Modifying my boot soles

[chimei]

greetings...

so i've made my first attempt at modifying the soles of boots. i tried to use the techniques i've read about here. i've never done any work with rubber, so i'm very open to feedback and suggestions. i'm getting a marker to tint the thread stitching, hiding it a bit in case the white vinyl doesn't do the trick.

please let me know what you think

 

sorry the pics are big

 

 

 

 

 

[Chex]

Looks nice. Good job. And I know how much of a pain doing those could be. Witness is a robot when it comes to this.

[Griffin-X]

Great job.

[chimei]

Thank you. I'm hoping to get to Lancer status...so I am looking for all the feedback I can get. Appreciate the supportive comment

[Witness]

Looks nice. Good job. And I know how much of a pain doing those could be. Witness is a robot when it comes to this.

 

I make my 4 yr old daughter cut the soles now. I ran out of skin.

[Jello]

Very well done indeed!

[TB-8719]

 

I make my 4 yr old daughter cut the soles now. I ran out of skin.

 

To Punish and Enslave! great job on the soles, they look amazing!

[Guest spires75]

Exceptional work! They look great!

[Boba Leo]

Very good work Mark !!!!!!!!

 

Leo

[chimei]

so i finally got the vinyl and started playing with the heat gun. so i pulled out the GOOP and went to town. i have to wait for it to dry before i trim and add the little strip...then i'm on to the rest of the boot.

 

since waiting for the GOOP to dry, i've made the pattern for the pouches...a pretty productive day.

 

started as the tutorial suggested...heating, pulling and tacking.

 

 

 

once i had the vinyl pulled, i went to the heat gun and tightened it...then moved on to the GOOPing and placing the tacks in the top of the sole...getting a nice tight fit.

 

 

hoping the "dog bone" covers the little wrinkles i could get out. i have plenty of vinyl left (ordered two yards in case i really screwed up)....so i may make two pair. i'll keep the nicest pair clean and white for "dress" occassions, and the least perfect pair will be "weathered" and "scuffed up".

 

more pics on as they progress

[Darth Voorhees]

Looks great Mark!

[chimei]

so i spent most of the day at the Jim Henson exhibit at Museum of Moving Image...but when i got home, i put the trim on my boots. i used painter's tape to hold them in place till tomorrow (nice long drying time).

 

 

also started sewing my pouches....those pics are in the soft armor section...

 

love any and all feedback

[Boba Leo]

I like your work neat Mark!!!!!!!!

 

Leo

[godzilla]

Looks great! Nice job.

[Scarcasm]

That's lovely work Mark, nice & Neat as Leo said. Kudos.

[chimei]

so i spent the weekend doing more and more. so here are the boots (other stuff is in the armor section). this was done with acrylic paints mixed with windex.

 

i started with laying down layers of burnt sienna.

 

next i did some overtones of ivory black.

 

finally, i took one of those sponges that is yellow on one side, and green on the other and used the scrubby side to remove the paint "strokes" so it left the gritty dirt look. it's similar to what some folks do to get sand troopers to look so gritty.

 

 

thoughts and comments are welcome.

[Eddie TK Head]

BEAUTIFUL!!!

[Griffin-X]

Look'n good and weathered like they've been riding through the forest!

[Cyber Scout]

Happy with those

[Boba Leo]

Leo, loves his work .

 

Me

[Guest BS1]

What kind of tool is used to gouge out boot sole???

[Griffin-X]

I used an Exacto knife with the chisel blade. Get 2 though, you'll need it.

[Havok69]

That looks great - I'll be starting my boots soon. One question; I see the OP used Goop glue. I already have a tube of E6000 - would that be ok?

 

** Edit **

 

And then I read a few threads down, apparently it is...

[Griffin-X]

Yep...that's the ticket.

[4505Marcel]

Yup I use E6000, its exactly the same as Goop mate, and to cut the heels I use a scalple and curved scissors used for radio controlled car bodies, available at all good model shops