Steering wheel "Wrap"???

[426-Hemi]

OK guys, question, I need to make the leather-looking steering wheel wrap, I need to make this detail for a model of a truck my Dad owned, and sadly its one the of the details ALL my family members are going to notice because my Dad was known to have done this to just about EVERY car or truck he owned for an extended period of time. (He didn't add it if he planned to sell the vehicle, but only drove it for a short time....) SO with that, my "Father & Son" Dodge truck build, Dad's truck is needing this detail, and I can't for the life of me figure out a way to make it look right! I've tried thread, I've tried really thin ribbon, I even tried the Testors adhesive back, striping, NOTHING I've tried looks right.... Anyone have a way or know of something that may work and look a lot closer then what I've already tried!?

ANY suggestion, material, etc would be GREATLY appreciated!

[peteski]

How about just scoring the spiral line around the rim using a hobby knife, then paint it the color of the wrap?  That should be just about right for 1:24/25 scale.

If your hand is not steady enough to make an even cut then cut a thin strip of plain (or maybeTamiya?) masking tape, wrap it around the rim, then follow the edge of the tape when scoring with the knife. Come to think of it, maybe the masking tape itself would make a good wrap?

I'm assuming here that the steering wheel was wrapped with a long thin piece of leather (Not a donut-shaped wrap).

[426-Hemi]

How about just scoring the spiral line around the rim using a hobby knife, then paint it the color of the wrap?  That should be just about right for 1:24/25 scale.

If your hand is not steady enough to make an even cut then cut a thin strip of plain (or maybeTamiya?) masking tape, wrap it around the rim, then follow the edge of the tape when scoring with the knife. Come to think of it, maybe the masking tape itself would make a good wrap?

I'm assuming here that the steering wheel was wrapped with a long thin piece of leather (Not a donut-shaped wrap).

Pete,

WELL thats just it, the steering wheel would have to have a spiral cut in the steering wheel, and to that end, the wheel itself, isn't thick enough to cut really, and I don't want to further weaken it as cutting I don't think is the answer, but making it wrap around in spiral form with thin tape might be just the trick! I'll have to see what the local Hobby Lobby and hobby shop has for Tamiya tape.... The wrap my Dad used, was the donut style wrap, that had holes in it that had a slight leather-like texture to it, and then it was spiral wrapped with some sort of line that was like a crafter vinyl tread.....

Edited June 1, 2017 by 426-Hemi
Changed Wording

[Draggon]

Medical tape has small perforations in it that would simulate those found in the wheel wraps. It's plastic ( not the cloth type ) and might form well when cut narrow enough for a steering wheel. Maybe you have some in your medicine cabinet already. 

[426-Hemi]

Glenn,

Thats NOT a bad idea!!!! I know (with all my medical accidents, I have some of that tape! I EVEN have some of the fine mesh cloth stuff), that cut really thin, MIGHT do the trick! But, your right, that plastic tape they use has the small perforations in it, that would be GREAT and just need painted after application..... I WILL try that one on a spare steering wheel to see how it looks! GREAT idea!!!

[slusher]

How about the wire in a bread tie? You could get the spiral wrap just like you want it. 

[426-Hemi]

Carl, thats an other GREAT idea!!!!! -Your right too! I'll give that one a try as well! (I have to see what way looks the best for what I'm trying to achieve!!!!

A LOT of good ideas....

[slusher]

If the wrap is black then the bread tie would be gloss black. 

[426-Hemi]

Yes, that would be absolutely right............ I had thought that and have scavenged my whole house looking for black ones. nothing "found" yet..... BUT that is I THINK the best way to go about this! (That is if the wire in the wrap tie isn't to, too "stiff" and bends easily around the steering wheel!)

Edited June 3, 2017 by 426-Hemi
I Can't Type Sometimes!!!!

[David G.]

When you get something that works John, please share it.

David G.

[426-Hemi]

When you get something that works John, please share it.

David G.

Absolutely!!!! You'll probably see me doing whatever works in the thread of mine "Father & Son Dodge Truck Build"... it HAS been awhile since I've posted to it on an update as this is where and what I'm stuck on!

[David G.]

I'll keep an eye out for it!

David G.

[426-Hemi]

I'll keep an eye out for it!

David G.

Might be a little tho, I'm testing out how some of the ideas I got work and look..... So won't be real soon! Plus, I'm kinda fooling around with not a build, but something a little different then you'd see by me! I'm working out a 3D version of my avatar!!!! I have a well done toy of a Elephant, and I had to match the size to scale, turns out a 1/16th Hemi was needed and now I'm kinda piecing several parts together to make the Hemi.... Plus adding a little extra details (you know how I am!) and then got a few "other" ideas on the Elephant too........ I have to see what it take to make the engine fit the animal, and then whatever that might take, will tell me what it take to light the eyes up Orange! 

[1930fordpickup]

John is this the material ( the shape anyway) that you are looking for to do the wrap? I remember Dad had one of those wraps one times that had a black cord similar to this stuff. We used  it to make Lanyards at summer camp in scouts.  So how about some very small fishing line 2 pound test? Taco Bell brown napkins have been used before on seats here before. 

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=z1UzeENW&id=DA68C9CC9E33A7CBB645AF1867573431F267FB5A&thid=OIP.z1UzeENW1lQyEawrDmpfLAEXEs&q=supplies+for+making+lanyards&simid=607990314897444724&selectedindex=45&vw=81cab+0ffdd+9a8b5+21ce1+99242+a6d1b+affdd+b8470+8cb08+a6d1d+b4d6e+993d2+993e8+9840e+1e024+4ee3c+81a15+b7366+212df+cc9c8+0400a0800a8ab4b30bf1a671238aac746ca8ddf2993d439135e08790f1c30c42abcf244809c0cd4d4c008136aaa64d199638912af31a64836b7419786cbd038c2d38ca2d9d313e3c21c1ff2dc829235f5edded27551a44de02b35edfaecc1738e9d6a5da3d5b08db65d569538e9483d8d5ee116bc684f9db90369b5affac1a0b4be2ac9e9b5dced184490d7eb6b254ff22deea05e15d&mode=overlay&first=1

Edited June 3, 2017 by 1930fordpickup

[David G.]

Might be a little tho, I'm testing out how some of the ideas I got work and look..... So won't be real soon! Plus, I'm kinda fooling around with not a build, but something a little different then you'd see by me! I'm working out a 3D version of my avatar!!!! I have a well done toy of a Elephant, and I had to match the size to scale, turns out a 1/16th Hemi was needed and now I'm kinda piecing several parts together to make the Hemi.... Plus adding a little extra details (you know how I am!) and then got a few "other" ideas on the Elephant too........ I have to see what it take to make the engine fit the animal, and then whatever that might take, will tell me what it take to light the eyes up Orange! 

Wow! That'll be really cool!

David G.

[426-Hemi]

Andy,

Yeah I looked for the smallest diameter "gimp" as I could the stuff doesn't work very well for anything small....... BUT yes too, thats the kinda look I need! Fishing line, is completely round, BUT might be worth the try! I need a BLACK leather-looking wrap, with BLACK "gimp" type line... So far the best sounding idea has been from Carl  "Slusher", with the bread ties! I just have to find some, all those in my house right now are the "C" clip bread ties!  

I'll be keeping up on this thread a bit and all thats said and what I find and what looks best! I just need some ideas to get this one right and other ways of thinkin' of what might or will work, is the key! Whatever works and looks good and is near scale to what I'm trying to do, is what I'll be going with! -I have this same thread posted on a couple forums to see whats all said and sounds as this it work the best! So....

[426-Hemi]

Wow! That'll be really cool!

David G.

Thanks David! Yeah, just a 1/2 a break from all the car building, plus as if you look at my avatar, I have my "resin" name in it, and plan to use the 3D version if it turns out well for the avatar too...... IF the eye winks, as I want to make one blink, my avatar then will be a GIF file..... BUT that too, we'll see, I'm not sure how far in over my head I am at the state of completion it is!

[Ben]

I would try a thin layer of Sculpy clay around the wheel, smoothed out, then spiral wrap a piece of thread. and then poke tiny holes around the wheel and let the clay harden.

[426-Hemi]

Ben,

Thats just it, I ain't got no clay that will harden.... so I can't do this one, as I'm trying to go with materials I either have, or is easy to get. LOL I EVEN have a couple neighbors looking for different products! 

Thanks for the idea! IF I find some I might try that one..... Right now I just got molding clay that doesn't "harden" and can't be painted.....

[Ben]

Ben,

Thats just it, I ain't got no clay that will harden.... so I can't do this one, as I'm trying to go with materials I either have, or is easy to get. LOL I EVEN have a couple neighbors looking for different products! 

Thanks for the idea! IF I find some I might try that one..... Right now I just got molding clay that doesn't "harden" and can't be painted.....

Here's the cheapest I could find on Ebay, if you decide you want to go that route.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/381993111761 

[1930fordpickup]

John try the local ollies oro a garden center. They have bread wire ties i  a spool that you cut to length. That doe seem like a good idea.

 

[426-Hemi]

John try the local ollies oro a garden center. They have bread wire ties i  a spool that you cut to length. That doe seem like a good idea.

 

yeah? Its green I do believe (I've seen it somewhere local to me too in the last couple weeks!) -I'm being stubborn tho, I'm gonna look for black bread ties.... as I know I've seen them too!

Edited June 4, 2017 by 426-Hemi
Spelling

[blunc]

Unless you're working on a large scale steering wheel, I think bread ties will be too large to look like "scale" steering wheel wrap.

The closest thing I can suggest would be to use fishing line to wrap the steering wheel then sand it till it is flatter but still hast the spiral appearance.

[slusher]

Andy,

Yeah I looked for the smallest diameter "gimp" as I could the stuff doesn't work very well for anything small....... BUT yes too, thats the kinda look I need! Fishing line, is completely round, BUT might be worth the try! I need a BLACK leather-looking wrap, with BLACK "gimp" type line... So far the best sounding idea has been from Carl  "Slusher", with the bread ties! I just have to find some, all those in my house right now are the "C" clip bread ties!  

I'll be keeping up on this thread a bit and all thats said and what I find and what looks best! I just need some ideas to get this one right and other ways of thinkin' of what might or will work, is the key! Whatever works and looks good and is near scale to what I'm trying to do, is what I'll be going with! -I have this same thread posted on a couple forums to see whats all said and sounds as this it work the best! So....

Wire bread ties are not hard to find and many garbage bags come with the wire ties. If you need some pm me your address and I will send you some.

.

[peteski]

I can't visualize how a flat plastic coated wire tie could be wrapped around the rim of a 1:24 scale wheel and look like a leather cover.  Not only it seems way too thick (and stiff), it will be also way too wide. Those things are usually about 1/4" wide.  that would be scale 6.25" wide!   Or is the model in question 1:8 scale?