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#1
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pressing ski boot shells
Looking for information or websites with detailed and complete information
regarding techniques and tools for pressing and punching plastic ski boot shells. I need to press the toe box area to increase clearance for both toe width and length. I need to press both Lange and Garmont (PeBax) boots which I understand have different types of plastic and require the application of different temperatures and heat sources. TIA |
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#2
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pressing ski boot shells
Private wrote:
Looking for information or websites with detailed and complete information regarding techniques and tools for pressing and punching plastic ski boot shells. I need to press the toe box area to increase clearance for both toe width and length. I need to press both Lange and Garmont (PeBax) boots which I understand have different types of plastic and require the application of different temperatures and heat sources. TIA Whew!! You paid good bucks for those boots. I suspect that you bought them on line and did not have the benefit of a fit guarantee from a reputable ski shop. Having said that, the least expensive way to go, is to go to a shop like Super Feet. They will sell you custom inserts which you probably need AND they will handle other fitting chores for a single price, effectively taking over the fit guarantee that a shop would normally provide. As for doing it yourself. The equipment which actually works is probably out of your price range if you buy it, or out of your time range if you decide to make your own. Otherwise, for what a shop will charge you, you won't be able to outfit yourself with the necessary tools. I've tried to do what you propose. Being an ex-shop rat, I felt competent. I had some small success using a conventional shoe stretcher and a paint removal heat gun. The heat gun, BTW, will be the least expensive item you'll need. As for p-bax, I used to have a pair of Lowa Structura, which I think are p-bax, and stretching in the normal way worked fine. Do the Garmonts have a heat fit liner? My Scarpa Tornados do. If it has the heat fit liner, then go to a shop which sells boots which have heat fit liners (i.e. Dalbello) and have them do the job. Putting toe cap over your toes when the fitting is done will make the toe box problem go away completely as long as your shell fit correctly. |
#3
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pressing ski boot shells
VtSkier wrote:
Private wrote: Looking for information or websites with detailed and complete information regarding techniques and tools for pressing and punching plastic ski boot shells. I need to press the toe box area to increase clearance for both toe width and length. I need to press both Lange and Garmont (PeBax) boots which I understand have different types of plastic and require the application of different temperatures and heat sources. TIA Whew!! You paid good bucks for those boots. I suspect that you bought them on line and did not have the benefit of a fit guarantee from a reputable ski shop. Having said that, the least expensive way to go, is to go to a shop like Super Feet. They will sell you custom inserts which you probably need AND they will handle other fitting chores for a single price, effectively taking over the fit guarantee that a shop would normally provide. As for doing it yourself. The equipment which actually works is probably out of your price range if you buy it, or out of your time range if you decide to make your own. Otherwise, for what a shop will charge you, you won't be able to outfit yourself with the necessary tools. I've tried to do what you propose. Being an ex-shop rat, I felt competent. I had some small success using a conventional shoe stretcher and a paint removal heat gun. The heat gun, BTW, will be the least expensive item you'll need. As for p-bax, I used to have a pair of Lowa Structura, which I think are p-bax, and stretching in the normal way worked fine. Do the Garmonts have a heat fit liner? My Scarpa Tornados do. If it has the heat fit liner, then go to a shop which sells boots which have heat fit liners (i.e. Dalbello) and have them do the job. Putting toe cap over your toes when the fitting is done will make the toe box problem go away completely as long as your shell fit correctly. I might have mis-worded the last paragraph. Have the shop put the toe cap over your toes when you put your foot into the heated liner/shell. This move the heat fit "stuff" away from your toes to give them more room. |
#4
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pressing ski boot shells
VtSkier wrote:
The heat gun, BTW, will be the least expensive item you'll need. Last time I punched a boot I dropped the whole shell into boiling water - no heat gun. For me the tricky part was applying the stretch internally without also stretching the opposite side. The original poster also needs to be aware that the toe box shape, sole shape, AND relative position are part of the DIN specification that bindings work against. You can't just mess with either of them at will. You need a big pot if you go the hot water route, but all is not lost. Fortunately such a big pot can do double duty for boiling the wort while beer making. |
#5
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pressing ski boot shells
"VtSkier" wrote in message ... VtSkier wrote: Private wrote: Looking for information or websites with detailed and complete information regarding techniques and tools for pressing and punching plastic ski boot shells. I need to press the toe box area to increase clearance for both toe width and length. I need to press both Lange and Garmont (PeBax) boots which I understand have different types of plastic and require the application of different temperatures and heat sources. TIA Whew!! You paid good bucks for those boots. I suspect that you bought them on line and did not have the benefit of a fit guarantee from a reputable ski shop. Having said that, the least expensive way to go, is to go to a shop like Super Feet. They will sell you custom inserts which you probably need AND they will handle other fitting chores for a single price, effectively taking over the fit guarantee that a shop would normally provide. As for doing it yourself. The equipment which actually works is probably out of your price range if you buy it, or out of your time range if you decide to make your own. Otherwise, for what a shop will charge you, you won't be able to outfit yourself with the necessary tools. I've tried to do what you propose. Being an ex-shop rat, I felt competent. I had some small success using a conventional shoe stretcher and a paint removal heat gun. The heat gun, BTW, will be the least expensive item you'll need. As for p-bax, I used to have a pair of Lowa Structura, which I think are p-bax, and stretching in the normal way worked fine. Do the Garmonts have a heat fit liner? My Scarpa Tornados do. If it has the heat fit liner, then go to a shop which sells boots which have heat fit liners (i.e. Dalbello) and have them do the job. Putting toe cap over your toes when the fitting is done will make the toe box problem go away completely as long as your shell fit correctly. I might have mis-worded the last paragraph. Have the shop put the toe cap over your toes when you put your foot into the heated liner/shell. This move the heat fit "stuff" away from your toes to give them more room. With respect, All these answers are correct in some situations, but unfortunately did not help with the original request. I have used several custom othotic footbeds, and agree that they are the best primary bootfitting tool. .. I am asking because of the failure of several expert skibootfitters to punch the my current shells sufficiently. I have been using my current boots as a test for bootfitters (and myself), I will only buy new boots from a fitter that can at least fit my old ones and can be trusted to also do a good job with a new pair. Unfortunately I am still looking. IMHO the only fit guaranty that most shops offer is to solve most problems by fitting too large. Heat moldable liners are great and will solve many fit issues but are not a complete cure for problems that require shaping the shell to remove pressure points that tend to cause bone calcification growth and other bone spurs and bruising. I am familiar with many aspects of bootfitting and shell stretching, but want more information regarding techniques such as heating by boiling in water, and control of sole twist and cambering. Many current high end boots have screw on soles and suspect that these could be used to clamp the boot to a strongback to control warping of the shell. I hoped to find information regarding the use of other heat sources like hot air guns and propane torch. I am also looking for information on various types of internal and external presses and clamps. IMHO proper boot fit is essential and I am prepared to do the work to achieve it. I have some or most of the expensive tooling and the capability to build others as required. |
#6
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pressing ski boot shells
"lal_truckee" wrote in message t... Last time I punched a boot I dropped the whole shell into boiling water - no heat gun. For me the tricky part was applying the stretch internally without also stretching the opposite side. How did you control the opposite side? Did you try just boiling part of the boot? Did you have problems with sole cambering or twisting? The original poster also needs to be aware that the toe box shape, sole shape, AND relative position are part of the DIN specification that bindings work against. You can't just mess with either of them at will. I wish I had DIN spec feet. Do you have a link to the DIN spec? You need a big pot if you go the hot water route, but all is not lost. Fortunately such a big pot can do double duty for boiling the wort while beer making. |
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