Jigs?

skiing hates that snowboards dont have to pay for mounts.. you are going to have to make your own template, shops dont usually give templates away.. probably for liability reasons as much as wanting your $75 per mount.... just like mountain biking, if you cant bleed your ow hydraulic brakes you cant afford to ride...

use thin plastic, strong thin cardboard, or card stock paper to make a rigid template that will be reusable.
start your template with guidelines, vertical and horizontal lines will ensure you mount the bindings perfectly straight. the shop templates lock on and center themselves...this step is very important.... using your best "eye" and precision, mark the holes from your old ski on trace paper and transfer marks to to the template, ensuring the holes are equal-distant from your center lines.
if you followed this far, you have made a template of where the screws will mount your bindings to your new skis, do not drill your new skis until you have TRIPLE checked your marks and measurements.
at this point, using your old skis, find the drill bit that fits perfectly in the old drill holes, the threads of the screws will be wider than the pilot hole. so double check that the last shop did everything properly... once you have the right bit, put it in the hole and mark how far in it goes. its only a fraction of an inch, and again the pro mounts have stops to make sure you dont drill through the bottom of the ski... wrap duct tape drill bit above that mark until it builds up and creates its own depth ring.
once you have really gone over everything multiple times you can mark your new skis and drill the holes out. do everything like your life depends on it... use proper wood glue in the drill holes, put the binding mounting screws in by hand, making sure they all bite in properly, and i always wait 12 hours before shredding.
*measure twice. cut once.
last year i mounted a roof rack on my truck, drilling into a roofs and skis takes balls of steel.

taking for granted that everyone will be center mounting....
where you mount your skis in crucial. if you want a true center mount, dont trust any ski manufacturer, they come from china... measure from tip and tail to find your true center. THEN, center your new jig to that center line.

N.L.skiing hates that snowboards dont have to pay for mounts.. you are going to have to make your own template, shops dont usually give templates away.. probably for liability reasons as much as wanting your $75 per mount.... just like mountain biking, if you cant bleed your ow hydraulic brakes you cant afford to ride...

use thin plastic, strong thin cardboard, or card stock paper to make a rigid template that will be reusable.
start your template with guidelines, vertical and horizontal lines will ensure you mount the bindings perfectly straight. the shop templates lock on and center themselves...this step is very important.... using your best "eye" and precision, mark the holes from your old ski on trace paper and transfer marks to to the template, ensuring the holes are equal-distant from your center lines.
if you followed this far, you have made a template of where the screws will mount your bindings to your new skis, do not drill your new skis until you have TRIPLE checked your marks and measurements.
at this point, using your old skis, find the drill bit that fits perfectly in the old drill holes, the threads of the screws will be wider than the pilot hole. so double check that the last shop did everything properly... once you have the right bit, put it in the hole and mark how far in it goes. its only a fraction of an inch, and again the pro mounts have stops to make sure you dont drill through the bottom of the ski... wrap duct tape drill bit above that mark until it builds up and creates its own depth ring.
once you have really gone over everything multiple times you can mark your new skis and drill the holes out. do everything like your life depends on it... use proper wood glue in the drill holes, put the binding mounting screws in by hand, making sure they all bite in properly, and i always wait 12 hours before shredding.
*measure twice. cut once.
last year i mounted a roof rack on my truck, drilling into a roofs and skis takes balls of steel.

N.L.taking for granted that everyone will be center mounting....
where you mount your skis in crucial. if you want a true center mount, dont trust any ski manufacturer, they come from china... measure from tip and tail to find your true center. THEN, center your new jig to that center line.

Thank you for the great info this will be very useful!

qyleberryThank you for the great info this will be very useful!

I would avoid doing what he told you to do as there are much easier methods these days. Actual jigs are hard to come by but do pop up in the bst or on tgr occasionally.

This is a universal jig with swapable plates. It works alright, but at least in the older version the gears could slip causing the jog to be off center.

http://www.plinyequipment.com/products/jigarex

Here are some paper templates that I have used for years. They are quick and easy once you get the hang of them. And you can always measure your center punches before you drill holes to make sure you are centered.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/153971-Binding-Mount-Paper-Templates

Typically you are going to want to drill with a 3.5 mm bit to a depth of 9-9.5 mm. If you have some metal in your skis, they usually suggest a 4.1 mm bit.

KyleAI would avoid doing what he told you to do as there are much easier methods these days. Actual jigs are hard to come by but do pop up in the bst or on tgr occasionally.

This is a universal jig with swapable plates. It works alright, but at least in the older version the gears could slip causing the jog to be off center.

http://www.plinyequipment.com/products/jigarex

Here are some paper templates that I have used for years. They are quick and easy once you get the hang of them. And you can always measure your center punches before you drill holes to make sure you are centered.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/153971-Binding-Mount-Paper-Templates

Typically you are going to want to drill with a 3.5 mm bit to a depth of 9-9.5 mm. If you have some metal in your skis, they usually suggest a 4.1 mm bit.

Alright, thanks for that, the jigarex is out of sale there and I can't find where to buy it so I'm just going to use paper templates, I need videos on how to use a paper template... so if anyone can find me those that would be great.

You could look on ebay. I built my own jig out of lexan (plexiglass) and it works damn well. it even has a clamp system on the sides and it has a center line based on what boot/binding size it is set to. I'll post a picture when I am able to find it.

KyleAI would avoid doing what he told you to do as there are much easier methods these days.

printing out a template for each boot size is asking for a problem? and if you are gonna spend 250$ on a jig, you might as well pay to get them mounted...
if you want to DIY, my method is surefire,(for any competent DIYer) but only for mounting the same binding and boot to a new set of planks. I have had the same pair of pivots for years, and swap them out all the time...

elcornholioYou could look on ebay. I built my own jig out of lexan (plexiglass) and it works damn well. it even has a clamp system on the sides and it has a center line based on what boot/binding size it is set to. I'll post a picture when I am able to find it.

That is awesome! and yea def post a pic

+1 on the paper jigs. If you're careful and take your time, they are fairly easy to use and get the job done. I haven't paid a shop to mount my skis for years. Practice on a 2x4 first. Then when you think you can do it, go for the skis.

teamdummy+1 on the paper jigs. If you're careful and take your time, they are fairly easy to use and get the job done. I haven't paid a shop to mount my skis for years. Practice on a 2x4 first. Then when you think you can do it, go for the skis.

Yea, I'm going to practice on the 2x4 when I think I know what I'm doing, then when I'm ready I'll do it on my old skis...

teamdummy+1 on the paper jigs. If you're careful and take your time, they are fairly easy to use and get the job done. I haven't paid a shop to mount my skis for years. Practice on a 2x4 first. Then when you think you can do it, go for the skis.

great idea, once its all dialed in, you will be set forever... and you always know they arent done by some jackass for his first time...

I thought this thread was going to be about black people