Praise to Tognar.com!

[lurker]

I was teaching my sister how to do rails on her new skis. We built a nice straight box and I had it set up in our backyard. She wasn't getting on it right, and I didn't even think about the fact that it was probably destroying her skis. She kept jumping to early and hitting the bottoms of her skis into the end of the pipes. It turned out she had some HUGE shots and scratches in her bases. Some almost down to the core.

 

I was feeling very guilty, so I ordered a nice set of base repair stuff off of tognar.com including a p-tex repair iron, a couple P-Tex ribbons, some P-Tex string, about 3 techno sticks, and versaplane, and a steel scraper.

 

It wasn't too expensive in the end, only around 50 dollars or so. Everything came in order, and wow did it work well! Way way better than a drip candle! The P-Tex ribbons are almost exactly as hard as the original base, and the string is great for filling small gashes. She skied on them yesterday and they were as good as new. I also have enough left over supplies to fix about any base for the rest of my life. A good investment.

 

Just wanted to post this for those of you who will one day take off your skis/board and get that sinking feeling in your stomach as you realize that its base is almost completley destroyed.

[skifreak]

Yeah I only used ptex string before for small gouges but thats good to know.

[PeterC0523]

Everything came in order, and wow did it work well! Way way better than a drip candle!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

How difficult is it to use the drip candles? I got a few of them as part of my One Ball Jay tuning set, haven't used any yet (obviously).

 

I heard that they can be somewhat dangerous and may burn you badly if used improperly.

[PeterC0523]

Anyone try the Dry Guy Glove & Boot Dryers (compact model) from Tognar? I'm thinking about getting them, they'd come in handy for multi-day trips away from home (and away from a dryer).

[skidude]

Ptex candels are messy, and hardish to use...atleast hardish to use with out getting it all over everything else around.

 

Also they burn like nothing else if it drips on you....But it is better than skiing with a core shot in your base...

[Glenn]

I didn't think that ptex drip was that hard. Maybe because it was in the basement, and it didn't matter if it got on the ground. I got a tiny bit on my and it burnt a little, but it was still soft so I got it off me pretty quick. That repair kit sounds nice though, I'll have to look into that.

[lurker]

The candles flow into cracks much easier, but they are much softer, and its also hard to get them not to put a whole bunch of black carbon in as well. You have to watch and make sure you don't get flaming plastic on yourself as well, or anything of value nearby. They sure are better than nothing though! Any repairs are easier with a versaplane and scraper because anything that goes over the scratch or is wrong can just be filled and then scraped away.

[PeterC0523]

Any repairs are easier with a versaplane and scraper because anything that goes over the scratch or is wrong can just be filled and then scraped away.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

What's a versaplane?

 

Do you think it'd be worth getting a p-tex "kit" even tho I already have some of the candles?

[lurker]

A versaplane is a cheese grater like object that is used to grind away the extra P-Tex above your base. You then use a steel scraper to scrape and level everything off.

 

Its worth getting a nice p-tex kit, depending on how messed up your base is. If you just have some mild scratches or other small dings, its probably not worth it. If you have some big problems, such as my sister had (gashes all the way to the core, huge cuts way down the base), then definently.

 

A candle basically makes a quick temporary repair, that won't last forever, but is sufficent for small scratches or to get by on a trip or something. A p-tex ribbon sorta becomes a gel when it touches the heating iron, and you have to push it into the gaps with the iron. When that stuff hardens its not going anywhere believe me. Cutting it down with the versaplane and steel scraper will prove that.

 

 

There's a hardness scale. I think its pretty safe to say we all have sintered bases unless you're on some crappy skis or boards.

 

Almost anything you want to know about this sorta stuff can be found here: http://www.tognar.com/base_repairs_tips_ski_snowboard.html