questions p-tex drip candle on sinter bases and scrapers

how well does p-tex drip candle stick to sinter bases?
is it worth doing your self OR would the repair come out after couple
runs?
also is there any difference (besides color) between black and white
drip candles?
also can I use my elementry school ruler (wood with the metal edge) as
a scraper for wax & ptex drip repairs.
thanks

how well does p-tex drip candle stick to sinter bases?
is it worth doing your self OR would the repair come out after couple
runs?
also is there any difference (besides color) between black and white
drip candles?
also can I use my elementry school ruler (wood with the metal edge) as
a scraper for wax & ptex drip repairs.
thanks

wrote:

how well does p-tex drip candle stick to sinter bases?

Like crap.

is it worth doing your self OR would the repair come out after couple
runs?

It's worth doing yourself but you need better tools. Rather than the
candles, you need the repair sticks - they're flat instead of round.
You need some sort of iron - a wide-tipped plumber's soldering iron is
good but there's also specialty tools - to then melt the stick into the
damage and heat up the surrounding ptex enough to get a good bond. This
only works for superficial damage - nothing at the edge, no core shots.
If you've got serious damage, take it to a good shop and let them have
at it.

Neil

how well does p-tex drip candle stick to sinter bases?

Like crap.

It can be done but it's tough. You have to clean the wound out very well,
and do the repair at room temperatuire, not out in a cold garage.

is it worth doing your self OR would the repair come out after couple
runs?

It's worth doing yourself but you need better tools. Rather than the
candles, you need the repair sticks - they're flat instead of round. You
need some sort of iron - a wide-tipped plumber's soldering iron is good
but there's also specialty tools - to then melt the stick into the damage
and heat up the surrounding ptex enough to get a good bond. This only
works for superficial damage - nothing at the edge, no core shots. If
you've got serious damage, take it to a good shop and let them have at it.


A few years back I invested in a PTex gun, since I seem to ding up my bases
regularly during the early season. I've had a lot of practice on various
rock boards and have gotten quite adept at repairing gouges, even ones near
the edge. Repairs near the edge tend to come undone after some amount of
time... but this is true of jobs I've had done in the shop as well. I've
done repairs of core shots, although not recommended, and that's worked too.

Unless you are making a hobby out of it like I have and find yourself
requiring extensive base work, just take the tricky ones to a shop though.

Mike T wrote:

Unless you are making a hobby out of it like I have and find yourself
requiring extensive base work, just take the tricky ones to a shop though.

Yeah, but you'll pay for that soldering iron in 1 or 2 repairs, so
that's worth it for the simple damage. It's actually way easier and
neater than the candles, and you don't get all the ugly carbon in the
repair. Just remember you need a wide-tipped iron, not the narrow tips
you use for electrical work.

Neil

Unless you are making a hobby out of it like I have and find yourself
requiring extensive base work, just take the tricky ones to a shop
though.

Yeah, but you'll pay for that soldering iron in 1 or 2 repairs, so that's
worth it for the simple damage. It's actually way easier and neater than
the candles, and you don't get all the ugly carbon in the repair. Just
remember you need a wide-tipped iron, not the narrow tips you use for
electrical work.

wow - I had no idea soldering irons were so cheap!!!!

Neil - do you think that with enough practice, the soldering iron would work
on gouges at the edge? (Wondering if it can do everything a PTex gun
can...)

Mike T wrote:

wow - I had no idea soldering irons were so cheap!!!!

Well, you sure don't need the fancy temperature-controlled, multi-tip
jobs. I think I bought mine for about $30.

Neil - do you think that with enough practice, the soldering iron would work
on gouges at the edge? (Wondering if it can do everything a PTex gun
can...)

I've never had much luck there but I haven't practised much. My last
big problem was a core shot, right at the edge, which I then rode on and
broke the edge. Pretty much ****ed. Shop tried their best but the
repair only lasted a couple of days. On the bright side, that meant I
could justify a new board to my wife. Bruce is cooking up my new AM172
even as we speak.

Neil

Bruce is cooking up my new AM172 even as we speak.


Yep - putting a top sheet on my AM 182 (custom) this week!

Mike T wrote:
Bruce is cooking up my new AM172 even as we speak.

Yep - putting a top sheet on my AM 182 (custom) this week!

Wonder how long it takes? He says mine was in a batch that started late
last week.

Neil

Wonder how long it takes? He says mine was in a batch that started late
last week.

He said mine would probably ship on Friday.... not a moment too soon for Sun
Peaks carve camp! (If we get fresh snow, I'm gonna want that board... not
sure I want to ride an 18cm waisted race board in anything that new!)