PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[jackattack]

that explains the spinners

[XXX-er]

5/32nds is 3.96875 mm

if yer into that whole brevity thing

[waveshello]

wow you are so cool

question - to mount the AL05 freeride spacer can I use a standard 3.6mm bit?

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I'm going to go smaller, I haven't mounted mine yet, but that screw is pretty small. The safe bet would be to pick a bit that is the same dia or just a hair smaller than the diameter of the shaft of the screw (not considering the threads).

Edit:

Went ahead and measured since I need to get this done too. Minor diameter of the screw is 3mm, so a 1/8" bit should work great (2.95mm).

[halliday]

I installed inserts last month and put the skis up for a while. This morning I tried to set up for a CAST system and everything went together dead nut on. The brake retainers are screwed in with some epoxy. I wish I had some 2.0s to go with these Noctas instead of the 3.0s.

[rigbone]

I just got my Dynastar M Free 108s in today and gonna mount them up tomorrow and am curious if there's anything important to know. Is there a metal plate underfoot? Will a tap be required or can I just drill them? I've got paper templates for Pivots printed and have regular imperial drill bits, I believe that 5/32nds should work?

[waveshello]

5/32" kinda splits the difference between 3.6 and 4.2mm so should work fine. Make sure you have a way to control the depth. Check the scale of your paper template with calipers or a mm ruler before drilling holes. I like to put pin holes in the template before taping it to the ski, then use a center punch to make a divot in the top sheet at each. To avoid drill bit wandering, put the tip of the bit in your center punch mark and apply a little bit of pressure before and as you begin to drill each hole.

IMO, tapping always results in a better mount because the top sheets volcano less or none, and flat top sheets mean more of the binding is in contact with the ski which is a stronger mount.

[factive]

I just got my Dynastar M Free 108s in today and gonna mount them up tomorrow and am curious if there's anything important to know. Is there a metal plate underfoot? Will a tap be required or can I just drill them? I've got paper templates for Pivots printed and have regular imperial drill bits, I believe that 5/32nds should work?

I would suggest having the following tools in hand before mounting your own skis:

Good ruler
Square
#3 Pozidriv screwdriver
Digital caliber
3.5 & 4.1 mm drill bits
Wood glue

[PeachesNCream]

I just got my Dynastar M Free 108s in today and gonna mount them up tomorrow and am curious if there's anything important to know. Is there a metal plate underfoot? Will a tap be required or can I just drill them? I've got paper templates for Pivots printed and have regular imperial drill bits, I believe that 5/32nds should work?

5/32s would probably work but I’d honestly get a 3.6 bit since the mfree doesn’t have metal. Sucks to get a spinner and with a larger bit, you’re just more likely to get one. Otherwise my biggest piece of advice is triple check your dimple locations after you punch them onto the ski. Easiest place to catch an error imo


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[rigbone]

Got a good ruler, marked out a center line on the ski and double checked and will triple check that the template is lined up. I'm also going to do a practice run on a scrap piece of wood.

I've mounted one pair of skis before but that was on an only wood ski (to my knowledge). There is mounting info on the ski and it calls for a 4.1mm x 9mm bit (which i believe means there's metal underfoot for the mount). Also, Blister says there's metal underfoot for mounting so I'm just looking for more confirmation.

The potential metal underfoot is whats throwing me off. I dont have a tap, and am worried about delaming metal unless its relatively safe to just hand thread the screws.

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[factive]

There is mounting info on the ski and it calls for a 4.1mm x 9mm bit (which i believe means there's metal underfoot for the mount). Also, Blister says there's metal underfoot for mounting so I'm just looking for more confirmation.

The potential metal underfoot is whats throwing me off. I dont have a tap, and am worried about delaming metal unless its relatively safe to just hand thread the screws.

I would follow the mounting recs on the ski above all else. And yeah, that likely means there is metal.

[PeachesNCream]

Looks like the core doesn’t have metal but there is a metal mounting plate.


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[Djongo Unchained]

There is mounting info on the ski and it calls for a 4.1mm x 9mm bit (which i believe means there's metal underfoot for the mount). Also, Blister says there's metal underfoot for mounting so I'm just looking for more confirmation.

The potential metal underfoot is whats throwing me off. I dont have a tap, and am worried about delaming metal unless its relatively safe to just hand thread the screws.

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If it says a 4.1, then just buy a 4.1 and get on with it.

If it has metal and I'm betting it does, you'll know it within a few seconds of beginning to drill. You'll see the silver after buzzing thru the topsheet material.

Can you drill a hole properly without a jig? It's pretty fucking easy.
A bit for skis has the shoulders so you go the perfect depth, no guessing like with yer dad's 5/32".

Appropriate pressure and you'll cut thru the metal and finish out below into wood, we hope.
It usually takes some more downward pressure than you'd think if you haven't mounted metals before. The shoulder is key here as punching thru tends to happen right after forcing thru the metal and buzzing too far.

Tapping a topsheet with a punch is not the same as drilling a hole, then tapping it with a threader.
Rats been screwing down clamps for decades without pre-threading holes.
Just put some glue in and screw them in. Coarse threads allow for lots of downpressure and turn torque.

[halliday]

I would suggest having the following tools in hand before mounting your own skis:

Good ruler
Square
#3 Pozidriv screwdriver
Digital caliber
3.5 & 4.1 mm drill bits
Wood glue

Masking tap
micro Sharpie
some sort of long straight edge
Slidewright ski centering tool
cold beer

[XXX-er]

Tapping a topsheet with a punch is not the same as drilling a hole, then tapping it with a threader.
Rats been screwing down clamps for decades without pre-threading holes.
Just put some glue in and screw them in. Coarse threads allow for lots of downpressure and turn torque.

ya but these are dentists

you can make a drill stop with a random piece of wood that only lets the bit stick out far enough to make the hole but not enough to drill thru the ski

i use a wine bottle cork

[shank]

ya but these are dentists

you can make a drill stop with a random piece of wood that only lets the bit stick out far enough to make the hole but not enough to drill thru the ski

i use a wine bottle cork

Dowel stop works. Wine cork stop ehh. Too much squish for my liking, especially for metal top sheets. Maybe I should be drinking more expensive wine. Or less expensive?


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[XXX-er]

Dowel stop works. Wine cork stop ehh. Too much squish for my liking, especially for metal top sheets. Maybe I should be drinking more expensive wine. Or less expensive?


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A set screwed drill stop will slip which is why I use a cork becuz it is idiot proof, if the bit slips you just don't drill deep enough but nothing is ruined and so a piece of wood about 1.5 " thick is about what you need, as a winemaker I happened to have a bag of corks kicking around, but I suggest drink the wine and drill the ski 1 day later

I have put a washer between the drill chuck and the cork but it sounds like you don't need to lean on the drill so much

[shank]

A set screwed drill stop will slip which is why I use a cork becuz it is idiot proof, if the bit slips you just don't drill deep enough but nothing is ruined and so a piece of wood about 1.5 " thick is about what you need, as a winemaker I happened to have a bag of corks kicking around, but I suggest drink the wine and drill the ski 1 day later

I have put a washer between the drill chuck and the cork but it sounds like you don't need to lean on the drill so much

Sounds to me like a cork is idiot proof as long as you have lil bitty muscles, big he men like myself need a more robusto solution

Which is why I went and bought a stepped bit, they’re only a couple bottles of wine $$$. Solid quality of life upgrade. Hadn’t thought of using a washer between chuck and cork though, will definitely use that in the future if I’m in a pinch.


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[halliday]

Sounds to me like a cork is idiot proof as long as you have lil bitty muscles, big he men like myself need a more robusto solution

Which is why I went and bought a stepped bit, they’re only a couple bottles of wine $$$. Solid quality of life upgrade. Hadn’t thought of using a washer between chuck and cork though, will definitely use that in the future if I’m in a pinch.


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+1 on the stepped bit. Having the correct tool definitely improves ones quality of life.

[buttahflake]

Y’all should check in with the local shop guys, we throw out 4.1 bits all the time. Once they’re even slightly worn out I’m done with it and it goes straight into the trash.

[XXX-er]

Sounds to me like a cork is idiot proof as long as you have lil bitty muscles, big he men like myself need a more robusto solution

Which is why I went and bought a stepped bit, they’re only a couple bottles of wine $$$. Solid quality of life upgrade. Hadn’t thought of using a washer between chuck and cork though, will definitely use that in the future if I’m in a pinch.

I live in a huge furin country with nobody living in it so we don't just order up anything to be delivered fo free, especially something I use maybe once year. I got a buddy moved here from Bend who said " Not living in America is a bonus and we did crazy good on the RE but I kinda miss just ordering up anything I want on a whim and having it delivered "

Not you of course but I'm pretty sure any dentist can fuck this stuff up when they don't really understand what they are doing or they are in a hurry or both. My favorite one was the guy who posted " I taped the template to the ski, drilled all the holes and wondered WTF I had done ? "

[Shred Baron]

Y’all should check in with the local shop guys, we throw out 4.1 bits all the time. Once they’re even slightly worn out I’m done with it and it goes straight into the trash.

I’ll have to ask the few shops near me if they’d be willing to give them up. I don’t mind sharpening drill bits, just have to be careful on keeping the point centered. It helps that I have access to a nice bench belt sander.


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[Shred Baron]

Is there any merit to removing bindings and checking out your mount job at the end of the season? Still a bit new to Mounting My Own Fucking Skis, and haven’t had a catastrophe yet, but am still wondering if there would be anyway to know it’s coming.


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[AK47bp]

I’m really new to this and have no idea what’s going on.

I just bought this bit for when I started drilling. fool proof.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MX...b_b_asin_title

[halliday]

Is there any merit to removing bindings and checking out your mount job at the end of the season? Still a bit new to Mounting My Own Fucking Skis, and haven’t had a catastrophe yet, but am still wondering if there would be anyway to know it’s coming.


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Just make sure your screws aren't spinning. If everything is tight and looks good just keep going....

[Shred Baron]

Just make sure your screws aren't spinning. If everything is tight and looks good just keep going....

Yeah makes sense, I’m sure removing and reinstalling increases the risk of tiring out the threads and winding up with a spinner. I’ll give them another tightness check. I checked each of them after a few days of skiing. I did one full mount and two heel remounts this year. It’s somewhat enjoyable. I might need to buy skis just for an excuse to do a mount.


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