DIY tuning vs shop tuning pros and cons

[SlideWright]

Side and base edge bevels that match spec’d geometry and a Sharpie with a couple stones or diamonds can serve well for measuring. Plus they will be there for daily maintenance. See my son’s video above.

I’d probably give the skis a quick look with a true bar and edge guides and not get all hung up on the accuracy until after I felt how they skied if close.

 

[Dave Marshak]

I sharpen every 2 or 3 days, so shops are way to expensive for that. Maybe once a year I'll bring them in for a base grind. Waxing and sharpening are easy enough at home. I'll fill core shots with epoxy, but most base work is beyond my skill level. YMMV

dm

 

[SlideWright]

I should have posted this right off the bat:

 

[crgildart]

As long as you are careful enough not to grossly over do your base bevel or burn your bases with an iron that's way too hot you won't be doing any permanent damage to your skis that's not easy to resolve.

 

[MikeHunt]

I sharpen every 2 or 3 days, so shops are way to expensive for that. Maybe once a year I'll bring them in for a base grind. Waxing and sharpening are easy enough at home. I'll fill core shots with epoxy, but most base work is beyond my skill level. YMMV

dm

I have second thoughts getting rid of my razor tune for exactly this reason.

I'm contemplating touch up sharpening like this to simplify my setup.


Tentative final gear list:

• liquid wax
• combo nylon-cork or nylon-felt brush
• razor tune with medium wheel and battery plus charger
• true bar and electronic base bevel meter (both not really a priority)

I guess my hesitation with going full DIY is the mess that waxing makes and the tiresome effort doing it. I know some people find it "relaxing", but it's not for me.

Although a messy wax job can be mitigated with a home IR heater, the complete setup, with a bench, can't be taken to a resort away from home base anyway. So will just outsource a full tune to a shop and just touchup with a razor tune medium wheel and liquid wax every few days.

For end of season protective wax, will experiment with liquid wax (left to dry without rubbing in with cork or felt) if it can prevent corrosion just as well as unscraped solid wax.

 

[Sibhusky]

I should have posted this right off the bat:

Is there no sound on this? I can't read that fast.

 

[SlideWright]

Is there no sound on this? I can't read that fast.

Here are the pages in our Tuning Tips:

Ski & Snowboard Tuning Overview & Checklist​

& Ski & Snowboard Tuning Overview & Checklist PDF

 

[raytseng]

Tentative final gear list:

• liquid wax
• combo nylon-cork or nylon-felt brush

I am getting the vibe that there are mixed priorities here that keep pulling you one way then the other into rabbit holes for perfeftion. Like why are you planning to spend hundreds of dollars to get truebars and basebevel meters, but at the same time you don't have a brush kit yet? What are you going to do with that data when it says your base is varying in spots to 1.2degrees, or you got some light peeking under the truebar in your shovel?

I think take a step back and value time and money, rather than getting sucked into pursing perfection.

Anyway for the liquid wax, you should look up the application instructions for the specific product you intend to try.
You don't necessarily need to pile up with specialized corks and brushes, unless you have unlimited budget.
If you're looking to use the toko spray, they have a starter kit that includes the brush, so I would suggest that if you are going toko.

For holmenkol liquid they suggest to just wipe on with their "carefleece", then polish with felt cork, but you can get to the same result with a shop towel and a soft brush(if you have no brushes). And you don't need to spend $30 for a special brush for liquid wax that you are applying in the parking lot, you can find something at Home Depot for $5.

 

[François Pugh]

Ski, Snowboard & Race Service

Squire John's offers ski, snowboard and race services to get your skis and snowboards ready for the winter season. We have a long tradition of working with FIS skiers and helping them prepare their equipment for the race season. Squire John's is one of Collingwood's oldest ski shops.

www.squirejohns.com

At 100 CAD for a race tune (without base grind) the main advantage of DIY is cost; it adds up quickly.
Tools don't cost that much.
As to quality of the tune, it all depends on where you get your tune and who does it. Squire John's is pretty good.

PS skis are never sharp enough where I usually ski. Your milage may vary.

 

[Philpug]

At 100 CAD for a race tune (without base grind) the main advantage of DIY is cost; it adds up quickly.
Tools don't cost that much.

So, you can buy the tools to do a proper race tune for less than $100 CAD?

 

[scott43]

So, you can buy the tools to do a proper race tune for less than $100 CAD?

No but if you do ten a year... I think your angle Phil, from my first hand knowledge as well, is that most DIYers are pretty crap at doing mechanical work.

 

[François Pugh]

So, you can buy the tools to do a proper race tune for less than $100 CAD?

You can buy the tools to do 50 proper race tunes for less than the cost of 50 proper race tunes.
Tools pay for themselves in two years.

 

[Jilly]

Gad I hope so....Spent close to $1000 on Side Cut stuff this year.

 

[Dave Marshak]

I'm sure I've given away >$1000 of tools, and maybe I have another $500 in tools I don't use. The only expensive tools I use now are an EVO edge grinder and an IR lamp. I got one in a ski shop liquidation and the other as a gift, so maybe that's $300 total.

dm

 

[MikeHunt]

I am getting the vibe that there are mixed priorities here that keep pulling you one way then the other into rabbit holes for perfeftion. Like why are you planning to spend hundreds of dollars to get truebars and basebevel meters, but at the same time you don't have a brush kit yet? What are you going to do with that data when it says your base is varying in spots to 1.2degrees, or you got some light peeking under the truebar in your shovel?

I think take a step back and value time and money, rather than getting sucked into pursing perfection.

Anyway for the liquid wax, you should look up the application instructions for the specific product you intend to try.
You don't necessarily need to pile up with specialized corks and brushes, unless you have unlimited budget.
If you're looking to use the toko spray, they have a starter kit that includes the brush, so I would suggest that if you are going toko.

For holmenkol liquid they suggest to just wipe on with their "carefleece", then polish with felt cork, but you can get to the same result with a shop towel and a soft brush(if you have no brushes). And you don't need to spend $30 for a special brush for liquid wax that you are applying in the parking lot, you can find something at Home Depot for $5.

I already have all the tools (bench, vises, iron, plexi, plexi sharpener, 3 brushes, razor tune, sidewall cutter, but not bevel meter and true bar) and have been DIY tuning for a few years now.

On the contrary, good enough is my goal, rather than perfection. Which is why I would like to pare back my tools and gear to bare minimum.

I never used a bevel meter or measured base bevel. My plan if the base degree is off or if ptex concave or convex is to see if I can feel a difference. I haven't thought what to do if there is a difference in feel.

I can definitely feel the difference between a waxed and unwaxed base and sharp and dull edge. Whether a good gliding and biting ski warrants me hardcore DIYing, I think not.

I forgot to add this to my tentative final list: sidewall cutter.

 

[scott43]

Don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough..

 

[SlideWright]

Don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough..

As in 'Analysis paralysis'.

 

[Tom K.]

Base grind from a trusted source when new, if needed.

Set and maintain edge angles myself.

Base grind again at about 25 days.

Edges myself, again.

Declare them "rock skis" at about 50 days and wing it from there, myself.

Pro Tip: Keep those sidewalls beveled back at 7 degrees, and out of the way of your stones.

 

[MikeHunt]

Pro Tip: Keep those sidewalls beveled back at 7 degrees, and out of the way of your stones.

I only pull back just enough to prevent razor tune from gumming up with sidewall material during touch ups.

7 degree is good enough that it can be done once and I never have to worry about removing sidewall for the remainder of the life of the ski?

There are no downsides to this?

 

[Tom K.]

7 degree is good enough that it can be done once and I never have to worry about removing sidewall for the remainder of the life of the ski?

Agreed. One and done on the sidewall planing. One pair of race skis I owned got tuned so much (youthful exuberance) that the sidewalls needed a second go-round.