Adhesives question, looking for suggestions

[duck]

Hey all-

I am currently working on some new Chewbacca feet. I a very low tech guy and most of my solutions have been very much weird fits desperation while walking down the hardware aisle. My original shoes are essentially basketball sneakers that are attached to pink insulation foam blocks with hot glue and 2 hidden bolts:

Once wrapped with black duct tape with a rubber mat for the sole, it has worked surprisingly well. I've trooped in them for 6 months and logged heavy duty in them, including several 2+ mile long parades, but it's time for an upgrade.

I'm wondering if anyone has any good ideas for a very durable commercially available adhesive that can attach the rubber sole of the sneakers to the foam and wood block that would allow me to eliminate the bolt. The sneaker is actually attached with 1 or 2 deep sunk drywall screws under my heel (that cause no irritation) and a 7 inch bolt down by the ball of the foot. That bolt has a rounded head and has been OK, but it is starting to cause irritation and presses ugly against my foot (and gel inserts make the shoe too tight).

Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[rickrickrick]

Many adhesives will melt the foam. My favorite spray adhesive is headliner cement - it's made to attach (or re-attach) the carpet/vinyl lining of the roof of a car. I prefer Permatex brand, but Loctite also makes it. It does not dissolve pink foam. Not really sure how well it would stick to the sole of a sneaker.

Maybe the simplest solution would be to counter-sink the bolt, and use a flat head bolt so there's no bump.

Rick

 

[Eopie Herder]

Many adhesives will melt the foam. My favorite spray adhesive is headliner cement - it's made to attach (or re-attach) the carpet/vinyl lining of the roof of a car. It does not dissolve pink foam. Not really sure how well it would stick to the sole of a sneaker.

Maybe the simplest solution would be to counter-sink the bolt, and use a flat head bolt so there's no bump.

Rick

Where would one get headliner cement, any auto store? ( I need to fix my car's headliner )

But, more on topic, you can also try shoe sole adhesive, I think it's called Shoe Goo. (Not 100% sure on that) but it should bond the sole to the wood.

 

[Volpin]

I've had good luck with Gorilla Glue and insulation foam. It says it sticks to rubber as well, though I've not tried that. It will bond foam to wood though!

 

[jackdoud]

You could also try "Shoe Goo" which is used (no surprise) for repairing the soles of shoes. Dunno if it will react to the pink foam though.

 

[Laffo]

When making my Pink Foam feet:

I found that NO ADHESIVE WORKS. If you glue directly to the foam, it sticks to the foam, but the foam pulls apart. You actually pull glue shaped chunks out of the foam.

An easy fix for you is to replace the foam "Elevators" with regular old wood and use flat headed Deck Screws down through the footbed of your shoe and up through the rubber for the bottom of your whole boot. Tear out the insole, screw your shoe to the block, replace the insole. You'll never feel em.

It's heavier, but the only way to get around using a bolt to hold the Foam on. You can cut down the weight by drilling out channels in the blocks.

With mine, when it breaks loose, and it will, I wrap up a Toe like I've hurt it. Works for Bigfoot but not for Chewy.

Laffo.

 

[Laffo]

Double post.

 

[Laffo]

Hey Duck,
Here's a solution to the Feet problems.
Here's the same Bigfoot Boots with the feet ripped off and the insoles ripped out:

The first layer is 1/4 inch plywood the exact size of the boot:

So I put a sheet of Masonite up against the shop and let it get rained on for the last 3 weeks or so, and it's developed a great curve to it:

Here are the 3 layer sizes. The bottom 2 are Masonite the top one is the 1/4 inch:

This is how the bottom of the foot looks with the curve in it:

Building the stack:

This is the bottom layer shaped to meet the curve of the bottom Masonite. This makes walking easier, I think your Chewie Feet had the same thing:

Though the whole stack is glued down with Construction Adhesive I've run 5 inch Lag Screws through to each layer of wood and down through the footbed of the Boot:

Set up to cure:

Carved and first layer of BondoGlass:

First layer of Bondo:

So the bottom of the boot will have old tire on it. Tire is impossible to cut with the steel belt in it so I picked up some tread off the highway that had separated off a Semi Tire. It'll be glued to the bottom. I'll post pics once the nails, hair and tread is on.
Out
Laffo.

 

[Laffo]

Now with the feet on I'm 8 feet tall.
Sure.
Laffo.

 

[Gigatron]

No adhesive is going to hold without a mechanical connection. What I would do is, get a long strap with a buckle and run it between the bottom of the foam and the sole of the foot. Run it over the top of your shoe and buckle it. Use adhesive between your shoe and the foam and attach the sole to the bottom of the foot as normal.

If you were to look at a cross section of the assembly, it would be, bottom to top; sole, strap, insulation and shoe

You'll have a strong, secure, yet lightweight, connection.

-Fred

 

[Laffo]

I found that NO ADHESIVE WORKS. If you glue directly to the foam, it sticks to the foam, but the foam pulls apart. You actually pull glue shaped chunks out of the foam.

Though the whole stack is glued down with Construction Adhesive I've run 5 inch Lag Screws through to each layer of wood and down through the footbed of the Boot:

Why would we need a strap to have to walk on when the solution was the reason for my last post? 60 inches of lag bolts will hold it together, as well as the BondoGlass.

Laffo.