Repairing Core Shots

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

So I am a total Jong on Ski Tech. I have heard core shot repairs are done through some sort of "base weld". What does that actually mean?

I raise the question as I got a nasty core shot on the edge of my Goats repaired, skied 1 run on the repair (several days later), apparently hit a rock and the repair is now about 70% gone.

I have a huge core shot in my Megawatts and I don't want to take it to the same guy if he did a poor job.

Some other questions:

1. How long does a proper repair typically last if you smack it on another rock for example?

2. Anyone in the Bay Area recommend a good place to get repairs done? I used REI simply b/c of their hours. I usually have mounts, etc.. done at Marmot, but the hours are kind of rough with the earlier closures, etc..

Thanks.

[couloirman]

it might be wrong but I just slap a bunch of epoxy in there and then carefully sand it down level with the base. Haven't yet had a problem with mine falling out...

[El Chupacabra]

So I am a total Jong on Ski Tech. I have heard core shot repairs are done through some sort of "base weld". What does that actually mean?

I raise the question as I got a nasty core shot on the edge of my Goats repaired, skied 1 run on the repair (several days later), apparently hit a rock and the repair is now about 70% gone.

1. How long does a proper repair typically last if you smack it on another rock for example?

Base weld = ptex repair, but not with drip candles -- instead, melt the ptex into the damage. It adheres better than drip candles.

I don't use drip candles any more, they just don't hold up for me. All my repairs are base weld with a soldering iron.

A proper repair should last as long as any other part of the ski. If it tears out, it wasn't done right, and didn't really adhere to the original base material.

[XXX-er]

read the "learn section"

http://tognar.com/

drip candles have wax in them so they will stay lit and they never last longer than 12 days IMO cuz the wax just wears out of the patch . I mean a good wax job includes a heavey brushing with a brass/nylon brush and to me a worn candle fix job looks just like a good base brushing

[thefrush]

Bay area = California Ski Company.

[AKbruin]

So, perhaps a stupid question, but is it really necessary to repair core shots on powder skis? I've got a few on my Praxis, but, other than slowing me down on traverses and cat tracks, I don't really see why I need to spend $50-60 right away to have the skis in perfect condition. They seem to work just fine as is.

FWIW, I trust Marmot Mountain Works more than most other ski shops in the Bay Area.

[XXX-er]

if its next to an edge it might be more likely to wreck that edge on the next hit?If a hit is close to an edge I mark my skis L & R ,I make that bad or suspect edge the outside edge cuz all the pressure is on the inside edge unless you are tele-ing

AND how do you guys get so many coreshots ,I don't ski if the cover is TOO spotty but I havent had a core shot in years

[mtnjam]

Base weld = ptex repair, but not with drip candles -- instead, melt the ptex into the damage. It adheres better than drip candles.

I don't use drip candles any more, they just don't hold up for me. All my repairs are base weld with a soldering iron.

A proper repair should last as long as any other part of the ski. If it tears out, it wasn't done right, and didn't really adhere to the original base material.

glad to know I'm not the only one that finds the drip candles don't hold up in repairs. I usually end up with a pile of ptex on the repair and then have to take a bastard file to it.

So with the soldering iron do you still have a ptex stick and melt the ptex in with the soldering iron?

The other thing I've tried in the past and has held up some is to cut the damage from a \/ into a /\ pattern with a small "exacto" type blade so the ptex holds a little better. Anyone else have luck with this?

[Shorty_J]

I would worry about getting moisture into the wood core of the ski... in the long run.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Thanks for the input. Yeah - I had heard the proper way to fix is to cut out a rectangle section out of the ski around the core shot (no larger then necessary) and fill with p-tex. I just wasn't sure if that was a "base weld."

The fix on my Goats was literally right on the edge, so to El Chup's point, I probably hit a rock and it just tore out the repair (but would have tore the natural base).

AK - I usually get the core shots fixed right away b/c I don't want water drying into the core. Probably not an issue in the short run, but long run can dampen the ski.

Frush - I will have to look into them. For my Megawatts, turnaround is not an issue now given the forecast so I will probably drop off there or Marmot.

[XXX-er]

glad to know I'm not the only one that finds the drip candles don't hold up in repairs. I usually end up with a pile of ptex on the repair and then have to take a bastard file to it.

So with the soldering iron do you still have a ptex stick and melt the ptex in with the soldering iron?

?

I got 6 feet of the string years ago gratus from a ski tech which he pulled off of a big roll .if you read the tognar blurb apparently the repair ribbons are the hardest material and I have seen them on wax display shelves in ski stores .

I use a regular soldering iron from my tool kit but a regular iron as opposed to a base repair iron is TOO hot and could melt existing ptex from what I understand.

SO , I use my soldering iron to push along a 1" section of razor knife (the blades that snap off to give you a new edge) over top of the repair material ,the razor balde heats up fast but doesnt seem to harm the exisiting ptex and becuz its very flat it gives a nice finish ...I just razor off the excess with another razor blade

[Smails]

I usually use a chainsaw to cut a section of the base out. Preferably I am naked wearing only white tennis shoes when I do this. Next, I feed a cat to an ATM and apply the chewed up insides to the damaged base area. I recomend putting down copies of the style section if you don't have a work shop because this can get messy, oh, and a rain coat, I usually wear a raincoat for this part of the job. Next, apply a honey almond body scrub and some heat to seal the repair. Finally, scrape the base with a credit card or razor blade to remove any extra material. The whole project goes better with a J & B straight up, or cranapple juice if you are feeling like something non-alchoholic.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

I usually use a chainsaw to cut a section of the base out. Preferably I am naked wearing only white tennis shoes when I do this. Next, I feed a cat to an ATM and apply the chewed up insides to the damaged base area. I recomend putting down copies of the style section if you don't have a work shop because this can get messy, oh, and a rain coat, I usually wear a raincoat for this part of the job. Next, apply a honey almond body scrub and some heat to seal the repair. Finally, scrap the base with a credit card or razor blade to remove any extra material. The whole project goes better with a J & B straight up, or cranapple juice if you are feeling like something non-alchoholic.

Smails - the "biggest doofus in the business". Obviously while listening to Phil Collins.

[Smails]

Smails - the "biggest doofus in the business". Obviously while listening to Phil Collins.

Well, usually Huey Lewis actually. Unless he's too black sounding for you?

[schuss]

I've never had a problem with candle fixes if the area is prepped correctly first. I will say that for the larger ones I do defer to the shop for a weld.

[Shu Shu]

Well, usually Huey Lewis actually. Unless he's too black sounding for you?

Depending on what skis you are repairing possibly the "The Greatest Love of All"

[Conundrum]

glad to know I'm not the only one that finds the drip candles don't hold up in repairs. I usually end up with a pile of ptex on the repair and then have to take a bastard file to it.

So with the soldering iron do you still have a ptex stick and melt the ptex in with the soldering iron?

The other thing I've tried in the past and has held up some is to cut the damage from a \/ into a /\ pattern with a small "exacto" type blade so the ptex holds a little better. Anyone else have luck with this?

You should stop doing what you do and come over to my house to use my base welder. I do crosshatch with a razor blade sometimes.

[mtnjam]

^^^
sounds good. I have a project for you too that involves some Kilowatts and Bishops.

Now as for a non coreshot, just a kinda large multiple scratch area with small pieces of granite still stuck in there whaddya think?

[lhowemt]

Repairs next to the edge are the worst, often blow out. Base welding p-tex is different than melting p-tex, much harder. There's also a kind of base repair material that has some sort of adhesive in it, to get it to stick to the edge and core better. I've used that on repairs that repeatedly blow out. On big core shots I use some of that, then regular weld or drip, depending on the size. As one other said, tognar is the place to check. Get the right tools, and you will love tuning/repairing your skis. I used the little welding iron for a few years before I sprung for the full welder. It worked OK for the initial repair (either with regular or adhesive p-tex), then I dripped over that. not ideal, but good.

and use a surform to take down the excess p-tex, don't waste your files.

[Alpinord]

So I am a total Jong on Ski Tech. I have heard core shot repairs are done through some sort of "base weld". What does that actually mean?

I raise the question as I got a nasty core shot on the edge of my Goats repaired, skied 1 run on the repair (several days later), apparently hit a rock and the repair is now about 70% gone.

I have a huge core shot in my Megawatts and I don't want to take it to the same guy if he did a poor job.

Some other questions:

1. How long does a proper repair typically last if you smack it on another rock for example?

2. Anyone in the Bay Area recommend a good place to get repairs done? I used REI simply b/c of their hours. I usually have mounts, etc.. done at Marmot, but the hours are kind of rough with the earlier closures, etc..

Thanks.

Metal grip is a heat actuated material designed to adhere to core and metal edges better than ptex candles (which contains wax) or welding material. Using a soldering iron or the tip of a welding gun will melt it. Use it below the base surface and cover with a base repair material such as ribbon, stick/rods or wire that do not contain wax. Cutting out and replacing the section with repair sheets may be your best long term option but the soldering approach is easy, quick and cheap.

Here's our primer on DIY base repairs. Also, check out the Base Repair Page. Since the writing of this page, the repair ribbons have proved to be easier and more durable than the wire, though the repaired core shot shown is still holding up great.

[Beder]

I'm developing a theory about Dynastar bases attracting sharp rocks.

I've had good luck with ptex candles holding well enough until it's time to throw my shop buddy some business with a real base weld.

[ShawnB]

So, perhaps a stupid question, but is it really necessary to repair core shots on powder skis? I've got a few on my Praxis, but, other than slowing me down on traverses and cat tracks, I don't really see why I need to spend $50-60 right away to have the skis in perfect condition. They seem to work just fine as is.

I'm basically w/ you, Bruin. Other than the water issue, how prissy are we gonna be, here?

I get one tube of black 2-part epoxy, and one tube of clear. Each costs 5 bucks. Each lasts me 2 or three years.

Bloop. Next morning, scrape. Done.


Flat + smooth + bonds in place + holds wax well enough (if you care about that kind of thing, which mostly I don't).


If shot = more than 2" long, and/or out on the periphery of the ski, it may crack under bending. But probably not, and probably a flexier epoxy can be found, to be fair.

I've had no problems, in 10 years of doing this. Who knows, YMMV.

[mtl_ripper]

dead thread fred. I read, and tried, mixing up to 1/30th of volume with acetone into a regular slow-curing epoxy, to keep it from fully curing and thus it would stay a bixt flexy and not crack, So far so good.

[el penoso]

Epoxy is for Jongs get base weld material and this:

[ShawnB]

dead thread fred. I read, and tried, mixing up to 1/30th of volume with acetone into a regular slow-curing epoxy, to keep it from fully curing and thus it would stay a bixt flexy and not crack, So far so good.

I like your spunk, kid!

Sounds like an improvement. Can you still scrape down to flat easily, though, if it stays a bit in "sticky" mode? Or do you end up SurForm-ing it down or something?

Yeah, this thread was deader than Tara Reid's eyes. Nice work, Lazarus.