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Ski-Mender RP100 base repair gun

#1
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1/30/08 at 4:07pm
  • Joined: September 2006
  • Location: On another Tangent
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We just received a few guns and performed some low tech initial testing of this new consumer level ski & snowboard base repair gun by Power Adhesives from the UK.

Talk about a nice size, lightweight, brainless and low tech. After less than ten minutes of heating up the 11mm/7/16" welding rod/stick, it was smearing the material with it's 440°F temperature. The directions say 10-15 minutes (which probably is wise to wait) and implied there was a switch, which there is not. I just tested it on the packaging plastic for better contrast for pictures. Without a damaged ski at the moment, I'll try that out when the time comes and give the bases some mileage to see how long the repair lasts. It certainly isn't a bomber/industrial grade tool, but like a decent glue gun that if taken care (ie, don't drop on trigger) of seems adequately built for the home tuner and ought to last a while. No telling about the heating element though.

After initial extrusion and smearing of the provided proprietary welding material, I tried using the tip as a soldering/welding iron on metal grip, welding wire, ribbon & typical rod/stick (did not think to try it on ptex candle material). The tip is not as hot as soldering irons I've used and definitely did not smoke as much...very little in fact which was nice. Regardless, it did seem to melt the material fine but not quite as fluid as the hotter irons have, though looks promising, especially for applying metal grip into the bottom gouges. I'm pretty sure the metal grip has a lower melting point than the other materials anyway.



Welding gun with metal stand. Ten minutes to heat up and melt 11 mm welding rod/sticks.



Clean tip showing recessed fan shaped flow area.




Linear smear of melted welding rod from gun & droplet/pool in background.



Using heated tip as soldering/welding iron. Left to right: metal grip, welding wire, ribbon & rod/stick and smear through heated tip.
Best Regards, Terry Be sure to check out our growing ACTIVITY SUPPORT products for your next outing.
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#2
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10/14/08 at 6:59am
  • Joined: September 2006
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Well....I finally connected directly with the North American distributor and established a reliable source for these consumer level, light duty repair pistols. Retail price is $49.99.

I received one report of the material tearing out while scraping and contacted the distributor and he pointed out it is very important to let the tip reach full temperature. Use the tip to heat up the repair area to help with the bonding:

Quote:
The customer needs to use the front of the gun to heat the area around a repair before injecting the welding material. LDPE has a very low adhesive property, so we need the heat of both materials to weld together the material. The only way to do that is use the front of the gun to heat the base up.

The larger ski gun does run at a higher temp and heats the base of the ski or snowboard much faster. You need about 430 degrees F to get a proper weld, so it is important to let the small ski mender heat up for 15 minutes and then use the front to preheat the base before injecting the material.

Your customer is basically getting a cold weld.
(Here's much faster, more expensive 'back shop quality' big brother, Base Mender RP 350 ).



Here's the site description for the Ski Mender RP100:

Quote:
New! Perform quick and easy base repairs with our new light duty base repair gun and 11mm (7/16") welding rods/sticks. Plug in and leave this lightweight welding gun in it's metal stand for 15 minutes for the 227°C (440°F) heating element to melt the welding rod. First rough up and clean the repair area. Use the pistol tip to preheat the base repair area. Squeeze the trigger and the heated tip will extrude and smear the liquified material into small gouges and repair areas. Let cool, harden then remove excess with a panzer, body or coarse file, sharp scraper or skiver, followed by light sanding & fiber pad, for long lasting repairs.

Additionally, use the fully heated tip as a soldering iron for metal grip or other repair materials. like repair ribbon, aside from the 11mm welding rods. Comes with (4) clear & (4) black welding sticks, 100mm (3 13/16") long.

(See more info under 'Resources')
Best Regards, Terry Be sure to check out our growing ACTIVITY SUPPORT products for your next outing.
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#3
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10/17/08 at 10:31am
  • Joined: April 2002
  • Location: Bellevue, WA
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I've got the RP350. Works like a charm! But for metal grip i use more of a soldering iron with a wide flat tip that you can get more down in the repair area before using the mender(I think i bought the the flat tip from you)
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#4
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3/24/09 at 11:51am
  • Joined: September 2006
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Here's the new SkiMender site with application video.

 

Check out the wood scraper.

 


Edited by Alpinord - 3/24/2009 at 09:18 pm
Best Regards, Terry Be sure to check out our growing ACTIVITY SUPPORT products for your next outing.
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#5
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3/24/09 at 2:19pm
  • Joined: December 2006
  • Location: Carlsbad, CA
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I have a different type of gun and I can't just use it as is no matter how long I give it to preheat.  I think it was around $150 or more so it was not supposed to be some POS.   

pam201web12246a94zg4.jpg

Basically every repair it makes will pull out when you plane it or scrape it no matter what.  I have learned to make it work properly though.  I keep my handy dandy propane torch on while I am doing repairs.  Then I give the area I am going to patch a quick pass with the flame to warm it up and prep it for a good bond.  I use the gun as prescribed and then I bring the torch back and heat the new material.  I don't heat it long enough to burn the base or make any ugly carbon bits like when you candle.  I do get it nice and flow-y so that it is sure to stick when I plane and scrape. 

 

In your pictures of your new mender, you show a droplet of p-tex.  My current gun couldn't make a damn droplet of p-tex if it's life depended on it.  It basically gets to semi-viscus at best.  I bet that gun will work really well for most people.  The RP350 looks pretty shiny though. 

 

Other than pre-heating, perhaps there is a limit to the number of repairs in a row someone can make before letting it rest a bit to come back up to full temperature.  Maybe that could contribute to why you got that report of a cold weld problem. 

 

One thing I would do is try and help your customers understand the difference between the two guns more clearly.  Either way, a super good addition to your lineup.     

 

EDIT:  one more thought - the one I have basically makes it so that if you use a black stick for a repair, you almost have to put through and entire clear stick before it is really clear again.  I wish I had a second tip to put on it.  I wonder how easy it is to change sticks / colors with the two that you have.  Also, when I went to their site with the link you provided you could see the front of the RP350.  The shots on your site don't show the front where the material comes out and I bet people would like to see that. 

 

 

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#6
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3/25/09 at 3:40am
  • Joined: November 2005
  • Location: Michigan, oop nort in da land of trolls
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 I'm thinking seriously about getting one of these for Mr TC.    If he keeps following Geoffda around Summit County, his base repairs are gonna break us.

 

This tool looks like just the ticket!

 

Surviving is essential, thriving is incredible!
EpicSki Academy

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#7
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3/31/09 at 8:34am
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SVST just put up a video on their PortaWelder:

 


Edited by Alpinord - 3/31/2009 at 11:01 pm
Best Regards, Terry Be sure to check out our growing ACTIVITY SUPPORT products for your next outing.
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#8
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6/18/09 at 7:11am
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FYI, the RP 350 will be replaced next year with the RP 360 and we can get a limited quantity of refurbished guns. Available for $150 with (10) welding sticks.

Best Regards, Terry Be sure to check out our growing ACTIVITY SUPPORT products for your next outing.
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#9
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6/18/09 at 8:11am
  • Joined: November 2005
  • Location: Michigan, oop nort in da land of trolls
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 Why do I need a baser repair gun?

Surviving is essential, thriving is incredible!
EpicSki Academy

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#10
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6/18/09 at 2:43pm
  • Joined: March 2005
  • Location: Melrose, Massachusetts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trekchick View Post

 Why do I need a baser repair gun?


Why, to repair your basers, of course!  (especially when your baser repair bow and arrow is in the shop)

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#11
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6/19/09 at 8:22pm
  • Joined: November 2005
  • Location: Michigan, oop nort in da land of trolls
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bbinder View Post

 


Why, to repair your basers, of course!  (especially when your baser repair bow and arrow is in the shop)


My perfect plan is to borrow skis from Bob Barnes whenever I think I'm going to do anything that may cause a need for base repairz 

Surviving is essential, thriving is incredible!
EpicSki Academy

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#12
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1/6/10 at 4:56pm
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Has anyone ever used a regular glue gun with a PTex stick?
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#13
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1/6/10 at 6:05pm
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I have, actually.  Mine seems to work fine for this purpose.
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#14
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1/6/10 at 6:19pm
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Does it still work well for glue afterwards or does it screw it up?
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#15
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1/6/10 at 7:46pm
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  • Location: Melrose, Massachusetts
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Don't know --- my previous glue gun is now a dedicated p-tex gun.
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