Raised bump on ski base

[itsbs2]

Hello - I am looking for a little insight on an issue I have with one of my skis.

I have been waxing/tuning my own skis for a number of years with no issue. I returned from a trip this past week and went to do my post trip wax/tune and noticed a raised bump in the base of one of the skis. The bump is completely firm and does not flex or move at all when I press down on it. I reached out to the store I bought the skis at and they are saying that the only way for this to happen is from improper waxing. While I am not perfect, and its possible I screwed something up, I am not convinced since the bump was not there when I scraped after the last time I waxed and I only noticed it after skiing on them after the wax job. Any thoughts? Pictures attached.

 

[newboots]

Maybe they mean something went wrong with the iron? Really, I have no idea.

 

[BC.]

where exactly is the bump in relation to the entire length of the ski.....can't exactly tell if it is a dimpled base caused by too long of a screw from the binding mount?

 

[itsbs2]

Maybe they mean something went wrong with the iron? Really, I have no idea.

Yeah - I think they are implying that the iron was either too hot, or I left it in one spot for too long. Very possible, but like I said, the bump was not there until a few days after I waxed and scraped them. Mostly trying to figure out if it is accurate that the only way for this to happen is from improper waxing or if something else could cause it.

 

[itsbs2]

where exactly is the bump in relation to the entire length of the ski.....can't exactly tell if it is a dimpled base caused by too long of a screw from the binding mount?

It is aft of the binding and not near any screws

 

[newboots]

Puzzling.

How long have you had them?

 

[itsbs2]

Puzzling.

How long have you had them?

Nearly exactly a year. I didn't ski them too much last year maybe 5-6 days but have put about 10 long days on them already this year.

I definitely agree its puzzling! Mostly I am wanting to make sure I dont forego a warranty claim because the shop is saying its user error and I just dont have the knowledge to know if that is true or not. I'm kind of in a pickle there haha.

 

[newboots]

Someone who knows more than I will come along soon and possibly have some answers. Maybe next question to the shop is, "How?"

 

[Truberski]

where exactly is the bump in relation to the entire length of the ski.....can't exactly tell if it is a dimpled base caused by too long of a screw from the binding mount?

I had same thought. It looks like what you see with an imperfect binding mount, not cleaning out hole prior to inserting screws, not correct screw length, etc.

 

[Jacques]

It is aft of the binding and not near any screws

Okay, then that leaves you with overheating. The epoxy bond may have been "not so hot" right there, and excess heat will reveal things.
Turn down the iron.
I hard impact can also weaken epoxy bonds. Then the excessive heat.............

 

[Kyle]

I did this to one of my skis a long time ago when my iron was too hot. I scraped it off, filled the resulting hole with P-tex, and continued to use the ski without (I believe) significant issue.

 

[graham418]

It is hard to think that overheating could cause such a pronounced localized bump. You would think it would be a more diffuse area. And that if it was very localized heating the base material would melt?

 

[Marker]

What @Jacques said. I overheated a pair of old skis when I was first starting with waxing and tuning. I got a few bumps on the bottom of those skis because my iron was crap and the heat setting could accidently be knocked too high. So ultimately I bought a better digital iron. However, the bumps went away after the skis were cooled and brushed out. Very hard to see, just slightly observable. And this went on for a long time anytime the ski bases were overheated, but I could still skis them with no issues. OTOH, your bump looks incredibly large, so I suspect the epoxy bond there was never very good from the start.

 

[cantunamunch]

It is hard to think that overheating could cause such a pronounced localized bump. You would think it would be a more diffuse area. And that if it was very localized heating the base material would melt?

You're right - unless there's a flaw in the epoxy as @Jacques points out, or an air bubble or water getting in somehow.

I'm a little surprised the shop didn't offer to attempt a repair, of the resect/epoxy/pressdown/grind flat type.

 

[newboots]

I'm a little surprised the shop didn't offer to attempt a repair, of the resect/epoxy/pressdown/grind flat type.

Must be one of those "blame the customer" shops. And maybe they did; we don't know.

 

[cantunamunch]

Must be one of those "blame the customer" shops. And maybe they did; we don't know.

I'm thinking "cunning like a fox that used to be Professor of Cunning at Oxford University but has moved on and is now working for the UN at the International Commission for Cunning Planning"

and not getting caught holding the bag for something that is either a manufacturer or customer fault.

 

[Scrundy]

If it’s isn’t covered by warranty, I’d probably drill a small hole in it. Fill with epoxy with a syringe, throw a c-clamp on it and call it good

 

[itsbs2]

Thanks all for the replies! The shop is a larger retailer so I am not surprised they are pushing back on the warranty -- still not great, but kind of expected when shopping for a deal. My main goal here was to figure out what caused the issue so I could learn from it, and I definitely got the info I needed. I was using a colder wax and had my iron at the recommended temp for the wax, but must have slowed down over that spot or something.

On the bright side, I did reach out to Rossignol since they are rossi skis, and they are going to swap the skis out for me.

 

[pchewn]

I think that's an air pimple between PTEX and fiberglass. If it were my ski, I would:

1. Drill a VERY small hole to let the air out.
2. Clamp it with wood block to squash the air out and flatten the pimple.
3. Inject epoxy into the hole, clamp, wipe off excess and let set.
4. Drill out the epoxy hole slightly larger than initial hole.
5. Fill the new hole with PTEX
6. Scrape, plane, sand until flat

EDIT: Or I guess I'd take new skis as a swap if I HAD to ....

 

[itsbs2]

EDIT: Or I guess I'd take new skis as a swap if I HAD to ....

Twist my arm!