Foxbat Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 8 hours ago, Badder said: Indeed it is Clive. I will forgive them for the 'lateness' of the first order I place with them! I will also give Creative Models a plug as well, because my order with them - MiniArt's German 'Winter tank crew' arrived within 48 hrs. My orders with them have always been swift (usually 1 or 2 days and never more than 3) Rearguards, Badder Once upon a time I asked Creative if I could collect my orders instead of having them posted, on account of my office at the time being between their building and the post office. Don't remember ever getting a reply to that one, but have to agree with you, their service is exemplary and I still use them often. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 11 hours ago, Foxbat said: Once upon a time I asked Creative if I could collect my orders instead of having them posted, on account of my office at the time being between their building and the post office. Don't remember ever getting a reply to that one, but have to agree with you, their service is exemplary and I still use them often. Andy Got to agree with you both, the service from Creative models is good. that is a fantastic way to save on postage, it’s almost to logical to hand deliver on route with other orders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 On 10/04/2019 at 13:14, Badder said: I will also give Creative Models a plug as well, because my order with them - MiniArt's German 'Winter tank crew' arrived within 48 hrs. My orders with them have always been swift (usually 1 or 2 days and never more than 3) Creative Models always get a big from me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 As I'm of on holiday this week and as we all eagerly await the server migration - I have been having a 'peek' at my 1/35 KING TIGER. As I mentioned earlier this will be my first ever 1/35 kit and I'm a 'bit' excited to say the least. I have some rather 'novice level' questions - if anyone can help. First of all - a quick look a the hull base shows the suspension is asymmetric... with the fittings - according to the instructions going on in opposite directions... ...can anyone explain the logic behind this - there must be some - but it is well beyond my understanding. thanks in advance - Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 Hello Steve, the King-tiger and other German tanks used a Torsion bar suspension. This may explain it better than i can. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsion_bar_suspension I hope that gets you your answers. Dennis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 As Dennis said the Tiger II uses torsion bar suspension which runs the full width of the hull, so the bars have to be fitted asymmetrically. The swing arms then go in opposite directions to make the position of the wheels symmetrical. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 Thanks Mig - that is a fantastic graphic - until you realise nothing actually lines up to make them 'symmetric'... ...the bars go across - but don't marry up with the wheels on the other side - so they are still 'asymmetric'. No matter - that is how they are - I'm not an engineer and don't pretend to be one - it is just they way it is I guess - my head hurts already I'll try to ask questions where I may understand the answers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 35 minutes ago, BIG X said: Thanks Mig - that is a fantastic graphic - until you realise nothing actually lines up to make them 'symmetric'... ...the bars go across - but don't marry up with the wheels on the other side - so they are still 'asymmetric'. No matter - that is how they are - I'm not an engineer and don't pretend to be one - it is just they way it is I guess - my head hurts already I'll try to ask questions where I may understand the answers Steve Note that there are 18 bars because there are 18 road wheels - each bar only has a swing arm and wheel at one end. The swing arms face opposite ways on opposite sides of the hull to compensate for the bars being staggered. If I was a draughtsman, I'd have a diagram from directly above at this point which would hopefully clarify. So yes, the bars and swing arms are asymmetric, but they have to be so the wheels aren't. My head hurts too now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) 37 minutes ago, Foxbat said: If I was a draughtsman, I'd have a diagram from directly above at this point which would hopefully clarify. My thought too so I quickly threw this together... This is an Tiger I BTW as I didn't have any suitable Tiger II images at hand, the suspension is pretty much the same through. Edited April 24, 2019 by Mig Eater 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 9 hours ago, Mig Eater said: My thought too so I quickly threw this together... This is an Tiger I BTW as I didn't have any suitable Tiger II images at hand, the suspension is pretty much the same through. HA HA - that's better - I can see the position of the actual wheels now - as opposed to the fixing points. I bet it will all make sense when I actually come to start pulling wheels off the sprues and attaching them - but I can't have a 'play' for another 4 weeks or so - it's like waiting for Christmas when you were a kid Thanks lads - I'll be back later with another daft question - Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Good morning Gents - I said I'd be back with more questions... Being careful not to disturb too much in the box I've fished out the tracks - purely for 'inspection purposes' you understand... The tracks are 'rubber band' style and seem a little 'bent'. My question is - are they any good. The instructions say they can be painted with 'plastic paints'... I have plenty of time before the fun begins to order some 'aftermarket' tracks - I have found these from Tamiya themselves... I have been googling frantically all morning and 'someone' 'somewhere' said words to this effect... 'If you glue half of them all together then they will bend around the sprocket and idler ends - meaning you only have to glue the final bit together to fit them on the model'. I'll be beggared if I can find that page now - to post a link - but is he giving me a top tip - or leading me into a world of pain... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 (edited) The rubber band tracks can be painted with any normal acrylic or enamel paints. It says they can be glued together with plastic cement too but that doesn't always work, any CA glue will do the job through. The bend in the tracks isn't that bad & would probably be ok once they are stretched over the wheels. If not you can normally fix them by placing the tracks into hot water to soften them & then flatten/stretch them into the correct shape. For Individual link tracks that "top-tip" is correct, build the tracks in two sets & then before the glue sets place them over the wheels & sprockets to form them into the correct shape. Edited April 25, 2019 by Mig Eater 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Gluing tracks! Not my favourite part of a tank build ... This is one way ... (Mini-art have redesigned the sprues for their T-20 tank tracks since this video) A King Tiger's tracks are fairly straight above and below the wheels. Make those sections first, and let them dry, they'll be less fragile when you come to the the rest of the track. A better option (in my opinion) would be metal tracks. More expensive too, but I like them. Check out Friul Modellismo tracks (there are other brands) - check this link for which options are suitable: http://www.friulmodel.hu/user/content/cms/tank_list_for_helping_find_tracks_easily.pdf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Robert Stuart said: A King Tiger's tracks are fairly straight above and below the wheels. Make those sections first, and let them dry, they'll be less fragile when you come to the the rest of the track. Robert - that video is amazing - well the guy and his commentary are amazing - he doesn't make it look easy or fun - but boy he is funny. I found some pre-made metal tracks - but can only get them on amazon US - no sign of them on amazon UK - weird or what... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 At the risk of being cheeky or indeed boring - I have another question about my Tamiya King Tiger... I have been reading the instructions with a nice cup of tea and wondered about the purpose of these... ...they are in a bag and appear to be made from a different kind of black plastic. Are the wheels supposed to move on this kit??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 18 hours ago, BIG X said: Thanks Mig - that is a fantastic graphic - until you realise nothing actually lines up to make them 'symmetric'... ...the bars go across - but don't marry up with the wheels on the other side - so they are still 'asymmetric'. No matter - that is how they are - I'm not an engineer and don't pretend to be one - it is just they way it is I guess - my head hurts already I'll try to ask questions where I may understand the answers Steve If it helps then think of it like this; Herr Krupp's workers cut two hull side pieces which are put on a big machine which drill holes through both plates for all the wheels and drive sprocket. So that's one at the front of each side for the drive to get out, one at the rear for the idler mounting. That leaves 18 holes for 9 wheels each side. OK so far? Each road-wheel is mounted on an arm attached to a long bar, they are all the same. Once the hull is assembled the worker takes the roadwheel arm in his right hand and threads the long bar in one side and right across the hull where it is firmly fixed to the other side. He repeats this every other hole until he gets to the back. Then he goes to the other side, he now threads the bar through each empty hole still holding the roadwheel arm in his right hand. So he has fitted every arm pointing to his right OK? This means on one side the arms point forward and on the other backwards. Because Herr Krupp employs clever people who worked out where to drill the holes, the axles for the road wheel on each side line up with each other. This means that if the tank moves up a step both roadwheels on each side hit it at the same time, if only one did the bars would snap and the tank would go nowhere. I'm not being sarcastic, you know more about wingy things than I ever will. Horses for courses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 8 minutes ago, BIG X said: At the risk of being cheeky or indeed boring - I have another question about my Tamiya King Tiger... I have been reading the instructions with a nice cup of tea and wondered about the purpose of these... ...they are in a bag and appear to be made from a different kind of black plastic. Are the wheels supposed to move on this kit??? At one stage possibly they could move, however the material is a stretchy vinyl so you can secure the wheels without having to glue them. This allows you all the time you want to adjust the position of the tracks as you like. As a secondary bonus the flexible vinyl means that a knock to the wheel is less likely to break the axle which can be...troublesome. Ask away, the only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 The kit was originally motorized (like most of Tamiya's early kits) & could be driven around with a remote, so the poly caps are there to make the wheels workable. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 2 hours ago, BIG X said: Robert - that video is amazing - well the guy and his commentary are amazing - he doesn't make it look easy or fun - but boy he is funny. I found some pre-made metal tracks - but can only get them on amazon US - no sign of them on amazon UK - weird or what... You could look at Hannants https://www.hannants.co.uk/, or Historex Agents (https://historexagents.com/# ). They both offer have Friul Modellismo (or FRIULMODELLI) tracks. Historex Agents web-site is a bit quirky, but stay with it. (I've been a customer of both firms, on and off, for longer than I'd care to admit.) Both offer other brands of tracks too: some plastic, some metal - though I haven't found other brands of King Tiger tracks on either (I intend making an early Tiger here, so have not pushed my search too hard). I found this on EModels site https://www.emodels.co.uk/takom-1-35-pz-kpfw-vi-king-tiger-tracks-02048.html Those three are suppliers I've used in the past month or so, as is Super Hobby ( https://www.super-hobby.co.uk/ ) which is, I think, Polish. Then there is eBay. When you find the product, look at the supplier's name there ... sometimes you will find the same supplier cheaper if you go direct (a: they may have a link to their web-site, b: their web-site name should be very similar to their ebay name): sometimes cheaper direct sometimes cheaper though ebay. (I know you know this, but ... don't message suppliers through ebay for a special deal - that would be a breach of EB Ts&Cs.) HTH Robert p.s. Not sure about "pre-made" - any metal tracks I've seen are self assemble and flexible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 1 hour ago, BIG X said: At the risk of being cheeky or indeed boring 1 hour ago, SleeperService said: Ask away, the only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked. I'd rather ask a silly question than make a silly mistake 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 @SleeperService @Mig Eater @Robert Stuart @Corsairfoxfouruncle @Foxbat Thanks lads - I think this is going to be a great GB 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I have been 'gifted' a set of 'aftermarket' etched grilles from my good friend @badger Now these are for a Takom kit I think - but the grilles to the left and the circular grilles - look very promising - when held to the hull top - but the curved grilles look a bit 'long' for the Tamiya parts on the sprue. Referring to the instructions again... there is some 'mesh' in the kit bag - is this easy enough to apply??? I was going to cut the 'template' out - but thought it best not to 'mess' before the BIG DAY - any thoughts on the mesh would be appreciated. Thanks again - Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 24 minutes ago, BIG X said: I have been 'gifted' a set of 'aftermarket' etched grilles from my good friend @badger Now these are for a Takom kit I think - but the grilles to the left and the circular grilles - look very promising - when held to the hull top - but the curved grilles look a bit 'long' for the Tamiya parts on the sprue. Referring to the instructions again... there is some 'mesh' in the kit bag - is this easy enough to apply??? I was going to cut the 'template' out - but thought it best not to 'mess' before the BIG DAY - any thoughts on the mesh would be appreciated. Thanks again - Steve I'd definitely use the etch goodies, you will be able to bend them around the raised frame and also give realistic damage. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 35 minutes ago, Ozzy said: I'd definitely use the etch goodies, you will be able to bend them around the raised frame and also give realistic damage. Hi Steve Glad at least some of the bits fit. I'd go with Ozzy's idea if possible. Never had much luck with the mesh Tamiya include. If need be, could you trim the etch parts? All the best Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 5 minutes ago, badger said: Hi Steve Glad at least some of the bits fit. I'd go with Ozzy's idea if possible. Never had much luck with the mesh Tamiya include. If need be, could you trim the etch parts? All the best Ben Hey Ben - I guess we'll find out when we actually get going - all the other bits 'look' perfect - but the 'big bits' are very different to the Tamiya frames - they seem a good 2mm longer from 'pointy bit to base' - if that makes sense... I need to show a bit of patience really - when I actually get all the parts out they may fit a treat - we will see... In the meantime I need to ask another question and you may well know the answer. As we discussed 'off air' I'm looking at some open hatches on this one and the instruction call for XF2 for hatch insides - which is white... I would have painted them in a metallic tone - but I can see the logic - these guys needed to see what they were doing inside - so I'm guessing the turrets were white inside??? I really need to google a 'walkaround' set of pictures I think... Cheers Mate - Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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