SHOECASE
An aesthetic-oriented storage solution for sneakerheads
OVERVIEW: Designed and fabricated a 3-tier shoerack that holds 6 shoes and showcases the lateral view of sneakers as added decor
TOOLS/SKILLS: Product Design, Design for Manufacturing, Lathe, Mill, TIG Welding
TEAM: Sole contributor
TIMELINE: 5 weeks
Overview
PROBLEM
Sneakerheads love the designs of their sneakers, but the typical shoe rack hides the designs as they’re stored.
CHALLENGE
How might we create a minimalistic storage unit for sneakers that also shows off their designs?
OUTCOME
The Shoecase: a shoe rack that 1) stores shoes and 2) showcases the designs of the shoes as added decor to the user’s room.
Inspiration
As a sneaker head, I have a lot of shoes, and they’re all tucked away under my bed laid flat on the floor.
I wanted to make a product that can both store my shoes and showcase the design of my shoes as room decor. Thus, the Showcase was born.
I drew inspiration from the Foot Locker in-store shoe displays when thinking of ideas for the Showcase.
I wanted it to show the lateral view of the shoe, and having it displayed at an angle would add some edginess.
Ideation
DESIGN 1
Each singular shoe rests on a platform (12 platforms total).
DESIGN 2
Each pair rests on a platform (6 platforms total). I moved forward with this for manufacturing efficiency.
I centered my sketches around three main design requirements:
3x2 arrangement for 6 shoes
Rounded legs
Shoes rest at an angle on platforms
Rapid Prototyping
PIVOTING
Cardboard was a difficult material to work with since it isn’t sturdy. Because of this, the plates were not able to be supported by a single peg.
However, this allowed me to explore a platform-less form that instead relied on two pegs to support the shoe. Not only did this help with my prototype, but it made my design much simpler!
PLANNING
Prototyping required me to more deeply consider the geometry of my product, including slant angle (20°), spacing between platforms, and overall dimensioning.
Overall, rapid prototyping was a tedious, yet insightful process. Initially, my intention was to replicate Design 2 as best as possible, but due to the nature of rapid prototyping, I was able to explore other design options.
Modeling
FINAL DESIGN
I arrived at this design after tedious ideation and prototyping. This served as a blueprint for what materials I needed to purchase in order to make this.
CENTER OF GRAVITY
For the Showcase to stay balanced on its own (without shoes), its center of gravity must be (slightly) to the right of the curvature (as seen above). This ensures it doesn’t tip backwards.
At this stage, I pivoted once again to a 2x3 structure so that it takes up less floor space.
Manufacturing Process
Manufacturing was the grunt of the work. It wasn’t just the physical labor of making, but also the sheer amount of time spent was brutal. At one point in time, I spent 30+ hours a week working on this.
Defining an operations sequence was key to both process and maximizing time spent. Throughout this project, I found myself refining and optimizing it to get to this sequence below.
I. Horizontal Bandsaw
Cutting the materials to length.
II. Lathe
Facing the edges for a smooth finish.
III. Mill
Fish mouth cuts for welded joints.
IV. Tube Bending
Bending rods at various curvatures.
V. TIG Welding
Putting all the pieces together.
VI. Finishing
Polishing the Shoecase for a nice finish.
Making a jig
I designed and constructed jig to help weld the joints with precision and repeatability. This was an unforeseen, yet necessary component in the manufacturing process
Final Touches
I designed and 3D printed caps to hide the sharp edges of the pegs and to add some elegance to the product.
Final Product
Final Thoughts
This was easily the most difficult, yet most rewarding project I’ve ever worked on. The literal blood, sweat, and tears I poured into this paid off and gave me the confidence that I can make something tangible from the figment of my imagination.
I had so much fun making this with my own hands. Not only am I proud of this, but also that it’s something that I will use for years to come.