Members LowRent Posted March 22, 2010 Members Report Posted March 22, 2010 Belt hole centering? I've been reading through the forums for days. I've also used the search function (but I can't escape the feeling that I'm somehow missing a conspicuous thread). I haven't found any threads addressing technique(s) to center and evenly space holes in belts. The holes I'm referring to are the ones through which the tongue from the buckle would pass. Can someone explain it or point me in the right direction? Thanks. Quote
Contributing Member UKRay Posted March 22, 2010 Contributing Member Report Posted March 22, 2010 Belt hole centering? I've been reading through the forums for days. I've also used the search function (but I can't escape the feeling that I'm somehow missing a conspicuous thread). I haven't found any threads addressing technique(s) to center and evenly space holes in belts. The holes I'm referring to are the ones through which the tongue from the buckle would pass. Can someone explain it or point me in the right direction? Thanks. Use a pair of dividers to find the middle of your belt strip, mark where you want the first hole to go and then simply measure along the belt with a ruler and mark where you want the rest of the holes to be. Hope this helps, Ray Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Ambassador Luke Hatley Posted March 22, 2010 Ambassador Report Posted March 22, 2010 The next time you are at Tandy pick up the book, "Making Belts" by Al Stolhman But for me ..... Measure 7" from the end of the belt. that is the waist size then 2 holes to the left, then 2 holes to the right. the 5 holes are little less than 1" apart. Quote Luke
Billsotx Posted March 22, 2010 Report Posted March 22, 2010 What Luke said is pretty much SOP, that book is worth the $$$. For me, gunbelts never stop stretching, so I punch 7 holes, 3/4" on centers; I put four inside of the center most hole to compensate a little for the stretch. If you're making more than one belt, make up some templates from manilla folders, then you just align the template tip with the tip of the belt; mark your holes with an awl or scribe and punch them out. If you're going into real heavy production, make your templates from a piece of polymer trash. I always save all those senior-proof packages that frustrate my baby-boomer friends ... lol! Quote
Members LowRent Posted March 23, 2010 Author Members Report Posted March 23, 2010 Use a pair of dividers to find the middle of your belt strip, mark where you want the first hole to go and then simply measure along the belt with a ruler and mark where you want the rest of the holes to be. Hope this helps, Ray Ray, Thanks for your input. So, if I understand you correctly, you're advising to find the center. Maybe make a line that bisects two centered points. Once I've got this line I then eye-ball the line with my hole punching tool for centering. Spacing comes down to marking with a ruler. I'll give this a shot. I've struggled more with the centering than with the even spacing. Quote
Members Rawhide Posted March 23, 2010 Members Report Posted March 23, 2010 Ray, Thanks for your input. So, if I understand you correctly, you're advising to find the center. Maybe make a line that bisects two centered points. Once I've got this line I then eye-ball the line with my hole punching tool for centering. Spacing comes down to marking with a ruler. I'll give this a shot. I've struggled more with the centering than with the even spacing. That's almost right. Take the dividers and find the center of the belt by adjusting the legs until you can touch the exact same point on the belt from both sides of it. In other words one leg of the dividers will be touching the side of the belt, the other in the center, then switch sides. If they touch the same point on the belt you're good, if not, adjust in or out accordingly and repeat. Once you have the center, use the divider at that spacing to scribe a very light line in the center of the belt where the the holes will go. Now place a mark where the most used hole will go. adjust the dividers to about 3/4" apart and place one point on the mark just made and mark on the centerline with the other point, on both sides of the initial mark, now you should have 3 marks on the centerline. mark one more time 3/4" outside these last two marks and now you should have 5 marks total on the centerline. A little tip when punching your holes. Don't try to center the punch over the mark...you'll never get consistent holes, because you can't see it if you cover it up. Line the hole punch up using the edge of it on the marks. Be sure to punch on the same side of the mark for all holes. Hope this helps. Quote Marlon
Members LowRent Posted March 23, 2010 Author Members Report Posted March 23, 2010 Rawhide, Thanks. Every little detail helps, e.g. making marks but just touching the marks with the hole punch rather than taking them out with the punch. Quote
Members jeeperaz Posted March 23, 2010 Members Report Posted March 23, 2010 A little tip when punching your holes. Don't try to center the punch over the mark...you'll never get consistent holes, because you can't see it if you cover it up. Line the hole punch up using the edge of it on the marks. Be sure to punch on the same side of the mark for all holes. Hope this helps. Nice tip! Quote
Contributing Member UKRay Posted March 24, 2010 Contributing Member Report Posted March 24, 2010 I'm with Luke and Marlon all the way - but one more thing you might find useful is to use a red pen to mark the holes with. When you come to stain and finish the belt, the red will generally vanish into the dye job whilst a black mark is there for good. Ray Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Members whinewine Posted March 24, 2010 Members Report Posted March 24, 2010 If you also happen to have a center-finding ruler, that will make very quick work of it. russ Quote
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