Another ski tuning question, for do it your selfers

[uphillklimber]

x

 

[jrmagic]

I'm back with another question.

Just stopped in some ski shops today, and talked to some of the tuners. At the end of the season, I figured I'd pay someone to give the base a grind and then the whole works. P-tex, sharpen, wax, etc... and then put them away. This is the third year, and they haven't been to a shop since we bought them.

How often do you folks get this done?

Another question: He was showing me a cross hatch pattern to the base grinding. He says it makes it way easier to turn. Anyone have it done? How do you like it? (It's $20 for tune up, plus p-tex, or $40 for the crosshatch tune up plus p-tex).

Thoughts?

Not sure about the cross hatch pattern but I ahve a season tune package and get the base ground at the beginning of the season and have basic tunes and P tex repains about every 5-6 ski days if the snow is really firm or thin maybe a day sooner. I de-burr them myself at the end of each day.

 

[wa-loaf]

I'm back with another question.

Just stopped in some ski shops today, and talked to some of the tuners. At the end of the season, I figured I'd pay someone to give the base a grind and then the whole works. P-tex, sharpen, wax, etc... and then put them away. This is the third year, and they haven't been to a shop since we bought them.

How often do you folks get this done?

Another question: He was showing me a cross hatch pattern to the base grinding. He says it makes it way easier to turn. Anyone have it done? How do you like it? (It's $20 for tune up, plus p-tex, or $40 for the crosshatch tune up plus p-tex).

Thoughts?

A stone grind gives you the diamond pattern on the base. If you haven't had one in 3 years, it's probably a good idea to go with it. I usually get one once a year. The edges maybe on another occasion if they get beyond what I can easily maintain. $40 is on the low end for a stone grind, so it sounds like a good deal.

 

[thinnmann]

There are different stone grind patterns. It has nothing to do with being "easier to turn". Geeze. It has to do with going fast in different kinds of snow. When skis were straight they didn't have that stone grind. They used to have a little channel down the middle. That channel reduced the tendency for the film of liquid water on the bottom of a ski to cause a "suction" that would actually make it go slower.

Now we have stone grinding to prevent that from happening. Remember, every time you grind you are losing some base and the ski is going to have a little shorter life for you. Plus the bevel on the edge bottom is lost.

Some people don't understand waxing. To make a ski go fast it has to be waxed, then almost all of the wax is removed. You have to use brushes to get the wax out of the grind. The wax works on a microscopic level. It is not a bunch of wax that makes the ski go fast. You are not skiing faster on a ski because you left a lot of wax on.

When you are done with the season, grind 'em if you have a lot of scratches. Sharpen them with the proper angles. Wax them and leave it all on. Don't scrape the skis until next season (unless you are doing some summer skiing at high altitude or south of the equator...)

 

[Glenn]

I do my own base work. I bought the tool from Tongar.

They have a great section on the topic here: http://www.tognar.com/base_structure_tips_ski_snowboard.html

 

[snowmonster]

I structure with sandpaper with the grit depending on the snow condition. I set the base angle at 1 then leave it alone. I haven't done a stonegrind on any of my skis. I read somewhere that the crosshatch pattern was good for slalom racing. But, since I do my own bases, I just use a linear pattern. When the season's finally over, I turn down the bindings, fill in all the gouges with Ptex, structure, sharpen the edges then slap on a thick layer of universal wax on the base and edges, put on the ski straps and store them in my locker.

 

[Glenn]

Bob,
If you ever have some time, that Tongar site has a great number of articles to read. They've been around for a long time too; I used to get stuff from them back 10-15 years ago.

I do my own waxing to our skis. I can usually tell by feel when they start to get a little "draggy". Or when the areas near the edges start to get that chalky dry look to them.

 

[RootDKJ]

After I'm done scraping, I brush down the length of the ski using a brass/horsehair brush to put some texture in there and give the "water" some place to go.

 

[BeanoNYC]

I only do aggressive base work once a year unless something comes up screwy with my true bar. I use this for that kind of work. Otherwise, I'll just do a pass with a standard structure bar between removing the old wax and ironing on the new. Be careful and only do major base work when needed. And don't forget you need to have at least one beer per ski you tune.

 

[snowmonster]

^ I thought the rule was 2 beers? Once when you sharpen the edges, the other when you scrape the wax.