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Thread: Hardwood plugs

  1. #1
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    Hardwood plugs

    So I’ve got to remount a ski with holes too close together. I’m going to use epoxy and hardwood plugs but I’m wondering if there’s a particular dowel size that works best. I’ve been putting a section of dowel into my drill chuck and sanding it until it fits. This is a pain in the ass makes a dusty mess and is time consuming.
    But Ellen kicks ass - if she had a beard it would be much more haggard. -Jer

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chugachjed View Post
    So I’ve got to remount a ski with holes too close together. I’m going to use epoxy and hardwood plugs but I’m wondering if there’s a particular dowel size that works best. I’ve been putting a section of dowel into my drill chuck and sanding it until it fits. This is a pain in the ass makes a dusty mess and is time consuming.
    PM Margotron (I'm too lazy to search), he had a good thread on this a while back and did a top notch job.

  3. #3
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    See what size hardwood your local store has that is as close to the old holes as possible. drill out the old holes to fit this, heat up the epoxy to make it runny and flow into all the gaps and into the core.


  4. #4
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    These work REALLY well. I've successfully overlapped holes using these plugs too:

    https://utahskigear.com/shop/winters...plugs-100-pcs/

  5. #5
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    Tooth picks and epoxy.

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  6. #6
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    I've had this in the back of my mind for a couple of weeks, and am throwing these musings out for discussion.

    I've liked the idea of tapping a thread onto a dowel, but the challenge lies in finding a 12AB die.

    [edit]I was trying to remember who described this. I see above while I was editing that it was @margotron.[/edit]

    I then thought about tapping a standard 12-24 thread, but the challenge there lies in re-threading the ski. Going from a coarse 12AB to a finer thread doesn't sound like a good idea. It won't expose much clean wood, either.

    I'm not too big on enlarging to tap a 1/4-20 hole, but this may be the only option for this strategy.

    I've done the aluminum screw plug that @1000-oaks described. A 12-24 aluminum screw worked fine in this application. I didn't need to re-tap the ski.

    For this particular ski however, I'd love to allow for drilling out the plugged holes.

    The fiberglass/epoxy patch that @xxx-er endorses is great, but tedious. I may just do that again.

    Comments? Yeah, I know ... OCD.

    ... Thom

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    Last edited by galibier_numero_un; 03-05-2019 at 07:31 PM.
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  7. #7
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    I’ve used toothpicks and epoxy to fill holes but not for holes that are going to be close or overlapping.
    But Ellen kicks ass - if she had a beard it would be much more haggard. -Jer

  8. #8
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    I couldn't find @margotron's post on my smart phone, but it's in the MYOFS thread, around 12/29/2018.

    I found a segment of his post quoted, and it looks like he also endorses recutting the thread in the ski (expose clean wood).

    Overkill? Perhaps, but I like that.

    [Edit] Post #2403
    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/....php?p=5511083

    ... Thom

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    Last edited by galibier_numero_un; 03-05-2019 at 08:05 PM.
    Galibier Design
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  9. #9
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    Bamboo BBQ skewers fit in the holes perfectly and you might have some hiding in your kitchen drawers, or you can get a bag of them at safeway for cheap

    i don't mount holes that are too close, I move things a little
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    Bamboo BBQ skewers fit in the holes perfectly and you might have some hiding in your kitchen drawers, or you can get a bag of them at safeway for cheap
    ^^^
    yeah, this has been my go-to recently...

    From galibier_numero_un's link above and a few related posts (November time frame BTW)...

    Quote Originally Posted by margotron View Post
    im very tired so i doubt this will make sense or be original i wanted to contribute a bit knowledge.

    I've started filling old mount holes in skiis with the combo of 2-part gflex epoxy (using a syringe, filling from the bottom) with oak wood dowels, shaved down to fit. it is a chore compared to hammering plastic nubs into holes but i think the final product is as solid as the original product. I also typically mount with inserts, and after drilling / tapping those into the oak dowels, am totally impressed.

    At this point, I'd happily take a ski on its 6th mount, replace old mount holes with wood dowels, and mount anywhere i please and feel safe doing it.

    It's kind of amazing.

    the ski was made from wood and epoxy in the first place!
    :::

    Quote Originally Posted by margotron View Post
    I start with a normal ski bit because it's easy and I'm more sure the bit will track into the divot I've made.

    #1 most important thing with inserts is to mount the binding with machine screws right away before the epoxy has set. Being even 1mm off can wreck a mount with inserts while 1mm with a normal mount is unnoticeable. If you get the binding mounted when the epoxy is still malleable, you can get away with being a teeny bit off because the insert will align itself with the screw. Saved my drunk ass more than once

    This is extra extra true if drilling and tapping by hand.

    Side note: I've found tapping cleanly and vertical way more important than using a drill press. Seen plenty of insert jobs affected by bad tapping. Never from hand drilling.

    :::

    Quote Originally Posted by margotron View Post
    In my opinion, these are the real tools of the trade — dies. When I plug a hole I use hardwood dowels and a die. I recut the hole w/ a sharp tap, then I inject epoxy into the bottom w/ a syringe (the syringes for dogs are good. Next just screw the wooden plug in. As far as I can tell, it is literally just like new. The pics below are plugged normal and insert holes. I view that ski as brand new for mounting purposes.

    I messed up an insert mount by 2mm last year and chose to plug and mount on top of the dowel. Several DIN12 ejects later, everything is rock solid.

    I also highly recommend G-Flex. Pricey stuff but you get a ton of it actually and it is just unmatched. I also like gorilla glue brand epoxy better than JB weld for some reason.



    :::

    Quote Originally Posted by margotron View Post
    I got mine at Ace. Theyre Irwin — a good brand IME but theyre nothing special. Google A/B Tap and Binding Freedom Tap and go look for a die with the same stats

  11. #11
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    ya so maybe they need to do this at epic ski .com but can any spesh-al flower amongst you dentists feel the difference moving 1 cm or 1/2 an inch on a powder ski?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  12. #12
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    My kusalas are basically unskiable with dukes and ski very well with dynafits. The line is maybe 1cm apart from binding to binding.
    But Ellen kicks ass - if she had a beard it would be much more haggard. -Jer

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdadour View Post
    These work REALLY well. I've successfully overlapped holes using these plugs too:

    https://utahskigear.com/shop/winters...plugs-100-pcs/
    I have the same. Large diameter bamboo chopsticks run through a 5 or 6mm die will also work great. The bamboo tested harder in a v unscientific hardness test I did.


  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    ya so maybe they need to do this at epic ski .com but can any spesh-al flower amongst you dentists feel the difference moving 1 cm or 1/2 an inch on a powder ski?
    It’s not about need brudduh.


  15. #15
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    Margotron... Are you cutting your wood plugs flush with the top sheet?

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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    ya so maybe they need to do this at epic ski .com but can any spesh-al flower amongst you dentists feel the difference moving 1 cm or 1/2 an inch on a powder ski?
    I've tested this on plenty of skis that were mounted with demo bindings, trying to discover my favorite position. I can notice a 0.4cm difference, but it's subtle. A 0.7cm difference feels very significant to me.

    .
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vitamin I View Post
    I've tested this on plenty of skis that were mounted with demo bindings, trying to discover my favorite position. I can notice a 0.4cm difference, but it's subtle. A 0.7cm difference feels very significant to me.

    .
    Yup... I agree with this.

    Some skis are more sensitive than others... But I played with the mount on my old sickles and they were fine with small moves until all of the sudden they were not and skied like shit with the last extra click.

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  18. #18
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    No worries about end grain capillary action with wood? Seems to me it would suck in water.

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    Quote Originally Posted by turnfarmer View Post
    No worries about end grain capillary action with wood? Seems to me it would suck in water.
    That's exactly what I was wondering and why I asked if they get cut flush with the top sheet.

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  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shorty_J View Post
    That's exactly what I was wondering and why I asked if they get cut flush with the top sheet.

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    can grind it down below flush with a Dremel or sim



    also, if following the above, it's soaked in g-flex so there is a barrier of a sort

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by acinpdx View Post
    can grind it down below flush with a Dremel or sim



    also, if following the above, it's soaked in g-flex so there is a barrier of a sort
    This. I fucked up a mount last year and filled with wood dowels. I dremeled down a bit and epoxied over the top and then chiseled flat when it dried.

    Now that I'm out of the condo, have a house with a garage, and no longer doing kitchen table mounts, hopefully won't have the same fuckup again.

    Margotron, I like the thread idea. Thanks. Might be overkill versus just a wood plug pounded in with good epoxy (I've overlapped holes using that method and they skied fine). But the extra peace of mind makes sense. May do that on my next remount.
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  23. #23
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    Re exposed pores:

    I dremel flush or slightly past flush then GFlex over the top of the dry wood.

    Re wood choice: if you can get ring-porous hardwood dowels (oak, ash) that's your best bet. They barely absorb water in the first place vs semi- and demi-porous. Bamboo isn't wood, it's a grass, and if you seal the pores (which are large and will take epoxy), it's pretty impregnable.


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  24. #24
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    I need to email Hillman and find out where the hell they sell these, no luck searching online. Sure would help folks, and my precious little bag of them won't last forever.Click image for larger version. 

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  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vitamin I View Post
    I've tested this on plenty of skis that were mounted with demo bindings, trying to discover my favorite position. I can notice a 0.4cm difference, but it's subtle. A 0.7cm difference feels very significant to me.

    .
    I think splat used to talk about these very minute nuances small mount changes made as well. I can't notice small myself, but I safety meet a lot
    ..like a LOT

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