Fun in the tuning shop

[Allee]

Spent last night in the workshop at U of C, where they let no-ideas like me loose with all the ski and snowboard tuning equipment and teach you how to tune your own gear.

The instructor recommended a very interesting edge setup for my board - basically the same setup that they use to tune shaped skis. The base bevel is 1/2 deg through the flex zones at tip and tail, and 0 through the bindings. The side bevel is 1/2 deg through the tip and tail and 2 through the bindings.

I'm thinking this is a fairly radical departure from the safe and boring 1 and 1 that I've been using. Anyone have any comments on how this might ride? Or use anything similar?

I also found out that the Outdoor Centre at U of C has a batch of brand new Prior split boards that they're renting over this season for $30 per day including skins. If any of you are up this way and looking to do some backcountry, renting one of these rather than carting your own gear might be a nice option.

[~tb]

Spent last night in the workshop at U of C, where they let no-ideas like me loose with all the ski and snowboard tuning equipment and teach you how to tune your own gear.

The instructor recommended a very interesting edge setup for my board - basically the same setup that they use to tune shaped skis. The base bevel is 1/2 deg through the flex zones at tip and tail, and 0 through the bindings. The side bevel is 1/2 deg through the tip and tail and 2 through the bindings.

I'm thinking this is a fairly radical departure from the safe and boring 1 and 1 that I've been using. Anyone have any comments on how this might ride? Or use anything similar?

I also found out that the Outdoor Centre there has a batch of brand new Prior split boards that they're renting over this season for $30 per day including skins. If any of you are up this way and looking to do some backcountry, renting one of these rather than carting your own gear might be a nice option.

I am guessing that someone with far more tuning experience than I will chime in here. . . but here's my 2 cents.

I believe the above stated tune would probably perform just fine. But what a pain in the butt!!! for the increased effort of that tune job, would you be able to feel the supposed increase in performance? If you can, than go for it!!! I think that most people here have setteled in at about 1 degree base bevel and 2 degrees side bevel for good all around settings (there are some exceptions. . . slalom boards, reallly icy, soft snow. . .yada yada yada). I would be willing to bet that if you took two identical boards, put the above stated tune on one, and the more traditional 1 base, 2 side tune on another and rode them both in a "blind taste test" that MOST people couldnt feel the difference.

But, do try . . . and report back!

On another note. . . try the 1 base, 2 side rather than your current 1 base, one side. Especially if you are in icy conditions.

~tb

[Tommy D]

Wow. I've never heard of doing that before. For me, 1 and 1 has always worked out great, and is easy to tune by hand. This year, I'm rolling with 0 and 0 on my snowboard(Factory setting), but will likely keep the 1 and 1 on my skis.

It sounds to me like the goal of running different bevels is similar to detuning the tip and tail. I love taking the gummi stone to my skis, but I don't detune my snowboard.

I've noticed carving the icy New England slopes, that edge angles less than 90 degrees (IE: 0 base, 2 side) don't stay as sharp as long as as say a 1 and 1 or 0 and 0.

Were you tuning by hand, or with a machine to get those bevels? I'm not sure if the time spent isn't greater than the benefits.

Let us know how it works out!

[bjvircks]

When I've dropped off gear to be worked on I've asked if they'd do specific angles and they've replied "you'll get what we give you". Are there any shops around that will do requests? I've typically stayed at places that don't accomodate do-it-yourself tuning & waxing. Besides, it is tough to bring the required vises, fixtures, files, stones, iron, scrapers, ptex, waxes, yada yada yada.

[RJ-PS]

When I've dropped off gear to be worked on I've asked if they'd do specific angles and they've replied "you'll get what we give you".

Don't leave your board with them.

[Tommy D]

Don't leave your board with them.

+1

Find yourself a good shop that WILL do specific angles. I rarely leave my gear with a shop, but if I do, I find one with a good rep and form a relationship with that shop.

[bjvircks]

+1

find one with a good rep and form a relationship with that shop.

I live in IOWA. Our ski club goes to a different area every year and so it is difficult to develop any kind of history with a shop. And since our group is not very outgoing we have no local contacts when we get somewhere. Being the only rider in the club, I'm kind of an outcast anyway.

What I hope to do is post here before I go anywhere and get feedback from hardbooters about shops in a given resort area.

Which brings me to this... I'm going to be in Park City (on my own) Dec 10-17. Why hasn't anyone sacrificed numerous virgins to the snow gods??? GET WITH IT, BORDY!! :rolleyes:

[Guest jschal01]

the transitioned bevel will ride more hooky than the 1/1 you're used to, less hooky than some running 0,2 or possibly 1,2 the whole edge, depending upon how you also work in the detune. Better edge hold following turn initiation for sure. Not much more hassl at all than the 1/1, just be sure to remember the transition zones.

for travel tuning, per bjvircks' question, I've found simply taking a couple large Ziplocs with stones, etc. appropriately covered and padded and putting them in the board bag works fine. You generally really only need to deburr and sharpen, so the files can stay home and get borrowed from a shop if really need be, just take stones if you want to keep it small. For waxing in particular, you need to think about what you want in a wax, taking your own iron and doing it a couple times not only ensures a better job and better or more appropriate wax 95% of the time (I know there are great shops and great tuners out there, but they can be hard to find) but you can spend the $$ you save on beer.

Detune to allow you to go on and off the edge smoothly, that can have a bigger effect on the overall ride than a 1/2 degree bevel here o rthere.

[ScottW]

Along these lines...having worked as a ski tech years ago, I really don't want someone who knows as little as I did, anywhere near my base and edges. Are there any good tuning references out there? I hate to go after my base and edges with file, stone and wax only to end up with a base-high-round-edge special.

Scott

[Guest jschal01]

http://www.tognar.com/ is good. For the specific topic of snowboard detune, Bordy had a very good post a year ago on this which you can look up.

Also, for base grinds, most shops offer this as part of their full tune, but unless you have a base problem that requires a grind the best evidence is maybe one grind a season, at best, is best, then just develop structure by waxing and brushing. Tognar and other resources go into this a good bit.

[Justin A.]

I use something similar on my race boards. I go with .5 degree on the base all the way down the edge. on the sides, I go with 2.5 on the tail, 1.5 through the bindings and 2 on the nose. This side bevel is a bear to work out at first, but it pays off when you hit the dreaded eastern blue plate snow, or need ti lay into a high-g turn on said boiler plate. I do all of my tuning myself by hand. If you want someone else to do it for you and dont mind shipping your board, you can ship it to me, and I'll do it and have it shipped back to you inside a week. Email me at Allen_Justin@dwc.edu if you're interested.

________

Extreme Q Vaporizer

[wavechaser]

After assorted local "shop-monkeys" (they said they were "technicians") have done every conceivable bad thing to my boards over the years, I've gone with Mike de Santis at the Precision Tuning Center in Framingham MA.

Website here: (PTC )

If you can afford it, especially if you race, it's worth it. Talk to Mike about general tuning/waxing tips too...he's got a "less is more" philosophy that really works well. He blows his own horn pretty loudly but he backs it up!

BTW - thanks to Ben Schurman for the tip last year!!

[Allee]

Thanks for the input, guys. I got the edges done on Thu, now I just have to take it out and see how it rides, which won't be until at least next weekend (damn exams). Looking forward to seeing how it handles - this will be my first time on this particular board so I'll be interested to see what sort of a hard time it gives me. Lucky for me, there isn't a lot of boilerplate to contend with out west.

For any of the guys in Calgary, I can recommend this little course - it's a whole heap of fun. It's only $80 over 2 nights and for that, you not only get to play with all the gears, but my board was base ground, the sidewalls taken down, some P-Tex fixed and nice System 3 wax put on while I was learning. And I got to take the apron home.

It will be fun to tune my own gear now, not to mention with 4 boards it gets a little pricey to have shop techs do it. Luckily none of the boards are expensive beasts, so they can stand a little practice!!