So I bought ski's and now I need to learn to tune, wax and care for them.

Where can I get a basic yet good tuning kit ?
I don't think I need one with a dozen kinds of race wax, yet has all the
basic tools and
some good multi temp wax.
Do I need to hot wax or can I just use the spray on stuff.
Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.
Storage for the Summer requires a waxing that doesn't need to be scraped
correct?
Also you put the bindings in the down position as if there was a boot there
for storage correct?
This is done to relax tension on the springs I think?
I get a tune up dvd but it seems pretty basic.
I have a pair of old beaters I can practice on.

Charles Jutkins wrote:
Where can I get a basic yet good tuning kit ?
I don't think I need one with a dozen kinds of race wax, yet has all the
basic tools and
some good multi temp wax.

Tognar Tool Works www.tognar.com

Do I need to hot wax or can I just use the spray on stuff.

Hot wax - wipe/spray on is useless. Use paraffin from the
grocery/hardware store - couple of bucks a pound.

Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.

Goodwill has suitable irons for pennies.

Storage for the Summer requires a waxing that doesn't need to be scraped
correct?

Yes. Paraffin is perfect - don't be conservative - melt it all over in
particular slathering it over the sides of the edges.

Also you put the bindings in the down position as if there was a boot there
for storage correct?

Doesn't matter.

This is done to relax tension on the springs I think?
I get a tune up dvd but it seems pretty basic.
I have a pair of old beaters I can practice on.

Make a couple of 4x4 wood blocks to support the skis while you wax. Get
the wood at a construction site.

On Mar 11, 2:48 pm, lal_truckee wrote:
Charles Jutkins wrote:
Where can I get a basic yet good tuning kit ?
I don't think I need one with a dozen kinds of race wax, yet has all the
basic tools and
some good multi temp wax.

Tognar Tool Works www.tognar.com

Do I need to hot wax or can I just use the spray on stuff.

Hot wax - wipe/spray on is useless. Use paraffin from the
grocery/hardware store - couple of bucks a pound.

Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.

Goodwill has suitable irons for pennies.

Storage for the Summer requires a waxing that doesn't need to be scraped
correct?

Yes. Paraffin is perfect - don't be conservative - melt it all over in
particular slathering it over the sides of the edges.

Also you put the bindings in the down position as if there was a boot there
for storage correct?

Doesn't matter.

This is done to relax tension on the springs I think?
I get a tune up dvd but it seems pretty basic.
I have a pair of old beaters I can practice on.

Make a couple of 4x4 wood blocks to support the skis while you wax. Get
the wood at a construction site.

Tognar is great, they were even able to cross refence a current part
to an old part I bought from them years ago

H. R. (Bob) Hofmann

So I take it lal_truckees response is somewhat sarcastic or should I just
use the surfboard was I already have.

"hr(bob) " wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 11, 2:48 pm, lal_truckee wrote:
Charles Jutkins wrote:
Where can I get a basic yet good tuning kit ?
I don't think I need one with a dozen kinds of race wax, yet has all
the
basic tools and
some good multi temp wax.

Tognar Tool Works www.tognar.com

Do I need to hot wax or can I just use the spray on stuff.

Hot wax - wipe/spray on is useless. Use paraffin from the
grocery/hardware store - couple of bucks a pound.

Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.

Goodwill has suitable irons for pennies.

Storage for the Summer requires a waxing that doesn't need to be
scraped
correct?

Yes. Paraffin is perfect - don't be conservative - melt it all over in
particular slathering it over the sides of the edges.

Also you put the bindings in the down position as if there was a boot
there
for storage correct?

Doesn't matter.

This is done to relax tension on the springs I think?
I get a tune up dvd but it seems pretty basic.
I have a pair of old beaters I can practice on.

Make a couple of 4x4 wood blocks to support the skis while you wax. Get
the wood at a construction site.

Tognar is great, they were even able to cross refence a current part
to an old part I bought from them years ago

H. R. (Bob) Hofmann

Charles Jutkins wrote:


So I take it lal_truckees response is somewhat sarcastic or should I just
use the surfboard was I already have.

Yes, you should take lal's response as somewhat sarcastic. But you
should also realize that what he says is basically correct. Usenet can
be funny that way.

Interesting that you should mention surfboard wax, since I actually used
some surfboard wax today while skiing.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Walt, WTF? Surfboard wax is intended
to be sticky - the idea is that you rub it on your board so that your
wet feet stick to the board - this is exactly the opposite of what you
want in a ski wax. Ski wax is supposed to help the ski slide on the
snow. The last thing you want is sticky a wax."

And, I'll say, "correct, grasshopper" - I didn't put the surfboard wax
on my skis. The grip on one of my ski poles came off. Fortunately it
happened in the lift line so I didn't have to hike back uphill to bget
my pole, but I was faced with figuring out how to stick it back on. So
I skied back to the car (convienently parked within a snowball's throw
of the lift - one of the many advantages of midwestern skiing) and
rooted around to find an appropriate adhesive. Damn! No Duct tape!
But I did find a gob of surfboard wax which did the trick nicely.

So, to answer the tuning question: some all-temp wax plus an old iron
will do ya. The paint on stuff is OK for use between hot waxings -
better than nothing and easy to apply. Get an edge tuner from Togner or
FK and sharpen the edges every four days of Eastern Firm (TM).

///Walt

Walt wrote:
Charles Jutkins wrote:


So I take it lal_truckees response is somewhat sarcastic or should I
just use the surfboard was I already have.

Yes, you should take lal's response as somewhat sarcastic.

Where?

My comments are 100% accurate and helpful. There's no need to spend and
arm and leg on this stuff. Skiing doesn't have to be expensive.

And again, since many don't seem to get it - paraffin is the base for
hydrocarbon ski waxes, and yellow ski wax has next to no additives other
than the color dye; why pay extra? Get paraffin in the canning section
of the grocery store.

lal_truckee wrote:

Walt wrote:
Charles Jutkins wrote:


So I take it lal_truckees response is somewhat sarcastic or should I
just use the surfboard was I already have.

Yes, you should take lal's response as somewhat sarcastic.

Where?

My comments are 100% accurate and helpful. There's no need to spend and
arm and leg on this stuff. Skiing doesn't have to be expensive.

And again, since many don't seem to get it - paraffin is the base for
hydrocarbon ski waxes, and yellow ski wax has next to no additives other
than the color dye; why pay extra? Get paraffin in the canning section
of the grocery store.

No sarcasm in the buckshot in his butt if he comes to snarf any lumber from
my construction site!

--
Before Heading to the Hills Head to The Wisconsin Skier:
http://www.wi-ski.com/

Charles Jutkins wrote:
Where can I get a basic yet good tuning kit ?

For waxing: Some all-temp wax from your local ski shop and an old iron
from a garage sale.

For Edge sharpening: a tuner from Togar or FK, plus a gummy stone.

Total cost: less than a lift ticket at Mt. Trashmore.


I don't think I need one with a dozen kinds of race wax, yet has all the
basic tools and some good multi temp wax.

Unless you're worrying about shaving a couple of milliseconds off your
time in the gates, all-temp wax is fine.

Do I need to hot wax or can I just use the spray on stuff.

Hot wax is preferred. Paint on wax is better than nothing.


Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.

An iron with a precise temperature setting is best. For rec purposes,
any old iron will work. If the wax won't melt, it's too cold; if the wax
smokes, it's too hot. Find the setting in between.

Storage for the Summer requires a waxing that doesn't need to be scraped
correct?

No. Storage for summer requires a thick, sloppy layer of wax to keep
the edges from rusting. Scrape it off in the fall the day before you
start skiing again.

Also you put the bindings in the down position as if there was a boot there
for storage correct?

No.

//Walt

lal_truckee wrote:
Walt wrote:
Charles Jutkins wrote:


So I take it lal_truckees response is somewhat sarcastic or should I
just use the surfboard was I already have.

Yes, you should take lal's response as somewhat sarcastic.

Where?


I don't know. Maybe I meant iconoclastic, not sarcastic. I get them
confused sometimes, being the iconoclastic, sarcastic, cynical SOB that
I am.

Did I mention the great day today at the Mighty C?

//Walt

Walt wrote:


Which brings of the question of buying a actual waxing iron.

An iron with a precise temperature setting is best. For rec purposes,
any old iron will work. If the wax won't melt, it's too cold; if the wax
smokes, it's too hot. Find the setting in between.

The wife and I were returning from Chicago last fall and this takes us by
the Atomic Skiers Outlet in Oshkosh. I wanted to stop to browse and when we
got there people where milling about outside and fire engines were present
with firefighters going in and out and acting mighty important.

Apparently, the Skiers Outlet turned their wax melter on too high and set
off the building's fire alarms. So customers from Second Wind, The Golfer's
Outlet, The Columbia-North Face Outlet, and The Skiers Outlet had to wait
outside until the fire chief gave the all clear.

It all looked allright too me but I have nowhere near the experience of
vital fire fighting skills needed to tell if it was safe or not. Oh well,
better them out doing that than sitting around the FD building greasing the
pole.


--
Before Heading to the Hills Head to The Wisconsin Skier:
http://www.wi-ski.com/