Your snowboard's bindings keep your feet securely in place while you carve down the slope. On most snowboards, you'll find two sets of adjustable straps on the bindings to keep your boot in place -- an ankle strap and a toe strap. These bindings are attached to your board with fasteners inserted into holes in the snowboard's base. These holes can strip after prolonged use. To fix a pair of stripped binding fasteners you'll need to install a threaded hole insert.
Screwdriver
Drill bit with depth stop
Toothpick
Countersink bit
Bottoming tap
Threaded hole insert
Slow set epoxy
Step 1
Remove the bindings using a screwdriver. Note which hole is stripped. Try a fastener from a functioning hole to ensure it's the hole and not just the screws that are stripped. If only the screw is stripped, then replace the screw and reassemble the bindings.
Step 2
Widen the stripped hole using a drill bit with it's depth stop set to the depth of the existing hole. To gauge the depth, place a toothpick in the hole and measure how much of the toothpick fits inside. Drill using the existing hole as a guide to ensure that the widened hole is properly aligned. Clean and deburr the widened hole using a countersink bit. A countersink bit removes sharp edges at the mouth of a drilled hole.
Step 3
Thread the widened hole using a manual bottoming tap. A manual bottom tap turns a smooth hole into a spiral threaded screw hole. This will allow the hole to receive a threaded insert which will fasten the bindings securely. Stop when the tool reaches the bottom of the hole -- do not over tighten. Reverse direction and unscrew the manual bottoming tap to remove it from the newly formed threads.
Step 4
Apply slow set epoxy inside and outside of the new threaded hole insert. Screw the threaded hole insert into the widened and threaded hole. Allow the epoxy to set for 24 hours. Remove excess epoxy after it has set to prevent wet epoxy from getting inside the threaded hole insert.
Step 5
Reassemble the bindings using a new screw in the repaired hole, then get back to the snow.
Things You'll Need
References
Writer Bio
Alberto J. Medina is a small-business owner, personal trainer and professional writer. He holds a bachelor's degree in exercise and health promotion from Virginia Tech, and is an ACE-certified advanced health and fitness specialist as well as a health coach and group fitness instructor.