Tuning and grinding
Quotes are verbatim and attributed to their original authors.
Once a ski is pressed and trimmed, it is tuned: the base is flattened and structured, the edges are given their bevels, and wax goes on. Most home builders do this by hand; a committed few run shop machines.
Flatten first
A freshly pressed ski often comes out slightly base-high or edge-high (see Finishing & flattening and Bases & edges). Flatten the base against a true bar with a scraper and stone — or a belt/stone grinder — before setting any bevels.
Edge bevels
Set a small base-edge bevel (about 0.5–1°) and a side-edge bevel (about 1–3°) with a file guide, then polish and detune the tip and tail. Shop edge grinders do this mechanically — a Grindrite ceramic edge grinder, for example, "does both base and side edges with adjustable angles" (#5324).
Structure and wax
A stone grinder cuts a structure pattern into the base to break suction; then the ski is hot-waxed and scraped. Machines named on the forum include Fontaine and Wintersteiger belt sanders and stone grinders and Grindrite grinders (with SVST supplying consumables) — but a home builder with files, a true bar, and a waxing iron can achieve a very good tune.
The finish is in the contact wheel
One builder resurfaced the hardened rubber contact wheel on his Grindrite and was startled by the difference: