Spray plastic coating

**alleyyooper** · #1 12/23/10, 06:22 PM

Is there such a thing as a spray on plastic coating like paint?

I need to redo the bottoms of my cross country skis as the plastic has came loose and some has came off.

Al

Blu3duk · #2 12/25/10, 12:16 PM

Are ya sure that aint wax?

Cause the plastic skinny skiis i used once upon a time in a far far far far away zone, had built in scales like a fish, and the only other option was regualr skinny skiis that you had to wax, which at that time there were like 9 different types of wax for different temperatures of the snow you were planning to be in for the day..... well I could be wrong, its been awhile.

N E how i cant off the top of me noggin figure out anything that would work other than a clear coat of varnish like material that would stick at least for awhile, like it does on the cat gut for me snowshoes.

William
Idaho

**alleyyooper** · #3 12/27/10, 09:19 AM

Yes it is plastic with the fish scale patteren no wax. It is an area on the tail about 8 inches behind the bindings and the part missing is about 10 inches long. I have thought maybe I could use some plastic I cut from some type of plastic jug and use a hot iron to make the fish scales. Another thought is to just take all the plastic off and make them the type of skis that require waxing. Have to learn the wax to use, carry a temp gauge and apply a different type as the temp changed.

I know they suck big time as is, one glides and the other hangs.

Thanks for the reply.

Al

catahoula · #4 12/27/10, 10:12 AM

fiberglass rosin and hardener.... maybe, just a thought.

Harry Chickpea · #5 12/27/10, 11:45 AM

Getting new skis would be the easiest. However...

You could try making a mold of a good section of the fish scale, using a couple of melted candles. Then tooth up the wood in the damaged section and degrease it with alcohol or brake cleaner. Get a tube of silicone caulk and slather a thick layer on the damaged section, then press the wax mold into the top of the silicone, pushing it down to the proper depth and letting it set for a couple of days. Peel back or heat the wax off and let it continue to cure for another day. With luck, the silicone caulk will hold to the wood and ends of the existing plastic. I'm not sure what plastic is normally used, probably nylon or polypropylene, but this should substitute without trying to melt those (which can be a toxic job if you overheat them). That type of fix would involve a plaster of paris mold (fragile) and then taking sections of rope and trying to melt them under the mold, using an old flatiron, then hoping it would stick more to the wood than the plaster of paris. Any fix is only going to be good for a season or two.

**alleyyooper** · #6 12/28/10, 08:49 AM

Getting new skis is out of the question cost vs usage is not a good investment. If I can't figure out some thing I am sure I can clean them up and they will become skis requireing waxing for the conditions. Waxing skis was used for years and years befor the wax less.
Shoot I learned on the wax type skis so many years ago and wasn't untill the early 80's I bought wax less.

We used parfin more than wax back then as it was always around from opening a jar of jam.

Al