Short Story for making "Ease Lacing"

I recently, purchased a sport shoe at lower price in India. But this shoe, didn't satisfied my 1 need, "To wear just like that"!

I don't personally, don't prefer shoe with lace, it basically slows me down in tying & untying them! The reason for buying them was, it was cheap and after wearing "I felt this shoe was born to run😁". Hence, I brought them!

After getting this shoe, I was brain-storming, how can I make this shoe as a "Ease go Shoe" ?.

A trying few methods and testing few idea! I though of a lace with rubber band characteristics material, which I decide to focus on making. Before getting started, I was searched on internet how to make rubber band on Google and YouTube?.

While this was my V-2.0 and my V-1.0 was fancy lacing but not ease!

While, I was about purchase some materials for the V-1.0 project. I suddenly saw this rubber band lacing thingy in a store and it was 6.90 SGD. In which, I was not interested in getting from stores. But, I confirmed that this idea works.

Testing Video of Ease Lacing

Supplies

Materials required for this project are:

Eco-flex 00-30 Silicon rubber (It was lucky, because it was in lab to test. Actually, I thought of making a rubber, but it is good to test the material to figure which is the best one. Hence I used Eco-flex).
WD-40 or any mould release (can work !)
3D printed Moulds (any material can be used PLA, PETG, etc)
OTG (no food base OTG)
Gloves
Kitchen Tissues
Earbuds or tooth-pick

Step 1: Print the Mould

The .stl files for this project are linked to thingiverse Click here to visit thingiverse, Check them out to print for you with printer settings!.

To Find out your Lace Length:

Just measure the length from hole-hole! (using tape or scale). You should divide by 2 with (+5mm) additional allowances. So this was my trail and error calculation I followed, this to achieve perfect result of the lace.

Step 2: Casting

Once the mould are ready! then you gear up for the casting😁.

Spray the mould releaser on the 3d printed moulds.
Take equal amount of Part-A and Part-B as mix it together to for silicone. (Read the MSDS of Eco-flex 00-30 before proceeding theses steps).
After mixing the silicone, gently pour the silicon on the moulds, before this step wipe if excess of mould is presence of mould releaser.
After pouring the silicone into mould. gently place the moulds on the OTG. Try to keep kitchen towel under the mould, so silicon doesn't pour on the hot ends of the OTG.
Cook the mould for 20-15 minsat or below 90°C.
Try to keep the mould in OTG till it cool down! (roughly other 20 mins).

After these steps, you can take out the mould. If the mould is sticky, undergo the heating in OTG for another 8-5 mins additional.

wow! you have made your own elastic lace!.😅😅👍.

Step 3: Place Ease-lace on Your Shoe

To place the "Ease-Lace" into your shoes you need help of "Ear-buds or tooth-pick or blunt stick like tool" to poke and insert into the hole, without damaging the "Ease-Lace" .

Initially, Try to expand your shoe hole size. Mostly the hole size is would be 5mm or lesser than 5mm, hence it is better to expand a bit by using blade or scissors. Then is easier to place the Ease-Lace in your shoes😅👍.

Hope you will enjoy while it! Like me👍.

Please comment, if you have feed back!

Love making and hacking things❤️.

Step 4: Project Failure

During testing of these laces in regular-bases. I found that these lace are quite easy to tear. I have teared 2 of them during 5 days of testing regularly (40mm and 80mm). The 40mm had punctures while inserting into the shoe and 80mm was randomly teared for no reason.

So need to do my Engineering, again!😁😁

Step 5: After Testing for Couple of Months

I found this soft rubber isn't having very good elasticity property like a this elastic rope. May be it is okay for testing but isn't good for the application use.

Right now, I'm testing the elastic band. It is wonderful. It serves the purpose, BUT "We need to stitching the elastic rope"

probably, it is a new skill for me in learning for the sake of time. but still thinking if it is possible way for joining rope without need to stitching or tying.

So far it was a fun project and many from one.