Raw Notes #

This is a temporary page containing raw, unedited notes on this subject. This page and the information here is incomplete, and may be inaccurate.

• I have an old, large write up of tuning and waxing. It’s too long. I need to re-do that with current pictures and advice.
• If you’re gonna sell your skis or boards, your customers will expect a well tuned and waxed board. The base and edges should be pristine, beveled properly, and waxed well.
• You should: apply base and side bevel, sharpen and polish with at least a medium diamond stone, debur with a gummistone, apply one coat of base prep wax and scrape well to remove fuzz from grinding, then apply one coat of good broadly useful wax like Swix CH8, scrape, rotobrush, and scotchbrite. Re-scotchbrite right before packaging or delivery to ensure the base looks perfect.
• I get a lot of tuning supplies from https://www.tognar.com/
• For new boards, you have to use a real base grinder. Don’t try to clean up your base with a hand belt sander, you’ll be sad.
• Most home builders make friends with a local shop owner and agree to have them do their new boards for some beers or a small fee. Or, ideally, you get them to train you on the machine and let you do it for the same fee and your labor to cleanup afterwards.
  • I got lucky and the owner of Ride On in Redmond, WA, (back in the day) taught me how to grind on his machine for free. Super-nice guy.
• You can pickup a used grinder for surprisingly cheap if you keep your eyes open. It’s rare, but they do come up for sale. A simple model with no auto feed, and just sanding belts (no stone grinding) is all you really need, though an autofeed is a great bonus.
• I get grinding supplies from http://svst.com/