Best thing I learned at Ski Tech Class

[splat]

I find your advice most applicable to new skis especially, bossass. The bases really need to soak it up. If you're just ironing, they'll look dry as hell at the end of the first day. But a few repeats and they start filling in.

[summit]

No need to scrape and repeat. Simply iron, let cool, reiron, let cool, etc 4 or 5 times. It accomplishes the same thing in the end.

[gravitylover]

No need to scrape and repeat. Simply iron, let cool, reiron, let cool, etc 4 or 5 times. It accomplishes the same thing in the end.

Umm, nope. Each time you heat the base impurities float out. You want to scrape that stuff off before you heat the ski again. As an extension of that thought, always use a good pure citrus cleaner on the base before waxing and then DON"T TOUCH IT before you apply your wax as the oils from your fingers will cause the wax to float and it will never get into the base.

[summit]

Umm, nope. Each time you heat the base impurities float out. You want to scrape that stuff off before you heat the ski again. As an extension of that thought, always use a good pure citrus cleaner on the base before waxing and then DON"T TOUCH IT before you apply your wax as the oils from your fingers will cause the wax to float and it will never get into the base.

I was taught that base cleaner dissolves wax. Is this false?

Also, your theory would mean the bake the skis in a hot box method would not work because no impurities would be removed

[skinnyskier]

Wax box is more important for nordic skis, where wax saturation of the base is kind of important for good glide. If my alpine skis get waxed every so often, that seems fine. BTW, Toko makes a good wax box/bag.

[SafteySquad]

Does it matter if you hotbox your skis with the bindings on? I just bought a new pair of boards and they aren't mounted yet. Should I box them before mounting them, or does it really matter?

[m1e448]

You can hotbox with or without bindings it doesn't matter

[Skip Dooley]

good stuff.
as for Zardoz, the teflon will impregnate your bases( ) and not come out.
wax will not soak into the bases very well after this.

.02

[upallnight]

I, too, learned that using a citrus base cleaner is actually counter-productive on a regular basis. Perhaps on the every-once-in-a-while complete tune (where you go through the process of laying down multiple layers of wax afterwards) it is OK...but I've been advised not to do this with every wax (and bases of my skis seem healthier when I've not done this). It's been many years since I gave that practice up.

-e

[bossass]

I, too, learned that using a citrus base cleaner is actually counter-productive on a regular basis. Perhaps on the every-once-in-a-while complete tune (where you go through the process of laying down multiple layers of wax afterwards) it is OK...but I've been advised not to do this with every wax (and bases of my skis seem healthier when I've not done this). It's been many years since I gave that practice up.

-e

My understanding as well. And if you're doing a tune (base grind, stone grind) it's going to shave off the layer of p-tex with wax in it anyways. Citrus cleaner is good for getting stickers off, though.

[dubu]

so when did this becone epicski can annyone comment on my angulation.. I think its making me ski slow...