BASE PATCHES
Base patches are an excellent, long term solution for larger base gouges. They also bond and hold better along the edge. Patches are a little more expensive than a traditional base weld, but the durability is significantly better. Most patches will be black, but other colors are available.
Here is a good example of a gouge that is better suited for a patch vs. a weld. The gouge is right on the edge. It's rather long and not worth trying to use metal grip with a weld and risk the material popping out and having to fuss with it later. This base patch is solid, clean, and will likely hold for the life of this board. P-tex added and full tuned.
Base Patch: $30
P-tex: $10
Full Tune: $80
TOTAL COST: $120
This one shows a color matched patch. The customer had tried brought this in after a base weld failed from another shop. It is certainly small enough for a weld, but since they already had issues with it we went with a patch. This base also needed a bunch of p-tex with their full tune.
Base Patch: $20
P-tex: $20
Full Tune: $80
TOTAL COST: $120
This board had a big chunk of base ripped off by a rock, right along the end of the edge and nose section. The bottom of the gouge was cut off clean to allow for a nice seam with the new material. A custom patch was made to fill that space, and was indented to accommodate the edge. That new piece was laminated in place, shaved down, and the board had some p-tex filling and was then full tuned.
Custom Base Patch: $35
P-Tex: $10
Full Tune: $80
TOTAL COST: $125
I forgot to take a before and after photos for the damage on this one, but it's too good not to post it here. This is what base patch perfection looks like. It doesn't get any better than this. No stencil. Just freehand, top tier execution. This one still needed to be finish ground and tuned.
Base Patch: $35
Full Tune: $80
TOTAL COST: $115
On this repair, the edge material actually stayed intact, and did not need to be replaced. Because the material was more vulnerable to breakage, it requires a lot slower paced re-straightening process, using heat to get it back in line. Once the edge was set, this board got a simple base patch stenciled and laminated in. The board was full tuned from there and good to go.