 Poster: A snowHead
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hey im jack, im an alevel student designing a ski/snowboard maintenance bench, i would be extremely grateful if any skiers or snow boarders could help me out by answering these questions.
what type of clamp or bench do you have?
how would you rate it out of ten? ( 10=awsome)
how would you like it improved?
thank you the helps realy appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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polar jack, ski & boards are so different that it will be difficult to find a design that would be equally effective for both without being overly complicated/expensive.
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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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polar jack, OK, think I get your question, ie you are doing it as part of design A level?
Right...I have to have a bench which is capable of being packed away in a cupboard, since our chalet does not have an integrated garage (it's got a big one, but it's down the hill and unheated) or room I can dedicate to a bench. I have Syderjon's excellent BEAST clamp set, which is itself clamped to a large piece of 18mm ply (1.2m x 0,5m) which then rests on two heavy duty folding Stanley work trestles. There are rubber strips on the tops of the trestles which come as standard, and I have put placed strips of neoprene damp excluder on the base of the ply to stop it slipping. All my tools, including waxes and iron, are in two tool boxes.
This set up works perfectly. I set it up in the open plan hall of the chalet or, if it's easter or summer, on the patio. The area of the ply gives me a surface to lay out tools and waxes etc, and to rest the iron. I have never had a problem of bench shifting when I am prep-ing edges or working on bases.
It then all packs away, trestles, top with clamps (don't need to remove them, they just stay attached to the ply) and tool boxes, in the understairs cupboard.
This set up is just for skis, and I would use dedicated snowboard clamps on another piece of ply if I had the need.
It is used every couple of days throughout the season whist we are in chalet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I use the bonnet of the truck. Also doubles up as a great place to fillet fish and sit drinking beer.
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polar jack, As several responses above have indicated the Roffb is very expensive at >£500 as it's a professional ski tuning vice designed for extensive workshop use, so its cost is a significant issue. I'd researched and had finally settled on the same vice as Crusader, which are very good and portable -so I set my budget at around £150 when a ski tuning workshop closed and I was able to buy the Roffb unit at the same price along with a pile of wax, edge tools, brushes, files and a spare iron. No contest really as it will handle absolutely anything with prefect precision. No movements, slips etc. But it is expensive and it is not portable.
Notwithstanding those considerable negative points, from a service platform perspective the Roffb comes in close to a 10  ......... However Portability is poor, cheating in the back of my Rav4 is OK for me, but really it needs its own sherpa!= 3 
To improve it:
From a design viewpoint, a lighter weight, cheaper Roffb would be my preference although there is another design based upon an adjustable boot footprint jig which is quite good as it overcomes the inconvenience of retraining the binding brakes = Tools4Boards Pro 500 Ski Vice, however it’s made out of plastic and isn’t that durable, and the two outrigger supports are a tad lightweight. Potentially a combo of the world cup outrigger supports together with a beefed up alloy version of the tilt-table Pro 500 Vice would be a significant improvement on both products. I attempted making one but couldn’t fabricate the essential stability required into the critical mid piece which has to be rock solid.
I quite like to look of Spyderjons Beast: AKA "Jaws of Beast Ski Vice Set" and just in case anyone suggests otherwise - just the ski vice!
Please keep us posted with your progress:
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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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Polar Jack, If you want to check out the tuning bench I have been working on go to[url] http://chris-cbphotography.blogspot.com/ My bench is used indoors, in my basement, and has a very simple homemade ski support and vise system and only cost about $150 cdn to build. So far it has lasted for two seasons with at least 5 tunes done every week from december thru april. This summer I started to build version 2 and should be finished in a couple of days. Check the blog for info. Good luck with your table and happy tuning.(it is the first post, at the bottom of the page)
Chris
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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polar jack, hey great to read what you are up to. When will you have a prototype ready? And when would you like some testing/feedback . . . Because I am game on to assist!!!
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