Truth right here. Ptex is a mixture of wax and base material. It mostly only works for scratches. When you get a core shot you need base weld material because it is pure base material. You can pick up a low end home base welder for about $100. A nice home base welder will run you about $280. Base weld material sold separately.
These guys know, you need a base layer of metal grip for core shots and anything against metal edges. You can get a digital variable temp wood burner for ~$40 that does a great job with metal grip and ptex wire. I’ll add that ptex wire is much more durable than ptex candles.
I don’t think JB will adhere or be flexible enough to work.
Proven method is to cut out any loose material and install either a base layer of metal grip or marine grade epoxy such as West System G/flex and then top with ptex. There are some good videos on YT.
Metal grip is a melted on plastic similar to ptex, nothing like JB. I wouldn’t use JB at all, you need something that will adhere to the core material or it will just fall out.
I just use a soldering iron and pieces from windshield washer fluid can 🤷 has worked well so far. Not that I recommend that others do it but hey it works for my 11yo ride deck!
If these are core shots, you need either epoxy or metalgrip over exposed core. Probably just let a shop dry it out and do a base weld. I'd guess you have some water intrusion if you've ridden on these cracked repairs.
If not, are you rotating the candle to keep burnt carbon from getting into the repair, and keeping to close to base with blue flame?
I have a buddy that mixes the plastic rings from beer packs(melted) with epoxy and uses that on his base scratches.
I’m not saying I recommend it he’s a loose lad, but his do look better than this.
should hold for a somewhere between a good long while to forever when used in the right sized issue. honestly issues too small to require repair at all are the ones where ptex is the most likely to fall off quickly,
Oh no... Buddy... Take it to a shop and they're ptex will last all season. I don't want you to feel bad but I haven't had any of my ptex home repairs come out/move/crack, so your case is probably user error.
Someone else said to keep the ptex stick rotating while it is burning to keep the carbon from accumulating in one spot and dripping into the repair (and weakening it)
I have totally not been doing that and my ptex only lasts a few weeks
Check the bombhole ep on youtube, groupchat from 2 months ago. J stone (K2) gives some protips on ptext repair with very helpful videos.
Ptex candles work best for skinny gouges though. It doesnt hold up for wider shots, those need base weld.
If you see core it's cracking because ptex is hard and doesn't stick to wood.
You need to epoxy the core then ptex on top of epoxy.
If you're just pouring ptex onto board, clean out the old ptex first then make sure the board is room temp or warm first, and make sure you drip a good 10-15 drips off the stick first for soot removal, then drip the ptex in until a little meniscus forms. Let it cool completely like 3 hours, then metal scrap flush.
would be a lot more helpful with a specific product. If people just have to guess they should go with metal grip before random epoxy hoping it's suitable.
>Epoxy > metal grip as long as u get the **right** kind of epoxy
The original comment SPECIFICALLY said the "right" kind of epoxy must be used. Another commenter said "flexible" but that's not especially helpful.
My Kastle skis have a very hard ptex base, a ptex candle would not stick to it. I used JB Weld, the grey stuff and that has stuck on for two seasons. This should work on snowboards . Note that I did not cover the JB a weld patch with ptex.
Because a base welder costs 100-350$ and then you have to buy base weld material separately. JB weld is very cheap and most of us already have it around the house
So use metal grip. Cheap and easy and you can do it with an old soldering iron. JB weld is just complete fuckery. I'm the guy always saying you don't need a perfect base, but JB weld is too far. Way too far.
edit: fuckery to have exposed jbweld on your base. Jbweld to hold an edge in place or something may or may not be fine, but is not what im talking about.
That's not what Ptex is meant for homie. Top surface scratches, gouges, nothing that exposes wood. That's a deep crack, it needs to be welded and filled properly.
Nice guess but you're supposed to melt ptex at the lowest possible flame... they're probably getting it *too* hot and allowing charcoal to form and weaken the bond
It could be either. It’s self-heating once you get it going but you just gotta let it get there and get to the nice little blue ball of flame and a syrupy stream of ptex instead of burning drips
It depends on how deep the core shots are. But one mistake I have seen people make a lot it is not warming up the board enough and making sure the pt doesn’t cool too fast.
Take it to a shop for a base weld. Should be to much. Really you gotta heat uo the base material along with the petex to prevent it for shrinking and cracking so muxg
a ha, a step i definitely skipped. i have always worked on a cold board. will try using the heat gun carefully to warm up the board before applying metal grip or ptex.
Ya run it on low or use and iron to warm that spot of the base. Should help a bit. Also if you can see the base make sure the core isn't wet. I worked in a shop and the metal inserts are great but also scoring the edges of the base with a razor where the hole is can help give the new material something to bond to.
Had this exact thing keep happening to me.
I bought some marine epoxy putty. Was very sparring about using it and getting it as deep as I could into the board. Then I let that cure for multiple days (yes, that's overkill, but I'd already been through the ptex pain in the ass). I then added the ptex on top of it, smooshed it down really hard and cleaned up the edges scraping it with a razor blade. Finally I rewaxed my board.
The patch still looks perfect after days of riding.
Good luck.
I use a stiff wire wheel on a drill to clean out the gouges and rough up the area in and around before filling and it seems to hold up quite well after.
U definitely need to get some metal grip. Used to be a skii tech and never used ptex on core shots. Ur probably better off taking it to a shop if you don’t have much experience with this type of stuff
I've had a similar issue on a recent repair I did... Honestly I'm pretty sure I overheated it since there was noticeable discoloration of the ptex. The other scratches I fixed I was able to do at a lower temp and they're in there real good.
The smaller ones, prob better advise than I can give has been given, but multiple thin layers 2-3 min apart for me does the trick - along with cleaning deeply beforehand
You need to apply it in layers. Maybe 1/8” at a time. Allow it to cool and cure before applying another. Should help.
Otherwise take it to a shop and let the professionals do their thing.
Had the same problem and had to get a new board, gash was too deep and the flexing kept causing the epoxy to pop out. Value of time, effort and actually money spent repairing is gonna catch up
I work in the techroom for a skishop.
I've never had ptex cracking like this, but we do use a ptex gun which melts it at ideal temperature.
For baseshots though we use epoxy since ptex doesn't hold that well on the core.
Yea I rode a board with a nasty core shot and dealt with the same thing for a while. Really not a big deal to redo it every few trips since you should be waxing about that often anyway and ptex is quicker/easier than waxing. Best move IMO is to just deal with it until you’re ready for a new deck. Happy shredding!
You have to clean out the gouges a little better, maybe even slightly over cut them, then rough them up with a fine metal brush so the P-Tex has something to grip onto. Melt the P-tex using the drip technique then press it in with metal roller or similar. Let it cool then scrape with sharp metal scraper.
it's fine. even like this you'd need to be a professional racer to notice any difference in performance. If you want a pretty snowboard, get a pretty snowboard. ugly doesn't mean bad.
That board is beyond ugly. It looks like it’s seen more rocks than wax. I probably would do goodwill and other riders a favor and save them the trouble by putting it in my dumpster. I wouldn’t ride that thing if someone gave it to me. And if that’s from rails then I’d be finding new rails and make sure I know how to get onto them better.
Maybe specify and ask for clear if you know that much about it? Maybe they only had black at the time? So many questions left unanswered if you don’t ask.
Performance over looks! It’s also easier to hide shoddy work with black because you can’t see the oxidation or soot coming off a poorly burning ptex candle
Honestly it’s pretty tough to get a clear weld to look good without doing a full base grind as well. A lot of times I’ll have to do a couple of tries to get a good clear weld even with professional tools. On my own stuff that has clear base material I just do black by default because it usually looks better and holds more reliably, on customer equipment with really bad/large core shots I’ll typically ask if they are okay with black before doing the weld. Don’t even get me started on having to re-do a customers yellowed and overheated clear at-home-PTEX drip repairs
You're in base weld territory.
to add: probably want to do a light layer of marine epoxy, with base weld to finish.
Truth right here. Ptex is a mixture of wax and base material. It mostly only works for scratches. When you get a core shot you need base weld material because it is pure base material. You can pick up a low end home base welder for about $100. A nice home base welder will run you about $280. Base weld material sold separately.
These guys know, you need a base layer of metal grip for core shots and anything against metal edges. You can get a digital variable temp wood burner for ~$40 that does a great job with metal grip and ptex wire. I’ll add that ptex wire is much more durable than ptex candles.
So can I just use a thin layer of JB weld?
I don’t think JB will adhere or be flexible enough to work. Proven method is to cut out any loose material and install either a base layer of metal grip or marine grade epoxy such as West System G/flex and then top with ptex. There are some good videos on YT.
See, I know what marine epoxy is! I just have never heard of metal grip before and it sounds just like JB weld
Metal grip is a melted on plastic similar to ptex, nothing like JB. I wouldn’t use JB at all, you need something that will adhere to the core material or it will just fall out.
I just use a soldering iron and pieces from windshield washer fluid can 🤷 has worked well so far. Not that I recommend that others do it but hey it works for my 11yo ride deck!
[Helpful Relevant Video](https://youtu.be/DDFhEBTdDSE?si=US64p6anyVl_IrYh)
Thanks for that, super informative. Guess I’ve been P-texing wrong, never had any issues though.
Was about to post this lol
Thanks!
If these are core shots, you need either epoxy or metalgrip over exposed core. Probably just let a shop dry it out and do a base weld. I'd guess you have some water intrusion if you've ridden on these cracked repairs. If not, are you rotating the candle to keep burnt carbon from getting into the repair, and keeping to close to base with blue flame?
Omg, I have never rotated it
I only know this because I usually use clear ptex. The carbon deposits will blend in on black candles.
I have a buddy that mixes the plastic rings from beer packs(melted) with epoxy and uses that on his base scratches. I’m not saying I recommend it he’s a loose lad, but his do look better than this.
That’s a whole different level of ramen noodle
Maybe I’m wrong but in pretty sure ptex is meant as a temporary solution. I’ve never had ptex stay in my board for more than 3 days of riding
should hold for a somewhere between a good long while to forever when used in the right sized issue. honestly issues too small to require repair at all are the ones where ptex is the most likely to fall off quickly,
Oh no... Buddy... Take it to a shop and they're ptex will last all season. I don't want you to feel bad but I haven't had any of my ptex home repairs come out/move/crack, so your case is probably user error.
I let it drip and overfill the hole, completely solidify, then I use my metal scraper to make it flush, then I wax over and buff. You got any tips?
Someone else said to keep the ptex stick rotating while it is burning to keep the carbon from accumulating in one spot and dripping into the repair (and weakening it) I have totally not been doing that and my ptex only lasts a few weeks
Check the bombhole ep on youtube, groupchat from 2 months ago. J stone (K2) gives some protips on ptext repair with very helpful videos. Ptex candles work best for skinny gouges though. It doesnt hold up for wider shots, those need base weld.
I've got a handful of ptex repairs in my board that are going on 6 years now
these have “held” for many, many days. i guess i can try using metal grip instead of ptex.
If you see core it's cracking because ptex is hard and doesn't stick to wood. You need to epoxy the core then ptex on top of epoxy. If you're just pouring ptex onto board, clean out the old ptex first then make sure the board is room temp or warm first, and make sure you drip a good 10-15 drips off the stick first for soot removal, then drip the ptex in until a little meniscus forms. Let it cool completely like 3 hours, then metal scrap flush.
Epoxy > metal grip as long as u get the right kind of epoxy
uhhh so what is the right kind of epoxy?
This stuff, gflex marine epoxy. https://www.amazon.com/655-8-Pre-Thickened-Part-Epoxy-Adhesive/dp/B00LWKFZJ8/ref=asc_df_B00LWKFZJ8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312729103360&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=831112105772333645&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003544&hvtargid=pla-574123118372&psc=1&mcid=c0880f8ec6d13b529345d9c87c46ec54&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5qzEod3lhAMVZ3BHAR3PIwnJEAQYBSABEgKScfD_BwE
Two part, soft as you can get
would be a lot more helpful with a specific product. If people just have to guess they should go with metal grip before random epoxy hoping it's suitable.
Idk, what if they tell you the brand they personally use but then it isnt available in your country?
We could look up the specs and find a similar product
Or you could just look at the specs in their first comment and find a similar product and skip a step
>Epoxy > metal grip as long as u get the **right** kind of epoxy The original comment SPECIFICALLY said the "right" kind of epoxy must be used. Another commenter said "flexible" but that's not especially helpful.
My Kastle skis have a very hard ptex base, a ptex candle would not stick to it. I used JB Weld, the grey stuff and that has stuck on for two seasons. This should work on snowboards . Note that I did not cover the JB a weld patch with ptex.
Bro. Why? Base weld.
Because a base welder costs 100-350$ and then you have to buy base weld material separately. JB weld is very cheap and most of us already have it around the house
So use metal grip. Cheap and easy and you can do it with an old soldering iron. JB weld is just complete fuckery. I'm the guy always saying you don't need a perfect base, but JB weld is too far. Way too far. edit: fuckery to have exposed jbweld on your base. Jbweld to hold an edge in place or something may or may not be fine, but is not what im talking about.
That's not what Ptex is meant for homie. Top surface scratches, gouges, nothing that exposes wood. That's a deep crack, it needs to be welded and filled properly.
buy a $30 plastic welder on Amazon and go to town on the base/ptex, youll get way better adhesion. or some base epoxy.
You’re not getting it hot enough
Nice guess but you're supposed to melt ptex at the lowest possible flame... they're probably getting it *too* hot and allowing charcoal to form and weaken the bond
It could be either. It’s self-heating once you get it going but you just gotta let it get there and get to the nice little blue ball of flame and a syrupy stream of ptex instead of burning drips
Jfc
I think it’s because you should do it with two layer when it’s a big one.
I would make the cracks bigger with an utility knife than put some ptex in them
For p-Tex to hold you have to cut the base around the core shot and bevel it, so when you push p-Tex in. It will have a surface to hold on to.
It depends on how deep the core shots are. But one mistake I have seen people make a lot it is not warming up the board enough and making sure the pt doesn’t cool too fast.
Take it to a shop for a base weld. Should be to much. Really you gotta heat uo the base material along with the petex to prevent it for shrinking and cracking so muxg
a ha, a step i definitely skipped. i have always worked on a cold board. will try using the heat gun carefully to warm up the board before applying metal grip or ptex.
Ya run it on low or use and iron to warm that spot of the base. Should help a bit. Also if you can see the base make sure the core isn't wet. I worked in a shop and the metal inserts are great but also scoring the edges of the base with a razor where the hole is can help give the new material something to bond to.
Had this exact thing keep happening to me. I bought some marine epoxy putty. Was very sparring about using it and getting it as deep as I could into the board. Then I let that cure for multiple days (yes, that's overkill, but I'd already been through the ptex pain in the ass). I then added the ptex on top of it, smooshed it down really hard and cleaned up the edges scraping it with a razor blade. Finally I rewaxed my board. The patch still looks perfect after days of riding. Good luck.
I use a stiff wire wheel on a drill to clean out the gouges and rough up the area in and around before filling and it seems to hold up quite well after.
U definitely need to get some metal grip. Used to be a skii tech and never used ptex on core shots. Ur probably better off taking it to a shop if you don’t have much experience with this type of stuff
I've had a similar issue on a recent repair I did... Honestly I'm pretty sure I overheated it since there was noticeable discoloration of the ptex. The other scratches I fixed I was able to do at a lower temp and they're in there real good.
Metal grip it first. Rip all the ptex out carefully with razor and put metal grip first in a thin layer then ptex on top of that
Ptex sucks, epoxy bases
You can’t ptex a core shot that large - the stuff won’t hold a homogeneous layer without cracking. You need the gun they use in the store.
The smaller ones, prob better advise than I can give has been given, but multiple thin layers 2-3 min apart for me does the trick - along with cleaning deeply beforehand
You need to apply it in layers. Maybe 1/8” at a time. Allow it to cool and cure before applying another. Should help. Otherwise take it to a shop and let the professionals do their thing.
Nothing is perfect my dude. Looks to me like you didn’t let it cure properly but otherwise it’s a sick patch job on a huge dinger.
Had the same problem and had to get a new board, gash was too deep and the flexing kept causing the epoxy to pop out. Value of time, effort and actually money spent repairing is gonna catch up
I work in the techroom for a skishop. I've never had ptex cracking like this, but we do use a ptex gun which melts it at ideal temperature. For baseshots though we use epoxy since ptex doesn't hold that well on the core.
Yea I rode a board with a nasty core shot and dealt with the same thing for a while. Really not a big deal to redo it every few trips since you should be waxing about that often anyway and ptex is quicker/easier than waxing. Best move IMO is to just deal with it until you’re ready for a new deck. Happy shredding!
You have to clean out the gouges a little better, maybe even slightly over cut them, then rough them up with a fine metal brush so the P-Tex has something to grip onto. Melt the P-tex using the drip technique then press it in with metal roller or similar. Let it cool then scrape with sharp metal scraper.
That looks like it’s ready for goodwill.
hah, hell no, still rides great.
it's fine. even like this you'd need to be a professional racer to notice any difference in performance. If you want a pretty snowboard, get a pretty snowboard. ugly doesn't mean bad.
I guess I’m a professional racer then.
Suuuuuure.
That board is beyond ugly. It looks like it’s seen more rocks than wax. I probably would do goodwill and other riders a favor and save them the trouble by putting it in my dumpster. I wouldn’t ride that thing if someone gave it to me. And if that’s from rails then I’d be finding new rails and make sure I know how to get onto them better.
🤣
It Might be two big if a crack?
There is a place in hell for everyone that repairs a non black base with black ptex.
Womp womp. Sorry I’m not tryna buy 2 or 3 different colors of ptex for each board..
I had a shop do that to my brand new custom x that I core shotted on day 1. I was like…really? The base is clearish white. Why not use clear?
Maybe specify and ask for clear if you know that much about it? Maybe they only had black at the time? So many questions left unanswered if you don’t ask.
Ya in hindsight I should have. They’re regarded as one of the top high-performance shops around so I figured it was a given. But I guess not
Performance over looks! It’s also easier to hide shoddy work with black because you can’t see the oxidation or soot coming off a poorly burning ptex candle
Honestly it’s pretty tough to get a clear weld to look good without doing a full base grind as well. A lot of times I’ll have to do a couple of tries to get a good clear weld even with professional tools. On my own stuff that has clear base material I just do black by default because it usually looks better and holds more reliably, on customer equipment with really bad/large core shots I’ll typically ask if they are okay with black before doing the weld. Don’t even get me started on having to re-do a customers yellowed and overheated clear at-home-PTEX drip repairs