We would like to thank KUU Sport for providing an instructional video tape to help us with these tuning instructions. They make fine tools and waxes. Look for their products.

Tuning and maintenance is really quite simple - you'll save some bucks and keep your board ship shape...

Materials - clean rags, citrus base cleaner, waxes, adjustable edge file(s), gum stone, old iron (non steam), or specific ski and snowboard wax applier/iron from shop, scotch guard abrasive cleaning pads, and p-tex scraper (or paint trimmer). Many of these items are found in hardware stores. Thrift stores often carry old, non-steaming flat irons.

If you can, set the board in a fixed position so it's not going to move around on you. We like to put it upside down across the backs of two chairs. Get a coffee or a beverage of your choice, and play some tunes. Neil Young is always good. This takes some time and you want to to do it thoroughly. You may as well be comfortable doing it.

INSPECTION

Get down to eye level and see if the base is flat. If it's convex or concave, you need professional repair services. If you have any gouges that go as deep as the core, or problems with serious edge damage, or delamination, consider going to your local shop as well. Go to a real pro shop that makes use of grinding belts and other serious machinery. Often this means taking your snowboard to a store that specializes in skiis. They have been repairing skiis and boards for a long time and know what they're doing. It's a shame, but often stores that sell snowboards really don't offer maintenance. Hopefully that will change.

Let's get started:

CLEANING

Wipe dust/salt/debris from your base. You may use a plastic scraper to remove wax or other build up. Apply some citrus base cleaner to your board. Let sit for five minutes (Or as long as the directions say).

Wipe clean and repeat if necessary.

BASE REPAIR

Check for gouges. Remove raised bits with stainless steel scraper. Repair with p-tex drip candle. Fill damaged area. Allow to cool. Scrape excess from center of filled-in area to outside until base is level. Optional - investing in a 'welding iron tool' to apply p-tex filler.

BASE EDGE FILE

When learning to file, you may run a black marker along your edges prior to filing. After filing inspect your work. If the marker is gone, you've filed 100% of your edges. Use a file cleaner brush to remove filings from teeth. Use a file with arrows indicating which direction to work. there are two kinds of files. The handier option is to get the file that can do both both base and side edges.

Okay, use a gumstone to remove any significant metal burrs from edges. Always work from tip to tail. Using a file with pre-set angles, run along base edge. Snowboarders who freestyle generally want a 1-2 degree bevel to encourage edge forgiveness. (Important when landing jumps where the rotation may not always be perfect). Use one long stroke, and avoid any sawing action. Run a rag along edges to remove metal filings. (Racers, skiers, and hard boot snowboard carvers will not necessarily want to bevel the base edge.)


SIDE EDGE

Repeat the process above. If you used a completely flat file on the base edge, you are going to using another tool at this point. The side edge tool runs is bulkier and uses the base as a running guide. It is also ideally adjustable. Hard booters and skiers will probably want to bevel this edge a degree or two depending on the severity of the hardpack and their inclination for firm edge grip. Soft spring snow or powder makes any side beveling unimportant.

Finish with a stroke of the gum stone to remove any last defects. You may also bevel the edges by hand just at the point where the edges become the tip and tail of your board (see drawing). this action is called de-tuning. It is allows a compromise of good sharp edges on the waist of your board for quick responsive turns, and the ability to gracefully slide the last 90 degrees on the 270 reverting to a 360.
A gum stone can be carried to the hill to do temporary jobs on uneven, rock damaged edges (This is more important when riding big mountains, or patchy spring like snow cover).

BASE STRUCTURE

For cold dry snow, take the rough scotch guard cleaning pad and rub stright up and down the length of your board. Alternately, for wet snow, apply in a criss-cross pattern. This process creates tiny pores and crevices that help the wax take to your base and penetrate further. Work tip-to-tail.

WAXING

Take the old iron and heat it up (cotton/linen hot). Drip the wax on your base in a circular pattern working the outside perimeter in to the center. Drip enough to spread evenly over the base. Use it sparingly. A little does a lot.

Run the iron over in a circular pattern. Work it for a long time. If you can feel the board heat up through the other side, you're doing a good job. If you get smoking action, the iron is too hot and you don't want to actually burn the board, so ease up.

When coverage is thorough (5-10 mins), break out the scraper and run along the base, pulling with even pressure, at 45 degrees to tip-tail direction. The idea is to leave a thin layer of wax. The residue can be saved and reapplied later (optional). Take the scraped board and run another scrub pad (it'll get waxy) over in the same cross-directional 45 degree pattern to the edges. When the board runs over snow, friction turns the snow to water and a roughened surface coaxes water to escape quicker as your board runs over new snow.


NOTES: The waxing should be done regularly. Spray or wipe on waxes can be applied right at the hill. You can let your edges go longer cause you may be freestyling anyway and want more forgiving edges when trying to revert that 270 into a 360.

This is enough to get you going. You'll beat your friends to the bottom every time.

-Mike




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