rod

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