Build this realistic paper version
3d combat boot for display at an event
that celebrates service personnel heroes.
Or wish someone a "good fight" against illness.
Or even celebrate as a loved one prepares for
a new job battle or a new adventure.
It measures approx. 7" tall x 7.25" long x 3.5" wide.
A real boot lace (cut to size with two ends glued discreetly)
and eyelet lacing placket makes it look very life like.
ASSEMBLY:
1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A boot back
B boot side back (l & r)
C boot side transitional (l & r)
D boot front (l & r)
E lacing accent strip (l & r)
F back strap
G tongue
H toe section
I upper toe
J main sole
K heel reinforcement accent
L lacing strip end accent
M optional inter sole extra layers
N bottom sole
O heel platform
P toe platform
Q toe & heel platform support
R heel cover & tread accent
S toe cover & tread accent
T ankle rim accent strip
T ankle rim accent strip
2. Prepare left and right side back by folding on the perforations to shape the heel: cross perf lines bottom inward, top outward, tabs back.
3. Bring mid section straight edge to overlap adjacent tab to perforation line and glue in place. Repeat for left and right sides.
4. Bring upper segment to overlap upper tab to perforation and glue in place. Repeat for left and right sides.
5. Prepare the boot back section to shape the heel by folding on the cross perforation lines and bottom tab line in similar configuration to side heel segments.
6. Align the lower segment straight edge (back) to overlap the tab to the perforation line and glue in place. Bend to align the mid segment straight edge and tab perf line and glue in place. Bend to align the top segment straight edge and tab perf line and glue in place.
Repeat to connect both sides to the center back section.
7. Prepare the transition side-to-top sections (left and right) by folding as is shown at the right:
tabs back
bottom perf line inward
first angle perf line inward
secong angle line outward
8. Align the bottom straight edge with the bottom side tab as shown, overlap the straight edge over the tab to perforation and glue in place.
9. Bend to align the next straight edge segment with the corresponding tab perforation line and glue in place. (There will be a certain amount of resistance to this bend, but be patient, work toward exact alignment, and hold until adhesive is secure.)
10. Bend to align the top straight edge segment and tab perforation line and glue in place.
11. Prepare the boot front strip by bending inward (valley) folds on the two perforations.
12. Align the bottom strip straight edge with the corresponding bottom tab perforation and glue in place. Repeat for left and right sides.
Bend to align the middle edge and tab line, then the top edge and tab perf lines in order, and glue in place. Repeat for left and right sides.
13. Bend the lacing strip on the perforation lines to match the boot front strip. Align front edges and hole punches and glue in place.
Repeat for both sides.
Attach eyelets at hole punches at this point in the assembly.
14. Fold all the lower edge tabs of the boot back inward.
15. Align main sole back straight edge under the boot center back tab to perforation line and glue in place.
16. Bend the boot upper to align the adjacent sole straight edge under the next tab and along the perforation line, and glue in place.
17. Continue to adjust, align and attach tabs along sole edges along both sides of the sole.
NOTE: make sure that the sole edge is snugly tucked into the bend of the tab at perforation line each time for an accurate joint.
18. Prepare the ankle rim accent strip by bending slightly on all perforations.
19. Align the strip at the upper edge of the boot assembly and glue in place. Wrapping the strips around each side toward the front and lining up the perforation ridges of each until . . .
. . . front tab wraps all the way around on both sides toward the lacing accent strips.
20. Prepare the back strap by adding a little curl to the segment between the hole punches using a cylinder tool such as the handle of this spatula tool.
21. Bend the loop without creasing so that the punch holes line up. Glue the tab and area around the punch holes together.
22. Bend the bottom portion of the strap at perforations as shown, imitating the bends of the heel.
23. Position the strap in place on the back of the boot with punch holes aligned. Glue the strap in place from slightly above the punch hole to the bottom.
24. Prepare the toe shape by folding back on all tab and other perforation lines.
25. Begin forming the toe by bending the straight edge of the front segment to align with the adjacent tab perforation line. Glue in place.
Repeat for the other straight edges and adjacent tabs along both sides.
26. Position the toe top shape front edge at the toe center tab perforation line and glue in place.
27. Bend/adjust the adjacent straight edges and tab perforation lines to align and attach all side edges.
Here is the prepared toe assembly with the bottom edge tabs folded inward.
28. Align the front straight edge of the main sole shape with the lower center front toe assembly tab, overlapping the tab over the straight edge, and glue in place.
29. Align each side tab snugly along the edge of the sole and glue in place.
30. Position (centered and with edges aligned) the lacing strip end accent on the toe top shape.
31. Bend the toe into place so that the side straight edges overlap the tabs of the back boot assembly and glue each tab in place on both sides.
NOTE: use the cutouts in the main sole shape to reach in to hold tabs and edges in place and apply pressure to secure these joints.
Also note that the ends of the lacing strip/front shapes overlap the boot and remain unattached and free to move and adjust.
32. Optional: add a little curl to the top front corners of the lacing and front shapes, taking care that the shapes don't become unglued.
33. Prepare lacing by cutting, if necessary, a boot lace into two lengths of approx. 25" each.
Attach the lace ends with hot glue or equivalent under the front strips near the bottom eyelets, hidden inside the boot.
Lace the eyelets and tie near the top.
34. Prepare the tongue shape by bending forward at the perforation lines.
The bottom end, indicated by the pointing finger, is the end tab.
35. Insert the tongue behind the lacing and front opening far enough in so that the end tab perforation lines up with the toe top edge. Glue end tab in place.
36. To help the tongue stay in appropriate place, apply a little glue at each side of the tongue where it will touch the underside of the boot front. (Liquid glue applicator is shown here, but a dab of hot glue works well also.)
37. For more stiffness and sturdiness in the sole construction, cut and layer 3-4 sole shapes into one unit.
38. Position single or layered whole sole over the bottom of the upper boot assembly and glue in place.
39. Prepare the toe platform shape by folding all tabs and perforations inward except the back tabs (shown here at the top of the image).
40. Form the toe platform by folding the side bottom tab inward. Overlap straight edge to the corresponding tab's perf line and glue it in place. Follow the same procedures to fold each of the section triangle tabs inward (down in this image) and gluing. in place.
The bottom sole will fit over the toe platform and the tabs will wrap over the straight edges as shown.
42. Position the toe platform top tab over the sole base shape, adjust so that the straight edge of sole is snugly at the crease of the perforation, center, and glue in place.
43. Continue wrapping the tabs along both sides over the bottom sole and gluing each in place. REMEMBER to make sure each straight edge segment is snugly tucked into the crease of each tab perforation line.
It may be helpful during this process to use a tool such as this new pencil eraser and shaft inserted into the platform interior and under the edge to provide a "press against" surface to get each edge to attach to the corresponding tab.
44. Before the final tabs are attached, push the end tabs into the slots so that the tab perforation lines are snugly against the slot edges.
Glue the tabs to the backside of the bottom sole.
45. Prepare heel platform in a manner similar to toe platform, folding sides and tabs inward.
46. Form the heel platform by folding side straight edges into position overlapping tabs to perf lines and gluing in place.
47. Heel platform will fit over bottom sole in a similar fashion.
Align and attach back heel platform tab to sole back edge, align and attach each of the other tabs wrapped over the sole edge snugly as before, except inner tab . . .
which is tucked under the heel platform and glued in place there.
33. Prepare lacing by cutting, if necessary, a boot lace into two lengths of approx. 25" each.
Attach the lace ends with hot glue or equivalent under the front strips near the bottom eyelets, hidden inside the boot.
Lace the eyelets and tie near the top.
34. Prepare the tongue shape by bending forward at the perforation lines.
The bottom end, indicated by the pointing finger, is the end tab.
35. Insert the tongue behind the lacing and front opening far enough in so that the end tab perforation lines up with the toe top edge. Glue end tab in place.
36. To help the tongue stay in appropriate place, apply a little glue at each side of the tongue where it will touch the underside of the boot front. (Liquid glue applicator is shown here, but a dab of hot glue works well also.)
37. For more stiffness and sturdiness in the sole construction, cut and layer 3-4 sole shapes into one unit.
38. Position single or layered whole sole over the bottom of the upper boot assembly and glue in place.
39. Prepare the toe platform shape by folding all tabs and perforations inward except the back tabs (shown here at the top of the image).
40. Form the toe platform by folding the side bottom tab inward. Overlap straight edge to the corresponding tab's perf line and glue it in place. Follow the same procedures to fold each of the section triangle tabs inward (down in this image) and gluing. in place.
The bottom sole will fit over the toe platform and the tabs will wrap over the straight edges as shown.
42. Position the toe platform top tab over the sole base shape, adjust so that the straight edge of sole is snugly at the crease of the perforation, center, and glue in place.
43. Continue wrapping the tabs along both sides over the bottom sole and gluing each in place. REMEMBER to make sure each straight edge segment is snugly tucked into the crease of each tab perforation line.
It may be helpful during this process to use a tool such as this new pencil eraser and shaft inserted into the platform interior and under the edge to provide a "press against" surface to get each edge to attach to the corresponding tab.
44. Before the final tabs are attached, push the end tabs into the slots so that the tab perforation lines are snugly against the slot edges.
Glue the tabs to the backside of the bottom sole.
45. Prepare heel platform in a manner similar to toe platform, folding sides and tabs inward.
46. Form the heel platform by folding side straight edges into position overlapping tabs to perf lines and gluing in place.
47. Heel platform will fit over bottom sole in a similar fashion.
Align and attach back heel platform tab to sole back edge, align and attach each of the other tabs wrapped over the sole edge snugly as before, except inner tab . . .
which is tucked under the heel platform and glued in place there.
48. Prepare the heel and toe platform support strips by folding each into a triangle, with tabs in toward center of the triangle.
49. Insert the smaller "triangle" into the heel opening, larger into the toe opening, arrange so that each generally supports the rim edges of each opening, and glue tabs in place to bottom sole.
50. Apply adhesive to the underside edges of the toe and heel covers, position and attach in place with platform and upper sole edges lined up (sole may be a hair larger).
51. Apply adhesive to the underside of the tread shaped, position and attach to the cover shapes.
52. Apply glue to the underside of the platform/sole assembly, then position and attach to the bottom of the boot assembly. Align edges and hold in place until secure.
NOTE: it may be helpful to use a more viscous, quickly "grab" adhesive such as "Fabri-Tack" for this joint.
Boot is now complete.
