Never tuned a ski and I'm thinking of starting

[KingGrump]

It's a dude thing. Always bigger and betterer.
Just in case.

 

[Doug Briggs]

How long a table should I look for given that my longest skis are 173cm? I'm short and unlikely to ever need to wax anything over 180cm. How far away from the tip and tail is ideal for the vise? The tables I've looked at so far are around 48-52" long, excluding the Artech Sibhusky posted. The Holmenkol that @Muleski was praising in the "show and tell" thread extends out quite a way but it's big bucks. http://www.sportthoma.com/products/Wax-Table. I don't have a ton of space so something that is compact when not in use is valuable but not if it compromises stablity.

I miss my old house before the divorce. I had so much space...

45" inches.

This vise spacing covers everything from 130s to 223s.

I haven't seen a mention of lasso type ski retention devices instead of the vise style. Does anyone use a lasso?

 

[Doug Briggs]

I've seen this type of portable bench used with success:

This looks like it would take a board on top quite nicely, too.

The problem with benches the height of the two above is they are far too low.

Of course the ultimate is:

Duelling benches. I'll say that the one in the background that had the round legs that you pull out of the holes to collapse, sucked. It was very wiggly.

 

[cantunamunch]

The problem with benches the height of the two above is they are far too low.

I actually prefer the waxing bench to be as low as the one in the background of your bottom pic; it's just more than 8" lower than the big bench where everything else gets done.

 

[Marker]

I would think a miter saw stand is way overkill for a casual tuner who only has one or two pair of ski per week, a folding sawhorse is much lighter and compact.

I already had a miter saw stand, so it was a no-brainer for me. Dual purposes for different seasons.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I already had a miter saw stand, so it was a no-brainer for me. Dual purposes for different seasons.

And you use a Lasso? Or are the stands grippy enough for what you use the bench for?

 

[Philpug]

While it might not be the lightest for travel, it does have wheels, pretty knobby ones at that. I went with a wider board so it can actually have two stations, one of each side. The extenders are great for holding the tip and tail so they don't flex. the block holds the center, I still need to put some foam or soemthing on it for when I am mounting skis.

 

[TheArchitect]

I actually prefer the waxing bench to be as low as the one in the background of your bottom pic; it's just more than 8" lower than the big bench where everything else gets done.

I can see the value in having the ability to raise or lower the stand based on waxing vs edging. Not necessary but might be nice. I just stood up and measured where I thought my hands would be comfortable for a working height and it was 38-40" (yes, I'm short!). I don't know how tall a vise is but I imagine I want a bench that is around 32" and could adjust down a bit and up a bit more.

As for the miter saw or sawhorse options, I think based on where I'm planning to work I'm going to need something pretty compact when not in use. Those two options are going to be a bit too bulky. Great price but I think I'm better off getting a bench that can fold like it's a travel bench and lean against the wall and only be a few inches thick.

 

[Doug Briggs]

My stationary bench is 36" high. Add 6" for the towers and the skis are at 42". I'm 5' 11". Just the right height for me. I think that for maximum effect something that puts the skis an inch or two below your elbow is good. YMMV.

 

[TheArchitect]

My stationary bench is 36" high. Add 6" for the towers and the skis are at 42". I'm 5' 11". Just the right height for me. I think that for maximum effect something that puts the skis an inch or two below your elbow is good. YMMV.

Good info. My elbow is at 40" so my guess was a good one. Subtract 6" for the vise and I'm looking for a bench around 32-34" tall.

Are that the Swix world cup vise in your photo? I assume you like it and would buy it again?

 

[TheArchitect]

I'm getting closer to my short list for a bench and have started looking at brushes and irons. From what I gather I want 3 brushes (coarse bronze, horsehair and nylon) Any opinions on the links below? The Beast has a set of 3 for $109, which looks like a pretty good price. I have no idea if RacePlace is a good site and good pricing, though.

https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/beast-oval-brush?variant=24945862727
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-oval-wax-brush

As for the iron, it appears that Toko and Swix are the big players. I don't want an economy model or the super high end so I'm looking at these two:

Swix T73 Digital:
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-ski-wax-iron?variant=24945888711

Toko T-14 Digital (It looks similar to what was in the Start Haus videos)
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/toko-wax-iron?variant=24945877063

 

[Doug Briggs]

Good info. My elbow is at 40" so my guess was a good one. Subtract 6" for the vise and I'm looking for a bench around 32-34" tall.

Are that the Swix world cup vise in your photo? I assume you like it and would buy it again?

I'm not certain. They've been out of the box for a while and a gift. They work quite well for race skis and well enough for the other skis I tune at home. I usually do my race skis at home not work but my recreational skis get shop treatment most of the time.

The center vise tower holds my race skis by they plate extremely well. Not so well for the recreational skis, most of which are flat and wide.

The end towers are kind of narrow for wide skis so you have to be careful to place the skis on top of them so that they are supported adequately. If I were buying vises today, I'd want wider end towers and probably go with a lasso. I don't have direct experience with a lasso so I can't say whether I'd like that method of holding the ski, but aside from my race skis, I would want support for my recreational skis.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I'm getting closer to my short list for a bench and have started looking at brushes and irons. From what I gather I want 3 brushes (coarse bronze, horsehair and nylon) Any opinions on the links below? The Beast has a set of 3 for $109, which looks like a pretty good price. I have no idea if RacePlace is a good site and good pricing, though.

https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/beast-oval-brush?variant=24945862727
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-oval-wax-brush

As for the iron, it appears that Toko and Swix are the big players. I don't want an economy model or the super high end so I'm looking at these two:

Swix T73 Digital:
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-ski-wax-iron?variant=24945888711

Toko T-14 Digital (It looks similar to what was in the Start Haus videos)
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/toko-wax-iron?variant=24945877063

I don't think you'll notice much difference between the brushes, so go for savings.

The Swix iron has a massive plate and will provide more consistent heat than the Toko one. I could be mistaken, but look at their weights and the Swix will be nearly twice as heavy if I'm identifying these irons correctly. I use an old analog Swix. It is fine. I know others will chime in with their favs.

 

[TheArchitect]

I'm not certain. They've been out of the box for a while and a gift. They work quite well for race skis and well enough for the other skis I tune at home. I usually do my race skis at home not work but my recreational skis get shop treatment most of the time.

The center vise tower holds my race skis by they plate extremely well. Not so well for the recreational skis, most of which are flat and wide.

The end towers are kind of narrow for wide skis so you have to be careful to place the skis on top of them so that they are supported adequately. If I were buying vises today, I'd want wider end towers and probably go with a lasso. I don't have direct experience with a lasso so I can't say whether I'd like that method of holding the ski, but aside from my race skis, I would want support for my recreational skis.

This will only be for rec skis and for next couple years Kastle FX94, BMX105 and MX88. Is the idea that I should be able to clamp the center vise on the binding plate? I'll look for options with wider towers to start and look into what this lasso thingy is.

 

[Doug Briggs]

This will only be for rec skis and for next couple years Kastle FX94, BMX105 and MX88. Is the idea that I should be able to clamp the center vise on the binding plate? I'll look for options with wider towers to start and look into what this lasso thingy is.

The binding plate can be a better means of clamping than the binding itself. Remember, my vise was designed to clamp the vertical sidewall of the ski, not the plate or binding. Now that many skis don't have vertical sidewalls, my vise is less than ideal. The lasso serves two purposes. It holds the brake in the 'ski' mode so it is out of the way and holds the ski in place by applying downward forces on the end towers allowing them to grip the skis surface.

Throw in the now not uncommon round/shaped topsheet ski and the job of holding a ski properly is confounded even more. I really hate Atomic Doubledeck skis for both machine tuning and bench top work. The ridge of the top deck cause the ski to wobble exactly when wobbling isn't desired.

 

[TheArchitect]

Swix makes this for the towers to deal with wider skis.
http://www.race-werks.com/swix-universal-adapter/

 

[Doug Briggs]

Swix makes this for the towers to deal with wider skis.
http://www.race-werks.com/swix-universal-adapter/

Now I know what to ask Santa for. Thanks.

 

[cantunamunch]

I'm getting closer to my short list for a bench and have started looking at brushes and irons. From what I gather I want 3 brushes (coarse bronze, horsehair and nylon) Any opinions on the links below?

At this point don't get too fussed over brush details. It's more important to get started and get your hand and eye in. We're several weeks into prep season, you know

Eventually you'll adapt your brush kit to the waxes you use, to be comfortable in use, and so forth.

 

[Near Nyquist]

I'm getting closer to my short list for a bench and have started looking at brushes and irons. From what I gather I want 3 brushes (coarse bronze, horsehair and nylon) Any opinions on the links below? The Beast has a set of 3 for $109, which looks like a pretty good price. I have no idea if RacePlace is a good site and good pricing, though.

https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/beast-oval-brush?variant=24945862727
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-oval-wax-brush

As for the iron, it appears that Toko and Swix are the big players. I don't want an economy model or the super high end so I'm looking at these two:

Swix T73 Digital:
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/swix-ski-wax-iron?variant=24945888711

Toko T-14 Digital (It looks similar to what was in the Start Haus videos)
https://the-raceplace.com/collections/waxing-tools/products/toko-wax-iron?variant=24945877063

I got the beast brushes and the t-14 iron
They both work great

 

[Near Nyquist]

Swix makes this for the towers to deal with wider skis.
http://www.race-werks.com/swix-universal-adapter/

Jaws of beast for the win

https://the-raceplace.com/collections/tuning-equipment/products/jaws-of-the-beast

@Jacques approved equipment to handle any ski