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New Skis - base tuning questions

Lane Meyer

Booting up
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Jan 27, 2021
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Couple of tuning questions...
Even though I’ve been tuning my skis for a long time, I have come to realize that my tuning method/steps are lacking in some areas, but have been doing my homework/research to get up to snuff and add some additional tools, etc. Anywho, the new skis I am likely going to get will come with edges set at 1/1 from the factory. I am going to go with a 1/3. I have a question or two regarding the base…
  1. For the base bevel, do you recommend doing anything with the base bevel, such as a least do some sharpening/polishing work with diamond stones to ensure the base edge is sharp/polished? Or, just leave it alone since it’s new?
  2. Do you recommended doing anything with the base itself, or leave it alone since it’s new and just base prep wax and temp wax after I’m done with my side edge work?
Thanks!
 

Eric@ict

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Ski them for a season, take to a shop to have the bases flat and let a machine reset your edges if you still feel the need. I started tuning a couple of years ago and thought if you change your edges, your base must be flat.
 
Last edited:

Uncle-A

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I would check the new from the factory base to see how flat they really are and make a decision from the results. If they are not flat get them ground flat. If they are flat ski them several days and see how you like them and make another evaluation.
 

Atomicman

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Just change the side edge to a 3 Degree. Make sure you knock off the hanging burr and see how they ski. A ski will ski fine as long as the base is flat about 10MM in from each edge. Just as you only maintain your skis regularly from the side edge, there is no reason to mess with the base edge unless they are over 1 degree or not flat 10mm in from each edge, in other words concave edge to edge.
 

Henry

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Some new skis are factory tuned before the epoxy is fully cured. These skis cup over time. They are concave and need a base grind before the new owner skis them. Other than that, the base structure and the edge angles are your choice.
 

Slemers

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What science is behind the manufacturer's choice of angles? Do they set them up for the end user or is it more of a way to let the end user set them up the way they prefer?
 

KingGrump

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What science is behind the manufacturer's choice of angles? Do they set them up for the end user or is it more of a way to let the end user set them up the way they prefer?

I believe most are optimized toward the target demographic of the particular ski.
 

trailtrimmer

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Tune for me depends on the ski. Race ski .75/3. Front side fun skis up to the mid 80's, 1/3. Skis 90mm and wider, 1/2. I don't have a care for what it came with out of the factory, I like my angles better 90% of the time.

Wide skis start to track funky on hardpack with more aggressive tunes, especially if you haven't had your boots canted and have funky natural stance.

I also assume no ski is flat out of the wrapper, it goes right to my guy with the Wintersteiger shuttle for a full workup.
 

Slemers

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I think that depends on the manufacturer.
Mine are Dynastar Speedzone 12 TI. The factory tune seems pretty good so far. I believe they are 1/1. My turn preference is linked short turns as I'm coming back to skiing after a 12 year hiatus. After deprogramming some of the old parallel techniques I used in the past I find that I'm not nearly as tired at the end of the day.
I used to wax and tune my old 7SK's but I had no idea what I was doing. For a recreational skier they did ok.
 

oldschoolskier

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Ontario Canada
I’m in agreement that 1-3 is a good starting ground and base set up for almost most skis. Safe and enough grip.

Remember base controls response, larger base values slow down base values.

Side angle control grip in combination with base angle. The larger difference the more grip.

As others have mentioned ensure you don’t have any hanging burrs or all the effort in tuning is out the window.
 

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