DIY tuning vs shop tuning pros and cons

[MikeHunt]

Rethinking tuning by myself versus a shop and would appreciate if you can add to list of pros and cons.

Shop pros:

• have Wintersteiger to grind and reset base
• more time for myself

Shop cons:

• work could be rushed or sloppy depending on tech assigned to job
• could burn base if they don't have infrared waxing
• edge could be all over the place without proper edge measurement

DIY pros:

• more quality control to prevent burning base by good ironing
• side edge can be measured over and over and properly set

DIY Cons:

• can't grind and reset base (metal and ptex)
• can't be done in a resort far from home

 

[SlideWright]

Highly biased and have not been to a shop in decades. In the time it takes to deliver skis to a shop, I'd be done with many tasks, including base structuring (SkiVisions planers for the win). These tasks can be worked into other stuff and there are tons of hacks to shorten tasks duration. It's therapeutic and I'm in charge. If I f-up, I can fix it. You get feedback while skiing to take back to the bench. YMMV

 

[Philpug]

DIY pros:

• more quality control to prevent burning base by good ironing
• side edge can be measured over and over and properly set

You glanced over:

DIY cons:

• Less QC because the vast majority of people do not know what the hell they are doing and can do more damage than good.
• Significant investment in tool costs, easily well into the thousands of dollars for proper tools. The time it takes to learn how to use them properly.

Personally, I have seen much more damage from DYI tuning than from any shop.

 

[KingGrump]

You glanced over:

DIY cons:

• Less QC because the vast majority of people do not know what the hell they are doing and can do more damage than good.
• Significant investment in tool costs, easily well into the thousands of dollars for proper tools. The time it takes to learn how to use them properly.

Personally, I have seen much more damage from DYI tuning than from any shop.

Couple adds to DIY cons:

• Common sense not so common.
• Most folks that drive a keyboard for a living have no clue about how to use tools.

 

[Jilly]

• Most folks that drive a keyboard for a living have no clue about how to use tools.

Gotta remember that one.

 

[MikeHunt]

Is there an automated hitech innovation yet in measuring side edge comparable to a wintersteiger?

Or do shop techs still rely on flashlight and true bar?

 

[CatskillSteve]

Here is another DIY con - getting yelled at for spending too much time in the basement!

 

[MikeHunt]

Admittedly I'm leaning towards shop because I don't use tools for a living.

But one has to be hopeless klutz to mess up using a razor tune. People like those exist and I put them in the same category as people who can't put together an Ikea furniture.

 

[SlideWright]

Admittedly I'm leaning towards shop because I don't use tools for a living.

But one has to be hopeless klutz to mess up using a razor tune. People like those exist and I put them in the same category as people who can't put together an Ikea furniture.

 

[MikeHunt]

• Most folks that drive a keyboard for a living have no clue about how to use tools.

Ouch. About as trigerring as saying most people that drive tools for a living have no clue how to use a keyboard

 

[Philpug]

But one has to be hopeless klutz to mess up using a razor tune.

Lets consider...

Label: May cause drowsiness.​

Product: sleeping pill
Let's hope, for GlaxoSmithKline's sake, the warning rings true.

Label: Do not drive with sun shield in place.​

Product: reflective cardboard sun shades for car dashboards
OK, so what is the sun shield for? Presumably, hanging out in your car, alone, sipping a 44-ounce fountain cup of Mountain Dew, air conditioning on, sun shade firmly in place, contemplating where you'll drive when the sun finally goes down. Or you could just take the sunshade out of the window and drive in the blistering sun without it. If you dare.

Label: This product may contain eggs.​

Product: eggs
So that's what those are!

Label: Do not iron clothes on body.​

Product: Rowenta's irons
While the company hasn't been involved in litigation, says spokesperson Jennifer Gear, Rowenta is not taking any chances. "As silly as it sounds, people do iron skirts when they're running out the door and get burned," she says. "[The warning label] is there for a good reason."

You are giving people wayyyy too much credit.

 

[scott43]

I used to get the professional engineers monthly magazine and they always had a section on litigation. I'm not sure how many of those cased were fraudulent but man at face value there are some dumb folks out there.

 

[KingGrump]

Here is another DIY con - getting yelled at for spending too much time in the basement!

Think of it as another version of ice fishing.

 

[1Turn2Many]

Tools are cheep. It’s not rocket science. You’re probably at least as sharp as the average stoned out kid who’s grinding away on your skis in the shop. It’s way faster to do it yourself as opposed to dragging everything to the shop and back. DIY is strangely rewarding. If you Jack-up your skis, you get to buy new ones.

 

[crgildart]

Hour and fifteen minute round trip to drop off skis.. Hour and fifteen minute round trip to pick up skis.. Show stopper. I do my own work and spend those hours living for me instead some ski shop in the middle of flatland that may or may NOT have someone there who does a better job.

 

[SlideWright]

Couple adds to DIY cons:

• Common sense not so common.
• Most folks that drive a keyboard for a living have no clue about how to use tools.

 

[crosscountry]

You’re probably at least as sharp as the average stoned out kid who’s grinding away on your skis in the shop.

Exactly!

These days, with YouTube, your average DIY’ers are just as good as the average shop guy, which means better than half and not as good as the other half.

It’s way faster to do it yourself as opposed to dragging everything to the shop and back.

That’s another pro for DIY. Remember, it’s TWO round trips to the shop, one for drop off and one for pick up. Plus you’re restricted by their hours. (For example, my closest shop is closed on Monday! And weekends are pretty zoo’y. So it’s far from a quick in’n’out)

Having said all that. I don’t do my own ski tuning. I pay to get them done at the mountain. It’s expensive. But the real reason I don’t do it myself is my garage is already full of bike and boating tools/toys. No more room for ski tools! (Put it this way, it’s harder for the shop to screw up my ski tune than screwing up my bike tuning. The latter a whole lot more dangerous. So when push comes to shelve, I’ll let the shop do my skis while I work on my own bike)

 

[Sibhusky]

Highly biased and have not been to a shop in decades. In the time it takes to deliver skis to a shop, I'd be done with many tasks, including base structuring (SkiVisions planers for the win). These tasks can be worked into other stuff and there are tons of hacks to shorten tasks duration. It's therapeutic and I'm in charge. If I f-up, I can fix it. You get feedback while skiing to take back to the bench. YMMV

100%. I'm not as far away as @crgildart but the main store in town round trip is 45 minutes and at the mountain there's a couple guys I wouldn't let near my skis based on past experience with them. At least when I do it, I know what's been done. And I'm not waiting in line behind 25 other people to pick up my skis in the morning.

 

[oldschoolskier]

I used to get the professional engineers monthly magazine and they always had a section on litigation. I'm not sure how many of those cased were fraudulent but man at face value there are some dumb folks out there.

Speaking of Darwin tests, I was just diving in Galapagos and the warning on the dive boats was don't hug the sharks, they don't like it and you'll get fined.....

How many idiots did it take to actually have to issue a specific warning like that is my question.

And yes I did see a lot of sharks, Hammer Heads sharks (5), missed the group of 10 in the distance, white tipped and black tipped (lots), seals extremely close they checked is out, sea turtles a some spotted eagle rays (big 2.5m wide). Though not manta rays (shame as they are up to 7m was on my wish list). I will mention we were not diving in cages and it is common to see sharks, luckily they are not aggressive.

I will add anywhere on the islands, touch any wild life its a fine, the only exception is if it touches you while the wildlife is going about its business, thats ok. And there is definitely that chance of that occurring in some circumstances.

 

[MikeHunt]

Ok I'm going all-in on shop tune. Will look for shops with Jupiter machine and IR waxing to do it.

I still need a few tools and supplies for daily DIY. Is this all I need?

• Liquid wax
• Cork to spread liquid wax
• Nylon brush to brush liquid wax

This one is not for daily use. Only for periodic checking

• True bar and electronic bevel meter to inspect if a shop machine did a good job

Anything else?