Ski Tuning Information Table of Contents 1) Vorlage Ski Tuning Support 2) Online Ski Tuning Information 3) Ski Tuning Cheat Sheet 4) Ski Tuning Equipment What do you need and approximate cost Vorlage Ski Tuning Support There is an abundance of experience within the club with respect to ski tuning. Given the importance of ski tuning for the children s safety and racing development, the coaches and parents of older children are always willing to help out. Specifically: In the fall before the ski season, the coaches will hold a ski tuning seminar for parents. This is usually done during the volunteer work day at Vorlage. At the ski camps, the coaches are more than happy to give tips during the children s tuning time. Other parents with older children are always willing to give tips as well. The local ski shops typically have ski tuning classes at their shops. You can call them directly to ask them about a schedule. Ski Tuning Video Instructions: There are many ski tuning videos on the internet that provide detailed instructions on how to tune skis. Youtube is an excellent source of information. Some videos that I have used in the past are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmee_h162yq http://www.swixschool.com/ Ski Tuning Information (November 4, 2014) Page 1
Ski Tuning Cheat Sheet The following 2 pages are helpful to print out and leave beside your ski tuning/work bench. As you learn to tune and talk to other people, you will learn new tips or different ways to perform the steps below. If bases are white-ish (look along the edge under the boot) your skis need waxing. If edges aren t sharp - your skis need tuning, if you do your edges, you have to wax your bases! Put room temp skis in the vises with bases facing away from you, elastics to hold ski brakes out of the way. If you re setting the angle on an edge for the first time, use a sharpie and color the edge so you can tell when the edge angle is achieved, it will remove it all. A couple coats of wax (scrape, brush in between coats) on a new pair before skiing on them. Check the edge for any major burs that might require more attention. Use the WET medium (blue) diamond stone in the file guide to clean up the side edge, you can use it in both direction (ie push and pull) keep it WET, rinse it and wipe the edge with a rag occasionally. After, run it flat freehand along the base edge, doesn t need to be hard. DO NOT leave diamond stones in water over night, dry them when you re done they will rust. If after using the diamond stones your skis are not sharp, you will need to file. File (tip-tail or tail-tip does not matter) with the tail of the file away from you, and so that the file is angled slightly towards you (and the top sheet of the ski). The file is only to be used in one direction, making approximately 3 strokes per pass. Check the edge using the back of your knuckles, do enough passes until sharp compare against the edges you haven t done yet. If there is plastic dust in the file the same color as the side of the ski get a coach or someone experienced to remove some sidewall for you! Diamond Stone again with medium, then fine (red) if you have it. Same as two steps ago. After, run it flat freehand along the base edge. Make sure ALL of both edges are done/sharp and smooth on the ski (or all skis) before waxing. You should be able to run your hand gently down the whole edge. Scrape (Use a drywall screen to sharpen wax scrapers if they are dull). Two-three full tip-tail passes. NO METAL SCRAPERS ever! Brush with Bronze (if you have it) then Nylon. Two-three overlapping strokes per pass, at two-three passes, followed by one pass full tip-tail (for both brushes). You don t need to press very hard, but make sure the brush is firm contact. Also put arrows on your brushes, and never put the bristles down, always bristles up! Ski Tuning Information (November 4, 2014) Page 2
Scrape full tip-tail at 1-2 passes. (You should have plugged your iron in by now!) If the iron is smoking, it s too hot! Turn it down, give it a minute or two. If it s not spreading the wax it s not hot enough. Drip the wax in an S pattern along the base. You will learn how much wax is right with practice. The first pass, move the iron back and forth in roughly 12 overlapping strokes working from tip to tail, so that the whole base is covered with wax. ALWAYS keep the iron moving, not too fast but steady. Then do two passes tip to tail, looking for the nice shiny even pool of liquid behind the iron, it should be across the entire width of the ski. (if not you might not have enough wax if there is tons of wax pooling off the side of the ski and you can still see your S drops, then you have too much). * Never iron the ski with the clamped into the middle vise, let it be free! When the ski is room temp (or while you sharpen/wax the other ski!) Scrape, brush, scrape like the same 2 steps above. Also make sure to remove wax on the edges. After the Brass and Nylon brushing, you should use the horse hair brush. NEVER ski on non-scraped skis. It s dangerous! You ll get better at tuning skis as you go, no one s perfect at first. BUT you have a way better starting point then most, and hopefully you won t spend money on tuning equipment that doesn t work and that you don t need. - Lastly Go SKI RACING! Questions, Comments, Concerns? Ski Tuning Information (November 4, 2014) Page 3
Ski Tuning Equipment The first table below shows the items for a basic ski tuning kit. The names and order numbers are based on the online Artech Ski Store (www.artechski.com) but feel free to order from other stores online or locally in Ottawa. Artech usually has sales but if they don t, tell them that you are with the Vorlage Racing Club and that you would like the 20% discount. The last column provides some possible alternatives that usually cost a few more dollars, sometimes a very small amount, but provide better functionality. Some general comments: Do not buy a 2 set vice. It makes ski tuning much harder than it has to be. The middle section of the vice is very useful. I would recommend upgrading to the Moon diamond stones along with buying the polishing compound in the Extras table below. Basic Kit Item Artech SKU Quantity Price Sub-Total Note/Alternative/Upgrade Swix Jaw Economy Vise 562-1815 1 $130.00 $130.00 Swix World Cup Vise - #6203 ($175.00) Swix Sport Wax Iron (T74) 563-1685 1 $90.00 Not required (You can just wrap in an old towel) but the cover is nice to have - Artech $90.00 #6306 ($25.00) ARTECH Laser Cut Chrome File: 8 inch (Each) 574-1343 1 $12.00 $12.00 ARTECH Wax Scraper: Thick (Notched) 566-1328 2 $5.50 $11.00 Do not go to the thinner versions. Artech Oval Nylon Brush 565-1322 1 $30.00 $30.00 Artech Oval Brass Brush 565-1319 1 $30.00 $30.00 Artech Oval Horse Hair Brush 565-1321 1 $30.00 $30.00 Swix Training Uniwax: Cold 180 grams Bulk 590-1665 2 $10.00 $20.00 ARTECH File Guides (Tool Angle: 2 degree) 573-1339-92 1 $32.00 * The Vorlage race club sells these for $CDN 20.00. Please contact Rick Vail. * Some people move to the (i) BEAST Side Edge Pro Tuner or (ii) the BEAST Side Edge $32.00 Pro Tuner: Pocket Version. However, many people stick with the std file guide and clamps. Artech Spring Clamp (Standard) 568-1333 2 $4.00 $8.00 You can also buy these at Canadian Tire DMT Diamond Pocket Whetstone (Diamond Grit: 325 Blue) 576-1460-325 1 $11.00 Many people say the "Moon" Diamond stones are better and the extra $10.00 is well $11.00 worth it. The equivalent one is the Yellow (Artech #7648-400) DMT Diamond Pocket Whetstone (Diamond Grit: 600 Red) 576-1460-600 1 $11.00 Many people say the "Moon" Diamond stones are better and the extra $10.00 is well $11.00 worth it. The equivalent one is the White. (Artech # 7648-600) Brake Retainers 568-1332-6 1 $2.00 $2.00 Sub-Total $417.00 20% Vorlage Racing Club Discount -$83.40 Total $333.60 * You can get a set of 4 brushes including the bag (Artech #6511). Although, I have never used a Steel Brush. * You can upgrade to the Swix, Toko or Holmenkol. These are a few $ more but I find the handle connections are better. Ski Tuning Information (November 4, 2014) Page 4
Extra's Item Artech Number Quantity Price Sub-Total Alternative/Upgrade Artech Polishing Liquid 579-1355-8OZ 1 $20.00 This is supposed to be better than using water when using the diamond stones. One bottle should last 2-3 seasons Swix Low Fluoro Wax: LF4 Ice Green 90 grams Bulk 590-1638 1 $27.00 Cold Weather Race wax from -10 to -32 Celsius. If you are only going to buy one race wax, I would buy this one. For younger children, the training wax is probably fine for warmer weather. Swix Low Fluoro Wax: LF6 Blue 90 grams Bulk 590-1644 1 $27.00 Cold Weather Race wax from -6 to -12 Celsius. Swix Low Fluoro Wax: LF7 Violet 90 grams Bulk 590-1647 1 $27.00 Cold Weather Race wax from -2 to -8 Celsius Swix Low Fluoro Wax: LF8 Red 90 grams Bulk 590-1650 1 $27.00 Cold Weather Race wax from -4 to +1 Celsius Other equipment: 1) Gloves can be bought at any hardware store. It really depends on what is comfortable to you. 2) Most people use their work bench at home or variations of work horses you can buy at Canadian Tire, which are inexpensive. Artech sells a good bench (Artech SKU 561-1309). If you want a bench that is slightly smaller for ease of travel, I recommend the Swix T754 Economy Waxing Table (Artech #561-1807) Ski Tuning Information (November 4, 2014) Page 5