DIY Ski Waxing Bench

December 17, 2023 in Features, Gear Reviews

The Best Home Ski Waxing and Tuning Bench Solutions

If you plan to do your own ski maintenance, a solid ski waxing and tuning bench is a must. Between keeping my skis ready to roll, setting up test gear and working on friends' gear, my ski bench sees a lot of use. So much use that I got creative to add more bench space for waxing. Here are our best low-cost ski waxing and tuning bench solutions for your home workshop.

Voile Ski and Board Tuning Trees

One of the best, and reasonably affordable, off-the-shelf ski waxing and tuning stands is the Voile Ski /Board Tuning Trees. I saw these at Voile's booth during a tradeshow a few years ago. They were using them to display some splitboards. It turns out they own the mold and sell them. They have become my go-to home ski waxing and tuning stands.

The top platform is a full 12 inches across, so it feels rock-solid and easily accommodates a full pair of skis or a snowboard. They are easy to set up and take down - just clamp them to your workbench with a few turns, and you're in business. The top side features a grippy rubber pad to keep your skis from sliding around, and it offers a solid platform for waxing and mounting without clamping to your skis. There's even a center slot for putting your boards on edge for light tuning work.

The stands are easily removed for storage between uses. You can get them directly from Voile for $60. They are unbeatable for all-around ski maintenance versatility and easy storage.

Do-It-Yourself Ski Wax Bench

My favorite DIY ski wax bench requires two 2x6s and a few old bicycle inner tubes. I built my setup on a portable bench that rolls around the garage as needed, but it could also be added to almost any workbench. It accommodates multiple pairs of skis. It's great for waxing and scraping skis, as well as drilling and mounting. And it can be cobbled together for almost no cost if you have some spare 2x lumber taking up space in your garage.

The design is simple. Just mount a couple of 2x6s on edge along either side of a workbench. I found 2x6s to work better than 2x4s as they put the ski high enough above the bench top to allow clearance for various bindings when the skis are lying base up.

I braced the 2x6 pieces with 2x4s to stabilize the system (see photo). Once cut to length, I screwed the 2x6 and 2x4 pieces together before attaching them to the bench with additional screws. An old mountain bike inner tube across the 2x6 protects the skis and provides grip when scraping or pushing on the skis. The setup is excellent for general ski work, and you could also set up your 2x6s to be removable for the off-season.

Happy Norwegian Mr Grippy Ski Waxing Stands

The Happy Norwegian ski waxing stands are designed for skiers without a dedicated workbench and for travelling. They work almost anywhere, even the tailgate of a pickup truck. They are also a solid solution for any home ski tuning setup. In fact, if you have a dedicated workbench, Mr. Grippy is nice because it’s so easy to set up, and they only take up precious bench space when in use.

Unlike traditional ski vises that require a workbench, counter or table and only work on a limited range of skis, the Happy Norwegian ski wax stands work anywhere you have a flat space with room for your skis, and they work with virtually all skis — nordic, alpine, backcountry, you name it. It works with snowboards, too, if you can fold down or remove the highback part of the binding. You can use it on the floor, a countertop, a table, a parking lot or a workbench. They won’t damage a table or countertop like traditional clamp-on ski wax and tuning vices. Read our full Happy Norwegian Ski Waxing Stand review.