DIY Waxing

[drjeff]

HA HA HA :lol::lol:

thanks for the words of encouragement! It looks that easy, but I just want to make sure!

And FYI, the only reason why I said a medium-low setting for the iron, isn't because you'll screw up the base material at a higher setting, but with some WAXES at high temps, you'll screw up the chemistry in the wax that wants to make it glide easier

Just remember, the number 1, most important thing abotu tuning your skis, ......... having a beer while doing so is pretty much mandatory! :beer:

 

[jimmywilson69]

I've got half a case of Loose Cannon IPA (from Baltimore MD) and I will probably have a case of Troegs Nugget Nectar (Imperial Pale Ale) by the time the kit arrives next week.

I will be fully stocked and ready to tune, well wax anyways!

 

[gmcunni]

UPS got back on the ball after the snow storm and my kit arrived today. checked my ski bases and they were fine but i decided to wax them anyway.

checked out some video on a few tuning sites to make sure i had the right idea. I'd wax my ski all the time 20 years ago and it doesn't seem like things have changed. The only difference is i used to use a ton of wax, melting almost a whole bar and really slathering it on.

everything seemed to go well. i'll find out Saturday when i use them. i think i will get a scotch-brite pad to buff them next time.

 

[ClownSki]

so if i have spots of wax i can see in the light in some areas on my base does that indicate i didn't scrap enough off?

 

[BeanoNYC]

so if i have spots of wax i can see in the light in some areas on my base does that indicate i didn't scrap enough off?

Yep. Give it another go on those spots with a scraper and brush.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

need to get me a new scraper....last night i deburred and gave a quick file to all 7 pairs of skis....tomorrow night they'll all get waxed, scraped and brushed (with a few beers of course!)

 

[drjeff]

need to get me a new scraper....last night i deburred and gave a quick file to all 7 pairs of skis....tomorrow night they'll all get waxed, scraped and brushed (with a few beers of course!)

Quick plastic scraper rejuvination trick.

Take a sheet of medium grit sand paper and place it on a hard, flat surface. Grab your plastic scraper and hold it perpendicular to the sand paper. Give it a couple of passes across the sand paper. You've now got a nice fresh, clean scrpaing edge on it again

Or, for most folks that aren't high level racers, unless you're anticipating your next ski day to be on wet snow where base structure will be advantageous, as long as your iron work has left wax surface atleast 90% smooth and flat, don't bother scraping, since you won't notice any difference in your skis performance if the wax isn't scraped and structured. :idea:

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

thx doc..

 

[mondeo]

Just make sure to apply the wax evenly, and let it cool just a little before removing. I prefer to take it off quickly, seems to be the easiest way to do it. I'm not sure about all this stuff with steel wool and scraping though. Sounds masochistic.

After doing it a couple times, you should feel comfortable enough to start playing around with different shapes. Have fun with it.

Wait, skis? Who waxes skis?

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

mondeo...hot waxing, as you are doing, pulls dirt and junk from your bases which is good every now and then...to make sure the wax penetrates the base and stays, you need to let it cool, then scrape/brush...

with your method, you arent really giving the ski a good wax that'll last....

 

[mondeo]

mondeo...hot waxing, as you are doing, pulls dirt and junk from your bases which is good every now and then...to make sure the wax penetrates the base and stays, you need to let it cool, then scrape/brush...

with your method, you arent really giving the ski a good wax that'll last....

Huh. I know certain parts of South America that swear by this method. Specifically, it's the only way it's done in Brazil.

 

[billski]

don't bother scraping, since you won't notice any difference in your skis performance if the wax isn't scraped and structured. :idea:

I must be doing something wrong then. I tried not scraping once and it was like having brakes on for the first several hundred feet. I went back to scraping.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

hmmmmmmmm, brazilian hot wax.....yummy...

you can get away with not scraping in the spring as the coarse snow will eat away the wax rather quickly...life lesson learned last spring at SB..

 

[hammer]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what do you need to do the clean the bases?

 

[mondeo]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what do you need to do the clean the bases?

Just brushing them with a nylon is usually enough. Every once in a while, melting on a spring wax and then quickly scraping it off is a more throrough cleaning.

Basically, see skiquattro's straight man response to my innuendo post.

 

[hammer]

I was hoping to go on the cheap, but they had an iron for $39 at Ken Jones which seemed to be a decent price. Then the wax, and the scraper, and the brush...all added up but I now have what I need.

Just got finished tuning and the bases don't look as pretty as I'd like, but they have a coat of wax on them and they've been scraped, buffed, and brushed. For the cold temps, I went with the blue wax which was a pain to melt onto the skis and scrape off...and I know I used more wax than I could have. As long as I didn't do anything to make them dangerous for racing tomorrow night I'm satisfied.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I want to get my ski's sharpened before I head up to Killington next week. I'm going to get that done at a shop (I'm not ready to do the edges yet). should I do this before I wax the skis?

 

[BeanoNYC]

I want to get my ski's sharpened before I head up to Killington next week. I'm going to get that done at a shop (I'm not ready to do the edges yet). should I do this before I wax the skis?

Yes. Waxing is always done last.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I waxed last night for the first time and it went rather well. I did my sons first, and I defintiely used too much wax. But I dialed it by the time I got ot the 4th ski.

I wish I would've done this a long time ago.

 

[Hawkshot99]

I waxed last night for the first time and it went rather well. I did my sons first, and I defintiely used too much wax. But I dialed it by the time I got ot the 4th ski.

I wish I would've done this a long time ago.

To save wax I dont melt it on with the iron. I crayon on the wax to the base, and then melt that into the base of the ski. I use a lot less wax this way, so less to have to scrape off and waste.