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POLL>>>How often do you wax your skis? - Page 2

Poll Results: How often do you wax your skis...approximately...

 
  • 2% (2)
    More than once per day
  • 31% (30)
    Every day
  • 48% (47)
    Every 4 to 7 days I ski
  • 3% (3)
    About every 2 weeks I ski
  • 4% (4)
    About once per month
  • 7% (7)
    Once per season
  • 3% (3)
    Never or nearly never
96 Total Votes  
post #31 of 51
12/7/09 at 8:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowfan View Post
OK...using this...http://www.slidewright.com/proddetail.php?prod=MW0615&cat=58

So now I will go 3-6 days if the snow is soft.

Saves me some money and time...good idea. Thanks, I'll let you know how it works out.
Maybe more. FTR, I'm in the 4-7 range, but sometimes more frequently. Especially after a grind or base work starting with several heating/cooling cycles of soft wax and then one or two of hard, then get into the WOTD less frequent cycles, unless there are dramatic temperature changes or highly abrasive snows.

(The 12" today is not abrasive. ...and that's just at my house at 7600, not the higher elevations. Game on!! )

My initial point is that you possibly wax 2/3 less than you do now with the Universal.

Mojoman. Wax is expense relative to the other costs of skiing? Equipment, gas, trip expenses, condos, lifestyle hidden costs aside, just the cost of a lift ticket for a day of skiing, say $75 is not in the same range of easily less than a $1/waxing that could last several days.

UP. you need to get out more.
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post #32 of 51
12/7/09 at 8:31pm
Well when your job is in a shop you can wax them everyday I guess, but I still tend to wait 4 or 5 days on them before I feel like I need to change things up.

I go with Purple Purl most of the time, and usually only need to add blue in to go fast.

I have seen a lot of good points above this post and I'm a firm believer in the idea that everyone is right, they just have their own preferences.  Its unfortunate, but some people take their own knowledge very seriously, especially when it comes to skiing.
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post #33 of 51
12/7/09 at 8:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevescho View Post




Don't you also absolutely need something to clamp the skis upside down and steady so you can wax them?   If not, please describe.

I lay my skis on two stacks of scrap wood for waxing. No clamps, don't need 'em. Works just fine.
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post #34 of 51
12/7/09 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevescho View Post

Don't you also absolutely need something to clamp the skis upside down and steady so you can wax them?   If not, please describe.
You need to support your skis and not clamp them, IMO. Adding heat expands the skis and relaxes the camber. Allow them to float. After the skis cool and the wax hardens for around 30 minutes or more, secure them for scraping and brushing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by guroo270 View Post

which wax? (i want to go fast)
which iron? (i can't use our house iron)
what powder? (christmas is coming up and these all sound  like good stalking stuffers for me)
Lots of options will work. You just need to start with the basics. Experiment and learn over time which works best for you. Start with a workspace you will use conveniently.

Here's a few options of hot waxing basics:


Edited by Alpinord - 12/7/09 at 9:24pm
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post #35 of 51
12/8/09 at 9:41am
Waxing and light tuning have become a zen-beer drinking-boys night out-ritual for me. I enjoy working on my skis and I enjoy fast skis. Just got to tune the boards the other night. Some light edge work, a couple hot scrapes, and a good soft yellow wax to lay down a softer base that will accept and absorb the harder wax layers to come.
Had my skis tuned at the local 10,000lb gorilla (Name rhymes with Vertipants) last year and asked them NOT to wax them. I paid 50 bucks for the above average tune that allowed me to pick my edge angles. When I got them back they HAD waxed them. Some of you might wonder what is the big deal? Well, they used a wax roller. Which is crap! These machines run all day long, day in and day out, and tend to catch a lot of debris, pollutants, and quite frequently are set too hot and burn the wax. So, I prefer to do it myself. I tend to buy better wax from Dominator and Swix than the bulk wax your average ski shop uses.
   Another reason for leaving the skis without wax after the tune (Stone grind, edge bevel) is so that I can work the bases and break them in. A freshly stone ground ski observed under a microscope reveals many burrs and raw edges. They are actually SLOWER! I planned on taking a wet sand paper to them to knock down the peaks, remove the burrs, and leave the structure of the bases more polished. Followed by a lot of brushing with a good steel brush. That one layer of wax they put on elimnated all of that. Argh! 
  Not only were the skis waxed but the tune left a lot to be desired. "Vertipants" recently purchased a fancy 130, 000 dollar fully automated machine to tune skis. Aparently they have given up on craftsmanship all together. When I got the skis back the tips and tails were still quite rusty from where the machine quit tuning. Kind of a let down concidering it would have taken a few short moments to complete the tune once the skis came out of the machine.
  Alas, there are children starving in this world and one must avoid becoming to neurotic about such things and realise there are more important matters to frett over. So after having taken the last two season off after having our first child, I'm really excited to get the zen wax ritual and mountains back in my life. I guess I'll have to forgive "Vertipants" their transgressions as well.
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post #36 of 51
12/8/09 at 9:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fressen View Post

Waxing and light tuning have become a zen-beer drinking-boys night out-ritual for me. I enjoy working on my skis and I enjoy fast skis. Just got to tune the boards the other night. Some light edge work, a couple hot scrapes, and a good soft yellow wax to lay down a softer base that will accept and absorb the harder wax layers to come.
Had my skis tuned at the local 10,000lb gorilla (Name rhymes with Vertipants) last year and asked them NOT to wax them. I paid 50 bucks for the above average tune that allowed me to pick my edge angles. When I got them back they HAD waxed them. Some of you might wonder what is the big deal? Well, they used a wax roller. Which is crap! These machines run all day long, day in and day out, and tend to catch a lot of debris, pollutants, and quite frequently are set too hot and burn the wax. So, I prefer to do it myself. I tend to buy better wax from Dominator and Swix than the bulk wax your average ski shop uses.
   Another reason for leaving the skis without wax after the tune (Stone grind, edge bevel) is so that I can work the bases and break them in. A freshly stone ground ski observed under a microscope reveals many burrs and raw edges. They are actually SLOWER! I planned on taking a wet sand paper to them to knock down the peaks, remove the burrs, and leave the structure of the bases more polished. Followed by a lot of brushing with a good steel brush. That one layer of wax they put on elimnated all of that. Argh! 
  Not only were the skis waxed but the tune left a lot to be desired. "Vertipants" recently purchased a fancy 130, 000 dollar fully automated machine to tune skis. Aparently they have given up on craftsmanship all together. When I got the skis back the tips and tails were still quite rusty from where the machine quit tuning. Kind of a let down concidering it would have taken a few short moments to complete the tune once the skis came out of the machine.
  Alas, there are children starving in this world and one must avoid becoming to neurotic about such things and realise there are more important matters to frett over. So after having taken the last two season off after having our first child, I'm really excited to get the zen wax ritual and mountains back in my life. I guess I'll have to forgive "Vertipants" their transgressions as well.

Exactly.
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post #37 of 51
12/8/09 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by guroo270 View Post

I hate to jump in and identify myself as a newbie to taking care of my own stuff, but I would really like to get into prepping my fiance's and my gear, so what would you guys recommend as the necessities for waxing at home? Keeping cost low is a bonus.  A simple list will do so i can order online as i do not live too close to any good ski shops.  Even the REI here has NOTHING for skiing.


 

OK, here is a cheap way to do waxing:
1) Buy some shop (all temperature) wax.  At AR Ski Tech you can get 250 grams (it will last for years) of TOKO all-temp wax for $10.  Cheap.  And it will work in most conditions just fine.  See:http://www.artechski.com/tokobaseprepandshopwax.aspx  .
2) Get a cheap iron for maybe $12 at your local Walmat or whatever store.  Heat it until the wax drips and irons in without smoking.  If it is smoking a lot it is probably way too hot and will cause damage to your bases.
3) Get a rag from your old torn shirts and wipe the wax out of the holes in your hot iron (to clean it) whenever you are using something other than your universal wax, or in addition to your universal wax (like in spring conditions).  It is free.
4) Buy a quality scraper from anywhere for $4 or so.
5) You will need a brush if your skis have a textured base.  These sintered, textured bases work better when waxed.  To get the maximum effect you need to brush out the wax from the grooves in the base.  $10 or so for the brush.
6) Use some old newspapers, so you don't drip all that wax onto the kitchen floor in your apartment. The old newspapers are free.
7) Find or buy something to hold the ski brakes back when you are waxing.  Brake holders cost maybe $1-$2.  You can always find something for free that will also work.

Yeah, I got a fancy Holmenkol iron, a ski vice and all kinds of stuff in the garage.  But you don't need it for basic waxing when the idea is to save money... 
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post #38 of 51
12/8/09 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by quant2325 View Post




OK, here is a cheap way to do waxing:
1) Buy some shop (all temperature) wax.  At AR Ski Tech you can get 250 grams (it will last for years) of TOKO all-temp wax for $10.  Cheap.  And it will work in most conditions just fine.  See:http://www.artechski.com/tokobaseprepandshopwax.aspx  .
2) Get a cheap iron for maybe $12 at your local Walmat or whatever store.  Heat it until the wax drips and irons in without smoking.  If it is smoking a lot it is probably way too hot and will cause damage to your bases.
3) Get a rag from your old torn shirts and wipe the wax out of the holes in your hot iron (to clean it) whenever you are using something other than your universal wax, or in addition to your universal wax (like in spring conditions).  It is free.
4) Buy a quality scraper from anywhere for $4 or so.
5) You will need a brush if your skis have a textured base.  These sintered, textured bases work better when waxed.  To get the maximum effect you need to brush out the wax from the grooves in the base.  $10 or so for the brush.
6) Use some old newspapers, so you don't drip all that wax onto the kitchen floor in your apartment. The old newspapers are free.
7) Find or buy something to hold the ski brakes back when you are waxing.  Brake holders cost maybe $1-$2.  You can always find something for free that will also work.

Yeah, I got a fancy Holmenkol iron, a ski vice and all kinds of stuff in the garage.  But you don't need it for basic waxing when the idea is to save money... 

 
Thanks.  That was what I was looking for.  On a side note, is the LF wax worth the extra 20 bucks?  Do you go significantly faster in proper conditions?
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post #39 of 51
12/8/09 at 1:54pm
Check the local thrift stores for an iron. Try to find one that doesn't have steam holes; harder to find, but better as the wax won't sit in there and breakdown.

I wouldn't bother with the LF starting out. It is faster in soem conditions, but then again, there's always another wax that will be faster in some other conditions. Get a good all temp wax to start with; unless you know what kind of conditions you will be skiing regularly. If you're always skiing manmade snow, then something like the Dominator old snow wax would be better.
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post #40 of 51
12/8/09 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iWill View Post

Check the local thrift stores for an iron. Try to find one that doesn't have steam holes; harder to find, but better as the wax won't sit in there and breakdown.

I wouldn't bother with the LF starting out. It is faster in soem conditions, but then again, there's always another wax that will be faster in some other conditions. Get a good all temp wax to start with; unless you know what kind of conditions you will be skiing regularly. If you're always skiing manmade snow, then something like the Dominator old snow wax would be better.
 


I will always be skiing in Vail, A-Basin, and Breckenridge.  I was thinking of getting the all temp cheap stuff, a bar of LF red, and a bar of LF blue.  No?

EDIT:  Do you think that will......cover my bases..?  (ba-dum-teesh)
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post #41 of 51
12/8/09 at 2:01pm
klj
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post #42 of 51
12/8/09 at 2:10pm
new ski minimum of 6 waxings (hot) with notwax in between.
just before a ski week clean and hot wax with low temp hotwax topcoat notwax
daily coat of notwax.
and of course check the edges for burrs etc and tune them if needed.

and if you like fast skis stay clear of automated drag inducing bases shops...

still not much i am lucky if i get 2 weeks of skiing a year, usually just one!
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post #43 of 51
12/8/09 at 2:57pm
I wax when snow feels sticky, or I just feel like it.  Until recently, I have had old skis with more ptex than original base, so I'm not used to being picky .  I moved south now though (who can say why), so maybe I'll start waxing for old time's sake between trips.

Quote:
Originally Posted by quant2325 View Post

7) Find or buy something to hold the ski brakes back when you are waxing.  Brake holders cost maybe $1-$2.  You can always find something for free that will also work.
I use an old bike tube -- I'm not saving a lot of money here, but if I ever lose it, I can always cut more, and it's satisfying to put that sort of stuff to use IMO.
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post #44 of 51
12/8/09 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjsharke View Post

I wax when snow feels sticky, or I just feel like it.  Until recently, I have had old skis with more ptex than original base, so I'm not used to being picky .  I moved south now though (who can say why), so maybe I'll start waxing for old time's sake between trips.

 

I use an old bike tube -- I'm not saving a lot of money here, but if I ever lose it, I can always cut more, and it's satisfying to put that sort of stuff to use IMO.

 


As far as anchoring skis during scraping, would people object to putting skis on boards upside down and hooking up bungee cords to the bindings in a secure location, forming a loop that you could then stand on, pulling directly downward on the skis to keep them stable?
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post #45 of 51
12/8/09 at 4:34pm
Once a year whether they need them or not.  I put on a thick coat at the end of the season and ski it off the next year.  I really don't care about going fast. 
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post #46 of 51
12/8/09 at 4:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by guroo270 View Post

As far as anchoring skis during scraping, would people object to putting skis on boards upside down and hooking up bungee cords to the bindings in a secure location, forming a loop that you could then stand on, pulling directly downward on the skis to keep them stable?
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I won't object. I prefer this method using a T4B lasso clamp:

   

A couple other manufacturers make vises with rubber bands or other cord connectors that can attach to brakes or other binding parts. Because they can conform to any shape, they work for snowboards, tele and other bindings as well and allow you to secure fat skis as well.......even pairs.
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post #47 of 51
12/8/09 at 5:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevescho View Post




Don't you also absolutely need something to clamp the skis upside down and steady so you can wax them?   If not, please describe.
 

Nope. I haven't used a vice for 15 years.
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post #48 of 51
12/8/09 at 5:43pm
you can use 'destacco' clamps for hold downs with 4x4 blocks. minimum.

You can use a decent household iron from the thrift store for a few bucks. If you are smoking the wax  it's a leeetle hot.

Holmenkohlen wax is awesome. the colored temperature specific waxes are faster than universals, if you can get the color right.
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post #49 of 51
12/11/09 at 7:21pm
Actually, none of the answers were quite right for me.  Since I have more than one pair of skis and some days I ski longer days than others, a "day" is not a "day" all the time.  So, it's more like every 60,000 vertical feet on a given pair of skis.
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post #50 of 51
12/11/09 at 8:08pm
I use hotel skis so they don't usually get waxed by me since I'm in a hurry.

I just look for unattended skis in the lobby or by a warming car.

This poll is flawed because it assumes that you will ski on and wax .... your skis ...

Now even if you asked me if I would ask me if I'd wax your skis ... well no; that's a good way to get caught, dragging them around and all.  Ski em' & ditch em' ....... move on, move on
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post #51 of 51
12/11/09 at 10:36pm
Xc classic skis: 2-4 x per day

XC skating skis: daily

Powder skis:  Daily, unless the snow matches conditions last waxed for

Carving skis:  Once a week
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