Ski tuning on a budget?

A snowHead

Have just bought two diamond files, each has 1in x 3in of working area they are labelled "fine #360" and "medium #240". Have no idea yet about their quality. They are from Blackbushe Market where many of the tool sellers there had these packs of two files on their £1 tables.

Compared to the £35 quoted above, these £1 files must be worth a trial, even if they are quickly delegated to only lawnmover blades and other garden implements.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Adrian, excellent value if manufactured to the right tolerances for flatness! They might be equivalent to coarse and medium stones: the ski ones I've seen have 200-220grit and 325-400 grit on them respectively (fine are 600-800 and extra-fine 1200 grit). Wouldn't know how to tell if they're ok though Puzzled

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Adrian, They are probably made in China alot of cheap ones come from there, Ok for occasional use but will often separate from the plastic. The quality is determined by the amount of diamond in the surface, the type of diamond crystal and the quality of the base. The best ones have a monocrystalline diamond which does not break away or wear with use, the polycrystalline diamond is a fragmented diamond compound which breaks away with use. The diamond is bonded to a precision ground pre nickel plated steel base. The cheaper diamond files are often diamond powder stuck to a metal sheet which is bonded to a plastic back. These are usually shinier than more expensive products they also only have a small amount of diamond in the surface. The highest quality ones sell for about £150.00 depending on size

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

right, now getting around to order this stuff,

Found one place that seems to have all I want, just want to check that the Aluminium Combi Tuning Guide on this website, will do my side angles fine.

http://www.oggie.com/default.asp?t=6147

Then the only thing I'll need which I can't get from oggie is the base angle guide??? Assuming the alu one above won't do the base as well???

regards,

Greg

You'll need to Register first of course.

gregh, the gear they have looks to be all sks which is good quality kit. I'd still be cautious about a "Combi" side edge tool rather than a fixed angle one, but other than that it looks fine. In fact they sell the vice set I've got snowHead

You can't do the base edge with that file guide though, it only works on side edges.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

cheers marc,

Whats the issue with combi side edge tools? surely it's just a shim which changes the angle???

regards,

Greg

After all it is free

right, ordered it all, just need the base edge tool now, does anyone know a web site or shop in the UK that has them in stock?

cheers,

greg

gregh, I brought one from Ski Bartlett a couple of months ago. They had them in different degs. they are not shown on their website but they are very helpful if you phone shop.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

gregh, what angle base guide do you need? I have an unused 1 degree Ski Man guide (one of these) which you can have for £15 including postage.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

hi Rob,

It's a 1 degree that I need, I'll drop you a PM.

Marc - what do you attach your clamps to? I have an old pasting table I was going to try, not sure if it will be stable enough though!

cheers,

greg

snow reports

gregh, I've a cellar with an old stone table in it - VERY stable, but not easy to transport. Laughing

You know it makes sense.

hi,

sorry if its bad practice to resurrect a very old post but it thought i'd reply on here as opposed to starting a new thread.

if you want a cheap sturdy portable tuning bench i wouldn't get the one from bartletts. i got myself one of these sealey trestles from a builders merchant, looks like this:

costs £25 is really sturdy and folds away with a handy carry handle on the side. it is also deep enough to get a good set of vises on there.

i was lucky enough to be at a ski sale in basingstoke at the weekend and managed to get a set of toko vises for £12 as the guy didn't know how much they retailed for!!

also if you want diamond files, don't pay ski shop prices for them, get them from maplin: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=217871&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=DIAMOND&doy=6m11

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I bought a pair of these - which are similar size / height to the Barlett's portable jobbie at a quarter of the price. Easier to fit vices onto.

Solid metal - so not light. But you do get two (sorry, I given the other one away already).

A snowHead

dougmonkey - snap!

A snowHead

PhillipStanton, I use the same but purchaed from here http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=18088 only £22.95 per pr

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

kevinrhead - I think I originally paid £26.00 a pair from Screwfix. But £22.95 a pair of "ski tuning benches"...bargain!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Hi everyone.
Have a look at the ski tuning tools on offer at www.cleancarve.com
They stock a complete range of tuning products at good prices.
Most importantly they have complete kits with all the goodies you need in one pack.
If you are also after some tuning info they have a good details step by step guide.

The one product I highly recommend is the diamond guide. Just like a file guide only for a diamond stone. I always carry one of these with me now.

Happy turns.
[/img]

Help!!

Ski tuning on a budget?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Equipment Reviews/Questions