Hey Cavx, you may have stated this before but I am just curious aboutall the work you're doing to this pair. Are these a test pair that you're just messing with? Don't take offense but they look fairly messed up. Sorry if this is mean, I'm just asking.
They have become my test pair. Its all a learning process and I am leaning heaps about molding and casting. I am also doing things no one else has done. Am I 100% happy? No of course not and there are things I would do differently 2nd time around. If they look "messed up" it is because what I am doing is work without taking the shoes apart and it is a bit more of a challenge because I have less control over the materials.
The clear soles thing worked because I was able to take that part completely off the shoe. I was not prepared to chop the uppers off which is really what should have happened with the mid-sole. In the end I have been actively documenting changes that may or may not be viable for many. The rubber I am applying to the mid-sole for example gives me a more correct grey at the expense of texture. Unlike paint, it won't crack, chip, peel or fade. The mid-sole underneath was cracking and by coating the surface, I have extended the life of the mid-sole. No it is not perfect. I get that. I was disappointed that the paint didn't work out. I was also disappointed that my mid-soles began cracking only 4 months after buying them.
I'm not sure the flash is giving us a good representation of the materials.
cavx, the size and proportion of your pair may be more movie like but up close they do have a homemade look to them. I applaud all of your experimentation with this but selfishly I'm dying for some clear outrigger soles that are one piece. I would love to see more focus on that one part and we will all line up and send you money.
Yeah the flash does change perception of colour and texture.
As for the clear soles, I am in the process of making new molds. The challenge with the clear soles is that I have made a US13 fit my US9.5s. At this stage, I am not prepared to buy one of each shoe size just to tear them down. So I will be offering a large and medium soon. I also want to make sure that when I make these new molds that I don't make the same mistakes I made last time round. The water clear elastomer I am using is a great product, but it does not pour like water, so I am carefully planning how to do this right the first time so each pour works.
My PinkySil molds developed chips and cracks which is why Jedifyfe asked about bubbles a few pages back. Some of these chips were from tiny air bubbles just under the surface of the silicone mold. Once they ruptured, the clear filled these hollows and left lumps on the surface of the cast part. These lumps look like bubbles, but they are not as they are solid.
The new silicone I have bought for this has a much longer pot-life (PinkySil has a pot-life of 6 minutes) and can be vacuumed in my chamber. This rids the air bubble issue. The silicone itself also has a slightly harder shore (A40 instead of A20) meaning these molds should last longer and produce more parts. It is also translucent, so I should be able to see what is going on inside as I fill it.
Its a test pair so the bits can be recast later on i think.
Ill be doing some recasting too, im trying to smooth out the white ankle piece i made and make it a bit better.
Sculpting and casting is part of the grand plan.