Swiss cheese

[CUBUCK]

I know this was discussed before, probably a number of times but I can't find the thread or threads. How many holes are to many. Is throwing a 4th pair of holes into a burly ski suicide or doable if everything has been plugged properly??

Some background Found a pair of iggies I want to get my hands on but they have already been drilled 3 times.

Thanks in advance

[TomK]

Having read this Q and the replies from many folks with shop and used stick experiences over the last several years...up to three sets of holes is OK, but four would really be pushing it even for Iggys in all thier burlyness.

Factors for going ahead anyway:
Are they cheap? (enough to be an alternate quiver ski and not your only pair)
Are they FATS? (Wider would mean more wood)
Are you are a bantam or heavyweight? (light ok)
Take a lot of big air or drops?
Are the old (and new) holes widly separated from each other?

Anyway, thats my two cents. (and I'm overcharging.)

[Arnoldtheskier]

Here's what I do.Sorry this is longsomeone had a JUNK ski..JUNK!..Drilled a few times..THEN drilled AGAIN SO close to the other holes that the new hole literally was next to the old hole.Whoever did this THOUGHT there was enough beef in the metal plate to hold it.OF COURSE! it tore out..THEN he found another bright light that said NOW a heli-coil would hold it.Right.Tore out.AND a chunk too.He mentioned this to me in passing..I work with fiberglass now and again.I said this was the ONLY hope..AND it was faint..LOL..I WOULDN'T ski them! I offered to "try" it for free for him..THEN relegate him AND skis to the bunny hill.I cleaned up the mess..chamferred ALL the tops of the screw holes.I use HIGH quality resin(polyester).Get it from a plastic supplier..maybe a boat builder/dealer.FORGET the resin at auto stores/bargain houses.You need a very accurate way of measuring the resin and a graduated eye dropper to measure the hardener accurately.You NEED a good mix.Not too little or too much hardener.You will also need an eyedropper to inject the liquid res in the holes.Once in there you must also poke a nail or something in there to make sure there are no air bubbles.Fill the hole.You WILL have to do this a few times AFTER you think it is done.After filling these skis I drilled and screwed a screw in.Felt real good!..so I mounted then up.Felt solid and were.Never came loose.I started doing this with EVERY ski I worked on from then on.Old holes..chamfer/fill with the res.Holes that are chewed up I drill a bit oversize then using a smaller bit I work it around a bit at an angle..trying to expand the bottom 1/2 or so of the hole a bit wider than the rest.This way when you fill the hole the area at the bottom of the hole will be wider AND so will the top chamferred area.This will be like a fiberglas plug that CAN'T pull out..PLUS it will have a great bond to the surrounding area.Then it is just like mounting a blank ski.Drill,chamfer.I have NEVER had one come out.I don't even use heli-coils anymore.For even greater strength you can use strands of chopped glass and insert them in the holes with the res. like upright nails..then cut them off.I have never had to do this though.You can even tint the resin to match the skis.