Mantra construction knowledge needed for inserts

[i killed judas.]

So I am going to pull the trigger and [attempt to] put inserts in a new pair of Mantra's. If it works, I am going to put inserts in the rest of my skis and switch a pair of Dukes around on all of them.

This will also make packing skis a lot easier and lighter.

I made a thread about the possibility of doing this here:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=113720

so now I just need to decide what insert I am going to use. This is all dependent upon the construction of a Mantra. Does it have the same titanium top sheet with wood core or whatever as the Katana? Or is it all wood?

I am a total tech jong, but I am no stranger to power tools.

If this does work, I will be posting a full tutorial on how to do this, including pictures, in Tech Talk. I know a lot of you have shown interest in being able to do this because it cuts down costs on tens of bindings for your quiver.

[XtrPickels]

sooo you're going to helicoil the mounting holes so its metal on metal right?

I could see an issue with sealing it from water getting to the core

[flip]

From everything that was posted when the Explosive was retired the Mantra is two sheets of titanal sandwiching a fiberglass-wrapped (sock-style, not sandwich) wood core.

[Skunkeee]

i dont know if its the same as the katana but i do know there is a lot of metal in the mantra. When i mounted mine it felt like i never hit wood.

[skiwithcharlie]

Dont fucking put inserts (heli-coils) on a new pair of Mantras. I know what your thinking and its not a dumb idea but, just a bad one! Each heli-coil requires you to drill a pretty huge hole in your ski, putting 8 of them per ski will affect its flex and durability, void all warranty and make its resale value close to nothing. 8 heli-coils=30 regular drilling's. Dont do it, just buy another set of Dukes instead of ruining all you skis....

[i killed judas.]

Dont fucking put inserts (heli-coils) on a new pair of Mantras. I know what your thinking and its not a dumb idea but, just a bad one! Each heli-coil requires you to drill a pretty huge hole in your ski, putting 8 of them per ski will affect its flex and durability, void all warranty and make its resale value close to nothing. 8 heli-coils=30 regular drilling's. Dont do it, just buy another set of Dukes instead of ruining all you skis....

they're not heli-coils....

they're threaded inserts. it requires a hole 3/8".

[i killed judas.]

sooo you're going to helicoil the mounting holes so its metal on metal right?

I could see an issue with sealing it from water getting to the core

a product called Silastic 734 will take care of that