Just a point of interest: Most ski manufacturers print the recommended drill bit size on the top sheet of the ski. They use metric sizes. Usually for wood core skis 3.6 by 9.5 is a common recommendation. Skis with metal laminate or binding plate usually have a 4.1 by 9.5 and tapping the screw holes with a 12 AB tap to cut the tread recommended. You can buy the correct drill bits and taps on line at a relatively low cost. Also alpine ski binding screws require Posidrive #3 screw driver not a Phillips head.
Some really good tips and tricks in here. My professional "opinion" on glue is to not apply to the threads of the screws, proper technique is to apply a small dab over the hole and screw through it. As it drys, the job of the glue should be to form a gasket and seal out moisture. Applying glue to the threads doesn't make the mount any stronger, it just rips out material if you ever remove the screws (like when you need to replace a brake on those Look Pivots).
@@coopernfsps My understanding (and OK I'm not a ski tech) is that they always use a wood glue, not epoxy. The only caveat on this is when the screw pulls or threads over time, and then it can be possible to pack the hole using epoxy and other materials. Although I'm sure heli-coils are preferred these days.....
Nice video. I've mounted several skis freehand but after finally using a proper jig, I did what I needed to do to get my hands on my own FKS jig. You can't beat the amount of measuring the jig does for you. Centers the binding left and right, puts the toe and heel in the right spot with respect to the center of the boot, and even makes sure you drill straight.
Mounted my own Pivots but used a printout from TGR, seems they turned out pretty good! Also bought a drill bit from my local ski shop, they’re made so you don’t have to guess depth and won’t drill through on accident.
I suggest to drill the hole with a smallest size you have before using the right size. That way, you can prevent the hole shifting away from the exact position that you get from tapping.
Great, precise and clean job, pal !!! Few years ago i also mounted Look 15 pivots by myself , but jus as precaution ( in order to avoid some errors with mounting the heel piece ) i first premounted a pair of those bindings on one auxiliary wooden board and took the exact measurements and transmit it on my skis. I also keept the forward pressure tunning rods somewhere in the middle position during the instalation so now they can easily accommodate several boot sizes. And yes, they are also GripWalk compatible.Very simple, proven, versatile and probabyly the safest bindings on the market. BRGDS
With a proper ski bit, the shoulder on the bit is not a stop, it's a counter sink. This allows any material drawn up by the screw to sit in the counter sink void, keeping the binding nice and flat to the ski.
One thing to mention- Ski bindings do not use Phillips screws. They are #3 PoziDriv screws and the proper bits make the job much easier without stripping the heads.
Great informative video! For now though I’d rather spend the 40 or so to get it done professionally because it takes so much time to do it yourself and if a mistake is made, it’s on them! I usually set my own din though because the din that comes out of the shop is usually too high for my ski style.
To anyone watching, if you are thinking about mounting skis yourself please make sure you have the proper tools and test mount the bindings on a piece of wood first to practice. I saved myself a pair of skis practicing on some old 2x4 to make sure I got my homemade template right. Make sure your bindings are straight and triple check you have it centered. It's not that hard you just have to be patient and concious of what you're doing. Also he doesn't tap any of the screw holes and uses super glue. You should buy a nice screw tap and use wood glue. The screws will sometimes back out of the skis due to the untapped wood not wanting to accept the screws. Tapping the holes also allows the wood glue to make a good bond with the entire screw and not just the bottom of the screw. Just my 2 cents. Great vid!
That's just not accurate. The screw cuts its own thread valleys as it compresses and sheers the wood fiber. Using a tap to cut threads in metal actually weakens the holding power if the screw. Most wood glues are water-based. If you're trying to bed the screw head, a product like 3M's 4200 poly sealant is best for a semi-permanant bond. If you mess up and overbore the holes, you can fix your mistake by chamfering them and filling them with slightly warmed epoxy. Warming epoxy helps it flow out throw the hole, but it also shortens the pot life.
@@dinglesdingler1211 Yes, this is accurate for metal sheeted skis but, not more modern park and powder skis which are only composed of wood, epoxy, and fiberglass sheets to have more playful characteristics. The metal to metal contact when the screw enters is not there to hold the screws in place on park skis. I have had screws back out of park skis and I've watched some park rats rip entire bindings out because they don't tap the holes and glue them in with wood glue. Also I only use polyurethane wood glue which is not water based such as titebond. I was only responding in regards to the ski being mounted in the video. Good advice for fixing overbored holes! I use epoxy whenever I buy used pre-mounted skis to fill in the holes and the epoxy holds the screw in very well.
@@johnk815 I think my bit is 3.5x9.5mm and use the wintersteiger tap. It works for my Salomon, Tyrolia, and Look Pivot bindings. I bought a smaller bit so I get a tight fit on the screw when I tap each hole.
Best guide I’ve seen for mounting bindings! Great job! I’m about to mount some pivot 15s on my new powder skis. The only question I have is locating the heel piece. I see that you centered the post adjustments to be in the middle to have a little room, but can you give me an idea of what you look for in heel piece location? From the video, it looks like with the heel piece pushed all the way down you had about 1/8” or so gap between the boot heel and the binding. Is that about right? Thanks man!
1:30 клеим малярный скотч 1:40 если вы крутите трюки важно центрировать ботинок чтобы был баланс 50/50 8:18 лучше использовать пурпурный (слабый) фиксатор резьбы, эпоксидка или супер-клей не очень хороший выбор 11:00 я бы закрутил тяги чуть меньше чем требует ботинок, чтобы он слегка не вставал 12:20 не показал на видео правильно ли установлен продольный нажим, в какой позиции белый язычек и крутится ли пятка от руки в целом - отличная и простая работа, в сервисе используют кондукторы
I personally would recommend squirting a little bit of wood glue inside the holes where the screws go, that way it locks the screw in and seals the holes from water entry
I do most of my own ski tuning and waxing but I never attempt to mount bindings. Ski shops have the proper equipment to do it right. And a binding that is even slightly off center or not correctly positioned front to back can cause the ski to act erratically and can cause the bindings to release differently depending on whether they release to the left or right. Better safe than sorry, is how I feel.
awesome video. i like this alternative method to finding binding drill templates online. i was not confident i found the correct template, so making your own with the tape is a great idea. thanks
I would rather pay a ski tech $40 to mount my bindings, because I realize the amount of care needed to do this even though you may think it's easy and anybody can do it!
@@gooz0mbie so you have your own Vermont Release Calibrator ? You trust the DIN scale on the bindings ? I’ve been mounting bindings since ‘78 and can tell you if you trust the scale you’re a fool.
I’ve had professional shops mount my skis and make a mistake and re drill the ski twice and I’m talking a plug right next to the new hole and not tell me. I went to install binding freedom inserts and saw it the shop paid me for the skis and I’ve never been back to that shop. I’ll be mounting my own skis now days but it’s also within my ability it’s not for every one I guess
Excellent video I'd make sure your screw hole is longer the the extension of the screw. Clearly you don't want to go through the ski but you also don't want to bottom a screw out. Also they make a chamfer bit you can turn by hand.
I'm not saying you have to listen... I mean do what you want... but it's ridiculous to think the marking on the ski is in some random and unimportant place. That line takes into account the sidecut and camber. It's sub optimal to have your bindings mounted away from the center of the sidecut and camber. should you double check by measuring to make sure the topsheet isn't weirdly offset? sure. But that's where you should start, and not deviate unless you have a good reason to do so.
My only comment would be to make sure you drill perfectly straight. Use a drill press if you don't feel confident w/ a hand drill. You can also set the stops on a drill press. Otherwise, the binding drill jigs have drill bushings to make sure you drill straight & some have built in stops as to not drill too deep.
@@antihero3zx Oh I definitely don't recommend it. Never said I recommend it. 0:25 "this video is about how to mount your skis, not where to mount them". People should mount their skis based on their skiing style. I'm just saying they shouldn't blindly follow the topsheet graphics to get an accurate mount from one ski to another. Always actually measure the ski is my point.
@@skisledshred1277 It's not the end of the world to mount them a few inches off, but i disagree. you should buy skis based on your skiing style and you should mount them where the ski designer intended them to be mounted. Meaning if you want bindings mounted absolute center, you should buy skis that are designed for that.
@@antihero3zx There are a lot of freestyle skis now that have two recommended mounting points, one for progressive (more center) and one for traditional (farther back). Also, there are pro skiers who have a pro model ski and mount it more center than what the factory recommends. It all depends on how you like to ski and some skis are versatile enough (a big "sweet spot") that different mounting gives you a totally different (and totally legitimate) riding experience
Question: How do you find exact centre or in other words can you tell us how you measured to find centre ie from tip to tip or from where ski curves type of thing. Thanktyou in advance.
You know you can download and print out paper jigs online, right? Makes this whole process faster, easier, and more accurate Also, for anybody watching, do not use an 11/64 drill bit! The industry standard for skis with a metal laminate is 4.1 mm, so you should use 5/32 which is 3.996mm. 11/64 is 4.36mm, oversized enough to risk pull-out
Just a question, I’m about to get pivots but was recommended to use horizontal spring bindings for a ski over 100mm under foot for better power transfer. Do the pivots do ok with that width?
I have a pair 118mm underfoot and two pairs 124mm underfoot. Every downhill ski I own has p18's on em. I personally love them and would never put any other binding on my skis
@@skisledshred1277 okay, I’m sold! Also, the brakes available are 95 and 115. Is it a stupid question to ask which one to get? I was told that 95mm brakes will stretch to fit 104 but I’m skeptical
I always opt for smaller brakes when using Look Pivot meaning, I use 95mm brakes on skis up to 110. You can just take out the brakes, fastem them in a vice and widen them a little. Better than to have too wide brakes that will drag in the ground as you cant the ski in turns.
Yes on look pivots you use the side post adjusters on the heal to align the white plastic tag with the rear on the heal piece. Similar to other model bindings.
Most ski shops mount bindings if you buy them there. Also I wouldn't trust anyone mounting their own bindings because there's no way to test if they are working correctly.
Measuring left to right from the sides to the center and from the mounting holes to center. Turns out the baseplate has a molded spine that lands dead center as well.
@Ski Sled Shred, Do we need to put the insert screw nuts(Threaded Insert Nutsert, Screw in Nut Threaded Wood Inserts) in the ski? Is the Threaded Insert Nutsert Mandatory for ski? Because when I uninstall my old ski, I saw it has the have the Threaded Insert Nutsert, Your instruction did not mention the Threaded Insert Nutsert Hopeful you can give me some detailed advice.
You should use a jig if you have it, obviously. This video is for people who don't have a jig. If you have a jig, there's no reason for an instructional video like this.
Creative stuff but this is like buying a Mercedes and doing oil changes yourself. If you can afford those bindings and skis, the mounting fees are minimal. I guess this is great if you get some free or scrap equipment.
I have a Mercedes and do the servicing myself. I'll be mounting the binding's to my ski's myself, too. I can afford to pay someone to do both of those things, but I prefer to do them myself, because I already have the required tools and skills necessary.
Bad, bad, BAD advice on placing all dead center of the physical ski for watchers. Most skis are marked for THAT SKI as it was designed by the ski designer and impacts how the ski will perform. Placing it in the physical center may DESTROY those intentionally placed markings for the best ski performance. Current racer and advanced extreme skier for the past 40 years
best ski performance is relative to what you use the ski. I.e. touring, telemark, freeride, or slope. For touring and freeride, you may want to leave the marking 10-15mm towards the back. For slope, it is surely best to use the manufacturer's marking. But that is my opinion and my advice to you is etiquette!