Magnetic Shoe Display Update

So far, I’ve made good progress on my magnetic shoe display. First, to get a template of my stand to cut out, I drew the size and general shape on a poster board and cut it out with a utility knife; then, after buying a 1×8″ pine board and a 1×6″ board, I broke the stand into 3 sections, the Nike logo, the neck, and the base. I mapped out the 3 sections onto the boards and cut out one.

[1] Base Section Cutout                                                                                                                                      [2] Neck and Logo Section Cutout

I cut out four on the base templates and three on the neck and Nike logo. I wanted a tapering effect from the base to the neck and top of the stand. I want to add small pieces to the neck where it gets wider to give it another layer of depth.

Once I cut out one of each section, I would use those to trace the next cut onto the wood to try and keep them as consistent as possible; however, my skills with the jigsaw aren’t as precise as I’d like. After cutting out all of the pieces, I glued them together using basic clamps and scrap pieces of plywood to apply even pressure.

[3] All Pieces Cutout                                                                                                                                     [4] Neck and Base Section Gluing

The gluing didn’t align perfectly, and the “attachment” points for each section to connect weren’t as smooth as I’d hoped, so I had to sand to level them as much as possible. They don’t sit exactly flush, leaving a gap when I glued them. I plan to fill this with wood putty after I carve it. So far, I’ve glued the neck and logo sections, but I need to flatten and sand the lower section before gluing it, and I need a larger clamp to glue the entire stand. Once I do that, I can start carving with my angle grinder and get the stand to the proper shape. As you can see, there are a lot of imperfections and misalignments between the layers and even the section, but I imagine those will fade once I start carving. Seeing the final product in its rougher stages is hard, but I’m chugging through.

[5-6] Neck and Logo Section Glued Together

Besides the wood base, I have progressed in the magnet and lighting. After buying 5 different magnets, I’m finally happy with the strength of the 800lb fishing magnet. I also have steel balls that go in the heel of the shoe, and after testing, they can hold it firm through the shoe with a small gap. The lighting was easier than I expected. I just bought a light bulb socket and a wall outlet plug, soldered them together, and they work perfectly. Once I carve and stain the stand, I will drill a hole in the base and route a slot for the cable to come out the back and plug into the wall.

[7] Light off                                                                                                                                                                    [8] Light on

So far, I’m happy with my progress. The next step is to glue the base to the neck and start carving. I have no real plan with the carving, see how the shape works as I go.