Ski Tuning at Home?

[thinnmann]

As an avid tuner myself. let me tell you one thing. If you ever see a deal on a "real" ski waxing iron, BUY IT!!! I never realized just how much of a difference (both interms of speed and quality of the finished product) that it makes. Having a temperature guage that is designed for ski wax, not for "silk, cotton or permanent press" makes a difference and the extra thick heat plate on the iron holds the temperature and makes the melting and ironing in of the wax so much easier! Quite simply the $50 or so I got mine for (Swix's basic waxing iron) from one of Reliable Racing Supply's "Wacky Wednesday" E-mail specials they send out each week was close to the best $50 i've ever spent on a long lasting piece of tuning equipment!

Thanks - there is a T76 Swix iron right now on eBay for about $50.... hmm....

 

[steamboat1]

I just pay the $125 bucks it costs for a season tune at a shop near the mountain I ski most often. Drop them off after skiing a few days & pick them up next time I'm going skiing. They do a good job for what i need, I'm not a racer. Even leave them at the shop over the summer & no need to lug them back & forth every time I'm making the long drive to the area from my home. Works for me.

 

[thinnmann]

I just pay the $125 bucks it costs for a season tune at a shop near the mountain I ski most often. Drop them off after skiing a few days & pick them up next time I'm going skiing. They do a good job for what i need, I'm not a racer. Even leave them at the shop over the summer & no need to lug them back & forth every time I'm making the long drive to the area from my home. Works for me.

Nice. As long as they do a good job. Don't have that around here.
Still kinda expensive - for a skiing family of 4 that would add $500 to the season budget.

 

[drjeff]

Thanks - there is a T76 Swix iron right now on eBay for about $50.... hmm....

I've got the T74, the 76 is very close to the same thing, and well worth the $50!

 

[SkiFanE]

Hubby does our. Family of 5, 2 in race programs. Racers need a sharpen after nearly every day. I can go months w/o a tune if there is no ice or crust, as I like bumps best. But so far this year I need a sharpen every weekend. I get waxed every now and then, but I can't tell the difference until spring. Every now and then we'll take a pair to the shop. Our ski workbench is always in use all winter. Besides the $, it's hassle getting to shop, we arrive to ski house late friday and have to be on mountain real early Sat, easier to do ourselves.

 

[SkiFanE]

I've got the T74, the 76 is very close to the same thing, and well worth the $50!

Don't know the model hubby uses, but it's a Swix and he loves it, worthy investment.

 

[thinnmann]

Hubby does our. Family of 5, 2 in race programs. Racers need a sharpen after nearly every day....

Daily is a lot of edge removal. I think our racer actually covers less distance per day than us free skiers, as she waits around for her runs and gets pointers from coaches. Only do her skis about every 4 days on snow, and before any race. If conditions are looking bad (like lately), she might use her old race skis.

 

[wa-loaf]

I just got a Rays Way waxWHIZard that I'm going to try out. Seems pretty simple.
http://alpineskituning.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=27

 

[marcski]

i tried sharpening my skis last night. they hadn't been done since last fall. i have the handheld thing that does beveling.

i used the same settings as previous year (1 base, 2 sides).. the file hardly touched the bottom of the edge but when i did the sides there was a lot of metal coming off. 1/2 thru i was sure i'd screwed them up. i finished up with the diamond debur thing. i couldn't get them really sharp (finger nail test) but i skied on them later that night and they weren't horrible.

No comment on a 7.5 year bump? Impressive! :beer::beer:

 

[gmcunni]

I just got a Rays Way waxWHIZard that I'm going to try out. Seems pretty simple.
http://alpineskituning.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=27

be interested to hear how it goes.

 

[gmcunni]

No comment on a 7.5 year bump? Impressive! :beer::beer:

 

[jimmywilson69]

I like looking at these old threads, except it makes me wish I would've foud this place sooner...

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

the Start House in Woodstock has a deal

Self-Tuning $10/hour or $80/10 hours

Use our bench, tools, and guidance- wax not included.

 

[jimmywilson69]

the Start House in Woodstock has a deal

Self-Tuning $10/hour or $80/10 hours

Use our bench, tools, and guidance- wax not included.

That's a cool Idea. maybe for the first couple times, especially with their "guidance" thrown in.

 

[thinnmann]

.... the file hardly touched the bottom of the edge but when i did the sides there was a lot of metal coming off. 1/2 thru i was sure i'd screwed them up. i finished up with the diamond debur thing. i couldn't get them really sharp (finger nail test) but i skied on them later that night and they weren't horrible.

What do you mean by "the file hardly touched the bottom of the edge"? If you are getting little to no edge contact, then the flat non-steel base is in the way and you need a grind.

Most of the sharpening comes from doing the side edge, but if there is that base issue, then it is going to complicate things.

Debur with a stone or diamond thing before using metal file-based sharpening tools! The burred steel is hardened harder than the tool.

So try that stuff and get sharp. This weekend might require some ice skates at some mountains...

 

[gmcunni]

What do you mean by "the file hardly touched the bottom of the edge"? If you are getting little to no edge contact, then the flat non-steel base is in the way and you need a grind.

Most of the sharpening comes from doing the side edge, but if there is that base issue, then it is going to complicate things.

Debur with a stone or diamond thing before using metal file-based sharpening tools! The burred steel is hardened harder than the tool.

So try that stuff and get sharp. This weekend might require some ice skates at some mountains...

when i did the base i felt there was no contact between the file and the edge. except in a spot or two where i could see an obvious ding. i wasn't sure if the base needed grinding or if i'd made a mistake, perhaps i used the wrong settings the previous year, taking out more than the 1 degree i used the other night.

 

[GolfingOwl]

I tuned my own skis as a kid when my parents gave me a tuning kit. When I picked skiing back up about 8 years ago I also relearned how to tune and now do the whole family's skis 3-4 times a year (every 3-5 days out depending on conditions). Sharpen, wax and minor base repairs. At around $100 for 4 pairs per tune, definitely saves money. Every couple years will have a shop do a full stone grind and tune.

To me, its also one of those pre-season rituals that gets me pumped to get the season underway. Last couple years a buddy came over and I help him with his family's skis - its turning into an annual pre-season event with beer and ski porn added. Also teaching my 10-year old how to tune.

 

[wa-loaf]

when i did the base i felt there was no contact between the file and the edge. except in a spot or two where i could see an obvious ding. i wasn't sure if the base needed grinding or if i'd made a mistake, perhaps i used the wrong settings the previous year, taking out more than the 1 degree i used the other night.

Take them in for a stone grind and then don't touch the base bevel, just sharpen from the sides.

 

[darent]

Take them in for a stone grind and then don't touch the base bevel, just sharpen from the sides.

same here,keep side bevel with stones using fixed angle plate. bought basic tune kit with swix iron. tune and wax after every outing

 

[goldsbar]

sharpening stones are nothing special, wrap a small one with 600 wet/dry paper and you can polish the edge.

Great tip! I'm still in search of a "super" stone, something more course than a 100 grit diamond stone but less than a file. In other words, a stone that cuts a bit. Don't think such a thing exists.