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Tommy and Lefebvre Pro Tune-Up Tip |
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When should I tune up?
In general, how often you tune depends on a number of factors:
- snow conditions,
- terrain (including rails, tables, logs, etc.)
- and the level of performance you are looking for.
A fall tune up when you take your board out of the basement and a tune-up every 7 to 10 times on the hill should provide consistent performance. A pocket stone and daily wax are also recommended for best performance between full tune-ups. Any significant base or edge damage should be dealt with right away to prevent further damages.
Even new skis and snowboards should always be "prepped" before you ride them. Most need some tuning work and stonegrinding before they are ready to rip. For the best performance, ask if stonegrinding is available.
What is a good tune-up?
A good tune-up is not just a simple one-step operation; but involves a number of steps:
Inspection
A good tune-up will match your board or skis' performance to your riding needs. Make certain that you inform the technician performing the work of your ability. Inform him of the type of riding you like, the terrain you frequent, the performance you require, and any problems you have. The technician can better tailor the tune-up to your liking. To properly tune your board or skis, a technician
should perform a number of basic steps.
Base repair
Next, any nicks, gouges, or core-shots are filled with P-Tex. By heating the P-Tex properly, the technician will have bonded the new material to the existing base. The excess P-Tex will then be removed, and the board or skis will be ready for flattening.
Flattening
The entire base (including the edges) is sanded. This step removes material from tip to tail and from edge to edge, exposing a clean running surface. Ideally, the base should start out perfectly flat before the next step.
Beveling
The base and side edges are then tuned to your liking. Depending on what you're looking for in performance, the edges are beveled anywhere from 0 to 3 degrees. The edges should then be polished using a soft stone or emery cloth.
Stone grinding
While it is true that a satisfactory tune-up can be had from using a standard belt grind, a stone grind can add to your board or skis' performance. Both belt and stone grinders are applied to the running surface to make it wax-ready, but stone grinding offers an extra dimension.
During the stone grinding procedure minute diamond or linear shaped grooves are cut into the base forming a pattern or structure. These patterns greatly affect the board or skis' on hill performance in three ways:
1. increases the base's ability to hold wax.
2. makes edge to edge transitions smoother and easier to initiate.
3. facilitates easier gliding over different and varying snow conditions.
De-tuning
Your technician will then likely recommend de-tuning the tip to tail. De-tuning is the dulling of your board or ski just ahead of and behind the running surface.
This is to aid in transition and turning and to prevent catching the tip and tail.
Waxing
The last process in any tune-up is hot waxing. Hot waxing impregnates the base, providing protection from damage and increasing gliding and turning
characteristics. As with stonegrinding, wax is specific for the temperature and snow consistency. If it is not possible conditions from your house in
the city, good universal waxes are available.
All of these translate into a faster board or skis and that can only mean one thing . . . MORE FUN! (and besides, regular tuning keeps crusty ski tuners like us out of trouble and off the streets). Tommy & Lefebvre is proud to offer its customers premium stone grinds on the state-of-the-art Grindrite ST3200 -- the first ST3200 in Canada! |
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