JigaRex Universal Jig Presale

[davieboot]

Hey Mags, I’ve benefited in many ways from this community, including finding advice, buying gear, making questionable friends, and endless stoke. As a skier and engineer, I finally built something that would benefit maggots: a universal ski mounting jig.

Like many mags, I mount my own skis. But, for a couple reasons, I never wanted to buy a secondhand jig. First, I wanted to mount different types of bindings. Second, I never knew when binding companies would change their hole patterns. Finally, I wanted something that would last. The past couple years, I’ve been tinkering and prototyping until I had a solid design that addressed these issues. I’m calling the result the JigaRex. I realize other products use the “universal” term, but this will mount almost any ski binding (alpine, AT, tele.. anything mounted relative to boot center or toe) as easily and quickly as a standard shop jig. The key is swappable mounting plates that lock into an overall jig structure. With a bunch of gears, belts, bolts, and lots of metal, the jig will self-center on skis and around your boot. After a couple quick adjustments, you’re ready to mount. For different bindings, just swap out the plates. The plates accommodate standard ski mounting drill bits.

The photos give you an idea for what I’m talking about. When I make a new batch, I’ll add color to the white bits (looking for suggestions... orange? green?).


JigaRex, ready to mount with mounting plates for Salomon bindings installed


These handles clamp the ski and lock the clamp into place. These will clamp skis from 65 mm to 180 mm wide.


The mounting plates center on your boot and lock into place

I’m doing a pre-sale, which means I want to get commitments / strong interest from folks before ordering parts, since it is only financially feasible to order parts in quantity. I’ll hold this open for a couple weeks. Once parts are ordered, it will be a few weeks before I get everything back, assembled, and shipped out. When they’re ready to ship, I’ll PM you about payment (check, paypal, or special favors).

Pricing will be as follows:
Jig + one set of plates: $200
Jig + one set of plates if you have TGR join date before me: $180
Additional plates: $25/set
Additional plates if you have have TGR join date before me: $20/set
(plus shipping)

To reserve a jig and plates, just respond to this thread with a) number of jigs, and b) what binding mounting plates you want. I’ll keep a tally. If at least 5 people want plates for a certain binding, I will make them. Of course, the big players are a sure thing: Salomon, Look/Rossi, Dynafit, Marker, etc. I don’t know what telemarkers want, but tell me. Suggestions welcome.

For example, if you wanted a jig with plates for Salomon S916s and Dynafit Vertical ST10s, it would be $200 + $25 + shipping.

Of course, ask lots of questions. I will post some photos and a video showing how the whole thing works. Once you get it in your hands, it is pretty self explanatory.

UPDATE: Presale is closed as of 1/5/13. I didn't want it to drag on too long so people couldn't get their jigs. Thanks to everyone who is in. I'll post about any extras I have after the initial run ships.

[davieboot]

Here is a quick video showing the basic features.




Next is a video showing a demonstration of using the tool with Dynafits, and to show that it will line everything up properly.




Finally, a video mounting a bar style binding (Salomon Guardian) where the toe and heel piece are a fixed distance apart for mounting purposes.



I'll add more as needed. If you want to see a video of something up close, send me a PM.

[davieboot]

This lists the plates that I'm making on the first round, based on interest. Some of these have a common heel or toe, such as the Dynafits.

Salomon (with 5 hole toe)
Dynafit Vertical
Dynafit Radical
Look/Rossi Combo (Pivot/FKS, PX/Axial2, PX Racing/World Cup)
Marker Jester
Marker Duke (old) Large/Small Combo
Maker Duke EPF (new) Large/Small Combo
Guardian/Tracker Large
Guardian/Track Small
22 Designs Hammerhead
22 Designs Axl
NTN Freeride Pink Plate
Binding Freedom SollyFit/DynaLook Combo

[spindrift]

1) How wide a ski can it deal with? Or put another way - can it cope with skis like Praxis Powders?

2) is there a way to handle "fixed size" templates like Tracker/Guardian or Dukes?

[davieboot]

1) How wide a ski can it deal with? Or put another way - can it cope with skis like Praxis Powders?

2) is there a way to handle "fixed size" templates like Tracker/Guardian or Dukes?

1) Yes, no problem. It can go up to 180mm. I mounted my own Praxis Pows with it.
2) Yep, since the rear holes on a Duke/Guardian/etc are based on the location of the front holes, there is an extended front plate to locate those holes. Might be easier if I sketched it out, but essentially one of the mounting plates is much longer to deal with the "fixed size" bindings.

[jacket]

I would be very interested in this for look/marker/dynafit. Did you ever consider making plates that would allow you to drill directly for inserts? If there was enough interest I imagine it would be pretty easy to make additional plates with bigger holes. Universal jig that can do any binding regular or with inserts!

I love shit like this and am psyched you decided to tackle it!

[gwat]

I hope the look plate will be multi functional? Turntable/pivot/px/demo?

[iscariot]

I'd like to see a vid of use. It looks very similar to the jigs from the years I spent tech-ing. I'd just like to see the ins and outs, and get an idea for the quality and beef/robustness of the system.

Definitely interested.

1) as per above: one plate to cover varying fks/p/px, or various Salomon patterns, or various dynafit patterns, etc...

2) how long are the bushings in the holes of the plate? On the shop jigs they are deep enough to guide a drill freehand perfectly vertical. No drill press needed.

Pending answers and a vid. I'd be up for a Jig, Look plate, Solomon plate, Dynafit plate.

[racesla]

Looks great so far, very stoked on your design.

[esales09]

I'd definitely be interested in this.

I'd be down for a jig, duke plate, dynafit plate and probably jester plate.

Subscribing to this to see where it goes...

[Cabinfever]

Interested also

[Stowelen]

Very interested as well. Subscribed.

[jgb@etree]

Cool idea. Are those little metal tabs sticking up the 'stop' for the heel & toe of your boot when sizing the jig? Just a thought, but you might want to replace that one tab with two that are a little more spaced out to make it easier to adjust the jig to the boot.

[Just Looking]

Definitely Interested, plates would likely be look/rossi, salomon, dynafit, possibly duke.

Question about the size range for the boots, it looks like the plates do slide, whats the min / max bsl ?

[davieboot]

I would be very interested in this for look/marker/dynafit. Did you ever consider making plates that would allow you to drill directly for inserts? If there was enough interest I imagine it would be pretty easy to make additional plates with bigger holes. Universal jig that can do any binding regular or with inserts!

I love shit like this and am psyched you decided to tackle it!

There is no reason it couldn't do inserts, but the hole diameter isn't quite the same. The bushings on the plates are set up for standard ski mounting bits (like jondrums has here: http://bindingfreedom.com/Ski-Mounti...epped-4028.htm. Looks like the insert bit is 6.5mm. But we could easily have plates with bushings for the 6.5mm bit.

[davieboot]

I'd like to see a vid of use. It looks very similar to the jigs from the years I spent tech-ing. I'd just like to see the ins and outs, and get an idea for the quality and beef/robustness of the system.

I posted a quick video, above, showing the basic operation. It is pretty beefy, mostly made of 14 gauge steel, along with a steel braided drive belt. Unlike many shop jigs, there are no springs to get strteched out and messed with.

Definitely interested.

1) as per above: one plate to cover varying fks/p/px, or various Salomon patterns, or various dynafit patterns, etc...

This would be easy, with the only limitation being how close the holes for the various patterns are. The bushings require a 1/2" hole, so as long as the holes are spaced at least 1/2" apart, it wouldn't be a problem to group manufacturer's hole patterns together. Of course, I'm aware of a couple hole variants that are too close to handle this.

It also brings up a question of how to mark them, so it is clear which holes go with which binding model, especially since some models will share holes. Suggestions.

2) how thick are the grommets in the holes of the plate? On the shop jigs they are deep/thick enough to guide a drill freehand perfectly vertical. No drill press needed.

Pending answers and a vid. I'd be up for a Jig, Look plate, Solomon plate, Dynafit plate.

The grommets/bushings are about 7/16" long/deep. It is very close to the same as some shop jigs I've played with (some are deeper, some are less deep). The bit slides in snugly and are held vertical. I've mounted several skis with it freehand. No drill press necessary.

[bean]

Interesting...will probably have to pick one of these up.

[davieboot]

Definitely Interested, plates would likely be look/rossi, salomon, dynafit, possibly duke.

Question about the size range for the boots, it looks like the plates do slide, whats the min / max bsl ?

Very wide range of BSL. It made the whole jig a bit longer than I would have liked, but I wanted to make sure it could handle any hole pattern, any ski width, and any BSL. It will currently go from 250mm to 365mm BSL.

[jacket]

Video looks great, very clever design.

It also brings up a question of how to mark them, so it is clear which holes go with which binding model, especially since some models will share holes. Suggestions.

My look/rossi jig has color coded rings around the grommets which correspond with the different binding models.

[davieboot]

Cool idea. Are those little metal tabs sticking up the 'stop' for the heel & toe of your boot when sizing the jig? Just a thought, but you might want to replace that one tab with two that are a little more spaced out to make it easier to adjust the jig to the boot.

I actually played with the exact thing you are describing. The trouble is that they start to interfere with potential hole locations. Some are pretty tight next to the toe/heel location (Dynafits, for example). Good thinking though.

[iscariot]

I posted a quick video, above, showing the basic operation. It is pretty beefy, mostly made of 14 gauge steel, along with a steel braided drive belt. Unlike many shop jigs, there are no springs to get strteched out and messed with.


This would be easy, with the only limitation being how close the holes for the various patterns are. The bushings require a 1/2" hole, so as long as the holes are spaced at least 1/2" apart, it wouldn't be a problem to group manufacturer's hole patterns together. Of course, I'm aware of a couple hole variants that are too close to handle this.

It also brings up a question of how to mark them, so it is clear which holes go with which binding model, especially since some models will share holes. Suggestions.



The grommets/bushings are about 7/16" long/deep. It is very close to the same as some shop jigs I've played with (some are deeper, some are less deep). The bit slides in snugly and are held vertical. I've mounted several skis with it freehand. No drill press necessary.

Rad. Thanks for the info and vid. Love the self centering, and the ease of use for swapping out the plates for different and future binding patterns. Awesome work.

I'm in for a Jig, Solly plate (916), Look plate (fks/pivot, px), Dynafit plate (ft12/plum, comfort).

As far as multi-hole patterns for various bindings (eg. Various models of Look bindings) just put coloured stickers next to the grommets required for each specific Look binding model, then have a legend sticker somewhere else on the plate saying which colour is for which specific binding model. If they are thick, good qualtiy, waterproof plastic stickers, with good adhesive, the sticker cost would be minimal in the overall cost, and would add a lot of functionality.

[spindrift]

I'm in. Will decide on final patterns shortly. Probably STH (driver), Jester, Tracker/Guardian, Pivots 18 and 14 (bunch of skiers with different tastes in the house).

That said, For reasons you might infer, I'm a fan of idiot proof. So I'm gonna buck the trend and say that I'd rather not have to deal with too many color codes, legends, grommet clusters, etc. per plate. Shops have to do that because that's just the way it works in that world. I'd rather get a couple more plates than have to think too hard... Utterly brain dead simple wins in my book.

[spotted dogs]

Great idea...interested for sure.

[arild]

In for a jig and solly plate,to begin with.

Also interested in a dynafit plate if the interest is there.

Norsk.

[Olympus]

Well done. I'll decide on details & get back you

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