PQ R
OUTDOORS
MN
O
Fig. M: The toe of the binding should face the pin. To
switch from touring to downhill mode, simply unlock
the pin and slide it from the bracket. Fig. N: Pin locked
in touring mode. Fig. O: Set the rivets for the tip clips.
Fig. P: Plug the T-nut holes in the base with hot Metal
Grip P-tex repair string. Fig. Q: File down the plugs with
the Surform until roughly level. Fig. R: Smooth the
plugs perfectly flush with a scraper.
Place a metal block on your work surface and
hammer the head of the rivet until the rivet is set
into the countersink. If possible, have a partner help
you to angle the board so you’re striking the rivet at
an appropriate angle. Test the connection: the clip
should be tight, but able to rotate.
8. Repair the base.
8a. Remove the packing tape holding the board
together and pull it apart. It’s easier to work on one
half at a time. You still have a Swiss-cheese base,
so you’ll have to do some significant repair work.
The key to successful base repair is essentially
patience and lots of shaving. Normal polyethylene
P-tex repair string and candles do not bind to metal,
so you’ll have to use a graphite-infused P-tex repair
material, like Metal Grip, to bind to your T-nuts.
Cut a 6"– 12" piece of repair string and place it
close to your hole. Using the base repair iron, heat
up the P-tex and glop it into the hole, slowly mixing
it in with the flat edge of the iron to remove any
air bubbles (Figure P). Build up P-tex to fully fill in
the hole, and extend it a bit over the rim. Let it cool
to the same temperature as the rest of your base
( 15–30 minutes). Repeat for the rest of the holes.
134 Make: Volume 20
8b. Using the Surform, file down the P-tex blobs
roughly level with the base (Figure Q), taking care
to avoid grabbing any of the excess and yanking
out your plugs (the planing heats them up and can
weaken the bond). I used a razor to trim back any
large bits outside my plugs. Try to plane in the same
direction as the base of the board — lengthwise.
8c. Once you’ve roughly leveled the plugs, use a
metal scraper/burnisher to further smooth them
(Figure R). Ideally, the plug will feel seamless where
it meets the base. Alternate with the scraper, a
base brush, and a fine Scotch-Brite scouring pad
to smooth the base as much as possible. Although
time-consuming, this helps prevent the plugs from
ripping out when you remove the skins, and it eliminates drag for better downhill performance.
9. Tune and wax the board.
Numerous online tutorials offer tips and tricks on
how to improve your board performance. The best
ones I’ve come across are on tognar.com.
MAKE illustrator Damien Scogin lives in Oakland with his
wife and a purple cat. During his downtime, he studies topos
for the hidden stashes of California’s High Sierra.
