Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

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Woodserson
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Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by Woodserson » Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:19 pm

Well, today is one of those days... warm and good skiing but it's the first real solid warm without a good freeze beforehand, and that all that fine/small flake dry snow we got last week is melting into a homogeneous layer of snowy water that stops old smooth based skis in their tracks with enormous suction. It is a snow condition that is especially challenging for tele skiers for obvious free-heeled reasons.

It'll be better after tomorrow when it freezes again and we start getting into corn season.

I'd like to whip some bigger structure into my Big Bangs as we merge into spring with a little snow still in the forecast. I've done a little research here and there, and I'm thinking of taking a sanding block with 100 silicone carbide sandpaper and running them down the bases a few times and then polishing with a green 3m pad to clean up the inevitable fuzz.

Anyone have relatively cheap and easy re-structuring techniques?

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fisheater
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by fisheater » Tue Mar 21, 2017 9:05 pm

Hey Woods,
Wish I had your problems, I tried skiing on 2" this past Saturday. I stopped dead too many times and had to give up. I have one of these structure tools, and it will add structure to a base.
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image.jpg
Like I said, it works and does a decent job, but I have become much less precise with my skis over the years. I file my edges at 90, I figure bases come beveled and they wear from there, so no base beveling for me. I do plane the bumps out of the bases. For wet snow I use soft wax and brush with a brass brush from the hardware store. I probably won't be getting a call from the national team. However, I usually don't think any problems I have are from my ski tuning, except when I don't get the kick wax right.
image.jpg



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Woodserson
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by Woodserson » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:39 am

I could certainly get a tool, but I'm trying to stay super cheap-o on this one. Looking for HACKS! Hipster hacks!



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connyro
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by connyro » Wed Mar 22, 2017 4:26 pm

Not a hipster hack, but I find that really getting at the bases with a brass brush and lots of elbow grease can get you some good structure.



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dorthman
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by dorthman » Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:03 pm

Or some coarse sandpaper wrapped around a woodblock. That's what I do



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lowangle al
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by lowangle al » Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:23 pm

^^^ You do that after waxing I presume.



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dorthman
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by dorthman » Fri Mar 24, 2017 3:29 pm

No i use a nylon brush for the post wax scrub. I hit the bases with sandpaper pre-wax to add some base structure. 1 scrubbing pass and a few full length ones is all I do. Not tryna take any thickness out of em, just enough to rough em up and knock any high spots down



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Harris
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by Harris » Sat Mar 25, 2017 12:18 am

Sounds like you have a good idea with the sandpaper and scotch bright, but it probably won't be as good as getting atrue "wet snow" stone grind. As for waxing, Dominator has a product called "Butter' that works really good on top of a wet snow race wax, and it can be applied on mountain.



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Woodserson
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Re: Challenging spring snow/base structuring at home

Post by Woodserson » Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:06 am

Harris wrote:Sounds like you have a good idea with the sandpaper and scotch bright, but it probably won't be as good as getting atrue "wet snow" stone grind.
A stone grind is best, yes, but I'm dealing with old skis that have been through the machines many times before and now I'm in preserve-the-base mode. Hence the "at home" focus either by pressing the base with a structuring tool or doing some light sandpaper work to it.



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