Best PE Seat Belt Sets?

[bikouros]

Hi Guys, I was wondering what everybody thinks is the best PE seat belt sets. I bought the Modelers set and was disappointed. It's a total pain to work with and the result is less than satisfactory. I'm still looking for something better and wanted everyones opinion before I bought a new set. Thanks.

[ChillyB1]

I can't say what's best, but I can offer my opinion about the sets I have tried.
Detail Master has a nice set, but the parts seem rather small even though they say 1/24th scale. I don't like the belt material provided, which is just thin paper.

Scale Motorsport, as expected, has an excellent set with beautifully etched parts on rubber (rather than on a metal frame) eliminating the need to cut and trim. Their belt material is disappointing.

Studio 27 has an excellent set with very nicely etched parts and excellent and abundant belt material (comes with both 1/24 and one set of 1/20th scale buckles).

I've not yet been able to get ahold of the Crazy Modeler set, but it looks like a good deal with good belt material.

And, last but not least, I've ordered but not yet received the KA Models set and it looks to be fantastic with a much larger supply of buckles than the other sets with which I'm familiar.

Right now the Studio 27 are my favorites.

Hope that helps.

[stryfe101]

Ive got the detail master ones as well, but haven't used them, i'd definatly recommend better belt material for them though. I also have the ka models belts on order because of the sheer number of sets you get out of it..

I'm looking for some seatbelt decals though..anyone know of any?

Gray

[bikouros]

Thank you Chillyb1 for the guide. I ment to say I have the 'Crazy Modelers' set, which is a pian to use. Iv'e been looking at Studio 27's set for a while, It seems like a good bet because I build 1/20 and 1/24 scale kits. Thank you.

[MPWR]

Realistically, there's not a whole lot of difference between PE seatbelt sets. I rather doubt you'll find that any set has noticeably superior hardware, and 'belt material' is really what you make of it. (I haven't found belt material myself any better than Tamiya tape -precolor it with markers before putting it in place, and then paint it by hand when in place). They're all fiddly and frustrating to work with, and nearly always look rather alot like bits of etched metal on strips of paper when installed. If the Crazy Modeler set was unsatisfactory, I couldn't say what will be any better.

[Captain Mark]

What scale and subject are you asking in relation to?
Not sure how helpful it will be, but here's a few examples:
(plus you should find quite a few other examples in the "in progress" section if you hunt around...)

RedFive 1/20 PE/fabric harness for a modern Formula 1 car:






SMS PE/fabric harness for late 80's and early 90's Formula 1 car:


(The hardware is good, but I don't personally like how they look.)

Hope that gives you something to go on.
Cheers,
M

[bikouros]

I Guess I can see what you mean when you say there all hard to work with, I guess I should be expecting that. I was more looking for F1 type belts. Iv'e seen some material that looked woven that looked amazing. Are there any companys that sell just the woven material? (no PE parts.)

[MPWR]

Some people like to use satin ribbon from craft stores for a woven look. However in truth, if any woven texture is visible on 1/24 or 1/20 seat belts, it is grossly out of scale. Seatbelt webbing is woven very tightly, such that even in full scale you have to look rather closely to see its weave.





For both of these views above, you'd have to get your eye pretty close to see this level of detail in 1/24 or 1/20 components- yet the weave is still invisible. Masking tape (or similar) painted properly would be perfect for simulating these belts. If you want to see other examples, to a Google image search on racing harnesses (or similar). To my eye, using craft ribbon or something else with visible weave gives a very 'doll housey' look to an interior.

[klutz_100]

Without doubt Andy's logic is 100% right...but I don't fully agree with him.

Subjectively for me seat belts are one area (like wheels and several other areas, I guess) where your sub-conscious needs to be lied to in order to feel truly happy.

A slight weave pattern in the belt material, even if not correct "feels" right when you are looking at it. Your mind expects to see a weave.

I used Tamiya tape for seatbelts but IMO it looked like....flat paper.
The trick is to get a fine weaved material, not a thick weave. I use silk ribbon from here and am happy with it.

Here are a couple of my dolls houses to help you make up your own mind.

Aston Martin:
P/E is the SMS set. Shoulder pads are made of coarser medical tape



BMW M1:
Crazy Modeller P/E



As I said above, I don't think Andy is wrong, I am just of a different opinion.

[bikouros]

You guys both make good points. The woven material does look good to a point, but if you think about it, it is out of scale. The ones I've made are a more ribbon look. Now I've got todecide which one I like best.


The last seat belt I made for my 1/24 scale Hasegawa FW-14
Looks okay (Crazy Modelers)

[ChillyB1]

I'd like to revive this topic and to add some photos so you can see what these things look like.

I think it is possible to make a relatively objective claim that some etched parts are better than others, and that some belt material is better suited to the task than other material. Pace MPWR, I don't believe that all etched seat belt sets "nearly always look rather alot like bits of etched metal on strips of paper when installed." There can be little doubt that most readily available materials for belts do look "grossly out of scale" but that doesn't mean there aren't alternatives that look good despite being out of scale. Sometimes adherence to scale fidelity serves no good purpose to the modeler. I'd add that a bigger problem even than out-of-scale webbing on the belt material is getting that material to lay on the seat in a realistic in-scale way.

That said, here are some photos of different sets I have already mentioned and the KA Models set that arrived in the mail today (and which, I believe, is the best of the bunch, both in terms of etched quality and economic value). I hope they show clearly the differences among these available varieties of seat-belt sets.


Scale Motorsport, about $10, great buckles, not-so-great belt material:

Detail Master, about $6, good buckles, plain-paper belt material:

KA Models, about $13, excellent and abundant buckles and belt material:

Studio 27, about $11, great buckles in 1/20 and 1/24, abundant belt material in several colors (but a bit too out-of-scale for many uses):

Model Car Garage 2-point buckles, about $7, excellent buckles and large variety for all those non-racing needs:

[davezilla]

Another seat belt set to consider is the Acustion set. They're a little expensive but they come with enough hardware to do 4 or 5 seats. The belt material has a good to-scale pattern, but you have to cut it to the correct width and have a problem of fraying. (dab a bit of white glue on the edges and it will be fine) Also comes with shoulder pad decals and some white metal buckle parts.

[Ferrari TR]

Nice pix. info on the quality of the included instructions would be appreciated.
I need to finish a set or two. the detail master instructions make my head hurt. the last came without any.
pardon my english...
i'm a product of american public schools.

[davezilla]

the acustion set comes with japanese instructions, but if you have worked with PE seat belts before, they should be pretty easy to figure out.