Boot Fitting Methods

[trtaylor]

What "dremel" bits would be useful in grinding a shell? Would a flexible extension chuck be necessary to work in the toe-box with the cuff stretched open?

It seems to me that a bit of grinding would be better than heating and stretching because of the "memory" of the polymer, or is this stuff truly thermoplastic?

Be careful. I've watched it done, but have not done it myself. Would be good to practice on a trashed pair of boots first.

You'll want to have the boot well secured and stretched way open. Am told you want to use a rather large ball cutter. Not the kind of thing you can get at the local hardware store.

You know about the lipstick trick to mark shells? Just go a little bit at a time. It's a sickening feeling when you break thru the other side. (I've never done it with a pair of boots, but I did it once on a Bridgeport milling machine with a rather expensive crankcase).

After grinding, a sanding flap is a good way to finish off the work.

[Ken]

My limited experience---

Buy a boot of a recommended model with the right stance and flex characteristics that has a last to fit the narrowest part of your feet. As always, get the smallest boot possible. Any half-decent bootfitter can heat and punch out the tight spots. I think heat is used when there's room for that part of the boot to move (across the metatarsal for example) and grinding when there isn't room for it to move and there is enough wall thickness to have something remaining after grinding. Yes, the stretch has to be held until the boot cools, and reheating may result in the boot returning to its original shape. The bootfitter has much better success with making a boot bigger than making it smaller. Getting the stance right and the footbed right is much more technical, and Harald's trained people are the best, but getting the fit and comfort right shouldn't be that tough.

Can you ANZAC guys connect with Sidney in Sydney? Sidney, do you have access to bootfitting tools?

[MonsterMan]

Is the shell wall thickness usually constant? or does it vary?

When a "plug" shell is referred to, does this mean a greater wall thickness?

If so; roughly how much material can be safely ground out?

Are the wider 120RS last Raptor's plugs?

Don't panick, I don't intend to rip into a new pair of boots with a high speed cutter, (apart from a bit of minor tweaking maybe), I just want to be an informed consumer.

Thank's to all for the responses to date.

Ken, thanks for the thought, but Syd/Sidney is a twelve hour drive from here, perhaps a little more from NZ once the new bridge is completed.

Geoff

[Sidney]

Hi Ken,

You're not wrong, my Raptors were stretched intially but because the plastic in them is so strong whenever they heated up (like in my heated boot bag) they would go back to their original shape, in the end grinding mine was the best option. Its different with different boots though. My older Head boots kept their shape after stretching.

Unfortunately I don't have any bootfitting tools, I think Peter Stone who used to run alignment and bootfitting sessions for PMTS in Sydney and Melbourne had some tools to do boot work but I'm not exactly sure what. Not sure whether he is running any sessions this year either.

My limited experience---
Yes, the stretch has to be held until the boot cools, and reheating may result in the boot returning to its original shape. The bootfitter has much better success with making a boot bigger than making it smaller.

Can you ANZAC guys connect with Sidney in Sydney? Sidney, do you have access to bootfitting tools?

[MonsterMan]

Is there a downside to riveting the cuff to the lower shell at the back to minimise forward flex with a soft flex boot?

[BigE]

Depends on the boot.