Gonna try my first set of PE slings…I know they look good but are they worth the trouble…or are they any trouble? Any advice greatly appreciated.
MASKING TAPE!!!
(but I’m not bias or anything…hehe…)
alum. foil works good 2. also cut up 3x5 card works!
Masking tape and foil tape is what I have been using…the Photoetched ones are very cool…just wondered if anyone has experience with them…If they are a PITA I’ll go with the tape…thanks guys!
Are you guys saying forget about it and go with something else?[D)] Thanks again!
oh, no…im not anyway was just thinking outloud. i guess if they are p.e. then you are ok. (suppose i could’ve read it more carefully buddy! [:-^])
I always add slings to my figgies just to increase realism…you get a lot of bang for a little buck…in this case I used the PE from a GEN 2 US Soldier set for this GI’s M1 Garand:
It required two major loops attached with a small one then glued to the sling holders…not as tedious as it sounds…it really looks cool to me…
But you can also replicate slings w/o going 100% accurate…take the sling on this guy’s MP40…just used some scrap PE and threw on a misc PE buckle (all from an old VLS PE set of badges/slings/belts/straps, etc.----used these hundreds of times):
Painted:
My motto is always, don’t fully replicate it if you can create the illusion of the real thing w/o making the real thing…
Thanks a million M.R for the great info and the pics! Have used many things for slings and have been happy with them thus far, The Dragon kit came with them so I’m gonna give em a whirl…They look fantastic on your incredible figs, I think it’s just what my Marines need…Many thanks![:D]
And here I was Manny, thinking that was going to be a nice little vignette titled “Bovine Hunter”. HAHAH!!!
…In a pinch you can use 1/32’’ chart tape if you find any in that size. Some hobby shops sell simular tape to use as trim on Pine Wood Derby cars. Just paint it with Testor’s interior fabric gray or tan, from their auto lacquer based paint rack, to give it texture. When it’s dry paint it over with dark green, sand, khaki or what ever color the rifle slings are supposed to be and super glue it into place…The same thing can be done with Evergreen Plastic strips of that size although Plastruct strips are thinner and more realistic. They also make smaller sizes that can be used with 1/48 scale figures…VLS used to sell photo etched rifle slings, but they went out of business. DML does include etched slings in some of their figure sets.
VLS isn’t out of business, they were bought by Squadron MMD.
Lead foil works fine, as rifle slings and is much easier to work than the PE in my opinion. The foil from around wine bottles, the seal foil off of cans of snack foods or peanuts, heavy cooking alum. foil work just as well.
You can find the line tape or chart tape in office supply stores like staples or office depot.
Electrical tape works well enough.
The copper foil used in stained glass work is very useful in this application, is heavy, very pliable and comes in rolls that are very inexpensive. Works as good as the lead foil does.
I don’t like masking tape for rifle slings simply because of the texture but works great for cotton or nylon slings/webbing or tie downs.
If you can find the fine lead solder used for fly tyeing, you can flatten it with the handle of your x-acto knife and it makes great helmet straps, tie downs and slings. (It also is perfect for fuel lines, electrical lines, brake lines etc, because its soft and pliable)
Post it note paper or any paper for that matter works nicely for slings, etc.
If you absolutely must use the PE, anneal it first and it will be much easier to handle and shape. Heat it till its just changes color (not carbonized but the brass will change color). Too much and you’ll met thin brass but just enough to anneal it.
How’s he gonna get it tied down to his schwimmwagen?