Skinny binding jig solution

Awhile back, I bought a Salomon x97 series jig from marshal, and have been trying to figure out how to use it on fat skis. I gave up on fabricating any sort of adapter bracket, and just bent the jig arms out more-or-less straight, so they don't touch the ski any more. Bending the arms was easy using some large adjustable wrenches for leverage. I also cut the rubber feet off the jig, which made it easier to grab the jig arms with the wrenches.

I mounted some Volkl Explosivs this evening for my wife using the armless jig. Works fine -- just measure carefully from the edges of the ski to the jig, with calipers, making sure that the jig is centered all the way along. I measured at 4 places along the ski, basically at each side of the 4 binding holes at the toe, and the 4 binding holes at the heel. I clamped the jig to the ski and to the workbench under the ski with 3 C-clamps to hold everything steady. Bindings mounted up perfectly straight.

Incidentally, I didn't bother tapping the threads on the topsheet, even though this is supposedly recommended for skis with a metal layer at the top surface. I tested this out yesterday with some junk skinny Kastles, which had a thicker layer of metal at the topsheet than the Explosivs. The holes basically self-tap when you thread in the screws. I used a 4.1x9mm drill bit. The screws threaded in easily into the Explosivs, by hand.

So if anyone has a skinny jig that they're wondering how to use on fat skis, this is it. Just measure many, many times before drilling.

Nice work. I was wondering about that, coincidentally. :yourock:

sweet. glad its up an running...

I just set the rubber feet right on the topsheet and make sure its centered. When I'm satisfied with the positioning, I take the drill bit itself in my hand and mark the topsheet by rotating the bit in my fingers. When I have marked the position of all the holes, I remove the jig, double check the position of the holes by measuring, then drill.

Because the jig sits up higher over the ski, and there is really nothing holding it in place, I am hesitant to drill through the jig. Marking it first seems to work pretty well.

I used my tyrolia jig to drill my boot hole pattern in a 3/4" sheet ripped 3" wide. Basically making a template of my typical mount in wood without damaging the jig. I've used the wood pattern 3 times this year for fat skis.

The wood is center marked with a hole on either end of the wood at the center. I mask tape the wide ski and mark the center well outside the binding pattern but at the length of my wood template. Lay my 3" wide by ~24" long wood over the top and with the center hole over the center line of the masking tape at either end I then clamp the wood with 4 large spring clamps. Using a 5/32" drill bit (~4.1 mm) I drill lightly in the ski leaving a dimple. Follow this up with a traditional 4.1X9mm bit.