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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45515
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 15 10:19 pm Post subject:
some of the posh bootmakers keep a customer's lasts (left and right are required) which does encourage repeat business having had a quick look at taylor's in paddington st the 3d scanning thing seems to have been adopted already for driving the cad wood cutters for beech lasts rather than printing plastic lasts

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 5:13 pm Post subject:

if a budget plastic last could be achieved this way, I think it would be a boost to the number of people dabbling in home shoemaking for their own use. You can buy polystyrene lasts for felted slippers already, but they always seem slightly odd proportions to me, and relatively expensive for the material, I'd certainly like a pair of rigid plastic lasts as an alternative to the duct-tape ones I currently use when making shoes

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 5:34 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

Jamanda wrote:

It takes about 1/2 hour to get your measurements taken at somewhere like https://chuckleshoes.co.uk/ . I'm sure similar establishments exist else where.

Granted, I do not get out much, but I have never seen one, nor even heard about them. Part of the point is that it would make it easy for people like them to cater for people who cannot easily go to see them.

You can just draw round your feet and send the drawing to Chuckles - but we took Leo in person and he did some foot-print stuff that meant that he did a bit of a built up sole for him. It's basically a case of measuring the dimensions and writing them down, though.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45515
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 5:50 pm Post subject:
i recon a greased foot ,a mould either using latex or plaster of paris and cast a last in resin would be a fairly low tech /low skill method

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 5:54 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

i recon a greased foot ,a mould either using latex or plaster of paris and cast a last in resin would be a fairly low tech /low skill method

oh indeed, but the idea of being able to go into a shop with a suitable scanner and have a set made without needing to set up the supplies and deal wit the mess would be a pleasant novelty!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45515
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 5:58 pm Post subject:
the into a shop etc exists but it isnt cheap yet ed i spose a scan ,chose style ,boots are cad made and posted might be a workable business model

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 15 9:54 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

the into a shop etc exists but it isnt cheap yet...

I don't see why it shouldn’t be. 3d Scanners and printers are not particularly expensive any more.

kGarden

Joined: 01 Dec 2014
Posts: 178
Location: Suffolk, UK

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 15 9:10 am Post subject:
If the only?? cobblers doing it are using 3D scan to then drive a wood cutter to make the last could it be that the plastic from 3D printers is not robust enough? Although space station making spanners via 3D printer

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 15 9:35 am Post subject:
3D printers were specifically invented to make spare parts for tanks, including tracks. If your boot maker is breaking them, don't wear his boots.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 15 5:02 pm Post subject:

kGarden wrote:

If the only?? cobblers doing it are using 3D scan to then drive a wood cutter to make the last could it be that the plastic from 3D printers is not robust enough?

I suspect they just want to show off.

Dee J

Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: West Devon

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 15 2:08 pm Post subject:

It's useful to remember though... shoes are not foot-shaped

Shoes fit to the foot at the same sort of points as a multi-adjustable sandal, the rest of the shoe provides enough clearance to allow the foot to function - spring, bend, flex, spread. Most low-end bespoke shoes can be sized using an outline tracing plus two or three circumference measures (widest part of foot, instep, and around the heel). There have been various novel technologies based on a cast or scan of the foot.. these have always failed because of a lack of understanding of the above.

HTH

Dee

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 15 3:18 pm Post subject:
One of the joys of the digital age is that things can be easily edited. Just because you have scanned a perfect digital representation of a foot doesn't mean that you have to print that exact model.: you can adjust it and print the perfect last instead.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 15 3:44 pm Post subject:

True, but easily, and usefully, are not synonyms. Once we've fully deskilled, by scanning, editing and printing these tools, and we all have deformed feet from poor quality (but cheap! Oh, how CHEAP!) boots, we will realise this.

I think most people can use off the peg boots most of the time. If you want a bespoke, custom pair, it might be better to use an experienced, skilled older chap, ideally with an apron in either green (British Racing), claret or leather brown, and half moon specs, and be assured that he'll be there next time.

Use a 3D scanner and printer where it adds value, not just cuts costs.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 15 8:12 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Yep.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 15 10:49 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

i would say, and most of the relevant comments on this thread have reinforced that opinion, that most of the skill in bootmaking is in the making of the boots, not so much in the measuring up.
As to adding value, if a penny saved is a penny earned, then where do you draw the line between the one and the other?
Cutting costs for the sake of cutting costs is one thing, but cutting costs because there is a better way to do it.

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