I used to wear New Balance shoes, which I found more comfortable than most other brands, but now wear Keene shoes and boots that are better for my feet. I also have rubber mats on the shop floor.
I used to wear New Balance shoes, which I found more comfortable than most other brands, but now wear Keene shoes and boots that are better for my feet. I also have rubber mats on the shop floor.
I wear very expensive "tennis " shoes from Academy in the $25 section and wear those til they fall apart. I do have 2 old leather desk chairs that I use whenever I can do work sitting down. I also have vinyl plank floors I installed so it would make cleanup easier. I frequently roll heavy woodworking tools across the shop without any problems.
To keep warm in the winter I have 2" of extruded foam covered in 3/4" plywood anchored with flat head tapcons to the concrete. This supports my equipment and makes for a comfortable surface to walk on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton
This sounds like you can also hold on to the work with your toes. I worked with a Vietnamese guy in a shop (1985, was a refugee) who did this. He also would also do work on the floor instead of a bench.
Timberland deck shoes. I also have rubber mats in in front of workbench, lathe and front and side of bandsaw.
I have had best long term results with workboots (Redwing, Carolina, etc). The best ones were the wellington style (cowboy boot style) with steel toe. My current work boots are lace up and have the steel toe with met guard and they are not as comfortable when doing a lot of squatting down.
If for short durations, I have a pair of UnderArmour hiking tennis shoes, they work pretty good.
With the woorkboots and any shoe that wears in, it helps a lot to get some replacement insoles.
Great Thread! I guess I shouldn't mention how much my feet hurt after a day of wearing my "Safety Crocks" during a hot day in the shop. Love them ventilated toes....
Three points:
· A soft mat or cushy running shoes feel nice, but their flexibility causes you to continuously rock slightly, tiring your legs significantly over the course of a day. Don't go too soft.
· The post office tests and certifies shoes for postal workers. A pair of post office certified oxfords from Red Wing are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had for standing. No cushy soles or insoles. They have very firm crepe soles and CORK INSOLES that mold to your foot with warmth. Wonderful.
· Running and walking are different from standing.
More to floor treatments than shoes, I've placed laminate flooring and backer foam pad in general assembly/hand tool area.
- reduces fatigue as you're not in direct contact with concrete
- protects chisels and hand planes (gasp!) if accidentally dropped.
- wheeled carts can roll easily vs. sticking on loose foam pads. I've even rolled forklift over it occasionally, and it stands up just fine to even that.
Watch local home center for closeouts of the laminate - not hard to find some as low as $1/sq.ft. Latest batch is a calico hickory pattern. Lasts for years and gives a nice hardwood floor look to an otherwise warehouse-feeling concrete.
I'm a croc wearer too. I wear them in the shop as well as walking the dog. They are hideous looking things (mine are brown leather on plastic) but I got sick and tired of fighting to get wood shavings out of cloth shoes (the downside to turning). It seems like the smaller they are the harder they come out. I can walk through streams and they dry right out. If I dump glue or finish on them I don't care. The wife hates the looks of them too but I'm much more practical now. But I only get to spend a couple hours in the shop at a time.
g'morning,
well since everyone has 2 cents.
when i was younger, in the roofing business, a grey haired guy
told me "redwing" and that was all i have worn since, its worth the extra money for their insoles too.
i now stand on a concrete slab also and luckily my legs and back feel great.
try'em !
regards,
eric
I put a floor in my shop. 7 mil plastic, 1/4 carpet pad then 7/16 OSB.. I put three coats of SW floor paint on it. It has held up VERY well in 17 years of hard use; stuff still rolls around just fine, it has saved my joints and spills from "dirty work" come up easily. It cleans up better than the old concrete. I would highly recommend this type of floor (as soon as OSB prices come down from the stratosphere). It's more expensive than shoes but it lasts a lot longer!! LOL