PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[Reformed]

Mounted another pair of skis last night. In the future I am going to kill more trees and use a fresh template for each ski. Trying to hit the cross-hairs on a previously-punched template is a little difficult. All worked out well, but a couple of my holes weren't bang on, which would be an issue for inserts. They were good enough for dynafits, so they were damn close, but not perfect. Thanks again to the developers and keepers of the templates.

[pfluffenmeister]

mounted a pair of fucking skis for my brother-in-law.


having a jig doesn't hurt; i think that i have done at least 10 fucking projects with that thing.

[JayPowHound]

I have a confession to make... I bought my wife skis and brought them to the (very reputable) shop to get mounted.

That decision was a direct result of an alcohol induced mishap while mounting my brand new fucking Praxis 9D8s last week...




I started the project a couple few beers in, and went thought a few salomon template printings until I got the scale right. Little did I know that somehow a misprinted heel template had found its way into the pile of paper that was to accompany me to the basement..

Sure enough, I laid out the templates on my carefully measured center line, checked it twice, punched my holes, and fired up the drill. I screwed in the toe without any issues, but when I put down the heel piece it quickly became apparent that the holes were spaced too far apart. I could align the front, center, or rear holes but when I did the others were all too far off to make it work.

Luckily (and much thanks to this thread and forum) I had the appropriate tools and knowledge to resolve the issue. The holes were close enough that I could selectively drill bigger ones in the proper directions to make helicoils work without having to plug stuff up and start over.

On the plus side, I was already planning on upgrading this mount to inserts sometime soon so the bigger holes aren't a big deal..

On the negative side, if my midsole position had been off (which it looks like it's not, but I had been concerned it might be) I would have had a set of oversized, helicoiled heel holes that I would have had to deal with pulling/plugging/etc..



To draw this blog to a conclusion: I fucked up my new skis. Not to the point that it's a big deal, and not to a point that I couldn't fix em... but I fucked em up. I didn't want to take that risk with the wife's new skis, so I brought em to the pros. At least if they fucked em up they'd replace em. (They didn't. All is good.)

Lessons learned:

Check print scaling on every page. If you've printed multiple versions, double check everything before use.

Visually align binding to template before drilling. Every time.

The bindingfreedom guide block is the shit, it allows precise drunken helicoil placement as needed!

[PlayItLeo]

Just mounted my new pair of fucking skis over lunch break. Fucking One Life's with fucking 997s. Keeps getting easier...

[Timberridge]

Lessons learned:

Check print scaling on every page. If you've printed multiple versions, double check everything before use.

Visually align binding to template before drilling. Every time.

IDK if most people are using paper templates, but I have learned to print out the final (correctly scaled) templates on transparency film for a few reasons.
1. It's easier to match up the centerline and boot bsl marks.
2. It's easier to double check that hole centers line up with the binding holes (Flip the binding over and overlay the transparency sheet)
3. If you use a fine point punch to mark the topsheet, you can reuse the template. It makes a nice hole in the transparency that speeds up the centerpunch process on the next mount.

Making the final template on a transparency greatly eliminates the potential to use the wrong sheet.

[Ted Striker]

^^^ solid advice.

[Shorty_J]

...but I have learned to print out the final (correctly scaled) templates on transparency film for a few reasons

Will any old print shop be able to do this?

[~mikey b]

You can do it at home. Buy transparency sheets. Easy

[Timberridge]

You can do it at home. Buy transparency sheets. Easy

Btw. I have never used an inkjet to print on film, just a laser. If you have a laser printer just make sure to buy the film for that kind of printer.

The film is not cheap ~$15 for 25 sheets, but it sure makes things less fuckupable.

Worse comes to worse I'm sure the local Staples will do it for you.

[dark_star]

IDK if most people are using paper templates, but I have learned to print out the final (correctly scaled) templates on transparency film for a few reasons.
1. It's easier to match up the centerline and boot bsl marks.
2. It's easier to double check that hole centers line up with the binding holes (Flip the binding over and overlay the transparency sheet)
3. If you use a fine point punch to mark the topsheet, you can reuse the template. It makes a nice hole in the transparency that speeds up the centerpunch process on the next mount.

Making the final template on a transparency greatly eliminates the potential to use the wrong sheet.

This is a great idea, thanks!

[iamchappy]

Yep thats how i do it, printing on the transparent sheets is the way to go

[sb]

Despite supersukass snow conditions I am mounting up the Tycooooons today with Rossi FKS clamps. May skip beer and go straight to shots of shine.

[sb]

Holy shit that was easy. The alcohol did not even take effect yet.

Jiggyrex FTW!

[blackdog102395]

Another +1 for the transparency template. Crazy, everything is easier when transparent.

[HHTELE]

Just mounted some fritchis on Palmer all mountain skis with a buddy who's 13 year old is going to start skinning stuff with him. We only had 2 beers each, and one of the bindings came out significantly angled- It won't be noticed wile skiing, but still a little annoying- on principle.

Last time around, I drank 3 beers and a bunch of rum- mounted 3/3 perfectly straight.

Coincidence?

[BigLineSeeker]

I want to give this a go tomorrow but am short a 4.1mm x 9mm drill bit. Does anyone in the Fernie area have one I could borrow?

If not I can just use a 5/32" bit with a depth marker on it but I would prefer a real bit if possible (local shops are not too keen to sell me one)

[dschane]

Just mounted some fritchis on Palmer all mountain skis with a buddy who's 13 year old is going to start skinning stuff with him. We only had 2 beers each, and one of the bindings came out significantly angled- It won't be noticed wile skiing, but still a little annoying- on principle.

Last time around, I drank 3 beers and a bunch of rum- mounted 3/3 perfectly straight.

Coincidence?

Been there. If you haven't seen this, it's somewhat useful in that scenario:

"If you find the binding rail is out of line a small amount to left or right (usually due to slight ms-alignment of toe unit screw holes), try simply holding binding rail over in correct direction while you tighten screws. If that doesn't do it, remove some of the front screws and look for which screw holes line up the best with binding when the binding rail is aligned with the heel unit. Insert those screws first. These methods are usually all you need to get perfect alignment."

http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/fri...-freeride.html

[BigLineSeeker]

I want to give this a go tomorrow but am short a 4.1mm x 9mm drill bit. Does anyone in the Fernie area have one I could borrow?

If not I can just use a 5/32" bit with a depth marker on it but I would prefer a real bit if possible (local shops are not too keen to sell me one)

Solution found - time for beer and 2x4 then skis if all goes well

[HHTELE]

Been there. If you haven't seen this, it's somewhat useful in that scenario:

"If you find the binding rail is out of line a small amount to left or right (usually due to slight ms-alignment of toe unit screw holes), try simply holding binding rail over in correct direction while you tighten screws. If that doesn't do it, remove some of the front screws and look for which screw holes line up the best with binding when the binding rail is aligned with the heel unit. Insert those screws first. These methods are usually all you need to get perfect alignment."

http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/fri...-freeride.html

I am pretty familiar with that. I think the template was off, but drilled perfectly. Was a bit surprised no combo of tightening would do it. I quit messing with it while the screws still had good bite, put the heel in position to work functionally perfect, and highly doubt anybody skiing them will notice.

[Cocximus]

Cut my skins... same edge twice.

[hopelesslyadolescent]

Thanks, daught, kind of you to help me feel better about my own lapses of attention.

[lynchdogger]

Cut my skins... same edge twice.

Ouch. I hate those momentary lapses of cognition.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

[sb]

DOH!!!!!!!

[Jethro]

Skin cuts like that are why the G3 skin cutter is so nice. Just center the skins and cut both sides and you are done. None of the cut, reposition, cut again like the Black Diamond instructions have you do

[Stowelen]

Agreed G3 skin cutter is tits.