Sliding axle isolation plates - what softbooters need to know

@wild-cherry hey James - I watched the super technical video - really well put together. 

my idea is probably not unique - multiple thin shims stacked together (anti-rotation grooves like F2 would keep them in orbit place) 2.5 deg cant wedges and 3 degree lift wedges - able to stack 4 wedges for a cant of 5 degrees and lift of 6 degrees. Each wedge has the exact same perimeter shape - something that would fit fit most softboot bindings. Probably the thinnest edge would have to be 1/8”  -  so the stack of 4 would be 1/2” in one corner. Material would be non-structural plastic. Mounting is the tricky part - I envision using lugs that go into the inserts through 4 curved slots in the wedges - these would allow biding rotation - there would be some blackout angles though. The lugs are load pass though and would come in different lengths (color coded) and would have threaded inserts in them. Tightening them to the board via a wide flat screwdriver. 

can you get a vision of this system?  The idea would be to package in pairs and not make them too heavy or rigid - do you think there should be more options on the angles?  

@rocketman69 Yeah, I think I get the picture. 

Question: how do the lugs work across different cant and lift angles?  Once you add any cant or lift the binding baseplate is no longer parallel to the board's topsheet and so the binding mounting screws aren't in line with the board's inserts anymore.  So how do you account for the change in angle and how do you make one set of lugs work for different cant and lift options?

Your profile has you occupation listed as "aerospace engineer" so I'm sure you've considered this, I'm just not seeing it in your description.  So will your design work with any binding or are the wedges part of a whole new binding design?

@wild-cherry possibly would require a unique disk with curved pockets for the ball screws to rotate in  -  this may be impractical if different binding manufacturers have different disk insert sizes.

I found fellow enthusiasts on this page from Japan, and I’m posting this with tears of joy.

Hello, please call me spar. I'm 25yo

I own a Boiler custom plate (for freestyle) and a Jasey-Jay 914 plate (the same one that Wild-Cherry has).

Both plates share a floating carbon structure, but in terms of vibration damping and board performance, I believe the JJA plate is superior. The two “horns” on the nose side not only absorb vibrations but also flex along with the board’s bending. As the turn progresses, the plate’s restoring force adds to the board’s flex, generating an explosive ride.

The Boiler plate provides excellent vibration damping from the rider’s perspective, but in reality, you can notice the board moving erratically underneath it. It also requires extremely precise setup, which is so tedious that once installed, you never want to remove it again (a cursed piece of equipment, haha). On the other hand, the JJA plate is designed with a comfortable margin for error, making setup much less sensitive. Some people might find the creaking sound during riding a bit annoying, but applying a thin layer of grease should help.

Plates make it easier to turn regardless of snow conditions, but you have to be mindful of lift fatigue due to the added weight and the reduced feel of the snow surface. Last season, I was riding a JJA plate with a TBX164 in soft conditions, and my board snapped when the nose got stuck in a deep rut…

I’m also very interested in canting.

Actually, I love snowboard gear so much that I started working for a Japanese brand called ALC Snowboards in February. I’m hoping to develop a flexible lift cant system based on our alpine binding structure. Of course, I also want to create a single-piece plate for freestyle use. Since we have a large CNC machine for aluminum milling, I’d like to start testing prototypes for the next season.

@spar_snb Hello Spar - welcome to the Forum. You have an amazing collection of boards - how is your season going? I’m in Colorado and having a fun season working on making big turns and deep trenches (I’m a big guy😎). 
Thanks for posting the hardboot bindings iso drawing - so interesting 👍 I ride on F2 Intech bindings - they’re so easy to get in/out of. I’m 65 and my tummy gets in the way of bending over 😎🤣😢. Does your company sell this binding into the US? I love the dual canted notched rings - very clever design. I hope we can chat about binding designs. My name in Greg

Hello! Mr. Rocketman,

I’m glad to talk about ALC bindings! However, we don’t manufacture Intec heel parts…

This is mainly due to the recent popularity of yellow boots and the fact that our company specializes in machining. Because of the way Intec heel parts endure stress, they need to be forged or bent rather than machined to maintain their strength.

However, our company president was originally a Catec rider, so ALC bindings should be compatible with Catec heel blocks (the screw pitch should match). Please note that this is not an official statement!

If you need more information, it would be great to get in touch somehow… But I don’t want to go too far off-topic in this thread.