Ski Tunes
The Ski Center Tuning Advantage
The service department at Ski Center has been revolutionized and revamped to include state of the art tuning machines with the wide stone of the Wintersteiger Micro 91, and the cup grinding capabilities of the Wintersteiger Trimjet.
The wide stone allows us to custom stone grind any width ski, and now expands our snowboard tuning to include the precise stone grind structures that todays high-tech boards demand. The ceramic disc technology involved in the tuning of edges has pushed edge tuning dramatically forward, and we have invested in that technology to bring you precise, and ski specific, edge geometry. The Trimjet's ceramic disc actually cuts and polishes your edge to any bevel desired and creates a sharper, longer lasting edge than any machine previously available.
Our investments in the forefront of tuning technology ensure the best possible time on the hill and ultimately the satisfaction we feel by providing our customers with the best tune possible is what drives us to make these investments. Local racers and coaches know the advantages of this new technology and their demanding use of their equipment drives many of them to us to race prep their equipment.
What Is Important About Tuning?
At some point, every skier knows that they will want to have a service shop tune their skis. Some questions that arise when customers come to the shop for tuning skis are, "How do they tune the ski?", "How do they know what to do to the skis?". The real question is always, "What good does the tune really do for my skis?"
In the simplest terms, skis need to be flat for the bases and edges to work in harmony. Skis also need to have sharp, burr-free, and in most cases, beveled edges. A flat, or "true" ski is easy to turn, carving both into and out of the turn, holds its edge through the turn, and feels both predictable and smooth.
There are two primary things that happen as a ski is used. The ski base and bottom of the edge wear down, and the beveled side of the edge becomes dull. A Concave Base: known as an edge high ski.
As the base and edge wear down, two different states may appear on the bottom of the skis. These states are referred to as edge high and base high.
The edge high ski will have more edge in contact with the snow than the base. This gives the skier the feeling of "being locked on a train track". The the edge high ski makes it difficult to start or "initiate" a turn and even more difficult to complete the turn. Feedback from the ski is erratic at best. An edge high ski will also be slower due to this state. A Convex Base: known as an base high ski.
The base high ski will have more base in contact with the snow. This condition is less prevalent than the edge high condition. The base high will give the skier a "swimmy" feeling, without discernible edge grip, or will feel like it is "skidding across water". The lack of a solid edge feel usually results in a skidded, rather than carved, ski turn.
These conditions can be corrected by a proper ski tune. Whether doing a home tune or relying on a professional shop, the techniques and procedures would be similar in your attempt to bring the ski back to its "true" and tuned state.
Skis at Ski Center are tuned by hand, using a spinning belt and a spinning stone (this is commonly referred to as a stone grind). All three of these elements help us flatten the ski base and edge. They also allow us to customize the base's structure, allowing for different turn characteristics within the plastic of the flat base. The edges are generally beveled and sharpened to provide glide, control, and of course enhanced edge grip. Custom hand tuning involves the use of various files, brushes, and techniques that are designed to make even the most minute changes possible.
The final step in any tune is waxing. Wax protects the base from oxidation (drying out), and to a degree from scratches and dings that could be worse without a waxed base. Ultimately the wax provides the swing a ski needs to carve a turn, and the glide the ski needs by breaking up the suction between the ski and the snow.
Snowboard Tunes
The new Micro 91, and Trim Disc machines at Ski Center have made board tunes at our shop the most tecnologically advanced available. We have been tuning boards for over a decade and previously used the Grindrite machines that are prevelent at the majority of shops around the country, but with the prevailing use of complex stone ground structures being used at the manufacturing level, the use of our new wide stone is essential to returning a board to its factory specifications.
The precise edge feel and grip created by the ceramic disc grind of the Trim Disc is also essential to the way all boards should ride. The edge geometry and polishing characteristics of our tunes ensures a great ride, and now lasts longer than ever.
For some reason, snowboards don't get tuned as often as skis do, and they don't get tuned as often as they should. There is a lack of interest in board tuning; some riders don't know they should get their board tuned while others feel it wouldn't change the way they ride. The truth is, snowboards need frequent and regular tuning, and only work well when properly tuned and waxed.
A flat, or relatively flat, structured base and a sharp edge are essential to a snowboard's ability to carve turns and track properly on the snow, as well as being essential to a smooth float without erratic or choppy behavior.
Some riders prefer an edge with no bevel, while others like bevels on both sides of the edge of up to two degrees or more. The most notable common idea is that despite what bevel is chosen, the edge is still sharp and usually at a 90 degree angle.
Without a near flat base, a snowboard is likely to feel "spinny" if the base is high in the center of the board. Conversely, the board will feel "grabby" and erratic if the edge and base near the edge are high. These convex and concave states occur with regular use and hinder the board's ability to track in a smooth manner.
A dull edge on a board is like not having an edge at all, since all the rider's weight and power are positioned over one edge at a time. A dull edge will allow the board to slip against itself, and on any surface but powder, will fail to hold the carve of a turn.
Boards may be tuned in a variety of ways. They can be tuned by hand, which requires tools including files and texture pads, and most importantly, a lot of skill. They can be tuned by an ordinary orbital sander for a decent at home board tune.
Boards are generally tuned in a shop by a spinning belt sander, or by a spinning stone the width of a board. Factory tunes are usually finished with a stone grind to give specialized structure to the base.
The edges are tuned either by a hand file or by a spinning belt sander. As edge beveling on a snowboard is a personal preference, we advise people to use the standard 0 - 0 or 1 - 1, or come to the shop so we can help you determine what would help your board and riding style. Of course, experimenting on your own is always a good way to figure out what works best.
As a final part of any board tune, a deep base wax is essential. The base of the board needs wax to protect it from oxidation (drying out). The base also gets protection from scratches and dings when it has a good wax. Ultimately the wax provides the glide and float a board needs to work in harmony with the snow.