True Bar recommendations

[1chris5]

Just bought new skis and figure should set them up right. My first step is to check base flatness. I found this on racecar.com. it's tubular:
http://www.racewax.com/base-flatness-tester-true-bar-6-inch/
There's also knife edge like The beast model
http://www.tognar.com/true-beast-knife-edge-true-bar-6-150mm/
and Tongan has square:
http://www.tognar.com/blacklight-true-bar-6-150mm/

I like to order from racewax.com but I want to get a bar that shows imperfections easily. Cheers

 

[razie]

i use the side of my metal WC base bevel guides... the trick to check their own flatness is to put two of them side by side and see if they're true to each-other... chances are they will be, since it is precisely machined metal.

 

[1chris5]

In case it's not clear; I need recommendations for a true bar purchase or hack. Cheers

 

[1chris5]

i use the side of my metal WC base bevel guides... the trick to check their own flatness is to put two of them side by side and see if they're true to each-other... chances are they will be, since it is precisely machined metal.

Great suggestion. Not sure if my bevel is wide enough to go edge to edge. Thanks

 

[razie]

yeah - a good metal base bevel guide could serve both purposes... I have a set of these: http://www.artechski.com/artech-precision-base-edge-beveler/

the other question to answer is though - what will you do about it? if it's not flat, I mean... Aside from sanding it, I use the http://www.tognar.com/ski-visions-ski-base-flattener-structure-tool/ which comes with a flat metal piece that can be used to check how flat the base is - it may be more cost effective to buy the tool directly and use the metal piece - since itself is machined to flatten the base

 

[KingGrump]

Most machinist measuring tools that have straight edges will qualify.

 

[mdf]

A good quality metal drafting ruler (help on edge) is plenty flat too. Do they still make those now that all drafting is done with software? I have an old one. The advantage of a purpose-built true bar is that being black makes it a little easier to judge the gap.

 

[1chris5]

A good quality metal drafting ruler (help on edge) is plenty flat too. Do they still make those now that all drafting is done with software? I have an old one. The advantage of a purpose-built true bar is that being black makes it a little easier to judge the gap.

Maybe the question should be, should I bother worrying about the trueness of the base of new skis? What do most ski shops do when you buy a new set of skis? Do they test the trueness? I'm not a racer, I just want really good. I don't have to have perfection. Cheers

 

[Dwight]

Maybe the question should be, should I bother worrying about the trueness of the base of new skis? What do most ski shops do when you buy a new set of skis? Do they test the trueness? I'm not a racer, I just want really good. I don't have to have perfection. Cheers

It depends.

Some skis come true, some do not. Majority are pretty flat.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Drill Rod blank, cheap, hard and straight, cut off you piece sell rear to poor friend for low cost and get yours for free.

 

[razie]

Maybe the question should be, should I bother worrying about the trueness of the base of new skis? What do most ski shops do when you buy a new set of skis? Do they test the trueness? I'm not a racer, I just want really good. I don't have to have perfection. Cheers

that's a very good question.

yes! with consumer skis especially, the base will be likely far from flat and, when skiing hardpack/ice, that matters, in several ways. And no: shops don't bother, unless you ask.

I would simply take the skis to a reputable shop for a base grind, where they also set the bevels to what you ask. If you ski fairly soft snow on average, not that big of an issue... perhaps if you ask the same shop that sold them to you, they'll give you a discount. Also, if you don't ski really hard on ice, 30+ days, the skis will likely stay flat and not require much attention from a base flatness perspective.

If you want to do the base yourself, be prepared to spend quite a bit of moneys on the wine required to support the several hours of work.

 

[mdf]

If you want to do the base yourself, be prepared to spend quite a bit of moneys on the wine required to support the several hours of work.

Red for slalom and white for powder skis? Or do I have that backwards?

 

[Sibhusky]

I like this one. It has a knife edge for testing flatness and a flat edge for cutting high spots off the P-tex when you get a gouge.

That's how I use it anyway.

I also own the structure tool mentioned a few posts back. It also comes with a cutting bar, but I never use that one because then I'd have to swap out the ruby stone and this one is easier to just flip over.

 

[Swiss Toni]

The first and the last ones listed are high speed steel metal cutting tool blanks http://www.travers.com/blanks-tool-bits/c/297622/ In practice anything that has been ground flat and doesn’t bend will do. If you want to make it black use a sharpie.

 

[1chris5]

Thanks for your knowledge and recommendations. I decided to go with the racewax tubular true bar noted in original post.. It's cheap and I can quickly check these new skis. I hope if there is a problem, they are base high, I can easily deal with that. If edge high, not so much. Cheers

 

[1chris5]

Here is a picture of the truebar I bought at racewax. It was only $9. As @Swiss Toni mentioned, I believe they just buy a machine tool blank and resell. I think they sell this piece cheaper than I could buy with shipping. Anything on the machine blank site seemed much more expensive the longer the blank got. This true bar seems to be flat. I checked my new Head Monster 83s and they appear to be dead flat. My wife's new Dynastar Glory 84 are edge high toward the rocker points, almost the whole ski is flat. I am not going to get a base grind for that and I'm not going to fool with ski visions tool. I don't think this is a big deal but your thoughts will be appreciated. It's probably only a few centimeters edge high on each end.
The Dynastar's come 1/1 from the factory. I think I am going to prep the ski without changing the side edge angle for now. I am going to see how my wife likes the edges as is. Then I will change the side edge angle to 98 if I think it will enhance her performance on Pocono skiing conditions. The Dynastar has a paulownia wood core. Paulownia is a soft wood that lightens the ski. I will definitely keep an eye on the base as this softness may cause flatness issues, not sure. cheers

 

[Sibhusky]

Personally, I'd never try and flatten a ski with the SkiVisions tool. Too much work. But I do use it to maintain my structure. I'm not obsessive about flatness. A small amount is fine with me. I only stone grind every two to three years now and only for flatness.

 

[1chris5]

Personally, I'd never try and flatten a ski with the SkiVisions tool. Too much work. But I do use it to maintain my structure. I'm not obsessive about flatness. A small amount is fine with me. I only stone grind every two to three years now and only for flatness.

Thanks for the advice. This may be heresy, but I use a wire brush for structure. I almost always feel like I'm one of the fastest skiers on the mountain using this technique for pocono skiing.

 

[Sibhusky]

Secret. I tried wire brushes, too, before springing for that thing.

 

[1chris5]

Secret. I tried wire brushes, too, before springing for that thing.

Question - Does Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle) still live on the road up to Big Mountain? I would always look at this big house going up right on one of the hair pin turns, and someone would occassionally comment - Gomer Pyle lives there. Also, never got to see a drunken Kiefer Sutherland jump on stage and embarass himself, trying to sing. Cheers