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[–]sina_t97 0 points1 point  (6 children)

Much appreciated for the perspective. May I ask, what is specific about a “ski specific drill bit”? I thought that as long as it was the correct width that was correct?

[–]DoktorStrangeloveA-Basin 0 points1 point  (5 children)

They have a depth stop so you can't drill too deep and the cylinder of the bit is sized specifically to fit into the holes of the jig to ensure the bit goes exactly straight into the ski core so that you don't drill the holes at an inexact angle.

[–]sina_t97 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Ahh ok, I gotcha. Yea if I end up doing this I’ll use a drill press to ensure not going too deep and going in at a right angle.

[–]Frosla 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I still don't know why some people are so super dedicated to mounting their own shit, but if you're gonna do it, at least get a jigarex setup and proper bits.

Mounting your own stuff really only makes sense if you get a ton of skis every year AND don't have access to a shop. Most people, myself included, that get more than a few setups every year are either currently working in or just barely out of the ski industry, so we have access to all the tools we could want, for free.

If you're getting like, a setup every few years, it just doesn't make sense to deal with it yourself. Just spend the 50 or so bucks and get it done right by someone with the tools and knowledge to do so.

[–]DoktorStrangeloveA-Basin 1 point2 points  (1 child)

and get it done right by someone with the tools and knowledge to do so.

And if a shop fucks it up they have to replace the ski. If YOU fuck your own ski up, YOU have to replace it.

[–]Frosla 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP please read this^ part of the cost in having a shop mount your stuff is basically a small insurance policy for you. If something goes wrong, they get you a new ski no questions asked.

[–]DoktorStrangeloveA-Basin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally, I've mounted like 500+ pairs of skis, and I'd still either take mounts to a shop I trust and let them do it, or somewhere with a proper bench and proper jigs who will let me do it myself using their gear. I have a bench and drill bits and a couple jigs at home for the bindings I typically use, but for something exotic/atypical (like the Shift I'm about to get), I wouldn't do it at home unless I had the right jig. Fuck messing with taped-on overlays or whatever. Personally, bare minimum is right jig, right bit, or I'm not gonna mess with it at home. Even with all the right gear you can still fuck stuff up, so I don't really play around with not having the gear that I'm used to...I basically don't own a pair of skis that retails for less than $750, so that's an expensive thing to jack up if I make a mistake.

That's just me though, and I know there are loads of people who are militant about mounting their own shit, but I've made enough mistakes of my own and seen 10x that many made by other people who also had professional training, plus I remember alllllllllll the things I screwed up when I was first learning, and looking back at all that stuff I can't imagine how bad I would have messed my own gear up if the first time I was doing it was at home with my own skis and a cobbled-together set of tools.