Base bevel

I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing. Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

--
Don

(remove 'NOSPAM' for email address)

"Don Lee" writes:

I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing. Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

You shouldn't. Depending on the manufacturer, year, phase of moon,
etc., there's a good chance that a factory-fresh ski won't be all
that true. Or it could be pretty much right on the money -- Atomics
tend to be pretty damn close, for example, but anything is a
crapshoot -- friend of mine bought a pair of Fischers last year that
were totally railed. I don't see the objection to filing 'em -- if
they've already got the bevel you want, no harm done, and if they
don't, you'll just have to do it anyway. If you're worried about
taking off too much edge (a fear that I think is much exaggerated
myself), use a diamond stone to start, although if they're way off
you'll need a file to do the job. But before you start mucking
around with the bevels, use a truebar to find out if maybe there's
something else going on.

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

Thanks Mary, will try the true bar first.

--
Don

(remove 'NOSPAM' for email address)
"Mary Malmros" wrote in message
...
"Don Lee" writes:

I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on
the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing.
Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I
need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

You shouldn't. Depending on the manufacturer, year, phase of moon,
etc., there's a good chance that a factory-fresh ski won't be all
that true. Or it could be pretty much right on the money -- Atomics
tend to be pretty damn close, for example, but anything is a
crapshoot -- friend of mine bought a pair of Fischers last year that
were totally railed. I don't see the objection to filing 'em -- if
they've already got the bevel you want, no harm done, and if they
don't, you'll just have to do it anyway. If you're worried about
taking off too much edge (a fear that I think is much exaggerated
myself), use a diamond stone to start, although if they're way off
you'll need a file to do the job. But before you start mucking
around with the bevels, use a truebar to find out if maybe there's
something else going on.

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

in article , lal_truckee at
wrote on 12/2/03 11:52 AM:

Don Lee wrote:

I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing. Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

Most factory preps are pretty good these days - used to be the first
thing you did was a base prep on new skis, but it's seldom needed in the
last 10 years or so. Mary's advice is good - true bar before anything to
see what the situation is.

I'd also advise, if it's new to you, that you get a tuning book to
introduce you to the process - Seth Masia's book is good: see
http://masia.org/books.htm

Remember if you want to buy a book from Seth Masia that he supports and
encourages defamation, death threats, and the gross lies of the rsa
terrorists. Do YOU want to give your money to an amoral, unethical,
conscienceless asshole?

Don Lee wrote:

I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing. Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

Most factory preps are pretty good these days - used to be the first
thing you did was a base prep on new skis, but it's seldom needed in the
last 10 years or so. Mary's advice is good - true bar before anything to
see what the situation is.

I'd also advise, if it's new to you, that you get a tuning book to
introduce you to the process - Seth Masia's book is good: see
http://masia.org/books.htm

in article er, Simba at
wrote on 12/2/03 12:18 PM:

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003, scottabe wrote:

Remember if you want to buy a book from Seth Masia

Visit http://masia.org/books

Do YOU want to give your money to an //snip//

If it ****es you off, yes.

No surprise. Assholes support assholes being assholes.

"Simba" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 02 Dec 2003, scottabe wrote:

Remember if you want to buy a book from Seth Masia

Visit http://masia.org/books

Do YOU want to give your money to an //snip//

If it ****es you off, yes.

It's funny you should say that. Some people here buy **** to give or throw away,
to support the decent people that trunky has his hissy fits over. For example I
think tuning and instruction and all that stuff is waaaaaaaay over rated. But I
think I'll go buy a copy of Seth's book. I'll just leave it in a ski shop or
something next time I'm near one.

pigo

in article , pigo at
wrote on 12/2/03 4:31 PM:


"Simba" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 02 Dec 2003, scottabe wrote:

Remember if you want to buy a book from Seth Masia

Visit http://masia.org/books

Do YOU want to give your money to an //snip//

If it ****es you off, yes.

It's funny you should say that. Some people here buy **** to give or throw
away,
to support the decent people that trunky has his hissy fits over.

What decent people? Anyone who is civil to this asshole surely isn't
decent.

For example I
think tuning and instruction and all that stuff is waaaaaaaay over rated. But
I
think I'll go buy a copy of Seth's book. I'll just leave it in a ski shop or
something next time I'm near one.

Please do. Makes me feel good to know this psychopath is wasting his money.

"scottabe" wrote in message
...
in article er, Simba at
wrote on 12/2/03 12:18 PM:

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003, scottabe wrote:

Remember if you want to buy a book from Seth Masia

Visit http://masia.org/books

Do YOU want to give your money to an //snip//

If it ****es you off, yes.

No surprise. Assholes support assholes being assholes.

And, friends don't let friends drink and drive.
--
Marty

"Don Lee" wrote in message news:uPXyb.545282$9l5.412549@pd7tw2no...
I just bought a new pair of '03 Bandit XX, and find it not as stable on the
crud and heavy stuff. Someone suggested that the base needs preparing. Can
anyone tell me if the skis are already beveled when brand new, or do I need
to bevel the base and then the side myself. I hate to file my new skis.

Just to clarify here, there's the base (made of PTex) and the edges
(made of steel). The base isn't beveled (or isn't supposed to be,
anyway), while the edges are, typically. I suspect you knew that, but
just to be clear ....

New skis should come with the edges beveled. I don't think there's
often a problem there.

New skis *should* also come with nice, flat bases. However, sometimes
there *is* a problem there. It's easy enough to check with a true bar.
If the base is convex, fixing it is a matter of removing PTex, and
doesn't affect the edges or their bevel. If the base is concave,
you're going to need to remove some edge to fix it. That would change
edge the bevel.

As for the likelihood that there's a problem, it strikes me as odd
that a bad ski (concave or convex base, railed edges) would feel fine
on normal packed snow and unstable in "crud and heavy stuff." But I
can't claim any real expertise in what skis in bad condition feel
like, so take that with a grain of salt.

How new are the skis, and where did you get them? If they're new
enough, and you bought them from a shop which inspires a modicum of
confidence, you might go back there and ask them to check them out. A
good shop should do this for free, and fix the problem (if there is
one). Unfortunately, a bad shop might do it for money and make the
skis worse.