----------------------------------- 1stlooey Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:11 am Web Suspender Tutorial ----------------------------------- I was asked to post a tutorial on how I modify the stock Dragon web suspenders. Here goes. First, if you're over 40 or otherwise have weak eyes, get yourself one of these: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial009.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial010.jpg It's a magnifying lens with a built-in fluorescent light. I absolutely could not do these projects without one. What you get from DML in the box: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial001.jpg First, bend the big sliding strap buckles. I use a vise grips. Clamp it on with the tip even with the buckles' slots, http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial002.jpg and press it against a hard surface until getting a 90 degree bend (or almost). http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial003.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial004.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial005.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial006.jpg The jaws of the vise grips slightly mars the surface of the buckle. I don't think this matters much. You can barely see it as it is, and after painting it would only be visible to a forensic expert. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial007.jpg You end up with this: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial008.jpg Definitely a lot better than what you started with. Now for the tab ends. Get yourself some tea lights: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial011.jpg Take the candle out and save it for romantic evenings. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial012.jpg Cut a strip out, then cut it into 2 squares, as shown. Repeat to create 4 squares. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial013.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial014.jpg Using a flat pliers, bend each square in half: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial015.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial016.jpg Result: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial018.jpg Squeeze it shut with your fingers: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial019.jpg Now cut it down to size, i.e. length, but not width yet. By folding and cutting it, you guarantee that both front and back will be the same size. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial020.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial022.jpg I think I make the tabs too long, in the "vertical" dimension, relative to the 1:1 original. However, you are working at the extremes of the materials, so making the tab any shorter makes it a lot harder to work with. Now use something pointy to pry the tab back open. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial023.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial024.jpg Now for gluing. This is the glue I use. I just grabbed it off the shelf at Michael's, hoping for the best, and it works pretty well. Doesn't have much tack at first, but once it sets up, it's pretty strong. It's also what I use to glue on the CVI lift-the-dot fasteners. Those little buggers don't stay on easy, but after letting the glue set up for a few hours, they don't fall off anymore. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial031.jpg Dab the web strap end in the glue: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial025.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial026.jpg Put the tab on the strap: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial027.jpg Squeeze on with your fingers, then with the flat pliers. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial028.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial029.jpg Careful. The glue isn't very sticky yet, and the tab will come loose easily at this point. Start again! http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial030.jpg Now trim the tab. Always cut keeping the scissors on the right-hand side of the tab. This allows you to sight the blade precisely along the webbing. Cut it off exactly even with the webbing. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial032.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial032-1.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial033.jpg Turn it over and do the other side: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial034.jpg The real tab ends are rounded. This is to hard to reproduce in 1/6 scale, so I just clip off the corners with a nail clippers. You don't need to take off much at all! http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial035.jpg It should look like this: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial036.jpg Once you've done all four, you're ready to paint. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial037.jpg I use black semi-gloss, as I like the effect. You may prefer to use flat black. I use the finest point brush I own, and I proceed very carefully. I don't feel you need to remove the webbing from the buckles, as long as you're careful. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial038.jpg Result: http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial039.jpg Here's the painted buckle. I think you can see that the marring caused by the vise grips really isn't noticeable, even though I've tried to make it show up as much as possible in this photograph. http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l178/tioedbob/2007%203%201%20Suspenders%20Tutorial/SuspendersTutorial040.jpg Well, that's it. Nothing revolutionary, just a series of simple steps. But the difference is amazing once you do it. ----------------------------------- Speerz Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:25 am ----------------------------------- Awesome! This looks so much easier then I thought, maybe something I can do :lol: Thanks! ----------------------------------- General Specific Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:58 am ----------------------------------- Great tutorial Looey. That is something I am going to have to try when I give my 101A/B figs a try. THat Goop is excellent for a ton of stuff. I believe it is similar to Shoe Goo (Perhaps less toxic?) but looks to be almost the same. Works great for adhering metal to cloth or plastic DML badges to uniforms. That's what I use anyway. Thanks for the tutorial. :!: :!: ----------------------------------- Tuche Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:53 am ----------------------------------- Thanks, for the tips! :!: ----------------------------------- Pangaea95 Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:58 am ----------------------------------- Awesome, gonna have to give the a shot, the results look excellent :!: ----------------------------------- Emergency Ian Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:46 pm ----------------------------------- Thanks Looey! ----------------------------------- hankco1942 Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:51 pm ----------------------------------- Nice job, I second the recommendation on the magnifier! You could take those marks off the sides of the buckles with a swipe or 2 of a file. ----------------------------------- JTFazz Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:53 pm ----------------------------------- Great tutorial, Ed. Thanks! Just goes to show you don't have to spend much if any money to get more realistic results. ----------------------------------- DEIIP Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:00 pm wow ----------------------------------- Wow Ed, that is amazing. I tried doing that before, but I guess I was using the wrong tools. Awesome tip on the end tabs though! Thanks for the little tutorial! :mrgreen: ----------------------------------- Dougmo Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:01 pm ----------------------------------- Thanks, Ed...I'm going to work on those strap buckles - I never noticed the angle on the sides- ----------------------------------- Speerz Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:54 pm ----------------------------------- Just wanted to add that this tutorial is so easy to do. I just finished up mu first set in under 5 minutes! Now I have to add the tab ends. Looey, is the thickness of the tea light you used the same thickness as a soda can? I've been wondering if I could cut out strips from a soda can and use those since i dont have any tea candles. Thanks! ----------------------------------- JTFazz Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:20 pm ----------------------------------- Looey, is the thickness of the tea light you used the same thickness as a soda can? I've been wondering if I could cut out strips from a soda can and use those since i dont have any tea candles. Thanks! Tea light candle sconces are little bit thicker, but I think you could certainly use a soda can if you are on a budget. ----------------------------------- 1stlooey Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:17 am ----------------------------------- Looey, is the thickness of the tea light you used the same thickness as a soda can? I've been wondering if I could cut out strips from a soda can and use those since i dont have any tea candles. Thanks! Tea light candle sconces are little bit thicker, but I think you could certainly use a soda can if you are on a budget. I tried soda cans, but they break when you fold them. I guess they have a different temper. ----------------------------------- Speerz Sun Mar 04, 2007 11:29 am ----------------------------------- Dang, looks like I'll have to try the store for those candles! Thanks Looey and LN :D