 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Looking for advice on what is needed for DIY ski service and what to buy
Have a pair of own brand Decathalon skis, and keen to service myself
I am Intermediate skier (10 weeks under the belt), reasonably able to carve (have taken carving lessons in the past)
V firm snow/ice I dont really like, so I guess sharp edges essential for these conditions
90% piste skier
Looking for where to buy ;
Edge sharpener, do I need to worry about angles etc, or does the tool auto angle
Wax , is a hot wax/iron needed, can an old domestic iron be used
What's the difference between cold and hot wax
I don't generally get gouges on the bases, but I guess its easy enough to fix/sand off these ?
Have a couple of very good cordless drills , is there a buffer / attachment to aid waxing / maintenance
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Search function or seek out spyderjon aka thepisteoffice.
Sighs.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 7-02-15 21:34; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Got my iron on freecycle, the small wire brush along with the finishing brush and wax from eBay. To remove excess wax I have a long stif knife ..
YouTube great for info, I went on a course which was not as good as YouTube !!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| dublin2 wrote: |
Looking for where to buy
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http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/ has already been mentioned as a good place to buy. But any decent ski shop in your area will have the basics. If you say where you are located then someone will suggest somewhere close.
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Edge sharpener, do I need to worry about angles etc, or does the tool auto angle
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If you buy the correct angle tool, then it will do it at that angle if you use if correctly - some are adjustable. I use 88 degrees on everything; some go to 87 degrees which increases the sharpness but does in theory blunt quicker.
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Wax, is a hot wax/iron needed, can an old domestic iron be used |
An old domestic iron can be used, but a proper wax iron is more controllable.
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| What's the difference between cold and hot wax |
Hot wax you iron on. Cold wax you rub on.
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I don't generally get gouges on the bases, but I guess its easy enough to fix/sand off these ? |
I suggest if you do get gouges, take them to a shop to get them fixed. Once you get more experienced you can think about fixing them yourself, but doing it properly does require some expensive tools (p-tex gun). P-tex candles are okay as an interim, but don't last.
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Have a couple of very good cordless drills , is there a buffer / attachment to aid waxing / maintenance
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You can get rota-brushes, but these are expensive (~£100 for a 3-brush set) so overkill at your stage of skiing.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Go see Spyderjon and learn how to do it properly!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How big is your budget?
I'd go vice, edge tool (not a variable one), file and stones, iron, scraper and as you have a good drill some rotobrush stuff for brushing.
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@dublin2, I went to see Spyderjon and it was well worth it!!
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@dublin2, I too went to Spyderjon, enjoyed the course and always seem to get a good finish. Well worth the investment in both time and money.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Filling gouges is easy with p-tex rod candles and a steel scraper...but I found that even with careful hole prep, they fall out.
Thus, I use harder ptex repair strip and melt it in place with a soldering iron (precision temp controlled soldering station ... carefully). YOu can buy the proper melting & applying tools...
You can end up buying quite a lot of tools.
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| Mosha Marc wrote: |
How big is your budget?
I'd go vice, edge tool (not a variable one), file and stones, iron, scraper and as you have a good drill some rotobrush stuff for brushing. |
Hi Thanks for all the info everyone, tell me more about edge tools, please.. Variable, non variable etc
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It's the file guide.
They come with different angles. but i'd pick one and stick with it if I were you. 87* is possibly the favorite
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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V firm snow/ice I dont really like, so I guess sharp edges essential for these conditions
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Lessons too !
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I have never had any problem with p-tex rod candles falling out, maybe I do not get deep enough gouges or perhaps I clean the base thoroughly with some base wax remover first.
I used candle wax instead of ski wax for a while, and it was fine but it does wear faster. (but it is cheaper)
If you clean and thoroughly dry your skis after skiing, then you should not need to worry about rust on the edges much.
I use an old (non steam) iron rather than a specific ski iron. This has never caused any problem as I tend not to use it on high setting.
I am not seeking skis which glide faster than downhill racers. For me, I am content with skis which are waxed. Speed is not my objective.
I do edge sometimes using an edging tool.
Furniture polish sometimes helps as an addition, or you can buy these additional waxes that go on top of ski wax. It hardens the wax and makes it slippier. I can't say it has made much difference to my skiing, either ability wise or in terms of speed. (I do not race)
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You know it makes sense.
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You need to check what the base and side angles for your skis are and buy an edge sharpener with the right angle. Skis are not all set to the same angle now.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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snowyann, true, but you can use the file to set whatever angle you like.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Only if it's an adjustable, not fixed edge sharpener. Also best to stick with the edge angles set by the manufacturers, unless you're a mega good ski tech!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I tend to go with 88 degrees as a compromise as that is what a shop I trust uses so keep them at the same angle when tuning myself.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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trouble is at the moment, with the euro being so weak it only cost £10 on Champoluc for and edge and wax...not worth buying the wax in the uk !! plus a machine wax n edge always seems better to me
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@yorkshirelad,
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plus a machine wax n edge always seems better to me
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Hmm --- putting skis through a machine (which will grind the base) is a really good way of wearing them out .... doing it by hand may not look as pretty but the skis will last much longer.
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