Jupiter Comes to SSCV Tune Shop

Peter Lange

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Tune Shop has outdone itself. And significantly, everyone eagerly anticipates the August arrival of the new Wintersteiger Jupiter tuning machine.

Wintersteiger continues its position at the forefront of ski and snowboard tuning technology. However, as with all technologies, the next generation is continually on the horizon. The Wintersteiger’s Jupiter machines are, without doubt, their latest and greatest.

The Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s (SSCV) tune shop is well known for the quality of its product. But the Jupiter machine will take things to a new level. Accordingly, the latest high-tech equipment will arrive from Austria in August and be online in September.

SSCV’s tune shop is big, but Jupiter will consume most of the available space. However, they will retain their other Wintersteiger planet, Mercury. Having both exceptional machines means the SSCV tune shop will have more capacity to execute the extraordinary.

Trim Cut®

There is no doubt that Jupiter provides the next level of accuracy and finish. Wintersteiger’s Trim Cut® technology starts the process. Trim Cut® bevels back the Titanal® and sidewall material to ensure ultimate tune quality. Only after this process does the side edge discs do their best work. If the sidewall material is not correctly cut back, the result can be good but not perfect.

3D® stone dressing

People in the industry who work with this technology refer to it as N.C. But to be accurate, Jupiter’s diamond-tipped cutter head uses 3D® cutting to dress the stones, meaning it is Computer Numerical Controlled, CNC. And N.C. machines are known to produce the flattest and most precise grinds. If the pattern exists, this machine can duplicate it. Fortunately for you, the SSCV Tune Shop director Paul Suomi can easily suggest an excellent solution that will meet any of your needs.

To brag, Jupiter has two large diameter stones. And the two stones do three pre-grinds before completing the perfect finish grind. So the ski is first ground with three structure variations, coarse, medium, and fine, blanking the ski. Then it is off to the base edge beveling discs before returning for the finish grind. If this sounds fast, you are right; it is.

VEDGE® technology

SSCV has a machine that can produce the highest quality base grinds at the quickest rate. But why is the SSCV Jupiter so unique? The answer is VEDGE®. Wintersteiger’s technology allows the machine to set edge angles and base bevels to a level of precision never before achievable. It is precise, and the edges are very smooth after the polishing disc.

You say there must be more. You might be wondering what the advantage of VEDGE® is. The answer: a variable edge. If you want a ski to engage smoothly and release when you ask it to, you should be blending a larger base bevel into the tip and tail. Jupiter can provide that in a precise and repeatable way. If you want a more extended and dramatic blend, Jupiter can make it happen. But this unearthly machine says no problem if you want a shorter bevel blend with less transition. If you want to go to the limits of possibility, the VEDGE® technology is also capable of variable angle side edge tuning.

Wintersteiger comments on SSCV Tune Shop

Todd Carroll, Wintersteiger Product Manager, comments on the SSCV Tune Shop, “Ski Club Vail has always pushed the envelope with ski service and continuously raises the bar by which all other programs are measured. This latest investment in a new Wintersteiger Jupiter is a natural step toward better, more consistent service for every athlete. But it also bears mentioning that the machinery is only as good as the operator. The Ski and Snowboard Club Vail team also checks the box for maintaining and helping develop best practices for ski service. The specific combination of personnel, tools, and experience truly put Ski Club Vail in an elite group globally.”

Making Jupiter available to all USSS members

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail members are lucky to have access to this fantastic tuning machine. However, the SSCV Tune Shop also makes the Jupiter tuning available to all USSS members.

Have your new skis sent directly to the SSCV Tune Shop from the company race room or your ski shop. Consequently, the SSCV team of experts will prepare your skis to a level you have only dreamt possible. And don’t worry, they can and will ship them back to you. However, another suggested approach is to have your new skis sent directly to the SSCV Tune Shop before your fall Colorado camp. Then Suomi’s team will professionally prepare the skis, and they will be perfectly tuned and ready when you arrive for your camp.

A perfect base grind with edges set to a high level of precision is a great way to start any season. Add sidewall preparation, and your ski tuning experience will be better for the entire year.

For the 2022/23 season, the SSCV’s Tune Shop will have the only U.S.-based Jupiter Wintersteiger machine in this configuration. Their Jupiter includes the Trim Cut®, 3D®stone dressing, two-base grinding stones, and VEDGE® technology. One of only 7 ordered worldwide, most of the six others are in Factory Race facilities in Europe.