Advice on drilling into a ski / Pro Ski Coach Water Ski Forum

MattP · #1 Mon, Feb 23, 2009 4:03 AM

I just got a new binding and the plate does not match up with some of the holes in my ski. I have asked around and I have herd some different opinions from people on how to "fix" this problem.
1. Drill a smaller hole than the screw then screw it in
2. Drive the screw straight in with out pre drilling
3, Drill through the top layer of the ski then drive the screw in
4. Use 3M interlock

I am on a O'Brien Mapple which I belive has a foam core, the plate I just got was a Reflex system.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Matt

WadeWilliams · #2 Mon, Feb 23, 2009 11:57 AM

Matt,

You're just looking for the easiest, most efficient fix. You'll need to study the plate and the ski to see what's easiest.

Holes in the ski are never great, so my first inclination is to triple check to make sure that the boot doesn't fit the hole pattern, and double check with Reflex. I thought they had a "universal" plate, but I suppose your ski is probably a few years old. If you could swap into a plate that did fit your hole pattern that would be easier... perhaps modifying your original binding plate to take the reflex boot? Depends on how much of a tinkerer you are.

Drilling holes in the ski is something that you just have to be careful with. It's obviously permanent. You might consider trying to drill holes in the reflex plate to match the holes of your ski, but this method is challenging to get right, with the inserts under the plate and such

If all else fails, drill a *small* pilot hole and then hand-tighten the screws into the ski. Be sure to apply more downward pressure on the screwdriver than twisting force.

Interloc is a viable option for what you're doing, just get the high-hold stuff and lay it all on. You'll need to clean the ski and plate well, with alcohol to insure the glue sticks. Remember, you are not going to use the interloc release in this case, so put a lot on.

All of these methods will work. I suppose the biggest thing you need to consider is the value of that ski. If it's a few years old and you're going to ride it for another season, I would say you're probably ok drilling it, but it's going to somewhat decrease the perceived value of the ski. The interloc will work good and keep the ski in better shape, but that stuff isn't cheap either.

h20dawg79 · #3 Mon, Feb 23, 2009 2:25 PM

WOW, Wade you are quite the Handy man!

I believe Wade has already covered this about as good as someone could... So, I'll only address an "ez" way to drill the new plate to match the old ski holes.

1st find and mark the center lines (front to back & center of ski) at the "neutral" positions of the bindings on the ski for "reference points" using tape marks on the edges & top of ski. Then find the center lines (front to back & center of plate) at the "N" positions of the New Plate, mark those also with tape on the top of the plate.

Now cover the ski holes with 1 long piece of paper, tape it to the ski temporarily and transfer the "reference" marks from the edges and top C/L's of the ski for the "N" positions to the paper. By using a pencil laying almost flat, -shade the ski holes to transfer the hole locations to the paper.

Now run a screw down into the holes that are in close proximity to the plates mounting holes to put holes in the paper "Template". Now remove the paper "Template" and align the "N" positions of the plate & the paper Template.(keeping the UP side of the Template against the plate) Tape the 2 together and use a Sharpy pen to mark the hole locations.

Remove the Temp. (making sure none of the orig. plate holes will interfere with the New hole locations.) center punch the new hole marks and drill...

Geez, that was So Much easier in my head... I could do it Faster then I can write it!!!

Last edited by h20dawg79 (Mon, Feb 23, 2009 2:27 PM)