Making your own GRP lasts (plastic castings of your personal

[Firefox]

This is my latest crazy project.

I'm making my own Glass fibre lasts for my feet in a 4" lift.

Materials:

1. Glass fibre tissue.

2. Insulating tape.

3. Duct tape.

4. Resin and hardner (1000 ml of resin for a size 40/41 foot).

Procedure:

1. Put on a sock. Raise to desired lift.

2. Wrap your foot in double glass fibre tissue, and secure closely round foot profile with insulating tape.

3. Wrap round tissue and tape with duct tape forming a ring just below the ankle bone. Overlap the duct tape for two or 3 layers, don't leave any gaps.

4. Slit down duct tape former on the inside and remove your foot and sock.

5. Tape up slit and reinforce with tissue as well. If you have done this right you will have a duct tape mould lined with glass fibre tissue.

6. Mix and pour in resin. Reinforce wifh aluminium mesh. Resin will get hot!

7. Peel of duct tape mould half an hour after initial set.

8. File and smooth off glass fibre last after a day or two. Trim off tissue. Repeat for other foot.

What to do with your last:

1. Admire it

2. Use it to carve a wooden last replica.

3. Force into new shoes and apply stretching compound to make sure they follow your foot shape.

4. Use it to make shoes/boots. Eg, take an old heel and sole unit, cutting off uppers. Fix last with sock on. Wrap with black duct tape, remove last. Leave sock in. Affix sole piece underneath tape. Result: duct tape boots!

I will be showing you this project later. Boots which follow the exact contours of your foot will be a delight and pleasure to wear.

_________________

Believe in your right to wear what you want

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Firefox on 2002-02-22 13:53 ]</font>

[Highluc]

impressive, but what are GRP's?

[Francis]

GRP - Glass Reinforced Plastic common name : Fibreglass the sort of thing that you end up using on car wings after a big bump

[IHeels]

Can't believe this , hope you had plenty of nail polish remover (acetone) to get all the stickies off your skin. NP remover also is really really good at drying your skin. I only use it on my finger and toe nails, not on my skin or try not to get it on my skin, but it's been there hence my knowledge on it as a drying agent. Hope you did it in a well ventilated space. Vapours are pretty strong! Inga _________________ Platforms are for standing on, not for walking in. <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: IHeels on 2002-02-22 14:30 ]</font>

[IHeels]

Also, in reference to car's, in Australia as most of us live near the coast, (infact around 70% of Australians live on the east coast between Melb and Sydney) the old tin worm syndrome strikes, result half the doors in older car's are GRP. Don't I know about this I once owned an Alfa Romeo, boy did they rust (certainly failed the old fridge magnet test). Currently I own a Honda Integra or Acura Integra in USA (gals sportscar), they don't rust. Inga

[Dr. Shoe]

Slightly concerned. The basic idea is quite brilliant if not somewhat old hat. Bespoke shoe makers have been doing the same for years. My concern is on two points; practicality as a tool and comfort. A "proper" last is jointed so that it can be shortened for removal from the shoe or boot much the same as the foot bends when you take the shoe off. With a one piece molded last, the shoe will stretch or tear. Even pumps or zip boots. The only kind of footwear you can make would be sandals. The second problem is comfort. Yes the shoe would exactly match the foot shape and that is the problem. You may have noticed that in your most comfortable shoes or boots that there is a space of around 0.5cm at the toes. This is because your toe joint flexes and the shoe is not jointed so the shoe shortens as your body weight passes over the shoe. Moreover, you might not get the pitch identical on both shoes and over long periods, it is very uncomfortable to stand for long periods or walk for any great distance with one shoe at 4" and the other at 37/8" A much better way would be to get a pair of old shoes and pour your resin inside and then adapt the toe shape to one of your own design. You can use double-bond or car body repair.

[Dr. Shoe]

CONTINUED. 1. Draw around your foot. 2. Pour some plaster of paris into a condom so that you have a ball about the size of tennis ball, tie off and force into the toe box. 2. Repeat same for heel seat. 3. When they have hardened, remove, take off condom and place within drawn foot-print taking care that the width matches, the toe should stick out at the front. 4. Stick together with body filler or more plaster of paris. 5. you should now have a model of the last that the shoe was made with from which you can make a last. To make the last itself, you must have some means to shorten it. Professional lasts have a strong hinge that requires a special tool to work it. This prevents the last from folding under the pressure of lasting. I'm sure that FF will come up with an alternative.

[xaphod]

I remember the effect of some serious use of acetone (in pints) in the more confined spaces of a GRP sailing boat. When I emerged into fresh air, I understood why kids like sniffing glue! Another thing to beware of, is that acetone is more inflammable than petrol (gasoline) !

[Firefox]

Hi Dr Shoe Thanks for your input on this item. One or two points in response. 1. When making a shoe I will put a thick sock or an extra inner sock layers round the toes. This will ensure there is room in the toes and the boot is well fitting across the instep which is where the weight should be taken in well fitting boots. 2. It will be possible to slide the last out by cuting a slit down the side in the tape and flexing the sole piece at the toe. I have had this last in and out of many of my extensive collection of leather boots with no problem. I don't think the jointing is required. 3. Yes I will be making a comparison last using a pair of well fiting leather ankle boots. 4. I like the idea of the condom with plaster of paris. I'm going to try that one for sure. To Inga and Xaphod Yes I did it indoors and there was a lot of vapour. The thing was smoking owing to the thick concentration of resin. I'll be doing the next one outside!

[Dr. Shoe]

Yes you could well have gotten your last in and out of a different shaped boot, but getting it out of a pair that you have made using your last will be a challenge even if it's not impossible.

[Firefox]

I am prepared to have a red face on this one, but I think I will get it out relatively easily. However, I'll let you know how I got on and try and photograph the results for everyone.

[Firefox]

On 2002-03-28 12:00, Anonymous wrote:

Dear Firefox, with great interest I have read your instructions. However, having the Empire language as my third language, I should appreciate a few clarifications in order to fully understand your description

1. Glass fibre tissue - what quality? Thin

or coarse?

Cut into narrow ribbons before application?

2. What is duct tape?

Made of polytetrafluoroethylene, or?

I used Glass fibre tissue which is fine. Glass fibre matting is coarse. I didn't cut into strips, but just wrapped it around my feet, two or three laters thick, securing with electrical tape.

Duct tape or Duck tape or "gaffer tape" (UK) is a strong, usually silver, wide, very sticky tape with a mess weave in it so it is strong. You could use any wide strong sticky cloth or mesh weave, waterproof, tape. I don't think Duct tape is PTFE, but a polythene based tape. Search for it on the net.