PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[tdpdx]

I'm starting to get the impression that the rules about filling holes and mounting bindings close to old holes are just guidelines. Which is nice, if true.

Not sure exactly what you mean here, but I wouldn't put holes closer than 10 mm center to center. My Woodsmans now have 3 sets of toe holes and 2 set of heel holes, the smallest gap between holes on the current mount is 13mm. I'm not worried, especially with the solid construction of ON3Ps.

Real question is, what do I have to do to the nearest old mount holes if I want to install inserts? Are the ABS plugs fine or do I need to fill them with high peel epoxy?

[XXX-er]

you could plug the old unused holes with dowel/ bbq skewer/ plastic plugs

I'm starting to get the impression that the rules about filling holes and mounting bindings close to old holes are just guidelines. Which is nice, if true.

leave 1cm between holes, overlap holes filled with wooden dowels or BBQ skewers glued in with slowset unicorn jizz, overlap holes in plastic plugs = yer best to worst practices

Its all good

until it isnt

at which point you may be a dumbass

[tang]

Another question out to the collective wisdom here... if inheriting some skis with a bunch of un-useable inserts (ie, tele) that I can still work around, best to just leave the inserts in or remove and fill with epoxy & fiberglass/skewers? From a strength standpoint. (Maybe worth harvesting the inserts for future projects)
And I guess a question #2 - for epoxy + fiberglass filler concoction, best to use FG insulation or chop up some FG repair fabric? I'm now blanking on what I read a while back and can't find it now.
Thx!

[XXX-er]

I would just leave the inserts in the ski so you don't need to do anything but mount another binding

if you feel the need to complicate your life unnecessarliy I would use FG cloth & slowset chopped up into 1/2" pieces reason being the hole into a ski is about 1/2 inch in depth

I have never used FG insulation but it might work

[tang]

^^^Thx... the complication is tempting

[NW_SKIER]

Not sure exactly what you mean here, but I wouldn't put holes closer than 10 mm center to center. My Woodsmans now have 3 sets of toe holes and 2 set of heel holes, the smallest gap between holes on the current mount is 13mm. I'm not worried, especially with the solid construction of ON3Ps.

Real question is, what do I have to do to the nearest old mount holes if I want to install inserts? Are the ABS plugs fine or do I need to fill them with high peel epoxy?

High peel epoxy with a hardwood dowel. No question.

Another question out to the collective wisdom here... if inheriting some skis with a bunch of un-useable inserts (ie, tele) that I can still work around, best to just leave the inserts in or remove and fill with epoxy & fiberglass/skewers? From a strength standpoint. (Maybe worth harvesting the inserts for future projects)
And I guess a question #2 - for epoxy + fiberglass filler concoction, best to use FG insulation or chop up some FG repair fabric? I'm now blanking on what I read a while back and can't find it now.
Thx!

Another vote for leaving the inserts alone.

[gregorys]

I'm starting to get the impression that the rules about filling holes and mounting bindings close to old holes are just guidelines. Which is nice, if true.

I've only done so on very burly skis - heavy cores, usually with metal.
While I'd probably certainly try it on lighter skis, if I needed to - I'd be more cautious.

Since I tend to only ski massive tanks for skis, it's not been much problem for me. But if you try to do it on a weight weenie ski, well you can tell us how well it goes.
Here are a couple of pics of a couple different Cochise mounts.
Old holes filled with bamboo skewers and epoxy; let dry, then cut, and dabbed with epoxy on top. (seal them) (I've used small pieces of FG or not.)
New holes, drilled mostly without trying to avoid anything.
Lots of epoxy in holes and mounted.

They have both been skied hard, though I try to avoid big flat landings. (who doesn't, right?) So, they certainly seem quite solid.

The blue pair had some close (front) heel holes. The Orange, some _very_ close (front) toe screws.

[Pinned]

OK, I mounted my own fucking skis...with the help of a friend who has a really bitchin' machine shop.

Took the templates from Binding Freedom (confirmed the FKS is the right template for 2020+ Pivots) and then drew our own references in CAD to use with a digital mill.

Confirmed centerline on both skis (Moment's sidewall markings were dead even between skis).

We used a digital mill to drill all the holes. 9.5mm depth using an F drill bit for the Binding Freedom inserts. The templates were super nice to give us confirmation of the hole alignment.

Then used the bottoming tap to cut the threads by hand with a guide block.

Took NW_SKIER's advice and cleaned all of the inserts and screws in an ultrasonic cleaner before installing the inserts with epoxy.

Let everything cure for a few hours and put the bindings on. Boots are dead centered on the mid sole line.

Does everything look good with the binding / boot angle and such? I need to read up on how to set the forward pressure, but might just have the shop do that and give everything a test to make sure it's all good.

[ASmileyFace]

That shop looks amazing. So fuckin clean. Wish I had an ultrasonic cleaner for inserts. I've just soaked em' in alcohol before hand.

The ski in that drill press made me laugh, thinking about the times I was hand drilling skis on the floor of a dorm with duct tape wrapped around the bit. If you've got it, use it imo.

[::: :::]

Haha, holy shit, that drill! It’s a monster! And probably dead on bawls accurate...a mill tho, I guess, huh?

In a much more modest garage, I mounted some fun Ken (fuckin, goddam autocorrect) skis for my brother. He’s upgrading from skis he’s had since 2004. We found the new-to-him ones here on TRG; thanks tahoesnowdawg!

Overlap btwn shifts & attacks for different BSLs was not an issue, but I had to check


Voila

[tang]

Well done. Are those mindbenders with the titanal layer? If so, curious if easy drilling in the insert holes through that layer?

[::: :::]

Yes, metal
4.1 bit
(Didn’t do inserts)

[CHAIR_97]

Haha, holy shit, that drill! It’s a monster! And probably dead on bawls accurate...a mill tho, I guess, huh?

In a much more modest garage, I mounted some fun Ken (fuckin, goddam autocorrect) skis for my brother. He’s upgrading from skis he’s had since 2004. We found the new-to-him ones here on TRG; thanks tahoesnowdawg!

Overlap btwn shifts & attacks for different BSLs was not an issue, but I had to check


Voila

Bro bro is gonna love those skis

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[mufasa5446]

Shoot, with a shop like that you could drill while on that balance board and probably still be right on


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[margotron]

drill envy

[lnester]

Well today I mounted my own fucking skis. New Mantras with Atomic Warden 13s for me, new Black Pearls with Atomic Warden 11s for the wife. Followed all of the stellar advice on here, and used the templates provided up thread (which were dead spot on BTW) .

I bought the Tognar drill bit so I wouldn't have to worry about depth. I also drilled pilot holes which made the final drilling easier.

I used epoxy I use for golf club work, the long 24 hr cure type, so it should hold well. Hand screwed the hardware with a posidriv screwdriver. No spinners.

[Shorty_J]

OK, I mounted my own fucking skis...with the help of a friend who has a really bitchin' machine shop.

Took the templates from Binding Freedom (confirmed the FKS is the right template for 2020+ Pivots) and then drew our own references in CAD to use with a digital mill.

Confirmed centerline on both skis (Moment's sidewall markings were dead even between skis).

We used a digital mill to drill all the holes. 9.5mm depth using an F drill bit for the Binding Freedom inserts. The templates were super nice to give us confirmation of the hole alignment.

Then used the bottoming tap to cut the threads by hand with a guide block.

Took NW_SKIER's advice and cleaned all of the inserts and screws in an ultrasonic cleaner before installing the inserts with epoxy.

Let everything cure for a few hours and put the bindings on. Boots are dead centered on the mid sole line.

Does everything look good with the binding / boot angle and such? I need to read up on how to set the forward pressure, but might just have the shop do that and give everything a test to make sure it's all good.

Your results are great and speak for themselves, but holy shitballs, you do not need a digital mill and an ultrasonic cleaner to mount skis.

You do you, but I hope nobody else feels the need to replicate this to try a home mount.

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[Pinned]

Your results are great and speak for themselves, but holy shitballs, you do not need a digital mill and an ultrasonic cleaner to mount skis.

You do you, but I hope nobody else feels the need to replicate this to try a home mount.

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Purposefully over the top? Yes. I could have just taped the templates on the skis and did it at home with my hand drill and it would have been good enough. This was just the more fun way to spend a Saturday with a buddy and shoot the shit in his shop + check out some of the parts he's been making for bikes recently.

[margotron]

is an ultrasonic cleaner the same thing as acetone? because that's what you want to use on inserts...

[tuco]

Not sure where else to put this, so it goes here.
For you home waxers/tuners.
Changed oil yesterday on wife's Lexus w/ replaceable element style oil filter. The cap has a replaceable o ring.
That o ring makes for a perfect brake retainer(or keeping Shift brakes up) for tuning/waxing

You're welcome

[::: :::]

Thanks! Just broke one this weekend..

Anyone have a spare Lexus?

[snowaddict91]

Not sure where else to put this, so it goes here.
For you home waxers/tuners.
Changed oil yesterday on wife's Lexus w/ replaceable element style oil filter. The cap has a replaceable o ring.
That o ring makes for a perfect brake retainer(or keeping Shift brakes up) for tuning/waxing

You're welcome

Nice. The wife's rav4 uses the same filter. Gonna save the o-ring when I change the oil in a couple weeks.

[tuco]

Well, the O ring is actually from Wix

[snowaddict91]

Well, the O ring is actually from Wix

Yeah, I use the oem 'yota filters, they come with a new one too.

[Pinned]

is an ultrasonic cleaner the same thing as acetone? because that's what you want to use on inserts...

It's a tank that uses ultrasound to agitate fluid. You can use whatever solvent or degreaser you want with it and it just does the "scrubbing" for you.