Early season shredding is always risky for snowboards.  The overwhelming desire to ride untracked preseason powder will sometimes lead you into a gnarly rock field with only a light dusting of snow.  This mistake will sometimes result in minor scratches that just need a good base grind or a little p-tex work to repair.  If you’re not as lucky, you’ll gouge the base to the core and that’s when you’ll need a base weld.

Liam Gallagher recently interviewed Tech Tuning pro Ty McRae from Milosport to get some tips on how to repair core shots.  Here is a summary on the best way to fix your base::

• Cleaning out and preparing the base is one of the most important tasks.  Remove all the debris and loose material from the damaged area, and then use a razor blade to trim slightly into the non-damaged area to insure a solid bond when repairing.

• P-Tex can be used if the core isn’t exposed.  If the core is exposed, you risk ruining your board, so it’s best to get it base welded to insure a tight seal so water can’t leak in and break down the core.

• P-Tex is a soft and porous material that absorbs wax well.  While baseweld is a harder, durable plasic that has watertight sealing capabilities.

• P-Tex is applied with either a p-tex gun or a flame source and baseweld is applied through an extruding process that uses hot air to apply it.

• The most common mistake when tryin to repair a core shot is insufficient preparation.  Make sure you cut out all the damaged material before applying the baseweld.

Happy tuning!  Don’t forget to pick up a Dakine Super Tune Kit which includes just about everything you need to keep your board running in tip top condition.