PSA: Mount your own fucking skis.

[jackattack]

^^^Yup, I've used most of those methods and have a bunch of legit tools that I've acquired over the years, so I'm good for the most part. I was just hoping there was a way to get the odd $5 item without getting screwed. Ah well. Necessity and invention and all that I guess.

your local ski shop?

[Spyderjon]

Make your own tap guide for installing inserts without a jig. Drill an 8mm dia vertical hole in some 15-25mm stock (metal/perspex/mdf) with a slight countersink on the underside to allow for a bit of top sheet eruption when tapping. Just hold on the top sheet of the ski (no need to clamp it on) & the tap will self-centre in the QK drill hole & will be perpendicular to the top sheet. I put a few holes in mine so I can tap holes near the edge of a ski but the guide still sits flat across the width of top sheet for support.

[Supermoon]

Question about pivots. I have mounted up a bunch of Tyrollia bindings in the past, but don't have any experience with these.

Bought some skis off of GS mounted for Pivots at 326. I have a 315 BSL. Is there enough fore/aft flexibility in these to avoid a remount?

[dschane]

Not expanding the holes evenly is my concern.

Start with a good center punch and then enlarge with a small bit before moving to the 3.6/4.1 bit. Your regular mount will be centered well and when you enlarge those holes for the inserts, you shouldn't have a problem.

It's generally a good idea to always mount regular before installing inserts, as noted above, but I'm usually convinced I'm going to love it and ski like a fucking FWT competitor. That might explain why I have swiss-cheesed one too many a pair.

[doebedoe]

Question about pivots. I have mounted up a bunch of Tyrollia bindings in the past, but don't have any experience with these.

Bought some skis off of GS mounted for Pivots at 326. I have a 315 BSL. Is there enough fore/aft flexibility in these to avoid a remount?

No. You're gonna need a remount. Pivots are +/- 3.5mm from mounted BSL.

[Supermoon]

No. You're gonna need a remount. Pivots are +/- 3.5mm from mounted BSL.

Bummer. Thanks for the info fellas!

[gingersnowman]

Any Canadian mags have a line on mounting supplies that doesn't involve paying U.S. dollars with our pathetic dollar and paying customs fees? I have no problem ordering specific tools and such from the fine folks at Tognar, Binding Freedom and Slidewright, but it sucks to have to place an order for binding hole plugs, a single step bit etc.
I have searched and not found any options. Thanks in advance if you can provide a source.

I was hoping to find out the same thing (in Calgary)! I managed to get some binding plugs from MEC for $0.15 each, but for machine screws it looks like US sites are the only way (at least if you want pozidriv heads).

There could be a market here if anyone is listening!

[Vitamin I]

...One of the inserts went too deep and dimpled (tittied, whichever term you prefer) the base...

Any recommendations?

Opinions I’m considering:
- back out the insert, heat dimple, bang the shit out of it, reinstall insert
- same as above but with helicoil (is this necessary)?
- leave as is and base grind

When that happened to me on 2 different pairs of O.G. Hellbents (using regular screws, not inserts), I said "F*ck!" but then I just went skiing on it anyway...until I had time to fix it later. Dimpled bases don't ruin my ski day at all (but I don't recommend riding rails in the park with your base dimples)...and when waxing, just dodge the dimples with your iron.

Then later I unmount the binding, and use the rounded handle end of a screwdriver (or any tool that is rounded, no sharp corners) and I just push (no blows) that tool onto the dimple with not-crazy-strong force, then I feel the dimple with my finger to see if it has become flat. Then repeat those pushes a few times with increasing force until it feels flat. Then I remount the binding with epoxy in the holes, but this time I use a slightly shorter screw than before in that troublesome hole. If it ends up slightly concave, or perfectly flat except you've smoothed out a tiny zone of base structure, well...who cares? It's now better than before, and that tiny zone won't affect your skiing noticeably.

For your insert, maybe you cannot replace it with a shorter insert, but maybe you could file down the point of your insert a little bit. Or you could still do the same steps above, but next time just don't insert it too deeply. Or if you really need to get the insert down just as deep as before, then you gotta deepen the hole with a drill...but be careful not to drill through the base. Before drilling deeper, sometimes you can look into the existing hole to see if the colored base material is visible at the bottom of the hole, in which case DO NOT DRILL ANY DEEPER or you will drill through your base.

.

[NorCalNomad]

$25 is highway robbery if you ask me.

Hardened and machined sleeve with all the other parts of the tool made square and with a good finish. Worth it in my mind. The plastic blocks loose true rather quickly with bits running against them.

[Timberridge]

When that happened to me on 2 different pairs of O.G. Hellbents (using regular screws, not inserts), I said "F*ck!" but then I just went skiing on it anyway...until I had time to fix it later. Dimpled bases don't ruin my ski day at all (but I don't recommend riding rails in the park with your base dimples)...and when waxing, just dodge the dimples with your iron.

Then later I unmount the binding, and use the rounded handle end of a screwdriver (or any tool that is rounded, no sharp corners) and I just push (no blows) that tool onto the dimple with not-crazy-strong force, then I feel the dimple with my finger to see if it has become flat. Then repeat those pushes a few times with increasing force until it feels flat. Then I remount the binding with epoxy in the holes, but this time I use a slightly shorter screw than before in that troublesome hole. If it ends up slightly concave, or perfectly flat except you've smoothed out a tiny zone of base structure, well...who cares? It's now better than before, and that tiny zone won't affect your skiing noticeably.

For your insert, maybe you cannot replace it with a shorter insert, but maybe you could file down the point of your insert a little bit. Or you could still do the same steps above, but next time just don't insert it too deeply. Or if you really need to get the insert down just as deep as before, then you gotta deepen the hole with a drill...but be careful not to drill through the base. Before drilling deeper, sometimes you can look into the existing hole to see if the colored base material is visible at the bottom of the hole, in which case DO NOT DRILL ANY DEEPER or you will drill through your base.

.

I've only used BF inserts, but always file down the point of the insert. 80% of the time if you don't, you get dimples.

[NW_SKIER]

I've only used BF inserts, but always file down the point of the insert. 80% of the time if you don't, you get dimples.

Weird. I've done a bunch of mounts with those inserts and I've never filed them, and never had a dimple

[Norseman]

Same.

Paper-thin skis? Holes too shallow?

[::: :::]

only dimple i ever got was from overenthusiastic drilling

[Aus George]

Question about pivots. I have mounted up a bunch of Tyrollia bindings in the past, but don't have any experience with these.

Bought some skis off of GS mounted for Pivots at 326. I have a 315 BSL. Is there enough fore/aft flexibility in these to avoid a remount?

No. You're gonna need a remount. Pivots are +/- 3.5mm from mounted BSL.

I dont agree with that. I have 2 sets of skis mounted FKS on the middle line for 330 BSL an went to 338 BSL with perfect forward pressure wound to the last lines. I would try it atleast, you might get lucky.

[doebedoe]

Not my experience, but sure worth trying.

I mounted to 314. With a 310 boot, I was at the innermost hash mark. With a 317 boot I was at the outermost hash mark. Maybe if you well beyond the three hash marks on the adjustment arms?

Of course, it depends on how you define "perfect forward pressure adjustment". By the white tab? By the heel action? More here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...justment-range

[Aus George]

Not my experience, but sure worth trying.

I mounted to 314. With a 310 boot, I was at the innermost hash mark. With a 317 boot I was at the outermost hash mark. Maybe if you well beyond the three hash marks on the adjustment arms?

Of course, it depends on how you define "perfect forward pressure adjustment". By the white tab? By the heel action? More here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...justment-range

Heel action, I dont bother with the white tab just use for a reference. However, I have now dropped down to a 228 boot and I am close to the bottom marks (from original 330) so its possible you have more wiggle room upsizing than downsizing. That or you accept more forward pressure. I'm not a ski tech but have been using FKS/Look for years.

For the OP, I would still definitely try it first as it also depends how good it was set up and mounted for the original BSL. Mine were done by a shop, perhaps they didn't nail the forward pressure from the beginning.

[spanky]

I was hoping to find out the same thing (in Calgary)! I managed to get some binding plugs from MEC for $0.15 each, but for machine screws it looks like US sites are the only way (at least if you want pozidriv heads).

There could be a market here if anyone is listening!

What about US based maggots traveling to Canada? I presume we can bring in “small” packages without risk. I’ll be in Vancouver/Whistler in March if anyone needs a mule for small items.

[doebedoe]

Classic.... https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ment-past-STOP

[Aus George]

Classic.... https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ment-past-STOP

Shiiiiiiit! I know the guy who mounted my skis he is a decent tech. But I'll mount my own fucking skis from now on, you just cant trust the shops as much as you like to think you can. Case in point in that thread!

[GeezerSteve]

I've only used BF inserts, but always file down the point of the insert. 80% of the time if you don't, you get dimples.

You must be installing them in thin section skis and/or you're not drilling deep enough. I got slight tittles* only one time, rearmost heel screws on a very thin cross section ski

*dimples are dents; titties protrude

[XXX-er]

only when its cold

[NorCalNomad]

Another thing that might be happening...When you are tapping the insert hole, if you don't vacuum out the chips from threading before you completely finish the threading it's maybe that you're pushing the chips with your tap, making the nips? Idk...

The first ski I did BF inserts on I nipped some of the holes, but none since (3 more skis mounted).

[dschane]

Weird. I've done a bunch of mounts with those inserts and I've never filed them, and never had a dimple

Same here (for the most part). Never had dimples from inserts on my skis. but on a very old pair of women's Rossis, I got them. And I once got them installing extra Voile crampon discs (and used the screws Voile sent me; they later sent me a shorter pair). In all cases, I couldn't do shit to get rid of the dimples (removed screws, heated bases, tried to rub them out). Unless your racing, you won't notice them. Embrace imperfection.

[Timberridge]

You must be installing them in thin section skis and/or you're not drilling deep enough. I got slight tittles* only one time, rearmost heel screws on a very thin cross section ski

*dimples are dents; titties protrude

I like to use a lot of glue.

[skifishbum]

Shiiiiiiit! I know the guy who mounted my skis he is a decent tech. But I'll mount my own fucking skis from now on, you just cant trust the shops as much as you like to think you can. Case in point in that thread!

ive said it before kicking back safely cracking a beer and dyi ing a mount or 2 is pretty fuckin easy and hard to fuck up
working in a busy shop mounting hundreds of skis a week tuning testing interacting with jerry's not to mention skiing every day
cause thats why most of us are doing it is fuckin light years from the latter
while not condoning fuckups like the above mentioned
my guess ould be fng trying to hard or one of them techs who aint familiar with them randoknee binders
i gots no idea what your skills to pay the bills are but i doubt you do it perfectly or showed up and crushed it from day 1
i got base titties on my dps atk freeraider heel mount cause i used gorilla glue for the binders and safety break that ran long