z28cp
Member
Where does one get the spiked shoe thingies to where while doing your epoxy floor?
Where to get spiked shoes?
- Thread starter z28cp
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LegacyIndustrial
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pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
If you want, make your own. Cut a "bigfoot" out of plywood. Drill drywall screws through it. Grind off the sharp tips by 1/8" when done (they will still be sharp). Use gorilla tape and an old pair of shoes. Put a gorilla tape strap at the heel over and in your shoe and loop over the bottom bigfoot and back. Do the same in the middle of where the laces are. Not too tight on that loop - best to do that one after you put your feet in those shoes so you can get your feet back in those shoes later when you need to! Do NOT do anything at the toe of the shoe. You have to flex to be able to walk and that won't let you walk. Save $25 or $30 and takes 1/2 hour to do.
Later use your roll of gorilla tape for any taping needs with your epoxy job. - Paul
If you want, make your own. Cut a "bigfoot" out of plywood. Drill drywall screws through it. Grind off the sharp tips by 1/8" when done (they will still be sharp). Use gorilla tape and an old pair of shoes. Put a gorilla tape strap at the heel over and in your shoe and loop over the bottom bigfoot and back. Do the same in the middle of where the laces are. Not too tight on that loop - best to do that one after you put your feet in those shoes so you can get your feet back in those shoes later when you need to! Do NOT do anything at the toe of the shoe. You have to flex to be able to walk and that won't let you walk. Save $25 or $30 and takes 1/2 hour to do.
Later use your roll of gorilla tape for any taping needs with your epoxy job. - Paul
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Re: Where to get spked shoes?
I've seen a few pairs at thrift stores.
I've seen a few pairs at thrift stores.
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
Hey z28cp, I sell them with either the sharp or blunted head spikes. $20.00 a pair plus shipping. You will want the sharp ones for epoxy.
Hey z28cp, I sell them with either the sharp or blunted head spikes. $20.00 a pair plus shipping. You will want the sharp ones for epoxy.
retfr8flyr
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
Here you go. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RIVO5O/?tag=atomicindus08-20 These are the ones I used and they are very good. Just make sure you go over all the spikes and tighten them before you use them the first time. This was recommended to me and I found several spikes not tight when I did mine.
Here you go. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RIVO5O/?tag=atomicindus08-20 These are the ones I used and they are very good. Just make sure you go over all the spikes and tighten them before you use them the first time. This was recommended to me and I found several spikes not tight when I did mine.
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
That's a good price. Make sure you get the sharp pointed ones. The photo looks like the blunted tips. Good tip on the loose nuts on the spikes.
That's a good price. Make sure you get the sharp pointed ones. The photo looks like the blunted tips. Good tip on the loose nuts on the spikes.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
The wet epoxy will "heal" over a tiny spike tip fairly quickly as soon as you move away until it sets in about an hour. For the first hour, you can walk anywhere with the spike shoes. After that, stay off with everything. It is key if you do flakes. If not, still very very useful to have spike shoes. - Paul
The wet epoxy will "heal" over a tiny spike tip fairly quickly as soon as you move away until it sets in about an hour. For the first hour, you can walk anywhere with the spike shoes. After that, stay off with everything. It is key if you do flakes. If not, still very very useful to have spike shoes. - Paul
retfr8flyr
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
The spikes on those are nice and sharp. It's just almost impossible do do flakes without having the spike shoes. I guess if the floor was small you could but it's just so much easier with the spike shoes. Just be careful when you walk as they will slip very easily. You need to pick your feet straight up and place them down flat, don't let them drag. The epoxy will heal the little spike holes but if you scrape it with them you will have to repair it.
The spikes on those are nice and sharp. It's just almost impossible do do flakes without having the spike shoes. I guess if the floor was small you could but it's just so much easier with the spike shoes. Just be careful when you walk as they will slip very easily. You need to pick your feet straight up and place them down flat, don't let them drag. The epoxy will heal the little spike holes but if you scrape it with them you will have to repair it.
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
Ya gotta do the duck walk.
Ya gotta do the duck walk.
shaun oriold1
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
Nobody has mentioned Mid west Rake. I get all my epoxy tools from them. top notch!
Nobody has mentioned Mid west Rake. I get all my epoxy tools from them. top notch!
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
I carry Midwest stuff also and to be frank, I'm not sure where we get our shoes from. I have a couple brands we sell, some that bend easy to trowel the epoxy. The ones shown are the straight leg type and you will bust your **** if you are not aware.
I carry Midwest stuff also and to be frank, I'm not sure where we get our shoes from. I have a couple brands we sell, some that bend easy to trowel the epoxy. The ones shown are the straight leg type and you will bust your **** if you are not aware.
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
I got mine from northern tool. 9.99$
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_12800_12800
I got mine from northern tool. 9.99$
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_12800_12800
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
Those would work and low cost but the very tall spikes are not good at all. A higher center of gravity means you are walking on stilts and more likely to tip over onto a wet epoxy floor. I like spikes not more than 1/2" below the sole of the shoe. Drywall screws work great! - Paul
Those would work and low cost but the very tall spikes are not good at all. A higher center of gravity means you are walking on stilts and more likely to tip over onto a wet epoxy floor. I like spikes not more than 1/2" below the sole of the shoe. Drywall screws work great! - Paul
427FAB
Well-known member
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Re: Where to get spked shoes?
yes that would work too, but that would destroy the shoes with the screws drilled through the shoe sole. My method, you don't affect the shoes and they can come off and be re-used after the project. They just sit on top the plywood. Gorilla tape alone is more than sufficient to hold the shoe to the bigfoot plywood base. Just two loops in the two places on the shoe, all the way around the top of shoe and the bottom platform with the screws and back is enough. On the bottom of the platform, let the screws puncture through the gorilla tape as needed so it wraps around.
Be sure to make "big feet", maybe 1" or 2" all around your actual foot. The extra platform makes them much more stable with the spikes than trying to just match your shoe outline. A little like walking in snow shoes, but very stable that way. You don't want to slip on an epoxy floor ever! And walk like a duck too! Never slide. Lift foot, replant straight down, repeat. - Paul
yes that would work too, but that would destroy the shoes with the screws drilled through the shoe sole. My method, you don't affect the shoes and they can come off and be re-used after the project. They just sit on top the plywood. Gorilla tape alone is more than sufficient to hold the shoe to the bigfoot plywood base. Just two loops in the two places on the shoe, all the way around the top of shoe and the bottom platform with the screws and back is enough. On the bottom of the platform, let the screws puncture through the gorilla tape as needed so it wraps around.
Be sure to make "big feet", maybe 1" or 2" all around your actual foot. The extra platform makes them much more stable with the spikes than trying to just match your shoe outline. A little like walking in snow shoes, but very stable that way. You don't want to slip on an epoxy floor ever! And walk like a duck too! Never slide. Lift foot, replant straight down, repeat. - Paul
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Man..... that's a $hitload of work to save 20 bucks. Are you guys that damn tight?
Oops.... let me put a smiley face in there.
Oops.... let me put a smiley face in there.
Man..... that's a $hitload of work to save 20 bucks. Are you guys that damn tight?
Oops.... let me put a smiley face in there.
I've seen way worse for $5.00
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Man..... that's a $hitload of work to save 20 bucks. Are you guys that damn tight?
Oops.... let me put a smiley face in there.
Yes we are and thank you very much! But I had other motivations. 1. Challenge of doing something interesting and new. 2. Wanted a better end result than I can buy cheaply. My big foot beats your product! 3. Engineers are not "normal" in any standard definition of the word. I actually really enjoy figuring new things out and don't mind spending hours working on projects. The shoes took me all of 30 minutes to make though, not hours. But projects are fun to me! I hate golf! Also, I have 6 patent applications going right now for instance. Being creative is fun to me.
"Cheapness" is not a mere negative connotation slung about freely by rich people onto those not so rich, it is a guiding philosophy of life that can be fully optimized if one chooses to pursue it, independent of financial status!
- Paul[The only true limitation being ones spouse for example to crush or otherwise constrain the guiding life philosophy]
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dcs Inc
Well-known member
I used to have my crew clean out the 5 gallon buckets after mixing and using epoxy. I explained to them that it saved the environment. It took around 20 minutes and 1 gallon of xylene to clean a bucket. I'm paying a little over 9.00 a gallon for epoxy, the guy $20.00 an hour. So.... that $3.98 bucket cost me 5 times as much to clean than the cost of the bucket. Took me a few times to see the fault in my thinking.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Well, if "cheapness" was your goal, then yes, definitely at fault there. But if being environmentally conscious was your goal, then there was no fault or error made. Except that xylene is nasty stuff too, maybe worse than unused epoxy? Don't know. Maybe you could just set all those buckets upside down for a day each in a bigger bucket and then get rid of the smaller buckets. When the bigger bucket is full, use it for something like another job. That would be "cheap" per my already established high standards but also environmentally friendly. - Paul
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Actually I started just letting the epoxy harden and then pealing the hardened epoxy out of the buckets. I wouldn't use them again on a project but would use them in class. Nixed the xylene as it wasn't a good thing.
jhutch
Well-known member
I was able to get a pair of Shoe-In spikes back in April (they are new) and have done around 50 floors with them and they are great!!! These are more money than most, but way more dependable and probably better suited for professional installers, but you can check them out at www.shoeinspikes.com.
I need to get a few more pairs for my guys.
I love that you don't have to adjust those straps, and break buckles on occasion. You can get right in and out of these things, and don't even have to bend over. Having a piece of carpet around helps to hold them in place as you put them on, so you don't scratch any concrete.
I need to get a few more pairs for my guys.
I love that you don't have to adjust those straps, and break buckles on occasion. You can get right in and out of these things, and don't even have to bend over. Having a piece of carpet around helps to hold them in place as you put them on, so you don't scratch any concrete.
dcs Inc
Well-known member
Yes, A few of our Distributors starting carrying these. I've been a little hesitant because of the multiple sizes needed.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
My shoes can do the same thing, just use an adjustable belt strap for the two loops instead of the gorilla tape and get rid of the slip on feature. Mine were free! - Paul
jhutch
Well-known member
You have a one size fits all? Please supply with the info!!!!
If I have 8 guys they all have different sizes of shoes and I have to supply 8 sets of spikes due to each person having different sizes of feet.
jhutch
Well-known member
Please let me know where the free spikes are at! Will duct tape work????
Are they flexible? I hate the straps and buckles...Tired of them breaking.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Hi John, you have to just make your own. You could supply all your guys with the make your own versions and save your $90 cost on each of these fancy ones. See my earlier posts in this thread. Use 3/4" plywood or standard Pine 1" thick stock (3/4 real thickness), drill 12-15 drywall screws through it, grind off bottom 1/8" of the sharp point of each screw (too sharp may cause the floor to chip out and make debris, too dull and they may not fully close in and seal over). Use screws that stick out not more than 1/2" below the plywood, no need for more. 3/8" minimum. Then either do two things: Use two loops of gorilla tape around the shoe all around. Good to go. Don't tape or loop over at the toe. One loop in the middle of the laces area. One over and in the hole in the other end. Your foot is over the tape at the hole end. When you do the loop/tape over the laces, do it with your foot IN the SHOE or you might make it too tight and not be able to get your foot in later. Don't ask me how I know this little detail. Leave the old shoes in it and can be re-used 50 times no problem. I just cut the tape and pulled my tennies out when done with my job. Or if you want to take the shoes out, then use two loops of a latching belt instead of the gorilla tape. You would slide your shoe under those two loops instead of the fancy slip on feature. Same net effect. Be like a sandal. At the rear hole though, this type you would have both loops in front of the heel end of your foot instead of the rear end over the tape. Like a sandal. You could make your guys 10 pairs of these for free in about 2 hours and save yourself $1k. And safer too. Make them bigfeet, 1-2" bigger than foot size all around. Much more stable than what you can buy. Easy! - Paul
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tymbo
Well-known member
Northern Tool has spiked aerator shoes for your lawn. They look perfect, only $10