Few Q's about base repairs

[RDY_2_Carve]

Last season I used P-Tex candles and they work pretty good. I'm curious what else is out there that can make the process a little easier. Specifically I'm questioning application methods. The candle drip method seems very wasteful and creates more scrape work in the end. Also sometimes it takes 2-3 applications to get the P-Tex even with the base. I've heard of P-Tex guns but I've also heard they are pretty pricey. I did a search on Ebay and came up with nothing...Could you just use a hot-glue gun instead? The candles seem to be the same size?

Also with all these new high-tech bases should I be using standard P-Tex repair candles or looking for something more specific to match the actual base material? For instance Madd's have that IMS Electra 4000 base option...would you use just any P-Tex candle on that material?

Lastly I've never had my boards on a grinder and I'm totally unfamiliar with it besides reading Scott F's info on the Carvers Almanac. Will grinds take out all of the minor scratches in the base that I normally would repair with P-Tex candles? Or do you repair it first with P-Tex then get a grind done?

P.S. Anybody have any recommendations for side/base edge bevel on a Donek Axis 167 and a Burton Speed 158Wide? I've only done polishing and de-burring to this point and I think it's time I dive into some sharpening.

Your replies are appreciated as always!

[philfell]

Base grind will take out all minor scratches, but your board only can be ground so many times until you grind through the base. Also you board is very slow for some time after a grind, so grind sparingly.

As for p-tex on higher end bases I suggest not. The way a high end base is made is that it is pressed together, not melted. This makes the base more able to absorb wax. When you take a p-tex candle to it you burn the base in that area and it no longer absorbs the wax it used to. P-tex enough areas of your base and it isn't any better than a 1000 grade or a dura surf base.

Minor scratches going from tip to tail on your board aren't going to effect the ride much if at all. Leave them alone and learn to ride around rocks not over them. Having your board ground once a year will take care of this.

A hot glue gun won't get hot enough to melt the candles used for a gun. In my experience these guns are a pain in the but and aren't worth the hassle, but if you want to check them out go here http://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10137305&category=2100

Don't worry about the minor stuff, wax your board often.

[Mike T]

Adding to philfell's wise words...

I definitley leave anything that runs lengthwise and doesn't run too deep or have any raised ridges. I'll use carbide sandppare to get rid of any raised ridges and clean it out good - a lengthwise scratch is just eaxtra structure ;) Probably not good for racing on but for freecarving? Just fine.

I have a ptex gun and find it incredibly useful for rock board maintainence. I've done most of my riding in Oregon and Tahoe and in both places you're going to get dings if you get adventerous off-piste. It did take a little practice to get good at using it, but it saves a lot of time for big jobs that I often wind up doing on my rock boards. It heats the ptex to a lower temp than a torch or lighter and this lets you cheat a bit and do repairs that would normally require a trip to a shop.

I have only used the gun on a "non-rock" board a few times, for wide shallow scratches.

When I started going my own repairs I was tempted to fill everything - now I only fill what I notice while riding.

[RDY_2_Carve]

From Donek's Website under the Axis:

DuraJet high carbon sintered base

This ok to use P-Tex candles on?

Of course I avoid rocks at all costs! Also I hot wax my board before every trip. Unless it's a multi-day trip which is pretty rare for me as a weekend warrior. The main reason I asked about base grinds is because I've never had one done on any of my boards. In addition the guy that I bought my Donek from said he was going to do a grind on it but hadn't gotten around to it yet. The base looked damn near perfect to me so I didn't see the need but if it's common practice to get one done once a year perhaps I'm neglecting my boards?

Early season conditions are pretty bad here in NM and I end up doing a lot of candle work on my rock board; so I was mainly wondering about the alternatives. Also my best friend took a deep shot on his base last weekend (almost a core shot) so I'm looking into base repair methods and such. Sounds like MikeT has a good setup for keeping his rock-board in non-rock-board condition. Thanks for the replies!

[Mike T]

Sean told me the DuraJet is essentially the same as PTex4000. If you've got an older Axis it's probably a different brand of base material but equivalent quality. So as philfell said using ptex candles isn't theoretically ideal. I've used 'em on my Axis a couple dozen times, you can tell where the repairs are by visual inspection but not while riding it. Again, if it were one of my "A" boards I would have taken it to a trusted shop for a few of the dings.

Regarding bevels: I use 2/1 on my whole quiver, including my Axis... but I defer to those with more expertise for more info than that.

[Bordy]

All good info but, always remember unless you are racing the board you are making repairs to it is just a toy for fun. :D It is going to get damaged and you will have to fix it.

Any repair is better then leaving the damaged area exposed. Unless your repair is bigger then a quarter the amount of drag you will get is minamal.

A dollar p-tex candle is much more cost effective then a hundred dollar gun and glue sticks.

If you have a core shot you should have a shop do it. Then we use a blended epoxy stick. Any repair is going to create drag. The idea is to decrease the drag and seal the damage and prevent the damage from getting worse.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I use the flat p-tex repair sticks and a wide-tipped soldering iron. Seems to do a much cleaner job than the candles, and way cheaper than buying a gun.