Can anyone give me a simple method to make bedrolls, tarps, and duffle bags out of milliput. I just got some and have never used it before. Is there anything I need to know before I start. Also after you roll a bedroll for example, what is the best way to model the straps and buckles around it, can you scratch build buckles or am I better off buying some.

Cheers,
Salvo

I've not used Milliput, but I guess it's similar to two part epoxy putty. I just picked up some cheap stuff at a hardware store and it works great. What I did is I used talcum power, baby power actually, and waxed paper. Take a glob of the stuff, roll it together so it's all mixed, then use a rolling pin of some kind, I used a paint brush handle, to roll it out onto the waxed paper. I put the baby powder on the paper first to make sure it didn't stick. Once I got it to the thickness I wanted I used a exacto blade to cut it to shape. Then I folded it like I wanted and got the results I was looking for. If I had a digital camera right now I'd show you picks.

I really loved this stuff. I'm also going to use it for straps on the vehicle as well.

Good luck, you should do fine.

Ditto for me also..... same as Rodger, although I use Magic-Sculpt. Keep your roller, and work surfaced well powdered, and you can roll it paper thin.

As for making your own buckles, the answer is yes, we did it way before photo etched ones came along.
Simple process, and you can knock them out by the hundreds, in what ever size you need.

Process is rather simple, follow above on rolling out epoxy putty. Then cut a strip the outside dimension you want your buckle to be. (now comes the hard part) Take a piece of square stock that you filed a semi- round indentation into the end. (we use to use a wooden match stick) You now have your tool to make the buckle, with the section of strap passing through it, gently push into the center of your strip. Keep well powdered so epoxy doesn't stick. Do the entire strip, you now have a strip of almost finished buckles, with the strap passing through, in a 3D form. Now take a blade and push down between each buckle. If you really want to get fancy, take a really small, sharp pointed pin and put the belt holes in the section representing the belt. You and also insert a short section of fine wire to represent the tang. Let cure.

You can also make you own buckles from lead foil, it's basically the same, it's soft enough to take the impression, although I made up a set of stamps from some small square brass stock I had laying around.

For straps I prefer either lead foil, or paper.

When you roll the milliput roll as described above, let it cure for a little time. Then get some thin string and in both positions of your belts, pull the sting here as if you were tieing it. This will pull in the bed-roll and give you natural folds in the bedroll, and also a track to fix your belt afterwards. You can make these more accentuated if desired with a toothpick, diped in water.

If you are going to place more than one bedroll, place it with other stowage, or place on a special contour on a vehicle of figure, make it fit the shape or position before curing. Then it will sit naturally when cured. Place some cling film between model and soft milliput so it doesn´t stick. Then when cured, it can be easily removed and painted.

Thanks guys. Good info. Now I don't feel so nervous starting out. This weekend I am going to give it a go. Thanks again.

http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/index.php?showforum=116&prune_day=100&sort_by=A-Z&sort_key=title&st=15
Look at this article. Hope they will help you.

a 24 ga needle is good for making belt holes

reb