DIY Tuning and Edges

[surf88]

Wax and p-tex are easy. But I dont know any DIY ways of tuning my base or sharpening my edges with out expensive machines. Anybody have any tips?

[davidhowland14]

I wouldn't mind having this info either.

[bobpratl]

I have gotten in the habit of doing a edge tune and wax every morning before skiing. I use two of the same edge tools, one set up for the base and the other set up for the edge. Both are set for 1.5 degrees and have diamond stones. The diamonds take little material off and you can hear it when it goes over a hard spot. I also detune the tips and tails to prevent catching edges. This is the tool that I use.

[bucksaw]

I would say tuning is pretty easy however it is one of those things that I think some people can be very picky about. I also do not think you can really mess it up all that much either. Eventually the home tune will need a base grind to flatten everything out.

The most basic is a 90 degree tune (what I think most shops do unless you ask them otherwise). If you search the web you can find tools and instructions. I did a quick search and found some ok instructions here: http://www.harbskisystems.com/tuning/tools.htm

Me, I prefer stone ground tuning... which typically means finding the closet rock .

[astrotech]

Tognar (http://www.tognar.com) has all kinds of edge tuning gear (plus other assorted ski maintenance goodies). If you search aroud on Amazon you can find some books on how to tune skis.
I usually go for 3 degrees on the edges and 1.5 on the base.

[footlong]

Originally Posted by surf88

Wax and p-tex are easy. But I dont know any DIY ways of tuning my base or sharpening my edges with out expensive machines. Anybody have any tips?

I could make a crack about skiing soft snow so the edges don't matter but your question is important so:

The easiest/best thing you can do: buy a couple blocks of wax (warm and cold anyways) and use them...alot. Not only will your skiis slide easier, your bases will last longer (like oil for the engine...), This, in itself will make the single biggest difference for you. You don't have to be fancy or anything, just be careful NOT to leave the iron in one place too long (BAD for ski...) other than that, slather it on, scrape off with plastic scraper and voila! (OH, PLEEZ use a fan, respirator or other ventilation as melted wax fumes are very bad for your lungs...)

Next best: get a diamondstone for your pocket to slide along edges when you get a nick, ding, etc...as these can make a difference in your skiis performance.

If you want to get your own file/tool, it wouldn't hurt to look around for a clinic some where to learn how to do it right. My .02cents

As to edge angles, every ski company, and many models have a different 'spec' for base and sidewall edge angles. check with them before going to town...again, it WILL make a difference.

If you don't ski over too many rocks or tons of hard snow, a shop tune a time or three a year would likely be fine with the occasional diamondstone touch-up and frequent waxing...

Also, at the end of the season, slap a thick coat of wax on your bases to seal them up for the summer (don't scrape...)

[surf88]

Thanks for the tips. I have one board totally detuned for riding park, So edges are not an issue on that one, and my all mountain board has magne traction which I'm not even going to attempt to sharpen on my own. And my rock board usually only rides soft snow (sometimes no snow) So forget I asked about edges.
My rock board is very "stone ground" (from GUIDO)to the point of slowing me down alot. Its not worth bringing it to a shop after filling gouges, because I'm just gonna ride over more rocks tommorow (I love riding over rocks, and down ledges, there like the rails of the BC ) After filling with ptex, do you think I could just use my random orbital sander to smooth it out and then wax it, or would that possibly make the base slower?

[RR]

Originally Posted by surf88

... After filling with ptex, do you think I could just use my random orbital sander to smooth it out and then wax it, or would that possibly make the base slower?

The secret is in the grit...I bet if your took the step of mastering a block plane to shave the lumps off, leaving the true base alone and then went after it lightly with 600 grit and then (with some elbow grease) put the 1000 grit to the area.

The real problem is that the ptex has fewer pores or almost none...the wax just won't stick for long on that stuff. I have some graphite type candles and have found that they are better...good thing my sticks all have black bases

..I have often wondered if base patches would not be better..but how to get it to stay attached to the core? For that matter, how to get the patch sized section off the core so a patch could be applied? Cutting a fresh patch with a jig and then using the same setting on the jig* to cut the same angles into the base would be easy enough...but, how to pull it without damage to the core?

* Jig: setting the level of penetration and using a hammer blow to punch the cutting blades into the patch material and then do the same to the base would be pretty precise and the jig could be a lot smaller. That might mean a few patches would be needed for a long gouge.

[surf88]

Anybody know approx what grit the belt on the grindrite machine is?

[mattlucas]

I got all my tuning gear at reliable racing near Albany. They have basically everything.