The new -2017- CAST touring system thread

[lucknau]

These will change your life.



... Thom

I want to know more. Do tell!

[smooth operator]

I understand nipple clamps can change your (sex) life, but what do they have to do with binding?

[galibier_numero_un]

I want to know more. Do tell!

With the ski suspended (i.e. on tuning vice tip/tail supports), clamp down on the brake pad to hold the brakes in their (more or less) retracted position.

These clamps wiggle a bit and can pop off, but with a bit of patience (of which I have little), you can get them to stay in place. Overall, it simplifies the process.

The photo I snagged above is an Irwin Quick Grip.

https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-QUICK-G.../dp/B0000DD5XV

... Thom

[WhetherMan]

With the ski suspended (i.e. on tuning vice tip/tail supports), clamp down on the brake pad to hold the brakes in their (more or less) retracted position.

These clamps wiggle a bit and can pop off, but with a bit of patience (of which I have little), you can get them to stay in place. Overall, it simplifies the process.

The photo I snagged above is an Irwin Quick Grip.

https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-QUICK-G.../dp/B0000DD5XV

... Thom

I'm not sure if you're brilliant, or we're all simpletons, but either way, this seems like it's going to make dealing with those annoying rear screws on pivot heels much easier. Thanks

[galibier_numero_un]

I'm not sure if you're brilliant, or we're all simpletons, but either way, this seems like it's going to make dealing with those annoying rear screws on pivot heels much easier. Thanks

It's more like one day I was cursing at the problem like everyone else, and I looked straight ahead at my pegboard.

A clamp was staring at me ;-)

... Thom

[ASmileyFace]

And to think I was just gripping the brake pad and squeezing it with my palm like a savage before.

But on my one pivot mount today I totally used a small clamp and will be doing that again for the every pivot mount going forward.

[grinch]

Just another ski fix trick i'll have gleaned from Thom. Definitely a wealth of info.Mounting look heels sketch me out. Soo ez to strip a hole when the screw isnt aimed straight

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[galibier_numero_un]

Just another ski fix trick i'll have gleaned from Thom. Definitely a wealth of info.Mounting look heels sketch me out. Soo ez to strip a hole when the screw isnt aimed straight

Sent from my SM-G950W using TGR Forums mobile app

And I was mounting inserts when this idea slapped me across the face. The last thing you want to do is cross-thread an insert.

... Thom

[grinch]

And I was mounting inserts when this idea slapped me across the face. The last thing you want to do is cross-thread an insert.

... Thom

Definitely. Pita removing and installing pin tech bindings after that

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[galibier_numero_un]

Anybody use Tecnica Zero G's with CAST 2.0 WTR AFDs? How's the "fit" of the toe?

(I know that it is not rated/certified/indemnified/whatever for 9523 boots, but looking for real world experience with this boot.)

Thanks y'all!

Any comments about this?

A buddy rephrased the question in an interesting way:

Do you think a 9523 sole with a WTR AFD would release more predictably (laterally) than a full on, tech binding?

So he's comparing this to a tech rig instead of an indemnified alpine rig.

Of course a rock embedded in the rubber sole is the wild card, but apart from that, what does the collective have to say?

... Thom

[tdpdx]

Any comments about this?
Do you think a 9523 sole with a WTR AFD would release more predictably (laterally) than a full on, tech binding?

So when I got CAST this was something I was wrestling with. My daily driver boots came with interchangeable 9523 soles and in my very rough testing of pulling the boot laterally out of the binding on the bench with those soles mounted in the WTR AFD I was noticing two things:
1. Even without my body weight, it was noticeably stickier and harder to release than the same boot with alpine soles in Pivot 14 GWs
2. When I got to the point of almost releasing, where the boot should pop back into place, it would half snap back in and get stuck

This led me to be really uncomfortable with the idea of mounting those boots in that binding setup.

Sketch shit that I don't recommend you do incoming

So I didn't feel like getting new boots and did feel like making use of my friends 3D printer and after a few prototypes and some dremeling I arrived at this.

I've used this setup about 8 times now(I just took the last picture to show the wear), and it releases by hand very similar to the P14s at the same DIN(highly scientific hand test I know). I ate shit off a roller today and my left ski released without tearing every ligament in my body so I would say I'm pleased.

To directly answer you're question, I don't think 9523 soles on the WTR AFD are safer than tech bindings unless the rubber is really hard and somewhat slippery.

[galibier_numero_un]

So when I got CAST this was something I was wrestling with. My daily driver boots came with interchangeable 9523 soles and in my very rough testing of pulling the boot laterally out of the binding on the bench with those soles mounted in the WTR AFD I was noticing two things:
1. Even without my body weight, it was noticeably stickier and harder to release than the same boot with alpine soles in Pivot 14 GWs
2. When I got to the point of almost releasing, where the boot should pop back into place, it would half snap back in and get stuck

This led me to be really uncomfortable with the idea of mounting those boots in that binding setup.

Sketch shit that I don't recommend you do incoming

So I didn't feel like getting new boots and did feel like making use of my friends 3D printer and after a few prototypes and some dremeling I arrived at this.

I've used this setup about 8 times now(I just took the last picture to show the wear), and it releases by hand very similar to the P14s at the same DIN(highly scientific hand test I know). I ate shit off a roller today and my left ski released without tearing every ligament in my body so I would say I'm pleased.

To directly answer you're question, I don't think 9523 soles on the WTR AFD are safer than tech bindings unless the rubber is really hard and somewhat slippery.

Thanks for that. I was entertaining similar ideas of a WTR conversion. Not having a 3D printer, it may take some time to find the motivation, but it's good to see others documenting both their fabrication skills and their mania ;-)

... Thom

[tdpdx]

Thanks for that. I was entertaining similar ideas of a WTR conversion. Not having a 3D printer, it may take some time to find the motivation, but it's good to see others documenting both their fabrication skills and their mania ;-)

... Thom

Glad someone appreciates it

The 3d printer was really the key component here, can't imagine how I would have pulled this off otherwise. It allowed for rapid prototyping on the depth of the insert and some other subtle things like a tapered edge on the side facing the ski binding, not to mention the nipples for extra hold.

Can't emphasize enough how much of a PITA it was cutting the hole in the rubber though, even with a dremmel.

[nwags41]

Glad someone appreciates it

The 3d printer was really the key component here, can't imagine how I would have pulled this off otherwise. It allowed for rapid prototyping on the depth of the insert and some other subtle things like a tapered edge on the side facing the ski binding, not to mention the nipples for extra hold.

Can't emphasize enough how much of a PITA it was cutting the hole in the rubber though, even with a dremmel.

What did you use to secure the insert to the sole? Im interested to try this with an old pair of Mtn Lab boots (more for just a project than anything else). my initial thoughts were screwing the insert into the base of the boot, but it looks like you have gotten away with glue? Im worried about the glue holding up over time.

[tdpdx]

What did you use to secure the insert to the sole? Im interested to try this with an old pair of Mtn Lab boots (more for just a project than anything else). my initial thoughts were screwing the insert into the base of the boot, but it looks like you have gotten away with glue? Im worried about the glue holding up over time.

So if you look at the second picture, there are 5 nipples on the insert and 5 holes in the toe piece. The tolerance on those was very small and therefore required clamping to get together. There was no way they were coming apart after without breaking something, to be sure though, I also added some orange hardman high peel epoxy between the two.

[nwags41]

So if you look at the second picture, there are 5 nipples on the insert and 5 holes in the toe piece. The tolerance on those was very small and therefore required clamping to get together. There was no way they were coming apart after without breaking something, to be sure though, I also added some orange hardman high peel epoxy between the two.

Got it. That did not cross my mind that those nipples could provide enough reinforcement to keep the plate on.

If I can convince my buddy to let me play with his 3D printer, y’all may be seeing another rendition of tdpdx’s experiment.


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[abraham]

So if you look at the second picture, there are 5 nipples on the insert and 5 holes in the toe piece. The tolerance on those was very small and therefore required clamping to get together. There was no way they were coming apart after without breaking something, to be sure though, I also added some orange hardman high peel epoxy between the two.

What kind of material did you print with? Any post processing to reduce the friction with the afd? I did some work towards replacing my 914/916 toe wing afds but I've left that project on the shelf this winter. My plan was to mill or print a mold then cast them but I haven't selected a material yet.

[tdpdx]

Got it. That did not cross my mind that those nipples could provide enough reinforcement to keep the plate on.

If I can convince my buddy to let me play with his 3D printer, y’all may be seeing another rendition of tdpdx’s experiment.

Yeah, I thought they might just snap off, but I did a really good job cutting a precise slot for the insert and everything was very snug.

What kind of material did you print with? Any post processing to reduce the friction with the afd? I did some work towards replacing my 914/916 toe wing afds but I've left that project on the shelf this winter. My plan was to mill or print a mold then cast them but I haven't selected a material yet.

PETG with no post processing, the standard finish was slick enough to get the job done.

[tdpdx]

Anyone remove the tech heel piece from their boot for CAST? Seems like the tech heel piece might interfere with the pivot heel's functionality, but it also provides structure for the sliver of plastic on the boot heel above it, so I'm pretty up in the air on this one.

Feels like a, just because we can doesn't mean we should situation.

[burrito]

Anyone remove the tech heel piece from their boot for CAST? Seems like the tech heel piece might interfere with the pivot heel's functionality, but it also provides structure for the sliver of plastic on the boot heel above it, so I'm pretty up in the air on this one.

Feels like a, just because we can doesn't mean we should situation.

As far as I can tell all it will do is chip off the paint on your Pivot heel, which will probably happen anyway. I’d rather have that than have to buy a new pair of boots because I effed up that plastic shelf due to lack of support below it.

[snowaddict91]

Anyone remove the tech heel piece from their boot for CAST? Seems like the tech heel piece might interfere with the pivot heel's functionality, but it also provides structure for the sliver of plastic on the boot heel above it, so I'm pretty up in the air on this one.

Feels like a, just because we can doesn't mean we should situation.

Just leave it. You'll get some wear on the bindings but nothing that will matter.

[phatboy64]

Just leave it. You'll get some wear on the bindings but nothing that will matter.

^^^^This.... I looked at this once and without a whole lot of investigation it looked like the screw that holds in the heal tech fitting also helps hold in the heal. So I didn’t f with it...not worth it IMO

[tdpdx]

^^^^This.... I looked at this once and without a whole lot of investigation it looked like the screw that holds in the heal tech fitting also helps hold in the heal. So I didn’t f with it...not worth it IMO

At a glance, this was my conclusion as well.

Was just wondering if anyone knew of any negative safety consequences, but doesn't sound like it.

[snoboy]

Just a little tip:

Occasionally my brake retainer clip comes undone while walking - annoying, but usually my fault for not clearing snow out of it. It's actually quite easy to pull up the brake arm with a ski pole that has a hook type grip, then step down on the clip. Figured that out today and was quite proud of my self.

[banzai]

Managed to bend a lock on one of my alpine toes. 100% user error, heads up to all other agros out there. CAST took care of me and parts are en route. For ease of explanation of what NOT to do, I will just quote Martin:
"This is caused from holding the lock open when you remove the alpine toe off the ski. If you hold the lock open, the metal tab will hook the screw tower and bend it like in the photo you provided."

Besides that minor issue, I really enjoy the system and adding a second alpine conversion to the quiver.