DIY Network

Techie Belt Buckle Create a funky belt buckle from computer "guts." From "B. Original" episode DBOR-206

Don't wear your heart on your sleeve—wear your creativity on your belt!

Michele Beschen is a pro at turning trash to treasure, including techie trash like dead computers. Pop open the box on your obsolete CPU, and you'll find a trove of interesting shapes, textures and colors—enough to keep you crafting for days.

As you search through the motherboards, memory cards and other funky bits inside the computer, look for one or more pieces that could make a good belt buckle. Belts offer a great opportunity to B. Original with your wardrobe and put your creativity on display for the world to see; scroll down for Michele Beschen's easy how-to for creating a belt buckle from old computer parts.

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You'll find plenty to work with inside the computer.

Techie Belt Buckle

There's a lot to find in the guts of an old computer. Browse through the colors, textures and shapes to see what strikes your fancy. Depending on the piece you choose for your belt buckle, you may need to cut it down to size using a handsaw, a hacksaw or a power saw.

Safety Alert: Always make sure any computer is turned off at the computer and at the power strip before you open the casing. Also, be careful when working inside any computer—the soldering points for circuits can be sharp. If you use a power saw to cut apart your craft components, remember to wear eye protection.

If you choose to use smaller pieces for your belt buckle, you may wish to solder them together. Use a small amount of flux to prepare the surface (figure A), then apply the solder with a soldering iron (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

When you're happy with your buckle piece, it's time to add it to a buckle back. You may want to simply glue the buckle back hardware to the piece with contact adhesive, or drill holes and attach with screws—which allows you to remove the hardware later, if desired.

Once the buckle back is attached, snap on a belt blank, and you're ready to show your techie style!