Hacks / Bodges

Excellent. What did you use as replacement tread?

Cut grooves into what was left of the original tread, made the blu tack casing in pic #2 and poured in shoe goo, took about 3 days to dry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Goo

Wow that is some project. I hadn't realised that process.

How does Shoe Goo wear when you walk on it on a paved surface? I need to do something similar to some road shoes. I want to build up some treads so I can walk on them for short distances without putting cleat covers on. I always lose them. I was thinking of using layers of hot glue with pieces of car tyre on top.

Skateboarders use it a lot, so I wouldn't worry too much about wear.

Does it have any grip when walking on pavements or wooden floors?

I'm not a good enough skateboarders to have ruined my shoes, but it stays soft enough I would've thought so.

No idea tbh, not my work

The Ollie pads on my vans lasted pretty well. It’s not like you’re going to run a marathon in them.

Shoe goo is relatively flexible so wears quite quickly (quite expensive too). I’ve used UHU glue in the past for gluing soles and filling holes and it lasts much longer while still being flexible enough.

It’s also worth using grease proof paper on the surfaces to keep things smooth, as it just peels off easily later on.

Car tyre sounds good. Maybe old bike tyres are more convenient and would work though? I don't have any experience of hot glue, would contact adhesive be better? The glue that I've seen cobblers use looks like contact adhesive. They also thoroughly rough up the surfaces before gluing.

Almost anything is better than hot glue. Contact adhesive, or epoxy (preferably a flexible one) would work. As with any adhesive bond, surface preparation is key. make sure the surfaces are roughed up a bit to give more surface area for the glue to grab on to, and make sure everything properly clean and dust free.

On the topic of Shoe Goo, I prefer Freesole AKA Aquaseal SR. It's made from urethane, so it's a little more flexible and grippy than Shoe Goo. It's marketed as a way to restore soles for hiking boots etc. I find Shoe Goo dries too hard and is not flexible enough, so if you apply it to the bendy bits of the shoe, the shoe no longer creases in the right places, but around the Shoe Goo. If you're real picky (I am), they also sell black colorant that you can add to it, so that it matches black soles better.

surface preparation is key

Intentional pun tho rite?

Anyone got any ideas for how to mount a light to a tubus Tara? Option below uses a wine cork which I do not own.

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wine cork

No extra charge when you buy a bottle

Beyond that, some kind of pipe insulation wrapped with high grip tape
Blue Lug shows one that was drilled through, not sure about that though

Almost anything is better than hot glue. Contact adhesive, or epoxy (preferably a flexible one) would work.

I was thinking of buying something recommended by EasyComposites, because they seem to have lots of specialist knowledge. How about this Permabond flexible epoxy? Is it better than the stuff in DIY shops? https://www.easycomposites.co.uk/semi-flexible-15min-epoxy-adhesive Perhaps I could build up a sandwich of glue alternating with bits of tyre?

You'd need to be happy that the flexible epoxy adheres well to rubber. It may well do, but it's the sort of assumption that could bite you in the ass.

I’d be cutting up 2nd hand shoes/boots.

Wine cork, or wrap a bit of gaffa around it to bulk it out. Depending on light, p clips can work.

What do cobblers use? It looks like contact adhesive to me.

I did something similar drilling out a bit of dowl that I had lying around

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If buying wine isn't an option, corks are available separately (eBay, brewing shops, craft shops, places like wilko etc). I've used a heavy strip of rubber rolled under an exposure clamp before, but that might not have enough clamping force to stop it rotating around such a small tube.

If it was any other thread, the answer is to buy a new Tara, complete with light mounting eyelet.

That said, new versions are basically drilled, with an tube welded in place so 🤷

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Get a sample of this; https://www.plastock.co.uk/products/upvc-extruded-black-rod drill a hole thought it, split in half, jobs a goodun.

Anyone on the 3D printing thread near you IRL? If it can be bodged from a wine cork it should be a straightforward shape?
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/188924/

Have a 3d printer at work actually now that you mention it ..