1 - The buckets should be clean and free of debris. You should have your feet and lower legs clean and dry. Your upper legs should be dressed as you would when you ski, warm and comfortable. Once these new boots are on—they are definitely on.
2 - Dress your feet warmly in the socks (insulation is an excellent alternative). Smear the petroleum jelly all over the socks and any exposed skin to prevent the plaster from sticking. If you are one of those who would rather not ski in buckets, smear the goo on the inside of the buckets to release your "boot" from the bucket later for future carving and painting. If you don't mind skiing in buckets, you will save work later on. As you will see though, there are pros and cons to leaving the buckets attached.
3 - Place your feet comfortably into the buckets, making sure there is plenty of room fore and aft for a decent thickness of plaster—don't forget you will have to drill the hinges into the front and rear of the "boots" to be able to mount the boots to your chosen skis. At this point there are variations on fancy that could be added. Foot padding for the underneath of your feet is an excellent idea. Odor-Eaters are a particularly good choice. Battery-operated socks are an good idea, make sure you have enough room for the batteries and that they will last. There is nothing worse than having your batteries die at the top of a long run while there are still many hours of skiing to be had and it is -30 degrees.
4 - With your feet comfortably settled and hovering about an inch above the bottom of the bucket and in proper skiing position, slanted slightly forward, mix the plaster of paris according to the package instructions and pour over your feet. You should really do one at a time because plaster dries very rapidly and you may want to have the time to pay attention to each foot and bucket combination as it sets. If you desire "toe wiggle room," wiggle the hell out of your toes before the plaster does set, so that in the future, you have the necessary room. Don't forget to make the plaster come up high enough on your legs for the maximum amount of support you require at your skill level.
Note: If you plan on keeping the buckets on, skip to paragraph #8, otherwise - to continue:
5 - After about 30 minutes of drying, gently tap the top of the buckets all around evenly to loosen the "boot" from the bucket. When completely loose, slide the buckets off and put aside. (They can be reused in the future. An advantage to the bucket removal method.) Prop your feet up and let the plaster dry overnight.
6 - When your boots are completely dry, carve them according to your fancy and the latest fashion craze. Try carving in fake buckles and seams. Be creative! Don't forget the hinge mounting flanges.
7 - When the boots are to your fancy, design-wise, paint them. Once plaster gets wet, it tends to turn to mush. You must be very fast and light with your brushes.
8 - Use polyurethane to waterproof your boots to prevent them from disintegrating under the stresses of skiing and wet snow. Again, use a light touch and perhaps many layers of polyurethane instead of one super wet one. The better this job is done, the longer the boots will last.
9 - After the polyurethane is dry, mount your bindings. Heavy-duty door hinges work wonderfully in the CM's tests of his equipment. Drill in pilot holes into the plaster at your toes and do the same for your heels. If you will be cross-country skiing, only front hinges are necessary. For downhill, both sets will be utilized. Screw in all the necessary screws. For those of you who consider yourselves "hot shot" skiers, bolts might be a better alternative to just plain screws. Please allow for them when pouring the plaster into the buckets.
Voila!! You have created your own set of Compleat Mason's ski boots!! How clever of you. At the end of the season, to remove your creation, soak what is left of the boots and your feet in a huge tub of hot water. Hot tubs are ideal for boot removal, however the mush does tend to clog drains and pipes. If this doesn't work, the CM suggests a jackhammer. ENJOY!!
The advantage of wirelath and cement clothing is that if you hit an obstacle, you will be already plastered and it does save on medical bills. But there are "cons" as well. Think on it awhile and the CM is sure that you will realize the pitfalls if you enjoy other activities besides skiing.
© 1993 Kitty Werner
Skis
The skis themselves are easy to manage. A couple of 2 x 4's do very well for the novice. A flatter, longer size is generally better for more advanced skiers. You will have to round up the tips and shape them into an point to be able to get through the snow properly. There are many variations on this theme.
Poles
This is the easiest part of all. Materials necessary are simply two (2) pieces of reinforcement bar—preferably 1/2 inch size and about six inches longer than the distance from the ground up to where your elbow is. Wrap duct tape around the "top" end to make a comfortable grip on each pole. Alternatively, you can also bend the top around and down to provide the latest way to keep your hands on the poles. If you prefer the strap routine, you can use duct tape to create them by sticking two suitable lengths together (roughly three times the length you think you need) and holding the rebar upside down lay the tape with the loop hanging down and wrap the upper part into the hand grip. Not very chic, but effective. The CM supposes that one could also strap the poles to the hands directly with duct tape, however, that would make eating and blowing one's nose difficult, if not hazardous. You can sharpen the "tips" by using a metal file. For baskets, jab the ends into a couple of Tupperware lids.
Clothing
The CM realizes that more movement is necessary to skiing than is allowed by cement jackets and ski pants. So unless you are fully committed to utilizing the CM's ultimate Program of Winter Sports, the CM allows you, the skier, to choose the outerwear you prefer. Otherwise, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to us and we will send the appropriate patterns for cutting the wire lath and "How to Determine Your Proper Fit" booklet. If there is enough response to this part of the CM's program, we will of course write this as an article to save postage.
HISTORY
The above methods are the latest updated version of ancient practices of masons of the past. Previous generations of skiing masons just nailed their water buckets to staging planks in the off-season and poured in the cement. It made it a bit hard to remove this unique system from their feet at the end of the season, but masons are resourceful and also have the necessary equipment—jackhammers, chisels, hammers, etc., to free themselves at the end of the season. However, since plaster of paris is easier to remove, to decorate and/or whittle—we suggest plaster.