PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[XXX-er]

Are the stamped lines in the sidewalls from smaller companies accurate (moment ON3P, etc)? I don’t use anything printed on the top sheets graphics from the bigs but curious what others have found.


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I think almost all the time they are accurate but only if they are accurate, sometimes the line can be printed in the wrong place so you wana check both skis

If you measure (or at least check) from tail and put your own line on a piece of painters tape with a T-square crisscrossing the lines from both steel edges it will be accurate

sometimes you wana find out probably on-line where others have mounted your model of ski and that would probably be asking a pro about a free-ridey ski

a recovering ski tech/ good carpenter showed me some layout tricks ^^ measuring for boot center would be one another tourist info type tip was slide the pencil down between the edges of skis sitting side by each till it stops then swap the skis, the pencil should stop in the same place but sometimes it was way off

[Core Shot]

I use a 16p framing nail. Or a screw. Whoever’s handy. Good whack with a hammer does the trick.

Never had a wanderer.

As for drills? Don’t cheap out. Buy a real ski bit. The guaranteed depth and chamfer are worth the price.

[Wes Mantooth]

Yeah I've never messed around with non ski specific bits. Heard bad stories of tape collars slipping and I like the free chamfer

[XXX-er]

A piece of wood with a hole thru it so the right amount of bit sticks out, usually a wine bottle cork, if the bit slips you just don't drill deep enough so tighten the drill and do it again

turn a 3/8th bit by hand for the chamfer

[skifishbum]

ill just leave a little myofs stoke here


and let xxx get back to pretending to be a ski mounting authority

[XXX-er]

Pretty skis ^^

If someone asks I give an answer and they are free to do wtf they want

just like any other person/ any other post

I have always wondered why you the authority show up here other than to diss someone or something ?

[UpperDaze]

Mounted both of these babies up today, shout out to tgapp for letting me borrow a jig and waxloaf for the sick deal on the la machines!

[oetk2]

Swapped some pivots onto my BGs in place of the sth2s that were there. Ended up being able to reuse 2 of the toe holes. Ended up 7mm behind the line but hoping my more aggressive boots even that out.

[halliday]

^^Nice

[Boissal]

use a drill guide to make sure your bit doesn't wander in the small awl/punch hole and it keeps it straight up and down.. you can get one for $10

This is real good advice. I've done dozens of free hand mounts and never had any real issues but a bunch of the screws always went in crooked. That tends to pull the binding sideways, even if the other 3 holes are perfect and those screws go in and get fully tightened first (I have one dynafit toepiece in particular with a shitty hole that misaligned the boot heel by a mm or so, never cause a problem but I hate knowing that it's there). I had 3 pairs to mount yesterday and decided to swing by the store and get a block. It made life so much easier, especially for Ms Boissal's skis which have a metal layer and required a shitload of pressure to get through. Without the block I bet I'd have leaned the bit a bunch while hamming on it and it would have punched through the softer layers at whatever angle I was pushing. Too bad the block didn't have the correct size for the tap, getting those threads straight while maintaining constant pressure is a hassle.
Re: punch, I get good results using a sharpened nail to punch through the template and make a tiny pilot divot then using a regular punch to deepen that. I don't know how much value you get out of a fancy punch, realistically being 1/10 of a mm off with the punch is gonna make less difference than a crooked hole IMO.

4-beer job with paper templates, first time mounting real skis in 15+ years. Cranking the screws in a sandwich that isn't pure carbon and resin is so nice, I didn't feel like I'd get a spinner if I went a tiny bit too hard:



The weight though, holy shit real skis + real bindings weigh all the pounds!!

[Dantheman]

Whoa, you're riding lifts this year?! Where at?

For slumming it inbounds the weight is your friend.

[Boissal]

Whoa, you're riding lifts this year?! Where at?

For slumming it inbounds the weight is your friend.

Alta this season, I needed the peace of mind of a guaranteed parking spot for my first time back in the zoo.
I figured it was time, I may get the little one on skis later this season but mostly life and work are getting way busier. I may get a dozen chances to get out for a full day this season and I have a really hard time getting inspired for shorter tours. Resort seems ideal for the shorter 3-hour windows which I still manage to find. Plus I need to remember how to actually ski, after 15 years of touring I'm sure I've reverted back to being a complete beater despite my delusions of grandeur
I'm really looking forward to being on gear that is actually supportive to be honest. I've completely forgotten what it feels like. First time I flexed the new alpine boots on carpet I realized that all the hype about stiffness and progressive flex, even for modern beefier touring boots, is just hype.

[waxman]

Are the stamped lines in the sidewalls from smaller companies accurate (moment ON3P, etc)? I don’t use anything printed on the top sheets graphics from the bigs but curious what others have found.


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not on DPS

[Dantheman]

I'm really looking forward to being on gear that is actually supportive to be honest. I've completely forgotten what it feels like. First time I flexed the new alpine boots on carpet I realized that all the hype about stiffness and progressive flex, even for modern beefier touring boots, is just hype.

It's gonna be like getting back on the big bike after being on something noodlier than the stumpy for 15 years.

[jhyatt]

Supervised my 15 year old mounting his own skis.
All good!
I have been using clear roo glue as recommended by the local experienced ski tech but it was dried out so I used some basic wood glue I had.
What glue are you all using? I know not to use epoxy and the glue just keeps the water out.
I have mounted a ton of skis at this point. Ski specific bits have maybe dulled? How many mounts do you get?
Any tips for going straight down into the ski as opposed to at an angle?
Besides getting a jig

[::: :::]

Nice!

[Spyderjon]

I'd recommend wearing shoes for when you drop the hammer!

[PNWcement]

Supervised my 15 year old mounting his own skis.
All good!
I have been using clear roo glue as recommended by the local experienced ski tech but it was dried out so I used some basic wood glue I had.
What glue are you all using? I know not to use epoxy and the glue just keeps the water out.
I have mounted a ton of skis at this point. Ski specific bits have maybe dulled? How many mounts do you get?
Any tips for going straight down into the ski as opposed to at an angle?
Besides getting a jig

Maybe find something like this to keep the drill bit straight and centered - just clamp it down to the ski surface. Some of the ski tool vendors in here sell something similar - tognar/slidewright/binding freedom




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[fleaches]

Any tips for going straight down into the ski as opposed to at an angle?
Besides getting a jig

Get a drill guide and clamp it. I used to use this one from binding freedom https://www.bindingfreedom.com/drill...elf-centering/

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[jhyatt]

Maybe find something like this to keep the drill bit straight and centered - just clamp it down to the ski surface. Some of the ski tool vendors in here sell something similar - tognar/slidewright/binding freedom




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That works for ski specific bits? That are stepped?

[PNWcement]

That works for ski specific bits? That are stepped?

If you mean standard ski drill bits then yes - the key is the size of the shank - 5/16” size drill bit guide - see pic - I’ve got other ski mounting bits besides those pictures and they all work - including the 12ab tap for metal skis…




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[jhyatt]

If you mean standard ski drill bits then yes - the key is the size of the shank - 5/16 - see pic - I’ve got other ski mounting bits besides those pictures and they all work - including the 12ab tap for metal skis…




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Super useful thanks!

[PNWcement]

Super useful thanks!

NP - go forth and continue mounting some f’ing skis!


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[XXX-er]

"" What glue are you all using? I know not to use epoxy and the glue just keeps the water out.""

I always use epoxy but epoxy is so good it will stick very well to the screw so the next person trying to remove a screw might strip the head

You don't know how a ski was mounted SO the thing to do is hit ANY screw that won't come out easily on any ski with a soldering iron to break the glue loose, suggest stopping before you melt the plastic shim

if the screw is deep in a binding hole run the shank end of a 1/4 drill bit on the screw head at high speed, the friction will create heat and break loose whatever the glue is

[TahoeJosh]

I use and like Roo Glue. I find it much easier/more convenient than epoxy and have never had a failure after dozens of alpine and AT mounts. If I ever found myself mounting a tele binding, I might reach for epoxy…