Tug Belt - a Minimalist Belt That Fits in Your Wallet

Forgot your belt?
Have a pair of pants that are slightly too big?

If so, you may be interested in building this Tug Belt.

Here are the highlights:
- It tightens your pants by twisting a belt-loop.
- It fits in your wallet.
- It's easy to make

You can build your own Tug Belt out of an old credit card by following this tutorial.

Thanks, and enjoy!
-Josh!

Here's what you will need:

An old credit card
- Make sure it does not include any important or private information.
- Make sure it is of a standard credit card size and (Ideally) doesn't have any raised lettering.

Safety Glasses
- If you like your eyeballs.

The Paper Print-Out
- Print the attached PDF
- Ensure your print-settings do not scale or crop it, or it will not be the correct size.

Scissors
- For cutting the paper print-out and credit card.
- Optional: Heavy-Duty Scissors for easier cutting of the credit card.

Double-Sided Tape
- For temporarily attaching the print-out to the credit card

Center-Punch
- For more accurate drilling

Drill / Drill Bits
- For drilling into the credit card.
- 3/16" and 1/8" DIA drill bits.

Random Block of Wood
- To ensure you don't drill into your table or hand.

Sand Paper
- To smooth out your cuts

Cut along the outer, dotted lines of the paper print-out (file is located in the previous step). This should give you a shape that is identical in size to your credit card.

Use double-sided tape to secure the paper to the credit card.

NOTE: Which side of the credit card (and which orientation) you tape to matters.
- If you plan to wear your Tug Belt on your RIGHT-SIDE then tape the paper to the back-side of your credit card if you want the front side visible when worn. (not shown in pics)
- If you want to wear your Tug Belt on the LEFT-SIDE then tape the paper to the front-side of your credit card if you want that side visible when worn. (as shown in the pics)

Use that random block of wood as a backing-plate to prevent drilling into your table.

Then use the center-punch and drill accordingly with the 1/8" and 3/16" DIA drill bits.

Use your scissors (or ideally heavy-duty scissors) to cut along the solid black line.

You can optionally use an Xacto-blade to cut the tight spots.

Be sure not to bend the credit card too much. Credit card material (PVCA) isn't particularly strong. When I made them, I used to laser-cut them from a much stronger material (Delrin) and sanded it to get a soft-touch surface.

Remove the paper and double-sided tape from the credit card.

Sand the edges smooth so that they don't cut your skin or clothing.

Congrats! You just made your own Tug Belt.
(Fancy laser-cut Tug Belt also shown in picture)

Now you just need to learn how to wear it (the next step)...

Follow the pictured instructions to wear it.

And when you are not wearing it, store it in your wallet.

Thanks.
-Josh!