Performance

Wax Basics 101

Basic Ski Tuning

Winter Car Preparation

Turn into the Skid?

Wax Basics 101 - Theron Lee, Manager, Ken's Bike & Ski in Davis, CA

Here is an introduction to waxing your skis, especially useful for those of you who have storage wax on your skis.

ASSUMPTIONS: you have the proper tools, you have a proper work area, you have the time and energy, you want to have fun!
Place ski on ski holding device (ski vise), with brakes disabled; either removed or banded up so they are out of your way.
With your plastic scraper, scrape off all the old storage wax or wax or if you did not put storage wax on your skis before storing them over the summer, all the old junk and dirt that is left on the ski. Scrape till clean and smooth.
Use your wire brush (steel or brass or third choice combo brush (brass/nylon)), and brush the base firmly from tip to tail. Wipe off the excess wax dust with Fibertex or some sort of lint free material. Be sure to clean the bristles of the brush as well. (Run the brush across the edge of the table to knock off all the excess wax).
Begin the waxing process by using a good base wax, such as an all temperature wax, to begin your base layer. Melt a bead of wax the entire length of the ski and then smooth it out by running the wax iron back and forth across the ski. It does not matter if you go tip to tail or visa versa. Make sure the wax is liquified on the base. Place your hand underneath the ski, which would be the actual top of the ski, to check that the surface is not to hot. It should be only warm to the touch. (Tip: to see if the wax iron is the proper temperature, wait till the wax iron is at temperature and then, with the wax iron upside down, rub a little wax on the surface. If the wax smokes, the wax iron is to hot and needs to be turned down. If the wax does not readily melt, then turn the heat up.)
Take your plastic scraper and scrape the ski clean, and use the side edge to scrape the excess wax off the metal edges of the ski. Scrape the ski from tip to tail.
Brush the ski with your brass or combo brush from tip to tail. Wipe off any residue with your Fibertex. Brush again with your nylon brush and wipe off residue.
Repeat this twice over a two week period to prepare your ski for your daily wax.
Repeat process to the other ski.
Protect your hard work by placing wax paper between the tip and tail and wait for it to snow.

Basic Ski Tuning - Theron Lee, Manager, Ken's Bike & Ski in Davis, CA

This guide will be broken into two parts: Basic ski repair and basic ski tuning.

Things we need to do basic repairs and tuning:

Plastic scraper
Metal scraper
File(s)
Repair candles
Matches or a lighter
Scotchbrite pads or brushes
Emery cloth or gummi stone
Fiberlene or paper towels
Rubber bands
Arkansas stone or diamond stone
Masking tape
Waxed paper
Vise
Waxing iron
Wax
Base cleaner

Step 1: Basic Repair

Repairs should be done to any damage that goes across the base of the ski. Damage that goes the length of the ski does not need to be repaired immediately and can wait until more time is available to do the repair properly.

Clean the ski of all contaminants, ie. dirt and old wax. Rubber band the ski brakes out the way so you can work.
Light the repair candle and drip/roll the repair material onto the damaged area. Be sure to put enough material on the repair so you won't have to go back to refill again. Use the metal scraper to catch the excess drippings from the repair candle.
Allow the repair to cool then use the metal scraper to scrape down the excess material. Use a pushing stroke and light pressure to begin with. Scrape until the repair is even and smooth with the base.

Step 2: Ski Tuning

Ski tuning is neither hard nor complicated and can easily be done with some simple hand tools. The finished ski should have smooth edges for better glide; a beveled base edge to allow ease of turning; the tips should be rounded to keep the ski from hooking or grabbing while crossing the fall line; and wax to help the ski glide and turn easily.

Flat file the ski until it is smooth and even across the base.
Bevel the ski with a beveling tool or if a tool is not available, by wrapping two wraps of masking tape onto one end of the file and file the base again. Be sure to keep the masking tape on one edge at a time to be sure to cut one edge.
Place the ski on its side and file the side edge with an edging tool. Don't forget to do both edges.
Return the ski back to be able to work on the base again. Round the tips and tail from contact point forward on the tip and contact backward on the tail. Use the file to round the tip and tail. Contact point is defined as the point before the tip or tail that turns up to create the shovel or tail.
Use either the emery cloth or stone and rub the edges on the base side and the edge side individually to smooth out the burrs that occur while filing.

Step 3: Waxing

Waxing is rocket science, while tuning is not. Here is a little quick and easy explanation on why waxing CAN be difficult. To pick the correct wax for the day you need a few bits of information. You need the outside temperature, the snow temp, the snow crystal structure, air humidity, snow humidity, and wind chill factors. As you can see it is much easier to use an all temperature wax that will work well in nearly all conditions.

Clean the ski again to remove all the filing from the base.
Turn on the iron to a medium heat. Once the iron has warmed up, test the heat by melting some wax on the surface of the iron. If the wax does not melt when touching the surface of the iron, then turn up the heat settings on the iron. If the wax smokes on the surface, then the settings are too high and you need to lower the settings.
Melt or drip a bead of wax onto the surface of the ski. Use the iron to spread the wax along the surface of the ski. Allow the ski to cool before proceeding to the next step.
Take the plastic scraper and scrape the excess wax off the ski. The thinnest coat of wax will be the best for glide and ease of turning
Buff the ski with the scotchbrite pad to a smooth finish. Finish by brushing the base from tip to tail with the appropriate brush.
Use the waxed paper and place a piece on the tip and tail to keep the dirt and grit out of your freshly waxed skis. Wrap the tip and tail with masking tape to keep the waxed paper in place and keep the skis together.
Don't forget to take off the rubber bands and have a great day of skiing.

Winter Car Preparation - Jim Stewart

Install new wiper blades
Apply RainX or similar product on your windshield
Fill the wisher reservoir with –20 degree windshield washer fluid
Replace battery if weak
Put in your car: Jumper cables, Chains, Gloves, Flashlight that works, Ice Scraper with brush
Install ski rack if needed
Optional: Blanket, Rope, Plastic sheet, Bungee cords

Turn into the Skid? - Kathy Stewart

What does that mean, anyway?
I took Jim Russell’s high performance driving course at what used to be Sears Point, and the following is what I learned about skids.
The best way to avoid a skid is to drive smoothly while turning, accelerating or breaking, and don’t drive faster than the conditions dictate. Look ahead far enough so you have time to prepare for the upcoming road conditions.
If you find yourself in a skid, smoothly release the accelerator, or brake pressure if already applied, and if you are driving a standard shift vehicle, disengage the clutch. Avoid sudden, sharp movements. The goal is to get the vehicle’s weight balanced. Note that the accelerator may be used to balance the vehicle.
Look the direction you want the car to go. Smoothly turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Align your tires with the direction of your intended travel.
Remember that having a FWD and AWD vehicle will not prevent skids, especially on ice.

Contacts

Capital Ski & Sports Club
P.O. Box 4406
Citrus Heights, CA 95610

Page last updated on Oct. 3, 2006