Do you tune your skis? Or do you just tuna fish?

[ski diva]

(Sorry -- couldn't resist the pun.)

Even though this site pales in comparison to Epic, we still manage to have a fair number of gear heads among us. So I'm wondering -- who does her own tuning and waxing? Or do you just take 'em into the shop and have it handled there, as needed?

 

[HotChocolate]

I take mine to the shop.

 

[Lola]

Umm, well, at the risk of sounding like a pampered diva (who doesn't cook, nor clean, nor buy her own skis, etc . . . .), my daddy tunes my skis. That's right, Lil's hubby is my ski tuner. And I can't really tell you what I like in a good ski tuning, but I can tell you that he knows . . . AND he has all of the right equipment! :D

Phil has made absolutely sure that my Dad has a professional ski tuning set-up in his basement, complete with a belt sander and the works.

There is a long, involved, and terribly funny story that goes with this fact - but that's another post for another day!

Lola

 

[Jilly]

Sort of both. Hubby can tune them, but I don't like his tune job usually, so I take them to the shop. Now in order to get free tune ups, I either help out in the store or in the shop. So, sometimes I get to scrape my own skis, along with 15 other pairs at 10:00pm at night. Since I did the swap this year for my buddy he owes me right now!!

 

[SnowHot]

I definitely wax my own skis, and do some of the basic deburring, and some edge sharpening in a pinch but a complete tune can be done at the shop with the big unit by pros.
My buddy thought he would show me how to tune my skis and really messed them up. Here we are a full season later and he still can't get them right.

 

[volklgirl]

I only take mine to the shop when there's no structure left and they need to be ground. Otherwise, I tune my own. Hubby will do the "race-day super secret extra special" wax job but he knows better than to touch my edges....he just can't get it right (although he does do his own ;) ). It drives him batty that I absolutely can tell when I have a burr on my edges - he's like 'How in the h*ll do you know that???'

We both also do minor base repairs. I usually do the end-of-season storage wax cuz he just uses WAY too much wax when he does it. We also tune for friends and we do my Mom's 5 pairs. I don't tune as often as I should simply because the shed is a serious mess when he gets done , and I'm a neat freak. It just makes me crazy!

 

[ISki]

Tuna fish.

 

[volklgirl]

That's pretty fishy ;)

 

[ArmyWife]

Tune my own...tune my husband's...tune my daughter's...tune my son's snowboard...:(

Wait a minute......somethin's mighty fishy around here. I think maybe I should just stick to tuna from now on! :p

 

[liquidfeet]

Last season I purchased a season tune from a shop near my ski club. The ski guru there is well-respected by everyone around, and he waxed 'em and sharpened/deburred 'em every week (by hand, as necessary.)

I don't think I'll be able to do that this season, as I'll be using the skis in two different states both in the middle of the week and during the weekends. It's time to do my own - oh no !!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to bribe someone to teach me how.

 

[Marigee]

I don't know how to tune my skis. I'm content letting the shop tune them. I do however want to learn how to wax my own skis. I've read about waxing on epic - but would actually like to see it done before I try it myself. Those of you who was your own skis - did you have someone teach you - or did you just foolow some written guidelines?

 

[Lilgeorg]

I keep this little German ski tuner locked in the basement. he tunes and waxes all the family skis because he likes it "done right". It also keeps his hands busy and him out of trouble.

 

[SnowHot]

I don't know how to tune my skis. I'm content letting the shop tune them. I do however want to learn how to wax my own skis. I've read about waxing on epic - but would actually like to see it done before I try it myself. Those of you who was your own skis - did you have someone teach you - or did you just foolow some written guidelines?

I just followed some written guidlines and I got some great info on waxes from a shop owner.
Recently I've gleaned from the great additions to Epic, in the wax dept.

 

[volklgirl]

Check with your local ski shop or race club.....many of them will have a tune/wax clinic or a 'racer's night' that includes the tune clinic. If not, they may be able to contact their wax rep and arrange for one if there's enough interest. We're lucky to have a Swix rep that lives sorta close. He does clinics at various store's 'race night's and our Christmas race camp.

On Epic, someone posted links to a couple of videos and tuning manuals...I'll see if I can find them and transport them over here.

 

[volklgirl]

Here's the ones I could find:

https://www.swixschool.no/web/index2.html
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5528
https://www.rmmskiracing.org/articles/RMalm-2006-03-Tuning-Part2.pdf

When I started doing my own, I got the tools then found a pair of skis at a garage sale for $5 and practiced on them. When I felt I had it down, I tried my own - so far, so good .

I get my bases flattened and structured and my base bevel set a shop then set my own side bevel. After that just do lots of waxing and edge polishing. A quick run with a stone to fix any nicks....that's pretty much it.

 

[Marigee]

Thanks for the links volklgirl! I like your suggestion about practicing on cheap skis. I'll also ask around at the shops in town to see if they are having any tune/wax clinics.

Snowhot - I read the stuff on Epic about waxing and that's what made me think I should try and do the waxing myself.

 

[SnowHot]

Marigee -
Tonight I'm going to a special event at Brick Wheels, that I had posted about earlier.
Wine Women and Wax
They are giving great discounts to women tonight and tips on waxing, as well as pampering us for the evening.

Volklgirl and I will be sure to post a "trip report" as I'm sure it will be a "trip"!:D

 

[Lori_K]

They all go to the shop, right now.

I can do my own work on my dirtbike, but have no clue as far as skis go! Have to remedy that one of these days.

 

[mkhouse]

I don't do my edges, but waxing is really simple -- I watched a couple of guys in my club do theirs a few years ago, found a great online guide, got some wax and off I went! The edges are more tricky, with specific bevels and all that, so I haven't attempted that yet. I've been waxing my own skis for about 5 years now and it's saved me a lot of cash and trips to the shop. It's particularly useful 'cause most of the shops in Truckee don't open until after I want to be on the road!

Here's a great link that I've found... they talk a lot about their own products, but the waxing specific info can be applied to most products:
The Race Place: Waxing Skis
The Race Place: Tuning Skis

 

[Jilly]

Just for interest what are Diva's paying for tune ups?? If I were to pay, since I don't at the shop its $29.95 for skis and $39.95 for boards. Bob does the bases and edges with a manual machine and then the wax is applied with a roller machine. You get the same wax each time, no changes for temperature etc. He doesn't have one of those big green automatic machines that does everything in one pass.