Tuning and Maintenance
Hot Waxing for beginners Although I have been tuning my own snowboards, and skis before that, for more than 25 years, I am in no way an expert. The information contained in this article is meant as a starting point for those interested in learning. I hope this information will be helpful. I have always waxed with a cheap household iron. My first was actually stolen from my mother – don't do this without permission! I have found that for general purpose riding, an all temperature wax allows me to pass any skier on the mountain. In addition to the wax, you should buy either a plastic or metal scraper from a snowboard or ski shop. It is always helpful to have a good surface to set the board on. In college I used a couple of kitchen chairs set back to back. This works for applying wax, but makes it difficult to scrape the wax off, as the board tends to slide around a lot. If you have access to a workshop with a bench in it, use it. You won't annoy your housemates with the wax smoke (you're sure to create some), and you are less likely to track wax flakes into the carpet. Clamp two short 2x4s to the bench so that they stick out a little more than a foot, and are far enough apart that the board's bindings fit between them. With some spray adhesive, apply a couple of old or unused neoprene stomp pads to the 2x4s. This will protect the top sheet and prevent the board from sliding as you work. If you don't have access to a work bench, a couple of saw horses will work well, too. To apply the wax, turn the iron to the lowest setting that will melt the wax. Test it by holding the wax against the iron. If the iron begins to smoke, that means the wax is burning and the temperature is too high; turn it down. Hold the iron above the board, and rub the wax on it. As the wax begins to drip off the iron, move the iron around to apply the drops over the entire length of the board. Use the wax sparingly – remember how much it costs. If you need more in a particular area you can always apply it later. Hint: you can save some wax by not applying any to the tip and tail. This portion of the board is rarely in contact with the snow. I usually apply wax to the tip or tail area only once or twice a season. Work the wax into the base of the board by rubbing the iron over the surface of the board. Never leave the iron in one place, since it is possible to burn or even delaminate the base by doing so. Once you have worked the wax in and there is a thin coat covering the entire base, set the board aside and allow it to cool. This takes about half an hour. When you scrape the board, which is the next step, you want to remove essentially all of the wax from the base surface. This may sound strange, but there are pores in the base material that soak up the wax. It is this absorbed wax that makes the board go faster. Leaving a thick layer of wax on the base will defeat the purpose of waxing altogether. Remove the wax with either a plastic or metal scraper. I recommend a plastic scraper for the first timer, as a metal scraper can damage the base if used improperly. My personal preference, however, is for a metal scraper, though this is usually discouraged by technicians for the reasons mentioned above. I also prefer to use a slightly dull scraper, as it takes the wax off in more even layers. To scrape the board, move the scraper from tip to tail in full length strokes. Hold the scraper at an angle between 45 and 20 degrees to the board. If the scraper is moving in the direction of this arrow --> then the scraper should be held in the direction of this forward slash / . Be careful not to gouge the wax off, but remove it in small amounts, instead. If there are stubborn areas, remove the wax with short strokes and then go back over the area with a few full length strokes. Scrape the base until very little wax comes off the board. When this happens, you are done. It is important to wax frequently. A base that isn't waxed often enough will dry out and become sticky and brittle. Waxing will make the base slightly harder, and help prevent deep scratches from forming. I wax at least every other day on the slopes, if not every day. At the end of the season, apply some wax to the base of the board, but don't scrape it off. This is the best way to store your board. If you are interested in finding more information on waxing, go to the public library or search the web. Waxing Supplies // All Temperature Wax // Waxing Iron |