I'm not sure if they exist, but some sort of worm gear stepper motor might fit the bill.
I'm no expert though, I just play one on the internet.
-Nick
NIKE MAG Knockoffs
- Thread starter lint
- Start date
I'm not sure if they exist, but some sort of worm gear stepper motor might fit the bill.
I'm no expert though, I just play one on the internet.
-Nick
Risu
Master Member
Well it's unlikely I'll be able to afford to do it myself for a long time, so I'll post my idea here. Starting from where the elastic straps are visible. Instead of sewing them on at the top like the McFly's, you use thin plastic to form the raised straps running down the side of the shoes and glue them to the foam shoe form. This creates the raised look and makes a channel for the elastic to run through. Where the upper meets the sole, you cut the plastic channel short and then use a dremel tool to make a channel in the foam sole that continues running at the same angle until it reaches the center of the shoe, where these "branches" all meet in a sort of "trunk" channel which runs to the heel of the shoe. When this is finished, the sole will have to have a thin foamie glued down over the top so that everything stays in it's channel. So your elastic runs to where the upper meets the sole, and then you attach a strong cord to the end of the elastic which runs to the center, where all 8 cords twist together into one larger cord. This cord runs to the heel, where it would be attached to an approximately 2" diameter pulley wheel with a flat motor underneath. This design would take up all the spare room in the sole, so any electronics would have to be housed elsewhere. At the push of a button, the motor would rotate the wheel, pulling in 1 inch of cord, pulling the elastic tight across the shoe. A second push would then release it to it's starting position. I'll draw up a blueprint of sorts eventually. And obviously this is all pointless if the perfect motor doesn't exist.
cavx
Master Member
You actually need two if wanting to do this right. One for the main laces and the second for the ankle strap.
I got a few questions, I literally just joined the site after reading this whole topic which took me 2 hours+.
If I bought Silver Nike Mag replicas with the yellow sole could I use the Tamiya Blue Spray Paint and just paint it over the yellow? I'm no expert and I have little to no experience so I don't want to get technical, I just want a color on the sole that is nicer than the yellow it comes with. Also, is there any way I can paint the sole without taking the shoe apart? Like with tape or something that could cover the rest of the shoe?
If I bought Silver Nike Mag replicas with the yellow sole could I use the Tamiya Blue Spray Paint and just paint it over the yellow? I'm no expert and I have little to no experience so I don't want to get technical, I just want a color on the sole that is nicer than the yellow it comes with. Also, is there any way I can paint the sole without taking the shoe apart? Like with tape or something that could cover the rest of the shoe?
Risu
Master Member
Cavx: I can't see any way the top strap could be made to work like it did in the movie. Especially if you want to have any kind of lights in the shoes.
Brad: That idea works the same way basically, but is a little less complicated. The problem there is that most of the sole would have to be completely solid and not flex at all or you'd damage the gears.
Brad: That idea works the same way basically, but is a little less complicated. The problem there is that most of the sole would have to be completely solid and not flex at all or you'd damage the gears.
cavx
Master Member
If the strap was actually motorized, it would be a "loop", connected to the shoe at one end and the motor's spool at the other. The motor would turn the spool and wind the strap in from one end. The lights and associated wires could be run from the other end which connects directly to the shoe, not that differently to the way the passive versions have been done.
Finding a motor (stepper motor could work) that is both small enough and powerful enough to do the job might be challenge. As you have mentioned, having a gear system in the sole would prevent the sole from flexing as well as damaging the gears, so not really viable either.
The reality is that sequence with power lacing those shoes was nothing more than a cheap SPFX. Cables were pulled from under a stage and gave the illusion that the shoes had power laces.
Risu
Master Member
To motorize the ankle strap, you would need a second motor in the back piece, which would be the only remaining place to put the inverter and battery for the lights of you used the heel for the strap motor. Considering that the motor in the heel and electronics in the back piece is possible (might have to oversize that piece just a bit), I think the lack of an auto-laced ankle strap is a worthwhile sacrifice.
cavx
Master Member
Yeah I should have mentioned that the 2nd motor needs to be stored in the ankle "buckle" somehow. Space is limited as it is and again probably why NIKE (or some other shoe company) have not really pursued this.
Looking at the diagram Brad attached again, and many shoes have a rigid part in the "arch" called a "shank" to prevent this part of the sole from flexing and giving further support to the foot. A sole mounted motor and shaft might just be do-able here.
Risu
Master Member
Normally you wouldn't see a shank in a sneaker, though. It's more for high end dress shoes and boots. The Nike method is flawed though in that they planned for the straps to go into the sole perpendicular. At the angle they actually go in, that rod wouldn't be able to pull them in like a tape. It could still be done, but you'd have to resort to a round cord anyway, and it would also pull them at an odd angle and they might over time damage whatever housing they run through in the upper. Unlike the electronics, this lacing system would require taking the entire shoe apart to repair, so you wouldn't want to take any chances in the construction.
cavx
Master Member
Not the traditional steel ones, true, but many have stiff plastic in the mid sole that serves the same purpose. One set of NIKE shoes I owned had this piece visible to look like carbon fibre.
If NIKE actually do this, I am sure they will figure that out.
Kind of like PUMA DISC? They used what looked like fishing line in their system. So the strap would only be cosmetic? The cord being the main mechanical part that pulls the straps tight?
Or get them wet :cry as happened with mine when I had to dive into a pool.
cavx
Master Member
Welcome to the forum and this MAG thread
Tape them up and spray away. I'd be keen to see how they turn out.
McFly88
Well-Known Member
Where did you get the gray fabric from? I'm def. interested in knowing because I have a great idea to 're-work' the uppers with a more non-reflective material.
It doesn't use laces, it uses a metal strip wire that tightens when you turn the disc. I know this because a lot of snowboarding boots nowadays use the disc. So the idea hasn't gone forgotten it just hasn't been used on regular shoes.
Last edited:
Risu
Master Member
Well, the mags have arrived, and the size 12 fit like 10.5, maybe 11 narrow. The ankles also have so much padding in them that it takes me 10 minutes to get the straps closed. That wouldn't be a problem, except that my toes go right to the end of the shoe. No modifying for me. I guess I'll wait until the new ones come out and then get some size 13s.
Sorry to hear that, I heard that only sizes 9 & 10 fit to size on those Mags. Luckily I'm a size 10. Also, thanks for putting pics up I was eager to know what they looked liked from an actual person. If I were you I would get the Tamiya Spray Paint and paint the yellow soles blue. It will surely make it look nicer as a display piece or even for everyday use. That's what I'm hoping to do with mine.Well, the mags have arrived, and the size 12 fit like 10.5, maybe 11 narrow. The ankles also have so much padding in them that it takes me 10 minutes to get the straps closed. That wouldn't be a problem, except that my toes go right to the end of the shoe. No modifying for me. I guess I'll wait until the new ones come out and then get some size 13s.
