Mounting bindings over Swiss cheese

[charles martel]

I ave some Legend Pros with three mounts up front. My tech guy is hesitant to drill again.

I have a Dynastar i-box race plate we could put on them.

Or, what about fashioning some sort of metal plate to cover the frontbinding area, mounted with several screws and putting the binding onto that?

The idea here is to save money and do this on the cheap.

Thanks.

[galibier_numero_un]

If the holes are way too close to each other for comfort, there are a couple of past/current threads on this.

From 1000-oaks: hardwood dowels slightly shorter than the binding holes' depth. Drill a hole in the middle of each dowel. This will allow the epoxy (marine epoxy) to void any air (and conveniently flood the gap at the top). I'm sure you'd be fine without the central hole, but it is a nice touch ;-)

Also from 1000-oaks (I believe): plug the holes with aluminum screws (sealed with epoxy) & grind off the heads. Stainless would obviously work but it's a bit harder to grind down. You can get aluminum screws from McMaster Carr.

The plugged holes will now be the strongest part of the skis. Me? I don't like plates because I have a fetish for low stack height ;-)

Cheers,
Thom

[charles martel]

Thanks. A big help. I like the screws with heads ground off idea.

[iriponsnow]

If the holes are way too close to each other for comfort, there are a couple of past/current threads on this.

From 1000-oaks: hardwood dowels slightly shorter than the binding holes' depth. Drill a hole in the middle of each dowel. This will allow the epoxy (marine epoxy) to void any air (and conveniently flood the gap at the top). I'm sure you'd be fine without the central hole, but it is a nice touch ;-)

Also from 1000-oaks (I believe): plug the holes with aluminum screws (sealed with epoxy) & grind off the heads. Stainless would obviously work but it's a bit harder to grind down. You can get aluminum screws from McMaster Carr.

The plugged holes will now be the strongest part of the skis. Me? I don't like plates because I have a fetish for low stack height ;-)

Cheers,
Thom

What they said- preserve the low stack height. I've got a pair of WhiteDots that have 6 mounts on em (proto ski looking for the optimal mount + a bad mount).... been beating the crap out of em for 2 years, no issues.

[1000-oaks]

If you go the aluminum screw route, get size #12AB. The thread is almost identical to ski binding screws. After cutting, take your time grinding the stub down, if the screw gets too hot it'll ruin the epoxy. Be sure to tap the new holes after drilling.

If some new holes almost exactly overlap the old, fill the holes with epoxy. Let set, and then drill 1/4" for Binding Freedom inserts. You'll drill out the temporary epoxy plug, but it will keep the drill from drifting off-course into the old holes.

It would be hard to drill an overlapping pattern into stainless screws, the drill would want to walk sideways away from the screw and into the softer ski material. Even if you managed to get the holes in the rigbt place, the tap would also want to go sideways and cut an oval hole. Go aluminum or wood IMHO.

[charles martel]

Thx for great advice.