Weathering HGW seat belts

[Woody V]

I want to try this for the first time but not quite sure how the sequence is supposed to go.

The crumpling part is pretty self-explanatory but the part about using a gloss coat and wash confuses me.

Do you do the gloss coat and wash before or after the crumpling?

Can you do the gloss coat and wash before removing the belts from the "fret"?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[chukw]

I don't crumple mine, but fit the buckles and such while the etch is still on the fret, I glue them down on the painted seats, posing them as I go. I use Cemedine, a Japanese clear canopy glue, or CYA.  Once on they get a clear coat, and I use oil paints with a little Winsdor & Newton Liquin Original medium added. It speeds drying time and makes for the smoothest, perfectly fading effects. Dark colors for the shadows, and pale buff or gray for the highlights. When dry give a flat coat and touch up the hardware with a silver Prismacolor pencil.

Edited August 23, 2022 by chukw

[Woody V]

On 8/23/2022 at 12:32 PM, chukw said:

 but fit the buckles and such while the etch is still on the fret,

 

Thanks for your respose.
What tool do you use to get the buckle off the fret with the belt in place? 

[LSP_Kevin]

27 minutes ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

 

Thanks for your respose.
What tool do you use to get the buckle off the fret with the belt in place? 

I can’t speak for Chuck, but I use Xuron’s PE scissors exclusively. Changed my experience of PE completely.

 

Kev

 

[MikeC]

8 hours ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

 

Thanks for your respose.
What tool do you use to get the buckle off the fret with the belt in place? 

My usual Swann Moreton 15T blade; remembering to keep the belt out of the way of said blade as I thread them first too.

[Brett M]

On 8/27/2022 at 5:00 AM, LSP_Kevin said:

I can’t speak for Chuck, but I use Xuron’s PE scissors exclusively. Changed my experience of PE completely.

 

Kev

 

Same here, Woody. Nice and small and mine haven't even started losing their edge after 4 years. Plus, the handles are a nice, bright blue...ha!

 

As for the gloss coat, I don't think that I did that on either my Corsair or the Dauntless when I dirtied them up. Crumple, assemble, wash. At least for me 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Brett M
Grammar....sheesh

[thierry laurent]

Personally I prefer using small scissors like Tamiya ones. I have two: one straight and one with curved blades. One advantage is the fact the blades are more durable.

[quang]

Like @LSP_Kevin, I think the XURON photo-etch cutter is a game-changer.

[LSP_Kevin]

15 minutes ago, quang said:

Like @LSP_Kevin, I think the XURON photo-etch cutter is a game-changer.

 

I actually reviewed them back in 2015:

 

https://www.largescaleplanes.com/reviews/review.php?rid=1444

 

Kev

[chukw]

I cut all my etch with an old Xacto knife with a blade I've used for, well, seems like forever. I periodically sharpen it with fine whetstones. It never gets really razor-sharp, but it works well enough. I carefully hold the belt by the buckle in a small flat-jawed pliers to sand the burr off. Nothing fancy.

[Thunnus]

Hi Woody!  Of course there are different ways to use the HGW belts.  I like to crumple my belts first, before attaching the hardware.

 

I then cut the buckles off the PE sprue using an x-acto blade and trim the stubs with a coarse sanding stick.  The hardware is attached.  During this stage, I use Roket Card Glue to glued down the folded ends of the fabric material.

 

I then attach the belts to the seats using CA glue.  The seats are given a gloss coat (Alclad Aqua Gloss).  I then use a pastel wash over the belts to bring out some of the stitching detail.  Because the HGW belt material is porous, there may be some staining that occurs with the wash.  You can reduce that with a thicker coat of gloss but you also run the risk of filling in the stitching detail.

 

[europapete]

That is REALLY nice 

[Woody V]

16 hours ago, Thunnus said:

I then use a pastel wash

 

Holy Cow! A complete step-by-step how-to.... doesn't get any better than that! THANK YOU!

 

Am I correct in assuming that the "pastel wash" you're referring to is water based?

[Thunnus]

5 hours ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

 

Holy Cow! A complete step-by-step how-to.... doesn't get any better than that! THANK YOU!

 

Am I correct in assuming that the "pastel wash" you're referring to is water based?

Yes, my normal homemade mix of pastel chalks and water.