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At your last Apres-Ski party, you had a moment. You strapped shots to a ski, lined up with 4 friends, and took a shot in unison. But something else happened. You fell in love. With the Shot Ski. A catalyst for any party - the Shot Ski always takes it up a level.

So now you've decided you need your own shot ski. And you want to do it yourself. We're here to help. 

We think the proper way to make a shot ski is with magnets. They're sleek, allow for rapid refilling of shot glasses, and are just plain cool. Others use velcro or silicone fasteners -- they don't work as well.

Note, this guide assumes you've conquered some DIY projects in the past. If you haven't...consider buying a shot ski instead

What you'll need

Glue. An epoxy resin gives the strongest hold, but most Gorilla Glues will work.

An old fiberglass ski

Four shot glasses.

Eight round neodymium magnets with a diameter between 0.5" and 1.0". Alternatively, you can use four magnets and four aluminum washers of the same diameter. 

Marker

Measuring Tape

Electric drill with circular drill bit the same diameter as your magnets

Rubbing Alcohol (optional)

Choose the Base

A Shot Ski starts with a ski. Go find an old ski with enough room to accommodate 4 adults. Then remove the bindings and clean it off. You're going to be drinking from it. 

Other base options include a snowboard, hockey stick or water ski. However, they are all sub-optimal for different reasons:

  • A snowboard is wide, which makes tipping it back difficult. It also takes up more space in storage
  • A hockey stick is too narrow and tippy. Shots are likely to spill if you lay it on a table.
  • Water Skis typically have pronounced reverse cambers which makes them difficult to lie on a table. Like snowboards, they are also quite wide/bulbous, making them difficult to tip back. 

Old Skis

Mark Where the Shot Glasses Go

The first step is to mark where the shot glasses will go. Grab a measuring tape and a black marker. You're going to place four black Xs equal distance apart. 

Draw the first X six inches from the tail of the ski, and the last X at the spot just before the tip of the ski curves up (you don't want to drink from an angle). Next, measure the distance between the two Xs, divide it by three and measure that distance inward from the outside Xs. Mark the final two Xs here, such that they are equal distance apart.

Drill Baby, Drill

It's time to drill holes. Grab your electric drill and make sure you've got a circular drill bit that's roughly the same diameter as your magnets. Drill four holes into the ski where you've marked Xs. Drill just deep enough to fit the magnets. 

Glue in your Magnets

Take your glue and place a dollop inside each of the four holes you just drilled. Then take your four magnets and press them firmly into holes. Follow instructions on your glue to ensure proper dry time.

Create Magnetic Shot Glasses

Take your shot glasses and clean the bottom as best you can. Use rubbing alcohol if you have it handy. Then, apply a dollop of glue and firmly press the magnet firmly against the shot glass.

CAUTION: Ensure you glue the magnet onto the shot glass so that it attracted to the magnet glued to the shot ski. Otherwise, the shot glasses will be repelled, and you'll have quite the mess.

shot glasses

Test it out

You're done! Now it's take it for a test drive.

And don't forget to personalize it. Stickers, paint, engraving are all great ways to make it yours own.  

 

How to Make a PALACE Shot Ski

You might be thinking "I don't want to make a Shot Ski out of an old ski, I want to make a beautiful one, like the ones Palace makes." No problem - we got you. Here's what to do.

  1. Contact a custom woodworking shop in Ontario
  2. Select two ethically sourced Canadian hardwoods 
  3. Test out several prototypes, until you find the perfect form for a four-person Shot Ski.
  4. Determine the correct size of magnet to both mount shot glasses on the ski, and mount the ski on a wall for display
  5. Through experimentation, figure out the best finish—one that complements and highlights the beautiful grain of the wood you’ve sourced, but also allows for easy cleaning. You're going to need a lot of sandpaper.
  6. Begin producing small batches of Shot Skis. You personally only need one. But once your friends see it, they’re going to want their own

Or you know...you could just buy one instead.

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