Time to get skis and boards ready for the season

Ski and snowboard days are coming so it's time to give some thought to skis and bindings (and snowboards too, but much of what can be said about skis also applies to the boards).

Boreal will probably be open this weekend and possibly Mammoth; most Tahoe mountain resorts are waiting for November, such as Heavenly, which is looking to a Nov. 20 season opening.

At the end of last season we all put out gear away, backed off ski bindings and got out hiking stuff. So now get out the skis and look them over. If they seem in good shape - that is, the bases are not gouged and the edges smooth - it's still tuning time.

You can do it yourself or take them to the pros. A tune-up, hot wax and edge prep, will run you around $40-$50 and you'll have gear good for the next couple of times on the hill.

Most skiers tune early and then ignore the skis the rest of the season, but you should rewax every couple of outings.

Many local skiers and boarders prefer do-it-yourself. It's no big chore but one that requires some patience and gear. The biggest need is a place to work on ski, something to hold skis flat with the base up. I've used the backs of chairs, plain work benches and other ways but none worked very well.

Last season I built a kind of jig that I screw into the work bench and added a pair of ski vises. Easy: I just cut a board to about 3 feet, sawed out a section so the bindings would fit and got to work.

First step is to remove the traces of last season's wax with a plastic scraper, tip to tail. Buy some bulk wax (you can find it at The Sporting Rage) and dig out an old laundry iron that still works.

Set the temperature to the lowest level that melts wax when the wax is pressed again the iron. Dribble the wax the length of the ski in big drops. Then with the iron on low, melt the wax across the surface of the ski, never holding the iron in one place for more than a second. Make sure the entire surface is coated. Put the ski outside overnight to cool.

Next day, take a plastic scraper and going from tip to tail remove the wax.

I know, that doesn't seem to make sense. Why scrape off what you just put on? Reason is the base is made of P-tex, a plastic that is smooth and glides well but has tiny pores. The melted wax plugs up those pores so you don't get a suction effect when gliding over the melted snow. This makes skiing easier and turns smoother. The rest of the wax is not needed, although some will remain.

Next task is edge work. Run a finger along the edges, spotting scrapes and burrs. Using a file and diamond stone, smooth out the nicks and burrs on the side edges; leave the base edges for the pros and stone grinding. Sharp edges make turning and control easier. Try not to change the bevel of the side edges unless you have a bevel tool and know the manufacturer's recommended bevel, usually 2 to 3 degrees (you can buy a tool to get this right, but I've had little success with one).

After waxing and tuning edges, take a straight rule and run it across the width of the ski the length of the ski. The base should be flat; high edges lock you into "railroad" turns. A high center of the base and your skis will be skittering around, skidding and smearing. In either case, it's time for a stone grinding.

For deep gouges in the P-tex, melt a stick of the plastic and drip it into the hole. Smooth it out later after it has cooled; some like to heat the area around the dip to make the P-tex flow better.

One aspect that is beyond most home tuning is binding check. This is done with a torque wrench made for binding tests. Most do-it-your-selfers trust to luck and use last season's DIN settings. You can take your skis to the first resort you ski and have the ski shop there test bindings, usually about $5 if you bought your lift ticket there.

Some skiers put a strip of cloth between skis where they meet when transporting them to keep from creating a rough spot. Many skiers also avoid jamming skis tail-first into the snow as water sometimes leaks into the tails. I had that happen with a pair of old Volant skis that now decorate my garage doors.

Next week I'll report on how to buy new skis, including the new "rockers," the answer to powder skiing from many who have had trouble with the thick stuff in the past.

HEAVENLY FIRES UP WEST COAST'S LARGEST SNOWMAKING SYSTEM

A sign of the oncoming winter, super-cold temperatures allowed Heavenly Mountain Resort to begin making snow Wednesday night. If temperatures continue to cooperate, the West Coast's largest snowmaking system gives hope for Heavenly's opening day, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20.

Under optimum conditions, Heavenly can cover 73 percent of its trails in machine-made snow, the most in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

In more visual terms, Heavenly can produce three-and-a-half feet of snow over one acre in an hour. That's enough snow to blanket a football field with eight-and-a-half feet during an average three-hour game.

To monitor the snowmaking process via Heavenly's Web cams, visit www.skiheavenly.com.

• Contact Sam Bauman at sambauman@att.net or 841-7818.