Ski workshop | Binding assembly

And you definitely have that if you are not plagued with two club feet on your wrists. And any concerns about not being able to keep up with professional assembly are unjustified. With a little sensitivity, care and tool mastery, you can easily achieve the quality and precision of a store assembly with a drill jig - or even surpass it.

Here we will show you step by step how to skillfully put your own hands on your own slats to weight them down with a binding. We will introduce you to two methods and you can decide for yourself which one you prefer.

But first to the material: This list can of course be extended as required - especially for the millimeter fox fraction. However, the following is necessary:

- At least one ski
- Binding incl. all screws and parts
- Suitable drilling template
- Ruler
- Caliper (only necessary for precision fetishists)
- Center punch and hammer
- Drill
- suitable drill bit (preferably with height stop)
- waterproof wood glue
- suitable screwdriver
- foil pen
- adhesive tape

Now the binding can be mounted. To do this, drizzle some waterproof glue into the holes (image 7, gallery 2). Although this also holds the screws in place, it mainly serves as a barrier to prevent water from penetrating the wood core and thus preventing it from swelling. Then comes the moment of truth: the binding can be screwed in place (image 8, gallery 2). Work with a lot of pressure from above so that the screws cut cleanly into the core and push up as little material as possible. But not with too much force. The screws should be tightened hand-tight, the recommended value is 5-6 Nm. It goes without saying that screws should always be tightened crosswise. Now all that remains is to adjust the binding, admire the work and put the remaining alcohol to good use.

What the FAQ?

Question: There are already old holes in my used ski. What do I do with them?
Answer: The best solution is to use binding hole plugs (see picture opposite). These are available from specialist dealers in every conceivable color, but can also often be scrounged from the dealer around the corner. They are simply hammered in and the protruding plastic can be removed with a knife, plane or file. The topsheet should be as flat as possible before fitting the new binding.
If you don't have any binding plugs to hand, you can also seal the holes with hot glue or 2-component epoxy resin.

With old holes, you should also make sure there is enough space between them and the new drill holes. The absolute minimum distance is 1 cm between the drill hole centers, but you can drive more carefree from 1.5 cm. In addition, there should not be too many holes a short distance apart in a line - especially not across the ski - as these can form a predetermined breaking point. It is often unavoidable that the new binding has to be mounted slightly offset to the front or rear.
To determine the optimum position, it has proven helpful to print out the drilling template on transparent paper (see adjacent image). The PDF for comparing the binding positions can help (see Google Drive folder with all drilling templates) to avoid the problem in advance.

Question: The screws on my old binding were glued in. How do I get them loose again?
Answer: A combination of force and heat is often helpful. To do this, heat the screwdriver while it is stuck in the screw and then loosen it vigorously with jerky turns. This requires manual skill and dexterity.

Question: Where is the center of the sole/mounting point marked?
Answer: This depends very much on the manufacturer. With shoes, there is usually a line on both sides of the sole. Sometimes also marked with an "A". In very rare cases, the shoe marking is not in the middle of the sole. In this case, the manufacturer has usually thought of something and you should take the marking into account and measure accordingly.
There are countless ways to mark the mounting point of the middle of the sole on skis. The most common are lines on the sidewalls or topsheet. Sometimes also in the form of graphics or lettering. Many skis, especially fresestyle skis, have a scale for the binding position. Here you have to choose a position depending on your preferences and desired skiing characteristics or intended use. A few skis have no markings at all. Here you have to determine the binding position by measuring from the tip of the ski. Some manufacturers provide these measurements for their ski models on their homepages. Very old skis sometimes have a marking for the tip of the boot instead of the middle of the boot as is usual today.

Question: What is the right binding position for me?
Answer: If in doubt, use the one recommended by the manufacturer for the intended use. If you deviate from this, you should know what you are doing. And why. Ski forums are the right place to discuss these things and find out for yourself.

Question: I don't have a template for my binding. Where can I get one?
Answer: Either here or in various forums on the Internet. Most templates can be found there. In an emergency, however, the only thing that helps is to do it yourself. To do this, measure the hole spacing with a calliper gauge. It is best to do this for the inner and outer edges of the screw holes in order to calculate the average value. The difficult part is measuring the stops for the heel and toe edge. The best way to do this is to hold the shoe in the binding to see where it fits. From this point, measure the distance to at least one screw hole. The rear jaw should of course be closed and in a central position in the adjustment range. It is perfect if you measure it in the middle and at both ends of the adjustment range.

Question: What is "duck stance" and how do I fit it?
Answer: "Duck stance" is the turning of the longitudinal axis of the binding outwards from the longitudinal axis of the ski. In other words, to the left on the left ski and to the right on the right ski. Some say it is supposed to be easier on the knees, while others claim it is ergonomic nonsense. The fact is, it's rarely done, and if you want to do it, you should know what you're doing and why.

Question: What drill hole dimension do I need?
Answer: This also depends on the ski and the binding. The dimensions are often printed on the ski. For adult skis and bindings, two dimensions are normally common: 3.8 mm diameter and 9 mm depth for skis without metal inserts, 4.1 x 9 mm for skis with metal. For home use, 3.5 mm can also be used if necessary, but then you need strong forearms. Other dimensions and drill hole depths apply for children's bindings.

Question: Which drill bit and drill inserts do I need? Does it have a height stop?
Answer: That depends a little on your own skill. Some brave people manage with a hand drill and markings on the drill bit. The luxury, of course, is a stationary drill with adjustable drilling depth or a special binding drill bit insert. In any case, some form of height stop is recommended. You can wrap tape around the drill bit. A "pierced"and screwed luster clamp has also proven to be useful.

Question: Do I need a workshop?
Answer: Of course, a workshop with a workbench, good tools and possibly even a stationary drill is a pleasant luxury. But it can also be done with a little skill and the right materials on the kitchen table or living room floor.