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What do i need to wax my ski's??

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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

So ive decided i want to start waxing my skis on my own. Ive seen the swix master tuning kit come up on TD a few times but i dont think im ready to shell out that much $$

What are the essential tools i need and what is it going to run me??

Also i have a normal work bench in my basement, i dont need a ski specific one do i?

Jan 12 2011 8:39AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
solid set up: Swix vices to hold your skis, an iron you can set the temp (each wax has a different melting point), scraper, all-in-one brush (metal center bristles with nylon outside ones).
Jan 12 2011 8:43AM
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minibus4
Posts: 517 - Karma: 13
Saw horses work good enough for me cause i cant justify paying $150^ on vises. Buy a $40 waxing specific iron, bristle/brass hybrid brush, and a scraper and of couse wax. For wax id choose Swix universal for a starting out wax cuz its easy to use and scrape.
Jan 12 2011 10:57AM
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Shifties4Dayz
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 553
you dont NEED vices. i dont have any and im fine. i just have a dakine iron (think it was like $25), a few brushes, and a scraper, plus my waxes.

But i would honestly recommend a metal scraper over a plastic one, i just feel like the metal works a bit better
Jan 12 2011 11:11AM
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connory998
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 34
the absolute bare necessities are an iron, wax and a scraper. having a brush is nice but without it it just takes a couple of slow runs before you get all the wax off.
Jan 12 2011 11:15AM
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gus555
Posts: 4170 - Karma: 34
i wax my own skis... but i use the rub then buuf stuff
Jan 12 2011 11:40AM
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Mr_pretzel
Posts: 4616 - Karma: 1,289
The metal will remove ptex if you scrape to hard, its not a good idea.

Also you need a iron, wax, a plastic scraper, a microfiber piece(its costs like 2 bucks), and a all around brush.
Jan 12 2011 12:42PM
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fragglemuffin
Posts: 3312 - Karma: 444
I use a $7 clothing iron from target, a big dakine plastic scraper, a scrub pad for texturing, and rubber bands to hold the brakes down....Have never had a problem with that setup.
Jan 12 2011 12:54PM
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585.
Posts: 4059 - Karma: 77
the video in ski maintenance thread does a great job of showing what you need and how to use it properly
Jan 12 2011 12:57PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

are the plastic scrapers you get with board shorts food enough??

and for people who dont buy vices, how do you keep your skis stable while turned upside down??

Jan 12 2011 1:24PM
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Skittle.
Posts: 2537 - Karma: 718
^yeah that scraper will work. i use a work bench vice, a toolbox to balance one end on, some rubber bands to hold down the brakes, and shitty normal iron that we got at a garage sale for $10 a long ass time ago
Jan 12 2011 1:51PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
you don't need vices, like someone else said. BUT they are rather helpful for keeping your skis in one place. If you don't use them, you just have to keep adjusting and repositioning your skis.
Jan 12 2011 2:28PM
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powerslide
Posts: 570 - Karma: 273
Spot on! If your just waxing its cool, but if you want to work on edges and repair you need to get it in a vice. I use this:
Click for larger image
and it is something like 30$. I have on at home and one at my cabin in the mountains. It is a nice thing to have and works fine. I use it for twintip, tele, and cx skis. And if you need fast, fast skis the brushing and the brush is important.
Jan 12 2011 3:07PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

I actually already have saw horses so its good to know they work well.

As for wax, what am i looking at getting? Temperatures around here range from around -5 C to -25 C (well temperatures id be skiing in) I just want a relatively in expensive wax.

Also, im planning on getting a waxing iron but some people in here said normal irons work. Are they that bad??

Jan 12 2011 3:23PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

oh and if people could post links of good irons and waxs it would be great.

and by good i mean good price for a beginner like me. I dont need a world cup quality iron

Jan 12 2011 3:30PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
honestly, just buy Swix. They make the best stuff out there, and it's a good value. They make great irons starting at $40 and go up to $300. If you had to use one wax, use their Alpine Race Prep (it's a red mixure for slightly warmer conditions). Using a warm wax like this is really good because it opens up your base and it can deeply saturate your base. The more you use it, the better your bases will be, plus if you were to add the temperature of the day on a Prepped base, it's super fast.
Jan 12 2011 4:31PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6638 - Karma: 10,532
here is a link to their irons, but you can check out all of their wax/tuning tools too

http://www.swixsport.com/eway/default.aspx?pid=278&trg=MainContent_6179&MainContent_6179=6117:0:24,2743
Jan 12 2011 4:35PM
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cct_222
Posts: 1526 - Karma: 141
everything you need right here......

http://www.artechski.com/ski-tuning-equipment.aspx
Jan 12 2011 7:27PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
please read the sticky, every possible question you could have has been answered
Jan 12 2011 7:34PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

yea sorry ima look at that.

But everyone who did help thanks alot! very helpful indeed. +k to all but not right now because im in a hurry lawls

Jan 13 2011 10:52PM
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,497
your mommy's iron with tin foil covering the holes.
Jan 13 2011 11:02PM
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nskerb
Posts: 228 - Karma: 232
holmenkol beta red!
Jan 13 2011 11:11PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Metal scrapers are no good. I scrape half a dozen pairs a day in production here, plastic is all I use.
Jan 13 2011 11:23PM
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,497
ya couple kids at my work fucked some families boards using metal scrappers and i had to give them new boards... plastic ftw
Jan 13 2011 11:45PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165
http://www.artechski.com/Ski-Tune-Wax-Starter-Kit-With-Wax-Iron-8511.aspx

thoughts?

Jan 14 2011 10:46AM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165
well i just raked up $175 in late christmas gifts this weekend so i have money to fund this indevor. So yea if someone wants to let me know if this package is good id appreciate it.
Jan 16 2011 7:38PM
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iThinkiSki
Posts: 106 - Karma: 16
Wax an iron and a razor
Jan 16 2011 7:39PM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

k well heres what im thinking...

http://www.buckmans.com/store/view-item-detail.aspx?ItemID=6078

http://www.buckmans.com/store/Swix-CH4-Green-Hydrocarbon-Wax-60g-OSCARItem_1219=10347.aspx

http://www.buckmans.com/store/Swix-Economy-Waxing-Iron-OSCARItem_1210=10351.aspx

Jan 16 2011 10:22PM
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NWPA
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 165
.
Jan 17 2011 1:12AM
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,585
Damn that sucks. I had to do three pairs a few days ago and it was hell. OP all you really need is wax (I use dakine), an iron, a scraper, and a way to buff it. Some people use brushes, I use a piece of cork board
Jan 17 2011 3:10AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
You dont really need a brush, in a few runs the snow grounds the extra wax off pretty well. I've used a file tool, wax scraps and an old house iron and a credit card as a scraper and done a pretty good job. 90% of the results of a good tune is just getting a fresh coat of wax on your base.
Jan 17 2011 3:18AM
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Canuker
Posts: 4730 - Karma: 165

thats the only park i dont get. The buffing.

When people say buff i picture like youd buff a car, like rub the wax in with a buffer. But i dont think thats what it means in ski terms

Jan 17 2011 2:35PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Buffing basically rubs the wax in and removes any unneeded extra thats on the base.

Again, riding a few runs will do the same wax removal as a brush.
Jan 17 2011 2:38PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
I don't even scrape my bases. I let the snow do that too.
Jan 17 2011 2:50PM
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