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WINTERSTEIGER. Overrated?

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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
Are the Wintersteiger tuning and ski service machines overrated and overpriced in your opinion? What other alternatives are there to the wintersteiger brand? I'm looking into buying one of the wintersteiger Omega base grinder lines and a trimdisk 71 eventually. Also heard about the automated machines like the Scout 2 modules as a substitute for the two machines and one other base side edge grinder, but those are probably expensive like none other. Any alternative companies to these anyone knows of that may be a bit cheaper but still reliable?
Mar 17 2017 9:50PM
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_Jeffrey_
Posts: 1651 - Karma: 572
I have a Wintersteiger scraper.... i think it sucks
Mar 17 2017 10:17PM
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M.M
Posts: 1696 - Karma: 4,494
the classic old dude in the back at my ski shop says that if their shit ain't wintersteiger then they probably don't know what they're doing.

he is also biased since he helped design some of the equipment but he does know his shit more than anyone ive come across and has been around the block and back, a few times.
Mar 18 2017 12:14AM
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,962
Are you just trying to buy a tuning machine for your own personal use? Because unless you are skiing like 200 days a year and racing that seems like total overkill and you'd probably end up using it way more than you need to and end up decreasing the wear life of your bases
Mar 18 2017 1:47PM
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M.M
Posts: 1696 - Karma: 4,494
Ya for just personal use it may be overkill. To be honest I'm not really sure I don't have a whole lot of experience with tuning, only really wax and do basic kids tunes and repairs so far. Nor do I have expertise with equipment other than wintersteiger.

was just sharing what the guy at my shop thinks cause he knows more than I do.
Mar 18 2017 5:03PM
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razors-chaz
Posts: 2255 - Karma: 1,250
There are some decent machines from Montana and Reichmann. You really only need a belt and a bar roller to bring down over the belt to push the ski base against to grind the edges. if it's to splash on personal use. It's a big investment for something you can get done at a shop for cheap when you need it. Or do you have dreams for running a tuning shop?
Mar 18 2017 8:34PM
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razors-chaz
Posts: 2255 - Karma: 1,250
As for wintersteiger I've worked with their Discovery machine and apart from getting wet skis out the end of it, it's amazing. Changes the game on servicing. Does what would take all night in 2 hours.
Mar 18 2017 8:37PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
You can usually find the wintersteiger T71? Series of stonegrinders and ceramic discers used from a shop for 10 to 15k for the set. If you start a personal tune service you could recoup in a few years. Maintance isnt cheap tho, and when something goes wrong theyre a PITA to fix sometimes.
Mar 18 2017 10:56PM
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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
No.QuarterAre you just trying to buy a tuning machine for your own personal use? Because unless you are skiing like 200 days a year and racing that seems like total overkill and you'd probably end up using it way more than you need to and end up decreasing the wear life of your bases


M.MYa for just personal use it may be overkill. To be honest I'm not really sure I don't have a whole lot of experience with tuning, only really wax and do basic kids tunes and repairs so far. Nor do I have expertise with equipment other than wintersteiger.

was just sharing what the guy at my shop thinks cause he knows more than I do.


Not for personal use... kinda. It's more of an investment that me and my cousin are looking into doing because we are currently building our own rides and want to have some fully tuned professionally made skis up and running some time soon in the near future.
Mar 19 2017 3:27PM
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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
razors-chazThere are some decent machines from Montana and Reichmann. You really only need a belt and a bar roller to bring down over the belt to push the ski base against to grind the edges. if it's to splash on personal use. It's a big investment for something you can get done at a shop for cheap when you need it. Or do you have dreams for running a tuning shop?


Ya I've heard of Reichmann, honestly completely forgot about the company until just now thanks! ^^^ to the latter part of your post describing why I'm looking into the purchasing of it.
Mar 19 2017 3:29PM
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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
japanadaYou can usually find the wintersteiger T71? Series of stonegrinders and ceramic discers used from a shop for 10 to 15k for the set. If you start a personal tune service you could recoup in a few years. Maintance isnt cheap tho, and when something goes wrong theyre a PITA to fix sometimes.


Ya I was thinking about the used from a shop option, I like your price estimate as well lol, those are always useful. Heard Wintersteiger sells used machines completely refurbished like new on their website as well, probably a lot more expensive again though.
Mar 19 2017 3:35PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
They are def more expensive. Close to double id imagine. Lots around SLC if youre local there.
Mar 19 2017 3:49PM
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TheWeaz
Posts: 803 - Karma: 1,903
DO NOT GET A TRIM71

holy shit I've had the worst experiences the past two days with ours. Our regular ceramic edger broke, not sure what model it is but that's besides the point, I've been having to use the old trim71 and its total garbage. The feed-wheel stops all the time, the motor cuts out, the water line gets clogged and stops spraying. Overall one of the worst pieces of tuning equipment I've had to use in a long time.

when it is functioning it does produce a nice finish, however it is pretty messy compared to the larger machines, there's a lot of emulsion fluid that escapes because it's not very self contained.
Mar 20 2017 8:41PM
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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
TheWeazDO NOT GET A TRIM71

holy shit I've had the worst experiences the past two days with ours. Our regular ceramic edger broke, not sure what model it is but that's besides the point, I've been having to use the old trim71 and its total garbage. The feed-wheel stops all the time, the motor cuts out, the water line gets clogged and stops spraying. Overall one of the worst pieces of tuning equipment I've had to use in a long time.

when it is functioning it does produce a nice finish, however it is pretty messy compared to the larger machines, there's a lot of emulsion fluid that escapes because it's not very self contained.


Ya I have to agree with you for a lot of those things. I was looking into other machines that I could use as an alternative. We use a Trim71 at my shop and that is the reason I brought it up, because I knew it was a heavily used machine and figured since it is Winterstieger probably not much difference with other brands. Obviously going to do much research into the other ones, but I have to agree with you, messy, motor cuts out, always jumps and tries to burn the edge and so on... But I mean if ya gotta do the job and all of them do the same, what can ya do! (Hopefully all other brands don't have a crappy edge tuner as well)
Thanks for the reminder though! Always nice to hear it's not just our shop that has the crappy trim71
Mar 20 2017 11:26PM
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TheWeaz
Posts: 803 - Karma: 1,903
ZennanYa I have to agree with you for a lot of those things. I was looking into other machines that I could use as an alternative. We use a Trim71 at my shop and that is the reason I brought it up, because I knew it was a heavily used machine and figured since it is Winterstieger probably not much difference with other brands. Obviously going to do much research into the other ones, but I have to agree with you, messy, motor cuts out, always jumps and tries to burn the edge and so on... But I mean if ya gotta do the job and all of them do the same, what can ya do! (Hopefully all other brands don't have a crappy edge tuner as well)
Thanks for the reminder though! Always nice to hear it's not just our shop that has the crappy trim71


Honestly I would just get a rough edger, I barely ever ceramic edge my own skis in the shop, I grew up with only rough edged ones from the local shop anyway and never had ceramic ones until the current shop I work at and couldn't tell the difference.

our normal ceramic edger is also a wintersteiger, but is way bigger than the trim 71, it also hasn't ever cut out or clogged on me, but one of the bearings went out and wintersteiger told us to replace the whole motor instead of single bearing, so sometimes they don't have the best service.
Mar 21 2017 9:24PM
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Zennan
Posts: 222 - Karma: 165
That's an interesting idea for sure...

Does anyone know if you can actually rent any of these machines for time periods? I'd probably like to do that if there is an option to get a feel for the different companies and machines to see which one fits my needs best, along with the cost right now in my situation for buying some machines would be kind of difficult
Mar 23 2017 3:26PM
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