Seat belts

well..... i think it would be damn hard to scratch built a buckle. my oppinion is to buy a set of brass buckes.

i scratchbuilt buckle... i took a piece of plastic and drilled a lot of holes then made them into squares

Simon,

You can try using thin wire (those excess insulated wires in the household will do just fine) to fashion buckles. You could fabricate a jig (roughly the shape and size of the buckle you need) and start bending the wire around it. Its a little difficult but with a little practice you can make good buckles without shelling out on PEs. Of course, it will not be as good as the ones you see on PE sets, but theyre good enough.

Hope this helps.

I have made the belts out of brown masking tape with good results. They can be bent and folded in any direction. Just paint them and they look great.

Thanks........

I cut the buckles from old pie-tin or pastry aluminum. you can emboss it first, then cut with a blade. And they're free. All you have to do is eat the tasty treat.

QUOTE: Originally posted by allan Simon, You can try using thin wire (those excess insulated wires in the household will do just fine) to fashion buckles. You could fabricate a jig (roughly the shape and size of the buckle you need) and start bending the wire around it. Its a little difficult but with a little practice you can make good buckles without shelling out on PEs. Of course, it will not be as good as the ones you see on PE sets, but theyre good enough. Hope this helps.

wow with all that said.. i'd buy the Pe's just to save time... Oh.. and by the way... what are PE's? Fill me in?

I fabricated belt and harness from tin foil folded multiple time (felt like a blacksmith folding metal for a sword, fold-burnish-fold-burnish). Buckles were fabricated from thin wire folded around a file to give them a triangular look. This was for a 1/48 scale shadowhawk (type of robot thingy). Wife got a big kick out of the look on my face after I applied the canopy, noticed it was tinted, and you couldnt see all the scratchbuilt extras used to detail the cockpit...*sigh*...oh well, I know its in there.

Unknownpharaoh,

PE= Photo Etch. They could be a little expensive in the long run, especially considering that buckles are minute pieces of hardware inside your cockpit, but really well worth the money.

I went crazy one time, trying to find a material for seatbelts. Til I got so crazy I cut a chunk out of my vinyl shower curtain. I cut it into small strips. My problem was sovled. Paint stuck to it nicely (you could even bend it, and the paint didn't crack off!!). And super glue stuck really good to it. By the way, I used acriylic paint.

i use the decal paper. when it soaks the color it gives the leather, rough fabric (canvas?) look.
until i saw the delicate details of an eduard PE that is....Non matter the skill at the end of the day we must recognise the good work put by some people even if it is to make us part from our money.

I prefer the wine bottle foil method. Salvage the heavy foil found on the top of a wine bottle, roll it smooth with a large xacto blade handle or even a rollong pin then slice off strips as needed for your belts. Attach brass or PE buckles and you are on your way. Best part is getting the foil cause you have to empty the wine bottle. The cork is also good to stick your razor knife into so while involved in emptying wine bottle you don't drop your knife and impale your foot. That looks really bad when you're holding a nearly empty wine bottle. People get the weirdest ideas.....

do they sell buckles only....?cool.

The best thing I've seen for seat belts is that white fabric style medical tape, it's about the right texture.

Just cut a piece slightly longer than you need and fold lengthwise, sticky to sticky and cut the width of belts you want and paint, as for the buckles, I have no idea....hope this helps.