1. Buy a set of brake retainers to retract the brakes so you can get at the edges. You can buy a set or make your own using fat rubber bands or cut up and shape, heavy gage clothes hanger wire.
2. For the RAY'S WAY BASE FLATTENING TOOL you will need some way to support the ski while using my base flattener. You could cut up some 2x4's. See the sketch on my webpage for the BASE FLATTENING TOOL.
3. Buy a 12 inch bar clamp to hold the ski to your work surface while tuning which you can get at you local hardware store for about $15. You will also need a small piece of wood to protect the base from the clamp ( see the sketch on my BASE FLATTENING TOOL page ).
4. Go to your ski shop buy a short DMT diamond stone for about $10 this works well for deburring edges for daily maintenance. While you are at the ski shop buy some universal temp. wax. There are two grades; warm and cold. Buy both. Use the warm for temps over 17 degrees F.
5. Buy a black magic marker and coat the ski edges to monitor tuning progress.
6. Buy an iron for hot waxing. Buy the least expensive iron you can find that is rated 700 watts or greater.(adjust temperature hot enough to melt the wax but not hot enough to cause the iron to smoke). Please note, my waxWHIZard product eliminates the need to iron in wax for day to day waxing. It's quick and easy and provides hot wax results without the risks. see my tips on this subject for details.
7. If you decide to hot wax, you will have to scrape down the wax after it cools. The cheapest way out is to buy a blank plastic switch plate at your local hardware store and sharpen its edge with a 10 inch mill file. Or you can buy an expensive plastic scraper from a ski shop. You'll still have to sharpen that periodically. You don't have to scrape when using my waxWHIZard product.
8. Go to your super market and buy a nylon scrub brush like you would use to clean dirty finger nails to brush out the wax after scraping to expose the structure.
9. If you want more efficient glide from your skis, buy my HI-glide product to remove microhairs and polish the P-tex before waxing.
That's about it. Later if you like what's happening and are handy, you can add some tools for gouge repair. Let me know when you are ready.
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Page links for INFO on testimonials, background, tuning and ordering: