PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[2FUNKY]

Damn those graphics are sweet.

[::: :::]

mounted some pivots for the first time after doing many salomons and a handful of other makes. I put the glue down in the holes bfore realizing I was out of my element with the pivot heels. I basically manhandled them into the holes as the brake stomp pad and back screws were not making things easy for me.

Got em on, but could not have been by the book. Anyone recall where a tutorial on the pivot heels is to see it done correctly?

Attachment 194428

looks like a successful mount to me -- did you get the forward pressure nailed?
if you're in pdx, we could chat/drink over them if you want some help next time
i'm no shop tech but i've mounted them

[Boissal]

Mounted those for the lady friend yesterday, now she's gonna kick my ass at skiing too...
Note: small screw = best centerpunch used to date.

[2FUNKY]

Noice!

[klauss]

looks like a successful mount to me -- did you get the forward pressure nailed?
if you're in pdx, we could chat/drink over them if you want some help next time
i'm no shop tech but i've mounted them

thanks. Yeah, they are on there solid and correct. It just didn't seem like the heels should go on in the method I chose. I am used to having the brakes off on sallys, other bindings when mounting. I kept the brakes on the heels when I mounted these pivots...

[sb]

Killin sum time today, old set of K2 piste stinks and G3 cable binders now mated.

[Meadow Skipper]

Killin sum time today, old set of K2 piste stinks and G3 cable binders now mated.

It's 1998 all over again!

[Dee Hubbs]

thanks. Yeah, they are on there solid and correct. It just didn't seem like the heels should go on in the method I chose. I am used to having the brakes off on sallys, other bindings when mounting. I kept the brakes on the heels when I mounted these pivots...

It helps if the skis are in a vise, or on blocks. If you try to mount FKS heels with the skis flat on the bench you're gonna struggle and ovalize the holes in the skis. This is the number one reason for FKS tear outs.

[klauss]

It helps if the skis are in a vise, or on blocks. If you try to mount FKS heels with the skis flat on the bench you're gonna struggle and ovalize the holes in the skis. This is the number one reason for FKS tear outs.

I had the skis on blocks, but I had to manually press the brake pedal to access rear screws while trying to get the mount started. It was awkward. I could see someone potentially "ovalize the holes" trying to mount on flat surface. I was surprised how tight the heel hole pattern is on these.

[thefortrees]

Just drilled the first hole on my first mounting attempt. Alignment of the paper template is dialed in, but the bit drifted slightly (~.5mm) and the hand drill went in at a slight angle.

Amateur hour. I don't think my center punch was deep/wide enough. I used an 8d finishing nail.

Assuming all the other holes are drilled on point, I think I can recover from this no problem (just tighten this screw last?).

Few questions:
1) Any tips on recovering from a slightly off center hole in the toe piece?

2) This mount is Plum Guides. Going to ski them for a few days, then I want to install inserts and also mount a pair of STH. Should I glue in the Guides for the first mount or wait to glue until I install inserts?

3) Any tips to recover from an off-center/crooked hole when installing inserts?

[Timberridge]

So these are inserts?

Inserts don't tolerate much off-centeredness. But one way to correct this is to tap the hole at a bit of an angle and install the insert at a bit of an angle. The other is to use a slow setting epoxy and try to get the screw/insert to align with a bit of force.
You don't want to force the machine screw into an off center insert--you will just strip the threads on the screw and eventually the insert.

Some ski top sheets are slippery and to prevent the bit wandering on the next set of holes:
1. Use a binding specific bit and a real punch, not a nail or,
2. Drill a pilot hole with a 1/16" bit--if that wanders you can correct it.

Good luck.

[Norseman]

I had the skis on blocks, but I had to manually press the brake pedal to access rear screws while trying to get the mount started. It was awkward. I could see someone potentially "ovalize the holes" trying to mount on flat surface. I was surprised how tight the heel hole pattern is on these.

Next time... try tightening the front two screws of the heel to just snug before starting the rear ones. When you lift the brakes to access the rear screws, the heel assembly will stay flat on the ski.

Also, a slight countersink on the fresh holes helps to guide screws into place.

[whatsupdoc]

Just drilled the first hole on my first mounting attempt. Alignment of the paper template is dialed in, but the bit drifted slightly (~.5mm) and the hand drill went in at a slight angle.

Amateur hour. I don't think my center punch was deep/wide enough. I used an 8d finishing nail.

Assuming all the other holes are drilled on point, I think I can recover from this no problem (just tighten this screw last?).

Few questions:
1) Any tips on recovering from a slightly off center hole in the toe piece?

2) This mount is Plum Guides. Going to ski them for a few days, then I want to install inserts and also mount a pair of STH. Should I glue in the Guides for the first mount or wait to glue until I install inserts?

3) Any tips to recover from an off-center/crooked hole when installing inserts?

Tech bindings especially plums with a metal base won't tolerate much misalignment. The heel pins need to line up perfectly. Inserts have pretty much zero tolerance (less so than regular screws) so you need to get it right.

If you're going to inserts anyways 100% I'd just fill that 1 hole now with machinable epoxy and re drill correctly. Use the small starting bit on this hole when re drilling to get it right. Then drill the other holes. Do a test mount with regular screws. If that's good then you can enlarge the holes for inserts.

If you're not using inserts then you might get away with correcting that error while tightening the bindings down (do it slowly with the boot as a guide for pin alignment) but no guarantee. If you do this with inserts however you run the risk of the insert going in crooked and that error will be compounded with inserts. Then you'd be SOL.

[Norseman]

Edit... ^ this guy beat me to it.

Just drilled the first hole on my first mounting attempt. Alignment of the paper template is dialed in, but the bit drifted slightly (~.5mm) and the hand drill went in at a slight angle.

Amateur hour. I don't think my center punch was deep/wide enough. I used an 8d finishing nail.

Assuming all the other holes are drilled on point, I think I can recover from this no problem (just tighten this screw last?).

Few questions:
1) Any tips on recovering from a slightly off center hole in the toe piece?

2) This mount is Plum Guides. Going to ski them for a few days, then I want to install inserts and also mount a pair of STH. Should I glue in the Guides for the first mount or wait to glue until I install inserts?

3) Any tips to recover from an off-center/crooked hole when installing inserts?

1. Get the heels in place, then start all the toe screws but don't torque em. Click a boot into the pincers and make sure the heel pins line up with the boot heel slots, shifting the toe piece as needed, then torque the front screws with the boot still clicked in. You'll set the correct alignment even with one wonky screw.

2. Glue is mostly to keep water out of the core... and it won't hinder the second drilling for inserts. A vote for gluing the Plums even for only a couple days.

3. Do you have access to a drill press? If you can clamp the ski flat to the table, the press should make a straight hole with the larger diameter, stiffer tap drill bit for the inserts. If you don't have access to a drill press, you could make a drill guide out of a piece of metal or wood to clamp to the ski.

When installing the inserts, use a long set epoxy and mount the bindings in em quick to help pull the inserts straight and true to the binding holes. The thread class allows a tiny amount of wiggle, and this has helped me get clean running screws from imperfect templates/drilling in the past.

Good luck.

[auvgeek]

Agree with the blonde viking. I've fixed many a messed up hand mount with that technique.

One additional tip: sometimes one boot will align better based on slight deviations in the boot's tech inserts. So sometimes a R and L ski makes sense if you've botched the mount. YMMV.

[Timberridge]

3. Do you have access to a drill press? If you can clamp the ski flat to the table, the press should make a straight hole with the larger diameter, stiffer tap drill bit for the inserts. If you don't have access to a drill press, you could make a drill guide out of a piece of metal or wood to clamp to the ski.

I'm amazed at how many here need a drill press or guide block to drill a straight 9mm hole. Practice on a piece of wood until you figure out how to hold a drill?

It is important that you tap vertically with inserts though

[N1CK.]

My drill has a level on it. I've had good results on 4-5 pairs of skis so far. Doing my first inserts soon.

[Norseman]

I'm amazed at how many here need a drill press or guide block to drill a straight 9mm hole. Practice on a piece of wood until you figure out how to hold a drill?

It is important that you tap vertically with inserts though

"Need" is subjective of course...

If you happen to have one in the shop, they make for easy ass ski drillin. I like having a redundant depth stop, too.

[Timberridge]

Yes, or buy one of those Dewalts with a bubble level ^^^

You could drill the most perfectly vertical hole with a press, then if you 1) go screw the insert in w/o tapping or 2) don't take you time and tap slowly and carefully...

[Meadow Skipper]

Yes, or buy one of those Dewalts with a bubble level ^^^

Bubble level drill - $65
Garage sale drill press - $40
Amount of time saved w/drill press (and not practicing) - $∞

Which is to say, I <3 my {cheap from a garage sale) drill press for mounting tech bindings.

[Timberridge]

Amount of grief saved by wife not asking "where the hell do you intend to put that thing?" - $∞



Plus the ability to drill a straight hole also comes in handy for holes that are horizontal. I've never tried to drill a horizontal hole (i.e., for a lock set) w/ a press but it looks difficult.

[XXX-er]

just gona go ahead and point out if you use my wine cork ghetto depth gauge it lets you 2 hand the drill and hold it right at the end of the bit for more stability

I m not into the insert thing my reasoning being why use a product that would take away the reasons to buy more skis but I would assume you really need to drill that hole perpendicular ?

[HHTELE]

just gona go ahead and point out if you use my wine cork ghetto depth gauge it lets you 2 hand the drill and hold it right at the end of the bit for more stability

I m not into the insert thing my reasoning being why use a product that would take away the reasons to buy more skis but I would assume you really need to drill that hole perpendicular ?

I think you have this wrong. Inserts are actually an excuse to buy new skis: "Well, these are on sale, and I won't even need new bindings..."

[thefortrees]

Just finished mounting a ski for the first time. One plank left to go... Turned out perfect from what I can tell, and wanted to share some tips I picked up along the way. It really is a straight forward process like all the mags say. Just takes patience and measuring, re-measuring, and re-measuring.

- For first attempts, definitely do dry runs on 2x4s until you're comfortable. Took me 4 practice mounts to work out issues.

- Use Jondrum's paper templates. Take more time than you expect to align them - measure using several different methods. These forums, Binding Freedom's Youtube tutorials, WildSnow.com, and other random blogs are very helpful for this.

- The paper templates aren't guaranteed to line up down to the mm, so don't blindly start drilling. Use them as a starting point and fine tune with the actual bindings.

- If you don't have a drill press, buy one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Gator-Tools-S.../dp/B0061FY004

- Punch holes well so the drill bit doesn't drift. I had one drift about .5mm on the toe but I was able to recover because the other holes were spot on.

- Drill first with a small starter bit, lay binding on top to verify center, then drill with the larger bit.

- For tech bindings, drill one hole on the toe piece. Screw it in a few turns to hold the toe, then start mounting the heel piece. Click in the boot and use this position as the final template for the remaining holes in the heel and toe. This is where I noticed the paper template was off a bit. Glad a mag suggested this approach.

[ski-wpk]

Mounted my own f'ing (rock) skis and it took way longer than it should have. Hardest part was figuring out mount point.

First day on them today and no rip-outs. Phew.