Sintered base waxing.

Question
Hi

Do sintered bases need a light sanding before the first waxing? Should I use a special Ptex for small repairs or is normal stuff for other bases ok?

Answer
Hi Nick,

If the skis are new, and have no oxidation (white haze) on the bases, they'll need no prep work before waxing. If they have a haze, you can scotch-brite them first, but you'll end up creating derpessions in the base, usually near the edge, that can affect performance. Because of this, it is important to get them stone-ground, and then keep them waxed so the oxidation never occurs.

Regular P-tex fills in the pores that hold wax- but because it has wax in it itself, it tends to simply crack out. A base weld extrudes polyethelyne into the repair area- so it stays, but this area also will not hold wax (it also does not oxidize the way sintered bases do, so that is a plus).

If the area to be repaired is next to the edge, and/or underfoot, a patch is your best bet. Shops have templates that they use to cut away the area on the ski, and an exact match fits like a puzzle piece into the ski. They epoxy and clamp it, then cure it in a hot-box, stone grind it level, and you have a nearly perfect repair.

I tend to get small repairs base welded, large ones patched. I also wax very hard as my base coat (Blue) this keeps the base dense enough that damage is less of an issue.

Good luck,

Ron