So besides using base/edge repair techniques that I normally do not have to, this season is also giving me the opportunity to experiment more with Edge Bevel- Base and Side edge bevel. This is very misunderstood area of Ski Tuning, so I will attempt to shed a little light on the subject.

Base Bevel: The bevel angle chosen will determine the "ski feel-" forgiving vs. extremely responsive at the two ends of the spectrum.

Side Bevel: This will determine the "power" of the  ski- but with more power comes less forgiving- and less durable.

Remember: ALL SKIS MUST BE FLAT BEFORE BEGINNING BEVELING. The bevel guides rest on the base so if the base is not flat, the bevel will not be accurate.

Here are my beveling guidelines:

Youngest skiers (age 1-5 skis <110 CM):  1 degree base bevel, 1 degree side bevel (90 degrees)- and gummy-stone the edges down to remove the “edge.” All burrs should be eliminated. These skiers need a very friendly, forgiving ski. Keep the skis flat, structured and well waxed too so that they will glide and turn as easily as possible.

Young Hot Shot (age 3-6 skis 110-125 CM). Same tuning specs as above, except you can leave the edges a little sharper- only gummy stone them to smooth the burrs. Wax every day, and deburr the edges  every day.

Beginning Racers (age 6-8 skis 120-130 CM): If your young racers are beginning to use Race Style skis, you can begin to introduce acute angled edges. Stay with a 1 degree base bevel, but use a 2 degree side bevel. Smooth with a gummy after sharpening, but make sure the edge stays fairly sharp.

Developing Mighty Mites (age 7 -10 skis 125-150):  1 degree base bevel. The older, stronger skiers (of this group) can use a 3 degree side bevel- BUT ONLY IF THE SKIS ARE NEW ENOUGH AND WILL NOT BE HANDED DOWN. A 88 degree edge (90 – 3 + 1) is more fragile and will require more frequent sharpening, so the life of the skis will be reduced although the performance will increase.

Stronger U12 and U14 skiers: Stay with a 1 degree base bevel until the skier REALLY is getting precise- coach guidance is advised. Side bevel at 3 degrees will give all the performance they need. If the skier is not yet carving strongly, the extra bevel may not be needed… but it DOES make carving significantly easier and the carving action more powerful. In other words, if you have a casual racer more into the social aspect than the racing, use a 1 or 2 degree side bevel.

U14 and above discipline specific tuning:

Slalom:

These skis will be quicker edge to edge with LESS BASE BEVEL. The strongest skiers can use a 0.5 degree bevel- but the skis must be EXTREMELY flat, and they become very unforgiving.  Most skiers should be on a 0.75 degree base bevel. Side bevel: 3 degrees is plenty for most. Keep the edge VERY Sharp in hard conditions.

Giant Slalom:

Base bevel .075 – 1 degree. Less bevel = less forgiveness. Side bevel: 3 degrees for 98 percent of skiers.

SG:

Base bevel 1 degree. A “progressive bevel” can add forgiveness, but it complicate the tuning process considerably.

DH:

Same as SG.

Risks of High Bevel Angles ( <87 degrees) Ski life is considerably shortened, particularly in Slalom skis. The ski holds SO much harder that it twists and quickly fatigues. Also the edges are more fragile and require more frequent tuning. It is POSSIBLE to use a 4-5 degree bevel (on hard ice) and the performance of a fresh ski can be just amazing. But loads on the lower body joints are much higher too. Ankles can be injured unless ski boots are extremely precisely fitted. Knees can be injured unless the skiers is very strong and very confident. And if the ski comes off and hits you, those sharp edges can do some damage.

I recommend no more than a 3 degree side bevel until the skier has less than 90 USSA points in slalom and skis on hard snow a lot. You should have a quite a quiver of skis to work with at this point too- because the life of a slalom ski can be reduced to as little as 7-8 days on hard snow under the feet of a strong skier.

 

I get questions and comments about this blog in wax rooms all the time- from CMAC people and others. They give me more ideas on which way to take the blog and what people are interested in. We don't have much snow in the Pacific North West currently, so I know people are looking at skis in sad need of work. LET ME HELP YOU! Don't be shy.

I continue to bring many more ski, boot and binding tools than my son and I need to races and camps so that I can help. For a little while, I may carry my base welder along too, just in case. If you have a need, please look me up. I am pretty easy to find.

Remember- there is a ton of archived information in the BLOG INDEX. I left some headers as teasers (such as several advanced entries) as I know some concepts are more effectively  explained in person.

So this is a timely subject I think. Saturday, I was handed some of the most rock-damaged skis I have ever seen. Multiple core shots on each ski, and most of those were over 12 inches long!  Since the skis were only on their 3rd day on snow and seemed structurally fine,  it seemed a shame not to repair them.

Here are the skis before I started working:









Here are the skis after about 2 hours of work:


Not bad eh?
Steps to get from bad to better;
1.) Sand/Stone edges to remove rust and burrs- so that the edges do not destroy my tools.
2.) Plane away proud material from the base
3.) Use base welder to fill in BIG holes.
4.)  Use planer to remove excess p-tex.
5.) Stone/file/smooth side and base edges to restore edge finish/sharpness.
6.) Sand/brush/polish/restructure damaged base areas.
7.) Wax, scrape, brush and polish base.

Next, I will ski them side by side with brand new identical skis. If they pass my Ski Test, they will regain their place in The Family Quiver. 

Update: I skied a couple runs on the skis and they seem pretty good. For sure they are suitable as trainers. But it was so rocky I had to work on them some more. This will be a good season to learn how to repair gear.

I used www.Racewax.com and www.Tognar.com for many of the links today. When possible, I shop in town, but I cannot always find what I need. Sturtevants and World Cup both have a nice selection of tools and waxes, and their knowledge can be invaluable. (links may need to be pasted into your browser) Please ALSO look at the Blog Index- I may have already written something to answer your question. http://www.cmacskiracing.com/Tuning?mode=PostView&bmi=1149163
 
To do basic maintenance, you need:
1.) File/stone guides for side and base edges
My favorite base guides:
http://racewax.com/p-145-05-07-10-degree-base-bevel-file-guide-sks-set-all-3-angles.aspx
My favorite side guides:
http://racewax.com/p-22-88-degree-side-beast-edge-bevel-file-guide.aspx
Side edge planer: http://www.tognar.com/ergo-sidewall-planer-blades/
I have tried almost everything out there. These work the best for me.

2.) A file, a couple stones, some lubrication and a cleaning brush.
File: http://racewax.com/p-141-icecut-ski-snowboard-file-vallorbe-professional-6-inch.aspx
Diamond Stone:
http://racewax.com/p-304-diaface-moonflex-diamond-stone-100-mm-yellow-400-grit.aspx
Gumi Stone:
http://racewax.com/p-175-gumi-gummi-stone-fine-red.aspx
Brush: http://www.tognar.com/brass-supertooth-brush/
Lube: http://www.tognar.com/edge-polishing-solution-2-oz/
This is my favorite overall stone. The file is a medium-duty, high quality file. The gumi is to give a better final finish.

3.) A couple of good plastic scrapers
http://www.tognar.com/tognar-ski-wax-scraper-6/
You will need a way to keep them sharp too. Here is a simple design for a scraper sharpener: http://www.tognar.com/2011-tuning-tips-winner/

4.) A wax iron and/or wax wizard and/or cork
Iron in a kit: http://www.tognar.com/tognar-ski-hot-wax-kit-110v-usa-can/
Wax Wizard: http://www.tognar.com/wax-wizard-rub-in-ski-wax-no-iron-repl-covers/
Starting out, a good iron is needed. A digital iron is wonderful, but a bit of a luxury for most people. The Wax Wizard pays for itself the first day you use it with expensive waxes- like fluros.

5.) Base and wax brushes
There are some in the above wax kit or here is a nice little 3-brush kit:
http://racewax.com/p-176-racewax-brush-kit-set-of-three-nylon-horsehair-brass-ski-snowboard.aspx

6.) Wax:
http://www.tognar.com/hydrocarbon-ski-wax-economical-bulk-recreational-high-performance/
http://racewax.com/c-5-ski-snowboard-wax.aspx
HUGE subject. Here are some simple suggestions to get you started: Buy warm, cheap hydrocarbon wax for general ski cleaning and prep. Find a univeral temp low fluro wax for entry level racing.

7.) Vice and bench
http://www.tognar.com/tables-ski-waxing-snowboard-benches-nordic-profiles/

There are MANY approaches to benches and vices. I own several, and I have built many more. If you want my opinion just ask!

See you on the hill- Sun Peaks is coming SOON!!

Hi Y'all!  Hey, do you know about the US Ski Team's Dartfish TV? Lots of great videos, including this series about boot selection, fitting, etc. You may have to cut and paste these links into your browser.

Boot Selection and Fitting for Racers: http://www.dartfish.tv/Presenter.aspx?CR=p1490c3372m171650#!AQECAAECAAEBAQAAAQEBAgIBAAIACUVxdWlwbWVudAlTa2kgYm9vdHMAAQEBEXAxNDkwYzMzNzJtMTcxNjUwAAAA

Booster/Power Straps: http://www.dartfish.tv/Presenter.aspx?CR=p1490c3372m171650#!AQECAAECAAEBAQAAAQEBAgIBAAIACUVxdWlwbWVudAlTa2kgYm9vdHMAAQEBEXAxNDkwYzMzNzJtMTcxNjUxAAAA

Forward Lean and Softening: http://www.dartfish.tv/Presenter.aspx?CR=p1490c3372m171650#!AQECAAECAAEBAQAAAQEBAgIBAAIACUVxdWlwbWVudAlTa2kgYm9vdHMAAQEBEXAxNDkwYzMzNzJtMjA5NjYyAAAA

Liners: http://www.dartfish.tv/Presenter.aspx?CR=p1490c3372m171650#!AQECAAECAAEBAQAAAQEBAgIBAAIACUVxdWlwbWVudAlTa2kgYm9vdHMAAQEBEXAxNDkwYzMzNzJtMTcxNjUyAAAA

Coaches- I hope you are looking at this stuff for your racers and parents. Parents- please start with your kids' coach when thinking about boots. The coaches know their racers' skiing, and usually have some opinions about boots. Even if they are not comfortable on that subject, chances are they have a boot fitter referral or 2 they can give you.

And of course, you can always ask me too- although I may not give you a quick answer or recommend the cheapest solution.
See you on the hill! 

A few ski companies (Rossignol and Dynastar currently, and their Junior skis in particular) are finishing their skis using a process that creates EXTREMELY hard ski edges.  This might be a good thing- if you could use the skis "straight out of the box," but these skis also come quite concave, and with minimal side edge bevel. In other words, they NEED work in order to ski properly.

These hard edges will destroy even the best, hardest, and most expensive files- in just a few minutes- and the edges will still need work. So what can you do? Well,  you can (of course) hand the skis off to a shop and let them do the dirty work. But, if you need to (or prefer to) do the work yourself?

The trick here is cheap and simple, but time consuming and potentially hazardous to your fingers: Use strips of sandpaper to condition (soften) the edges BEFORE using stones or files.Cut 150-220 grit paper into 1/4 inch strips and sand the edges until the surface  is ready. I will add pictures to show you what it should look like. Be sure to wear cut-resistant gloves since you will be pushing against the edge with your fingers and thumb.

More to follow...

 3 Ideas/offers here:

1.) Since I will be at all the races on the u16 calendar this season (God willing), I think the best way I can help the u14/16 racers is to show up in the Wax Room every Race Day- and in Sun Peaks camp for about an hour. I will be happy to help with any technical tasks at that time. Expect to hear the exact time at the Team Meeting at each race.

2.) I will make my shop (and me) available for a bit of Private Wax/Tuning help on Tuesdays from September 24th- early February (not including Christmas or Thanksgiving) from 7-8 PM. Cost is $0 for CMAC U12-18 racers. Parents can come along (of course), but the MAIN help is for the kids. I will help the racers do whatever they need to do. Parents can watch enjoy an adult beverage perhaps. When it comes to tools and wax, if I don't have it, you don't need it. Just email me @ johnnybassboy@hotmail.com if interested.... or call me. U14/16 already should have my cell number. I can help with minor boot issues too...

3.) Drop me a note or call. I can answer some tuning and waxing questions pretty quickly. Although I must warn you that I cannot multi-task, so on the phone sometimes it may take me a few moments to mentally shift gears and be of much help.

Keep doing your Snow Dances. I am hoping to ski by Halloween!

Hey Gadget here, back from shooting video at Hood. Do you have a Sprongo account yet?
www.sprongo.com  IF you do NOT have an account and you have a racer in CMAC, please ask me or another coach. We will "invite" onto our team site. If you try independently, it is really easy to grab the wrong team.

CMAC has embraced online video, and we create and post up to several HUNDRED videos every week (during the peak of the season). As of this writing, there are over 12,000 videos already on our Team Site. IF you have a CMAC racer in your family, GET A SPRONGO ACCOUNT!!! You can watch your racer race and train from anywhere in the world with an internet connection... ANY TIME!!

Tuesday Wax Night: Coming to a neighborhood near you. I am planning to open my shop up for 2 hours a week for kids and parents u12 and up... and I might make an exception for a really On Fire U10 or two. I want to help KIDS learn to tune and repair skis and boots... I will not show parents very much at these sessions. I have 3 benches with vices, plenty of tools and wax, and I even a hotbox to get those race boards FAST!!  Did I mention this is a FREE service and that we will have Ski Movies (of some sort) playing?!

More info coming soon... ish.

1/11/13
Here is a GREAT link describing the boot fitting/alignment process from Spokane's website:
http://gossra.org/BootFittingandAlignment2006-07.htm
I have developed a few unique boot tuning tools and techniques. I won't post too much about them here, but if you have an interest in optimizing boot settings/tuning, drop me a note.



You probably don't think of Gadget as a Boot Guy, but I play with them almost as much as skis. Boots are even MORE critical than skis (or ski tuning), and most people only do the very basics with regards to fit, flex, function, stance, alignment, canting, ramp angle, and elasticity/responsiveness.

This is WAY too big of a topic for me to dive into without sufficient interest in the blogosphere, but I will try to gauge interest based on the email and/or comments on this site. I don't wish to bite off more than I can chew however- so let me know what you want/need, and I will go from there.

Oct. 29th:
Short Plug- 2 companies have help me a TON with boots in last few years, Tecnica and Intuition. Tecnica has developed some great boots, but especially has a very supportive race-rep Dave Glotzer. And support after the sale is more important than the sale itself- in my book. Intuition has developed a line of great products that solve a lot of warmth and fit issues. Crystal at Intuition has also given me world class support. I am shocked that I don't see more Intuition liners in race boots. Maybe people are scared to try something new. Especially with the new lace up and plug liners, DON'T BE SCARED, INTUITION MAKES GREAT RACE LINERS!!

December 17th:


After a lot of work, Tecnica Scout plug boots grinded, punched, canted, aligned, and molded to my son's feet. They ski great, as you might expect. So, the Tech boots are done, now I start on the Speed boots...

So for those of you experienced tuners who want MORE performance- I'm going to draw back the curtain a little bit on some more tricks. NOT everything at once, and these should not be used until you have a really good BASE of experience. Otherwise, these are like 12" of light powder over rocks: NOT good.

Please Remember- The Tuning Basics are ENOUGH for most tuners and racers. They are too much for some. This series is for those who want to get the last .05 seconds out of a pair of skis, AND they are ready to sweat the details, pay the $$ for tools/wax and work harder to do so

Prerequisites:
Before you get into the "Advance Tuning" side of things, you should already be:

* Tuning/waxing everyday.
* Have (and know how to use) files, stones, side and base guides, a range of brushes and waxes, base repair tools, etc. A fairly complete tool kit and a good understanding of their use.


I will show you:
* more ways to repair a damaged base
* ways to personalize how a ski performs
* ways to get even BETTER edge performance and durability
* ways to optimize waxes/waxing
* ways to spend MUCH more money on tools. I am always good for THAT one!

So dive it... and if you like it and want even more, by all means WRITE!! I MIGHT even read your email!