Ski Tunin' Question

thetrailboss · Mar 16, 2005

OK, I know we are winding down on the ski season (and tuning for that), but I wanted some advice on my 'repertoire,' to be sure that I'm doing the best tune that I can. Here is what I do:

1. Visually inspect edges and base for damage. If needed, use wax remover to pull off old wax.

2. Use a Gummi Stone to remove burrs/smooth edges of skis.

3. Use Swix Edger to sharpen skis--tip to tail on each ski.

4. Detune tips and tails using Gummi Stone.

5. Heat up iron, select appropriate wax (been using a lot of purple "cold" this season), drip onto ski and iron into base from tip to tail. Work wax in but not too much :wink:

6. Let cool. Enjoy selected beverage

7. Using scraper, scrape wax off skis (and edges if necessary).

8. Using Swix Nylon/Copper brush, brush off wax.

9. Briefly scrape again if needed.

10. Brush down again using Nylon/Copper and then using a horsehair or nylon brush.

11. Consume rest of beverage, turn off iron, strap skis together, and clean up.

Have I got this right or am I missing something? I don't like files as much and prefer my edger. Got any good edger suggestions? Your tips?

thetrailboss · Mar 16, 2005

Turns out that Trailboss, while trying to get answers to his questions, found an excellent resource:

Swix Ski Tuning On-line School!!!

http://www.swixschool.no/web/index2.html

Cool videos leading me to say, "huh, now I know what that stuff is for!"

bvibert · Mar 16, 2005

thetrailboss said:
Turns out that Trailboss, while trying to get answers to his questions, found an excellent resource:

Swix Ski Tuning On-line School!!!

http://www.swixschool.no/web/index2.html

Cool videos leading me to say, "huh, now I know what that stuff is for!"

Neat link, thanks!

thetrailboss · Mar 16, 2005

OK, next question is where can I get some of this stuff at a decent price? Online outlets? Places here in New England?

bvibert · Mar 16, 2005

I've never bought any tuning stuff or tuned my own skis yet, but the two online places that I've seen come up on a regular basis in Internet discussions on ski tuning are ARTECH and Tognar. Tognar even has some "How to" tutorials that I've heard are pretty good.

BeanoNYC · Mar 16, 2005

Is this the end of the season tune for storage? If so, I've heard that it's good to keep from scraping the wax off until the beginning of next season.

Charlie Schuessler · Mar 16, 2005

For off-season storage, leave the wax including covering the edges.

Charlie Schuessler · Mar 16, 2005

thetrailboss said:
...Consume rest of beverage...

One beverage? There are two skis... :wink:

Charlie Schuessler · Mar 16, 2005

Regarding on-line suppliers, I've found Tognar (west coast) & ARTECH (east coast) are reliable and offer fair pricing. However your local ski shop may have the same items for the close to the same price less the shipping charges.

Charlie Schuessler · Mar 16, 2005

TB,

For Step 2, I work the edge(s) burrs with diamond stone in the edging tool...depending on the burrs, I may start with a coarse then pass with the medium and finish with the fine...or just use the fine stone when appropriate. However after filling the edges with the mill file in the edging tool, I polish the edges with the gummi stone. I use a metal scraper in lieu of a plastic scraper…a few dollars more with a burnisher but a better job time after time…

thetrailboss · Mar 18, 2005

Charlie Schuessler said:
TB,

For Step 2, I work the edge(s) burrs with diamond stone in the edging tool...depending on the burrs, I may start with a coarse then pass with the medium and finish with the fine...or just use the fine stone when appropriate. However after filling the edges with the mill file in the edging tool, I polish the edges with the gummi stone. I use a metal scraper in lieu of a plastic scraper…a few dollars more with a burnisher but a better job time after time…

Thanks for that advice. Did you click on that link? Cool video on how to do stuff!

Yes, was planning on leaving wax on the skis for the summer...did it last season but have to do a better job covering the edges.

BTW...for those in Burlington, VT area...B-Side is going out of business and my bro' picked up some Red/Burton Wax for me at $1 per package! Great steal...and will work well for spring skiin' and summer wax.

thetrailboss · Mar 21, 2005

Am gearing up here slowly...got a new iron on Saturday and went to work almost immediately. Waxing was overdue...

Got my iron for 25% off at Pats Peak...good price considering most are pretty pricy.

I'm now looking for vises, new edger, diamond file, and a wet stone. Suggestions?

I'm going to miss my ski tuning this summer...it has been fun...brews, boards, some quiet. Kind of therapeautic! :wink:

thetrailboss · Apr 2, 2005

OK, been taking advantage of some sales...so here's what I've picked up so far:

New Iron (super sale at Pats Peak)
New Pocket Stone
New Nylon Brush
New Swix Exactor Edger
New Diamond Stone to be used with edger and for polishing
Fiberlene

Pretty well geared up! :wink: Am still shopping for a vise...could have picked up that Swix "ski-lassso" last night, but it didn't appear too sturdy...any reviews? I was thinking just the standard Swix or Toko vise...Charlie? Others? [/list]

bvibert · Apr 4, 2005

I've been holding off getting the gear to tune my skis because I just don't have any room.

I wonder if I had my own stuff if my skis would actually get tuned? I haven't had em tuned since early December... :roll:

BeanoNYC · Apr 4, 2005

To be quite honest. I know a bunch of tips on Tuning and know the basics, but I'm afraid to tune my own skis w/o taking some sort of clinic or class. I know we discussed this before ... I sure wish I could take some sort of course where I can ask questions as they pop up.

thetrailboss · Apr 4, 2005

BeanoNYC said:
To be quite honest. I know a bunch of tips on Tuning and know the basics, but I'm afraid to tune my own skis w/o taking some sort of clinic or class. I know we discussed this before ... I sure wish I could take some sort of course where I can ask questions as they pop up.

Dude, go to the Swix School!!!! :wink: :wink:

Really cool site!!! Nice videos!!

BeanoNYC · Apr 4, 2005

I've seen that! It does have some great tips, but I think I'm too type A to try it without a formal lesson. I will be in Norway for a month this summer ... I wonder if Swix holds classes there!

thetrailboss · Apr 4, 2005

BeanoNYC said:
I've seen that! It does have some great tips, but I think I'm too type A to try it without a formal lesson. I will be in Norway for a month this summer ... I wonder if Swix holds classes there!

Well, maybe we can get an AZ tuning workshop together or something...one guy was trying to do so HERE . Pretty much ask your local ski shop if they can host one :wink:

Dude, I'm so jealous that you're going to Norway!!! It's on my list of things to do...the Swix Factory will probably have pointers, but it is the wrong season for ski tuning

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