Making seatbelts

When I use masking tape or lead foil or other materials for seat belts I first bend and glue them into place on the seat.  I then go back and brush paint them.

I actually just had this conundrum on a 1/48 Corsair I'm building.  I took masking tape, cut it to a 1/16" wide strip(1/16" scales up to 4", and I thought that was a reasonable seatbelt width) and superglued it down and then sealed it in with gloss clearcoat, then painted over it.

I just paint the tape. I have not had problems with chipping. But if I did, touch-up would be easier than painting the whole strap after installation.

I've brushed on tamiya and Vallejo acrylic, using tamiya masking tape. But, I paint the tape before I cut it into thin strips. I just put the tape on a piece of wax paper and paint it. I've never had it chip as long as I used a sharp blade. Acrylic paint is actually pretty flexible.

Thanks. Do you double up the tape so there isn't a sticky side?

In some areas there are two layers (between the buckles and the adjustment plates).  I stick the second layer on there.  But that still leaves the backs sticky- it actually helps position the belts and doesn't seem to create any problems.

Now, what I said above is for the tan belts I use to make belts from the tan masking tape.  If I need another color, I paint on both sides- after sticking the second layer on.  BTW, that second layer comes up away from the first layer beyond those adjustment plates, and leaves a little flap area (underside of that flap should be colored same as belt, of course).

Also, for 1:72 scale, and some 1:48 models, I paint on the buckles and adjustment plates using aluminum or steel plates.  1:32 scale belts require actual buckles, and 1:48 may, depending on how visible cockpit area is.