How do you keep the shavings out of your shoes?

[Glen Blanchard]

There must be a strategy. I have always worn tennis shoes/sneakers in the shop, but now that I am turning, the shavings get between my shoes and socks. They poke and this drives me crazy.

Any solutions?

[David DeCristoforo]

Simple... don't wear shoes...

[Glen Blanchard]

Simple... don't wear shoes...

I knew SOMEBODY would make that suggestion! :)

[Ted Jay]

Simple... don't wear shoes...

It's a good thing he didn't ask how to keep the shavings out of his pant pockets..... :p :D.........:eek:

[Marty Eargle]

Crocs. They're good for standing on hard surfaces and make for easy cleanup while giving you more protection than sandals.

Just don't wear them out in public...you may or may not look ridiculous. ;)

[Nate Davey]

Get some Gators from and outdoor store, we use them for desert and snow to keep the sand and snow out of our boots.

[curtis rosche]

i wear my redwing work boots, and im normally wearing dickies that cover the top of the shoe. and as for pockets, get a long shirt

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I like the Crocks idea, especially if they offer support. All my shoes including work boots have that fuzzy nylon lining. The chips and sawdust not only stick to it but is impossible to totality remove. I have gaters but they are too hot for warm weather. Fortunately, I have a saint for a wife and she allows me to continue to live despite dragging dust from the shop.
faust

[Jon Nuckles]

I don't know if DD was kidding or serious, but I do turn barefoot in the summer. I wear sandals all summer and get tired of cleaning the shavings out of them, so I take them off before turning. Not something OSHA would bless, but I've never gotten anything worse than a sliver.

[Steve Vaughan]

Yup, barefoot or flipflops mostly. Ya really gotta watch your toes though, but that's what I do year round.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I don't know if DD was kidding or serious..."

Are you kidding? Seriously... I have been accused of having my tongue stuck firmly in my cheek and that's probably very true. But when it comes to shoes, I'm dead serious! I hate em! Some people think I'm weird because I like being barefoot but that's tough! I go barefoot whenever possible and I usually work barefoot. When I ran a big commercial shop, I had to wear boots because OSHA was always popping up and my employees needed a "good example" and all that. But as soon as I got home, the boots came off and these days, I just keep a pair of sandals by the door that I slip on if I'm going anywhere. Around the house and in the yard and at the lathe... no shoes. Yes... you have to watch your toes and not step on anything like nails and broken glass and stuff like that. So if I lived in a junkyard, maybe I'd have to change my ways. Around here, there's not much of a threat outside of dropping something on my foot but I like a bit of uncertainty in my life anyway. Keeps things from getting boring. Or should I say "keeps me on my toes"?

[Tom Winship]

Glenn, don't know if you are going to SWAT in Waco or not, but there is a lady that sells turning smocks and things that go around your ankles to keep what you describe from happening. Think she is from Tyler.

[Marty Eargle]

I use to turn barefoot or in flip flops until I had one to many slips on shavings. The floor to my shop is polished concrete, so until I wise up and buy a padded rubber mat to stand on, I need a little slip resistance on my shoes. Crocs do the trick...unfortunately the price on them has increased a bit recently. But, it's hard to beat a shoe that BLO will run off of when I drip all over.

[neil mackay]

No Shoes works for me :) but then its warm in Sydney .
.


local landscapers and the lawn mowing contractors us these.

[Glen Blanchard]

Glenn, don't know if you are going to SWAT in Waco or not, but there is a lady that sells turning smocks and things that go around your ankles to keep what you describe from happening. Think she is from Tyler.

Yep. I'll be there. Thanks for the heads-up Tom!

[ray hampton]

if you are barefoot, be very sure where you placed your feet and your doctor will thank you

[Rob Sitze]

Redwing pull on work boots. I hate going barefoot, my wife says she's never met anyone that wears shoes from the time I get up until it's time for bed. I don't think I could stand the shavings around my bare feet.

[Rick Markham]

Chuck taylor High tops! :D works for me!

[Roger Chandler]

I wear regular shoes.........slip on style, no shoestring...........I wear jeans or long pants that I wear everyday...........I don't usually have issues with curlees in the shoes. I guess the pants legs serve like the gators mentioned above.

[Rick Markham]

Yeah, I wear jeans in the summer so it pretty much keeps the curlies out of my Chuck Taylor's :D

[Billy Tallant]

Crocs are the way too go! Of course once school lets out for the summer, it's shorts/tshirt/ & crocs every day. It doesn't matter if I'm turning or running around, the dress code is the same... I may put on a t-shirt that is not covered in ca spots if I'm going out somewhere.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Flip-flops in the summer... light weight athletic shoes when its cold out. Maybe it is wearing jeans during the cold times that helps keep shavings out of my shoes/socks but it has never been a major problem for me.

[Thom Sturgill]

Simple... don't wear shoes...
I used to do that until a slip with a gouge pulled it out of my hand and into my foot. Luckily, it just sliced a toe and didn't remove it, but that toe now has two nails instead of one!

[James Combs]

Jeans year round over high-top water resistant Danner work shoes. Never had any problems with dust or chips.

[Nate Davey]

This is what I was referring to, which I call Gators.


No Shoes works for me :) but then its warm in Sydney .
.


local landscapers and the lawn mowing contractors us these.

[Rick Markham]

Flip-flops in the summer... light weight athletic shoes when its cold out. Maybe it is wearing jeans during the cold times that helps keep shavings out of my shoes/socks but it has never been a major problem for me.

Keeping the shavings out of the shag carpet... now that's a whole other ordeal! :D;)

[Mike Peace]

I always wear shorts in the summer so got the SWMBO to make me some gators that wrap on with velcro. I wear some inexpensive low rise hiking style shoes with heavy soles that provide pretty good support for standing on your feet. Its never happened but the idea of a gouge landing on my toe seems like a risk I would rather mitigate with some shoes rather than go barefoot. I have never been hit full face with an exploding bowl either but still wear a face shield to mitigate the risks.

[Russell Neyman]

Forget the shoes; I have several female students who can't keep the chips from ending up in their bras. Makes for some interesting wiggles during a session as they try to work it through.

[Rick Markham]

I'm with you Mike, I've dropped enough stuff on my toes already.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I use Merrill shoes. They have a couple of styles with elastic tops on the low cut shoes. The elastic forms around the bottom of the ankle and keep 98% of the chips out of my the shoes. The only caveat is that they are insulated and some are water proof. They can get warm in the summer. They are very comfortable and support the foot well. They are not cheap. I have two pair I picked up in an outlet mall. One was $85 and one with a thicker lug type sole was $110. They are a winter type shoe made to keep the snow out of the shoe, so they are not always available in the summer months.The tops look like this but mine are suede.
237921

[thomas prusak]

Fishing waders perhaps?

[Roger Chandler]

Barefoot..........hmmmmm..........I just hope someone does not drop a sharp skew chisel point down, or have a chuck slip out of their hands or knocked off the lathe bed..........the toes would never be the same again, if they are still there after the trip to the emergency room..............hmmmmm..............I think I will stick with shoes when I turn!

[Thomas Canfield]

Glenn, don't know if you are going to SWAT in Waco or not, but there is a lady that sells turning smocks and things that go around your ankles to keep what you describe from happening. Think she is from Tyler.

Kay has an ad in the East Texas Woodturner newsletter. Her smock works well and the gators are velcro that I used to laugh at others wearing with their shorts. I got a pair to keep the shavings out of my shoe laces (and shoes) and keep from tracking back into the house. I have also found paper footies on Amazon to cover the shoe bottoms when I do have to run into the house and don't want to remove my shoes (trick I picked up at Carbon Black plant when going back into office).

[Jeff Fagen]

Crocs without socks,I've been turning this way for years.When they fill up just shake em' out :)

[Jon Nuckles]

I do wear Merrells in the winter, but they are too hot for my unairconditioned shop in the summer. And, Roger, I don't have to worry about dropping a skew on my bare feet because I never pick one up!;)

[Kelvin Burton]

My wife bought me a pair of Kay Leonard's gators at last year's SWAT. They are a nylon fabric just like her turning smocks that sheds shavings and they attach around the ankles with velcro. Work great and are a bargain @ $10 / pr!! No, I don't get commission, but her husband is a member of our Tyler club :D