Just mounted my own skis

[Spats]

I finally got sick of everyone telling me that they didn't have a Tyrolia Railflex jig, and California Ski Company wanted to charge $50. So I decided to do it myself.

The Railflex is easy to freehand because the rails are their own template. No matter what your boot size is, the rails go in the same place. So all I had to do is figure out where boot center should go, draw a line there (a T-square is handy), measure and draw a line up the center of the ski, put the rails down, square everything up, and mark the holes with a Sharpie.

I measured the proper hole depth based on the screws that came with the bindings, and wrapped the 5/32" bit in electrical tape so I wouldn't drill through my bases. To avoid drill skate, I used an awl to punch a starter hole.

[Edit: After drilling, I filed off the small raised crown around the holes. This is highly recommended: otherwise the binding may not be flush with the ski, and the extra leverage can pull screws out. Not good.]

Then I put a drop of Weldbond in each hole, put the rails back on, and screwed them in by hand with a #3 Phillips. Voila! C'est vraiment magnifique!

It took me a couple minutes to figure out how to get the bindings on the rails and set for my boot sole length, and another couple to get forward pressure set right, but now that I know how I can do it in about five seconds. Which is really cool, because now I can put rails on any of my skis and swap the bindings around in about ten seconds -- as long as they use the same size brakes. Hey Line! You need four screws? I only need one! And my binding doesn't weigh six pounds and have massive rotational slop!

The hardest part of the mount was plugging the old screw holes. Both glue and epoxy are too thick to drip or poke in with toothpicks. Fortunately my housemate had some syringes for just such a purpose. Best way would be to have some 5/32 wooden dowels or whatever the plastic plugs are that the ski shop uses.

Disclaimer: This is totally unsafe and no one should ever do it. I am not responsible for anyone else following my bad example. Always go to an authorized service center and have 17-year-old stoners mount your bindings in a big hurry because the Simpsons is almost on.

[mntlion]

have 17-year-old stoners mount your bindings in a big hurry because the Simpsons is almost on.

They are? Dude SHIT I"M LATE






congrats on your first freehand mounting.

[Idris]

Very well done Spats welcome to the world of self responsibility....and probably safer binding mounting...the 17 stoner I work with is still having problems the head/tyrolia snowboard mounting system - but there are eight hole and only 4 screws?

[Foggy_Goggles]

Nice Spats. I'm getting sick of people bitching at the shop's work but not sacking up to do it themselves. It's not exactly rocket science and doesn't take too many tools. But there is a reason good shops can charge exorbitant fees for mounts. FYI, as a 17yr old stoner I didn't f-up any mounts. Don't blame it on the weed.

[assgasorgrass]

hope the skis didn't have a metal topsheet, cuz it doesn't sound like you tapped 'em first.

[Keoni]

Q: Someone explain to me the point of tapping the holes in a wood core ski when basically, you are using a wood screw?

[Dromond]

I actually just mounted my first pair this morning. I had some old beater rossies that I wanted to mount up and there was no way in hell I was going to pay someone to do it. I just made a template off the old skis (that the bindings used to be on,) and marked the spots on the new (old) boards with a sharpie. I figured out the same electrical-tape-on-drill-bit trick as well. My pattern wasn't quite perfect but this bindings screwed down fine and were aligned properly. I also happened to know the din/forward pressure protocol from working in rentals. I was skiing on them within the hour =)

[assgasorgrass]

Q: Someone explain to me the point of tapping the holes in a wood core ski when basically, you are using a wood screw?

It has to do with any metal layers in the ski, internal or external. From Tognar's website:

Always tap binding screw holes before mounting bindings on any skis with a metal topskin or internal layers. Use a #12AB tap (our item #UBT-21916) after drilling the holes with a 4.1 x 9.5mm drill bit (item #SPK-DB49). This will insure that binding screws thread in smoothly through the metal sheets and internal mounting plates, without creating unwanted downward pressure or delaminations. Also, use a good vinyl-base binding screw glue (item #HOL-20475) to guarantee that all screw seals are watertight...as well as help lubricate screws during installation so they thread in smoothly and snug as a bug.

[Keoni]

It has to do with any metal layers in the ski, internal or external. From Tongar's website:

.

thanks
1234567890

[Spats]

FYI, as a 17yr old stoner I didn't f-up any mounts. Don't blame it on the weed.

I blame it on being in a hurry, not the weed

It has to do with any metal layers in the ski

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I had a shop do my Spatulas.

Shop guys: do most shops actually bother to do this? When I saw the local big box stores mount Volkls (all of which have metal layers), they pretty much just got out the drill, then the screw shooter -- just like for every other ski.

[marshalolson]

Shop guys: do most shops actually bother to do this? When I saw the local big box stores mount Volkls (all of which have metal layers), they pretty much just got out the drill, then the screw shooter -- just like for every other ski.

i have mounted probably 3000+ pairs of skis, and never once tapped 'em.
while the theory makes sense, i have never had any issues on personal skis, nor have i ever seen any issues on other skis.
i usually screw in the screws by hand, and the screw will generally cut in the thread pattern with out any problem... ie. the screw's first turn or two taps the hole.

tapping = not needed IMHO

edit: way to sack up and freehand it, the first couple are a bit scary, but straight forward after that...

[summit]

Good work! It's all about making it work. Jiggless mounts are part of the soul of skiing.

I've done a bunch of "ghetto" mounts like that for customers, friends, and myself. Sometimes it's easy sometimes it takes forever.

Anyone who can do it at home and do it well kicks ass in my book.

Always go to an authorized service center and have 17-year-old stoners mount your bindings in a big hurry because the Simpsons is almost on.

Hey! I'm not 17 and I'm not a stoner... but I like the Simpsons.

---

I always tap metal plate skis because that is how I was taught: tap or there is a chance of pushing/pulling metal sheet apart from the topsheet/core when screwing it in.

[Teletori]

tapping = not needed IMHO

edit: way to sack up and freehand it, the first couple are a bit scary, but straight forward after that...

Havent had problems either not tapping the holes.
Got tired of paying money and drive a long way to find a shop with the right jig, and when I get there, they dont have a wide one, and have to freehand it and charging more for the trouble...
So now I freehand all by myself. Havent had a bad mount. Only be sure to do it the "measure 3 times and drill once!!!" way.

[L7]

Don't let Idris fool you ....he is the 17 year old. And mntlion! Let's just day they love the full Simpson's wardrobe at Blue River.

I'd recommend getting a proper drill bit. Bevels the rim off the top sheet, keeps you from going to deep and they're pretty cheap really.

[Spats]

I'd recommend getting a proper drill bit. Bevels the rim off the top sheet, keeps you from going to deep and they're pretty cheap really.

Not a bad idea: I've got a couple more rails to put on at some point. I did bevel the rim off the topsheet with a file, which is OK if you don't mind a couple file marks under the binding.

I also found out that the shop sent me the wrong fat brakes. Fortunately Tyrolia brakes are really f@$(ing sturdy, and the 80mm standard brakes can easily be bent around a 92mm ski using a pipe wrench and a cheater pipe.

Thanks for the hints and the support, everybody. It took me quite a while, but the next pair will go very quickly now that I know what to do.

Incidentally, I used this article as a guide. Naxos or Freerides would be much harder because of the precision required to make sure the climbing bar mates properly with the heel piece.
http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/nax...o_mount_1.html

[Keoni]

Is there such a thing as a universal jig?

[Idris]

Is there such a thing as a universal jig?

errrr no...unless you count a ruler and sharpie?

[marshalolson]

what i do is use a random jig that has a similar hole pattern to two of the holes so you can get it straight, thread the binding into those holes just a little bit, mark the other holes, pull the binding, then drill as needed. way easier than a paper jig. also, i would recommend epoxy in the two hole that will be re-screwed into...

[Keoni]

errrr no...unless you count a ruler and sharpie?

Doh!

I thought I could get away with smoking the crack first.

[splat]

Just curious, Spats - why the railflex? The allowable on-track movement?
I have a pair in a box I haven't put on anything yet (they look a little flimsy), but I saw some skis mounted with them recently and have been thinking about giving them a try. Interested to know how they work out.

[Spats]

Just curious, Spats - why the railflex? The allowable on-track movement?

That's a lot of it. I've found that moving boot center greatly changes most skis, and it's nice to be able to experiment without redrilling.

Also, it's nice to have one set of bindings which can rotate between several pairs of skis. Suddenly I'm up to 3-4 pairs, and getting bindings for all four was going to get expensive. Instead I got multiple mounting plates, for $15 each. Pays for itself at two pair.

The flimsy gray pieces in the box are just to cover the screw holes once you mount them: they don't do anything. Once you get the rails on the ski and the bindings on the rails, they seem at least as solid as (for instance) the Marker Motion stuff on Volkls.

The toepiece has more flex than a Look, but much less than a S912. In the box it feels really bendy, but that's because the DIN is at 3.5. Crank up the DIN to 8 or so and everything tightens up.

Keep in mind there are three Railflex bindings. The SLD11 has the light, flimsy toepiece; I wouldn't ski it. I have the LD12, which has their standard toe. The best toe is on the HD14, but there is no Railflex version.

I'll post an update once I get some days on them.

[mitch buchannon]

When freehand mounting... what if you mount something slightly crooked? Is it the end of the world or is there a tolerance within bindings that allows for such things?

Just curious in case I ever screw up a good pair of skis.

[Idris]

When freehand mounting... what if you mount something slightly crooked? Is it the end of the world or is there a tolerance within bindings that allows for such things?

Just curious in case I ever screw up a good pair of skis.

When mounting differen bindings on previously mounted ski I have noticed some to be as much as 2mm out of true - suposedly jig mounted bindings - but had never noticed the skis to act weirdly....had I been skiing these ski on perfect piste regularily I may have noticed something but on a crud buster and backcountry ski I didn't....If you are using a higher end salamon binding and your mount is twisted you can adjust the toe wings indipendently to correct ammount.

[pointemstraight]

What is your mounting glue of choice? I've always used regular old wood glue, is there anything else out there that you guys prefer?

[Lok]

What is your mounting glue of choice? I've always used regular old wood glue, is there anything else out there that you guys prefer?

I also use wood glue for most skis. However, when I recently mounted my new Spatulas I used epoxy with a 24 hour curing time. The skis are so thin and wide (I had to grind down the screws) that I felt the need for some additional strength. Long curing time is just to make sure that the foam core doesn't get damaged by the heat.

By the way, I think tapping is less important if you screw them in by hand. Less force per time unit would make separating any metal layer and topsheet/core material less likely to happen...