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Pay for wax job or buy an iron?

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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
I'm not too knowledgeable about waxing so I need some help guys
I'm wondering if I should either:
A-invest in a wax iron so I can do the ironing myself or
B-just pay for a wax job?
A hot wax at the sports authority in my area costs $10 each time. Sports authority also sells this demon mini travel wax iron for $25 but I read ONE review on it and it said it sucked. If I do decide on getting a wax iron, what kind would you guys recommend? Nothing too expensive though. If i have it correct, to properly wax a ski, all I need is some base cleaner, a scrapper, wax and a wax iron right?
first the base cleaner, then the waxing, then the scrape, then I'm all good?
thanks

I just bought some new skis and I'm assuming they haven't been waxed...they're rossignol sprayer twin tip fyi. Then I have a pair of PE that was last waxed...I don't even remember lol

thanks again!
Dec 2 2008 4:43AM
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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
another thing, does the wax I use really matter?
I have this all temp wax from demon that i got for free, along with glidewax from swix(its a bottle applicator) and paste wax from demon
Dec 2 2008 4:50AM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7603 - Karma: 20,088
I bought a wax iron, but I'm pretty sure you can just use a regular clothes iron (make sure there is no water in it so it can't make steam!!!!!!! because that will wreck your bases.) All temp wax will work ok, but the way wax works is it has these chemicals called fluorocarbons (which are very toxic by the way, and end up in the water when snow melts), and I think the higher fluoro. means the faster the wax will be. It is better to use warm wax for warm weather and cold for cold weather, but ll temp will work fine.
Dec 2 2008 10:05AM
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MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
Everything you need to know:

http://www.skituning101.com/
Dec 2 2008 10:15AM
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Sp@rk
Posts: 125 - Karma: 12

I know that in my local shop.... .if you buy the complete set

Iron

Wax

Scraper

They will set up an appointment and teach you how to use it...

Its definatly worth getting your own stuff.... it will save u lots of money in the long run..

Dec 2 2008 10:51AM
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ilikeplants
Posts: 1868 - Karma: 17

Waht you need is..

Iron
Wax
Scraper
Structure Brush
Cork

that is everything.

You can get an iron from goodwill for like $5. dont spend your money on those shitty irons from ski shops.

Heat up the iron, drip wax onto the ski, smooth out the wax with the iron. let it dry for 10-15 minutes, scrape the wax off, use the structure brush then the cork to smooth it out.

Dec 2 2008 11:18AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

Bump

nix the base cleaner hot scrape any cheap iron will do if your iron/wax is smoking too hot.

don't have time to explain the difference between low flou and high flou vs hydrocarbon but I'm sure if you searched on the interweb the answers are out there. Try tognar for more good tech info or toyko swix etc

Dec 2 2008 11:43AM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
do it yourself for sure. it saves you some money and it's a great way to take up time the night before an epic day.
Dec 2 2008 11:50AM
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jc99
Posts: 41 - Karma: 10

I have a hot iron (from swix), it makes a mess, and takes me a long time.

Just bought this...

http://www.sskiwax.com/index.php

amazing. done in no time, and works great. you can do it in the parking lot.

Dec 2 2008 1:22PM
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Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
they have a few irons on backcountry
Dec 2 2008 1:35PM
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headlight
Posts: 165 - Karma: 15

Here's what they don't tell u.

And there are simple fixes to this, but think about it because once u start waxing , u may have to start tuning and want more etc.... and in the long run if u keep skiing u save $$ but for the 1st year u wind up spending money...

1) where r u gonna wax - it can leave a mess behind - u wanna clean up ? are u gonna damage anything?  2) Whats gonna hold ur ski brakes outta the way? get some elastics, ski straps or cut some blown out bike tube.... 3) What's gonna hold the skis? Do u need a set of vises ? or what's gonna hold the skis when u try to scrape?, brush?  vises r expensive....

4) after waxing and scraping a couple times ur plastic scraper goes dull so do u sharpen it or buy new or some use sandpaper(crappy)...or get a metal scraper...and an elastic breaks...whatever .5) so eventually u nick ur ski edges and it nicks your scraper or iron or u just want to fix it so u gotta buy a stone or file or something....

6) so u see u wind up doing some basic tuning....7) and u realize u want a better brush because it doesn't work well on harder / cold wax.... 8) and yeah u want a gummi stone to clean off rust or de-tune....9) then u want to try a FLouro wax or something different to see if it is better.... 

So if u start it can suck u in and ur $$$....but eventually u will become tech & smart and confident and u can invite the ladies to your wax room..... after a couple years u will have saved on store tunes & wax jobs and it's paid off.... so what's it worth to u ? When it comes together it is so so good and having a waxroom with a good music is great.

Dec 2 2008 4:37PM
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bigwhite.steeze
Posts: 8227 - Karma: 1,030
i dont even scrape the wax off anymore...doesnt really make sense as llong as you dont have huge bubbles and lumps on your base. if your paying all that money for wax why would you scrape most of it off?

aand i'd invest in an iron and a kit. just go to good will or value village(used stuff store) and get an iron with no water in it and no holes in the bottom...
Dec 2 2008 4:43PM
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fragglemuffin
Posts: 3312 - Karma: 444
i use a standard clothes iron (with holes in the bottom) that i got from target for $10...works like a charm
Dec 2 2008 5:06PM
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SGLogi
Posts: 1078 - Karma: 13
Honestly if you wax right there's no need to scrape the snow will do it for you, imo
Dec 2 2008 5:08PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
honestly...u shoudl scrape u go through all the effort puttting it on and cleaning it i assume u should just scarpe it off its much better
Dec 2 2008 6:23PM
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phila
Posts: 285 - Karma: 10

wow . not scraping the wax off your skis is kinda dumb.

your skis have something called a structure. mirco grooves in the bases to help water not stick and if they are filled with wax your skis feel sticky when the snow is wetter.

right now for my brush i jsut use a nylon kicthen brush( new of course) should i be useing a better one ? and do i still need to brush it tip to tail or can i do it anyway?

Dec 2 2008 6:51PM
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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
i've read alot about using reg household irons, they can melt the pores in your base causing them to not absorb any wax because household irons tend me range in a very big temp
i dont think i need vices....imo its a way of making your wallet lighter...
im planing on just using books on the 2 ends of the skis..as long as its a even surface i dont see anything wrong with it. so i guess i've decided to buy  my own stuff, but the question now is
WHERE
i don't wanna pay like $80 just for some ski i might only wax maybe twice a season since i dont go to the snow as much as other members here
whats the use of a cork?
i get the part on using a brush so that it recreates those grooves that are covered over by the wax...but whats the cork supposed to do + hows it work?

Dec 2 2008 8:06PM
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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 94
just get the basics to wax your own sticks...a iron, brush and scraper(which I am sure you could find something around your house to use). You will save your self money very quick.
Dec 2 2008 8:18PM
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teamdummy
Posts: 1187 - Karma: 2,595

for me waxing my skis is a spiritual experience. sounds gay i know-but when i do it i put on some bob marley, crack a cold one and just take my time with it. its quite easy to do. but being in the garage where its kinda cold, and the smell of the wax-like snowtrailsmark said it just gets you in the mood for the next day and plus its very gratifying to be able to hand tune your own skis. and not having some dude at a sports store just ram it through some wax machine. and i use an iron i got from target for about $8 bucks. 

Dec 2 2008 8:44PM
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Celone
Posts: 1998 - Karma: 114
when i first looked at this thread i thought you meant to ask if you should get like a chest hair wax or a golf iron...

i was like the what the fuck...

but yah i would recommend just buying an iron
Dec 2 2008 10:01PM
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Jonzo
Posts: 103 - Karma: 21
I purchased all the Swix stuff (iron + edge grinders) and some wax (forget the same) that smelled like blueberries...Swix has an online how-to flash video you can watch.  It's pretty simple, and a heck of a lot more convenient and cost effective in the long run.

In short - buy your own kit, don't Goodwill it.
Dec 2 2008 10:21PM
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Jonzo
Posts: 103 - Karma: 21
Here's the Swix website...feel free to skip the BS the chick has to say:
http://www.swixschool.com/web_tysk/index2.html
Dec 2 2008 10:29PM
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pretzels
Posts: 416 - Karma: 43
Straight off the PURLWAX website:

HOTWAX:

The goal here is to fill the pores of your board with wax giving you a smooth ride, better performance, and of course, SPEED. Place your board on a stable surface. Adjust your iron to just below smoking. Dont use your Moms iron. Pay the $11 at Home Depot.

Hold the iron so the hot surface is up with the point towards you. Hover the iron tip two inches over the board and apply the wax to the hot surface of the iron. Move the iron lengthwise smoothly dripping a line down the rail 1/4 inch inside the edge, around the tip, back up the other rail, around the tail, and back up the center of the board.

Immediately flip the iron, holding it like your Mom would. KEEP THE IRON MOVING. Remember if you leave a hot iron on your base for more than a few seconds you are looking at a $300 hole. Now Move the iron from tip to tail, tail to tip. This will produce one thin film of evenly saturated wax over the base. If one spot dries faster, drip a little more wax. Pay attention to your contact points. These are the areas that allow glide. They dry out faster thus needing more wax. One board should take two minutes from first drip to pristine butter smooth.

Allow the wax to cool. The longer you wait, the better the wax will bond to your base.

Use the indented edge of your Plastic Scraper to remove the wax from your edges. Run Scraper at ten degree angle from vertical from tip to tail. You are done scraping when the base has no excess wax. If you dripped correctly, this should take five good strength passes along the entire base.

Buff to perfection.
Dec 2 2008 10:37PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Get the scraper, wax and brush.  Then go to a thrift store or salvation Army, Good Will, and buy an old iron for like 5 bucks.  You don't have to waste money on a "waxing iron."  They're a regular iron, that's smaller with no features for clothing, just temperature adjust.
Dec 2 2008 10:46PM
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headlight
Posts: 165 - Karma: 15

What u get from an expensive ski iron - if u care for the features:

Top of the line ski irons often have a choice of power - say 600 watts or 1200 so if u need the heat when working in a cold garage u use 1200. Other irons are OK with 850 w. Cheap irons maybe like 600w. House hold irons can be very strong depending if they are good..

Top ski irons had digital read outs - so if your wax says use at 130 degress u set the iron and u can watch the display as the iron cools down when waxing and heats up again to do the job. You know u are working to the waz manufacturers spec and u shouldn't burn your base. Medium and cheap irons have no display medium quality irons have a rotary switch with a a couple temp setting which is OK but they can be off so start lower to not burn bases . House irons start low like permanent press low and move up slowly . Once u figure out your Goodwill / Target of from where-ever iron u r good.

Cheap irons have poor heating coils and bases, they go cold real fast as u iron then heat up real fast and cannot hold a constant temp so u r more prone to burn you wax and bases with htis back & forth. Look for a thick heavy base. 

u can use a "steam iron " without water but the different waxes get in the holes and as u move from a warm  soft wax to a cold wax the olf soft wax burns and smokes and leaves debris. So ya, flat irons are the best but u can do it with holes.

Top ski irons sometimes have both grooves and holes and flat sections. The flat portions are for powders, FL , additives and the grooves are for rolling wax fwd...

Besides melting your Ptex base the irregular heat from a cheap iron can delam or blister your pTex off the 'core' or the ski.

That's my tech experience.

Dec 2 2008 10:48PM
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headlight
Posts: 165 - Karma: 15

A cork is a real cork or artificial material kinda cork the size of a small fist that is used to rub in wax. It comes from the old cross country ski thing.

So u get a soft wax, or a rub on wax or u already have wax and u r adding FL powder or some special additive like moly and u crayon wax to the ski base (or dust the powder) and then cork it in.

Do a soft & gently cork run from tip to tail and then progress to a firm & harder pass.  The last cuple harder rub in provides enough heat to set the wax onto the base.

Using an iron is WAY WAY better but this is for rub on waxes, paste, soft wax, FL, when u travel and desperate measures. It works but does not last like ironing in. It works at the top of a race course .. where layers of waxes are used for that 100th of a second thing. 

Dec 2 2008 11:02PM
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skisquaw@420
Posts: 1802 - Karma: 13
^ from my tech experience, it completely depends on the iron. ive used ski specific irons which have a greater temperature variations (specifically that super common yellow one sold by SVST, cant remember the brand right now), then certain clothing irons, but i do agree with what you said for the most part
Dec 2 2008 11:03PM
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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
also, when waxing new skis, is buying the base prep wax really that important?

Dec 3 2008 1:32AM
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skisquaw@420
Posts: 1802 - Karma: 13
^ not unless your a racer or pro halfpipe skier
Dec 3 2008 1:39AM
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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
so im fine with the all temp wax i have from demonsnow for waxing my brand new ski that comes unwaxed?
Dec 3 2008 2:51AM
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SnowJumperAK
Posts: 76 - Karma: 12
Dude, definatly go buy all the stuff you need, it will cost like 50 bucks initially for everything, thats an Iron, scraper, wax, base cleaner, and a brush. then all you will need is a file set and after you got that like 10 bucks a month on wax if you ski a lot.  If your like me and need visuals, there is sometimes something even better then the all mighty searchbar, its called........
YOUTUBE.

Seriously though, theres like twenty vids on there for waxing skis and tuning/detuning. thats how i figured out how to detune my tips and tails last year.

It will save you a lot of dough in the long run if you ski a lot, like for me i have 3 pairs of skis that get used every weekend (mine, my wifes, nad my daughters) and the DIY method saves me a lot when its like 15 a pair to get done and you have to wait sometimes three days.
Dec 3 2008 3:49AM
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Max-Steeze
Posts: 448 - Karma: 171
thats exactly what i do and the wax you dont scrape off protects the base of your skis for a while
Dec 3 2008 5:56PM
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powpowinbmt
Posts: 58 - Karma: 9
Iron Iron Iron Iron Iron Iron!!! All the way!! www.kuu.com                      Cheap and good stuff, I suggest the Iron maiden Iron. Then just go to your local ski shop and ask if you can buy shop wax. Youll be waxing your skis before every time you go riding for about 90$ GREAT DEAL!!!!!
Dec 3 2008 6:00PM
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fssnivek
Posts: 283 - Karma: 10
anybody have a demon travel iron from sportsauthority?
im thinking about getting it, its $25 with a 25% off coupon...
but i read 1 review saying it sucked ass
any thoughts?
Dec 4 2008 4:44AM
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