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Am I that rubbish at modelling Indivual tracks are beating me.


Rodders154

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I have the Dragon King Tiger Late production kit and I am just about to give up on it.

The problem is the tracks I cant see how I am going to build them!

They dont stick togeather unless they are glued and they are no good to me I need to get some rubber track but where?

the pictures below illustrate the problem

l1.jpg

 

As you can see there is nothing to hold the tracks togeather  this is the instruction sheet I didnt realise they are handed as well and there is no indication of the numer to be glued in a straight line

as that would help

l2.jpg

 

It says "new pattern tracks"  I would settle for any workable tracks to finish the kit

l3.jpg

 

There are a lot of them any ideas welcome on how to get them to connect

 

l4.jpg

 

Many thanks

 

Rodders

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I find using cello tape sticky side up helps, put a link on then add glue to another repeat the process until you have a good run. Leave to dry a little, then move into position. Leave the tape on until dry, take the tape away leaving the tracks in place.

 

hope this helps Rodders.

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Rodders , if you`re rubbish at these tracks , so am I ! . Early this year I scrapped a Bronco Comet because of the tracks , even bought the " workable " ones

for it . They were little different to the kit tracks , I wont fall for that one again ! . Bring back the old one piece jobs , carefully painted / muddied there`s

nothing wrong with them .

                                          Don .

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20 minutes ago, Don149 said:

Rodders , if you`re rubbish at these tracks , so am I ! . Early this year I scrapped a Bronco Comet because of the tracks , even bought the " workable " ones

for it . They were little different to the kit tracks , I wont fall for that one again ! . Bring back the old one piece jobs , carefully painted / muddied there`s

nothing wrong with them .

                                          Don .

Thanks I thought it was just me. 

I will try ozzys idea but don't hold out much hope 

Rodders 

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No you're not rubbish.  Like the rest of us you're just stumped by bad kit design and engineering from new manufacturers who don't know any better and older ones who should know better..........  I like the Trumpeter - and others' - approach of "link and length", leaving you just with individual links to fit around sprockets and idlers.  I suspect it won't be long before someone uses slide moulding to even produce these too.

 

So, fantasy is fine.  But what about the today problem?  My Meng Tortoise (and everyone else's!) had links held together only by adhesive: no mechanical connection.  So, very much like your KT tracks.  Yes, PITA.  Why on earth would anyone make them like that??

 

I wanted to keep them off the vehicle for painting and I decided the only way this would work would be to make the track in several sections per side: 3, as it turned out.  A top run including half the sprocket links, a lower run including the bottom half of the sprocket links and an idler piece.  See top photo.  There will need to be a section join at the front of the sprocket or the assembled section will never fit onto the sprocket teeth.  But if you look at the lower photo you'll see the need for care.  The left one fits and the right one slightly doesn't.

 

These were assembled with non-quick-setting adhesive and fitted to the sprockets and idlers.  But you need to start at the middle of the sprocket and work along the bottom run to get the link spacing correct for the idler end, working 4 or 5 links at a time.  Leave the adhesive to partly set so that the links stay together but can still be flexed: you'll get to know how long with your glue an the kit plastic after a couple of goes.  With the KT you have a sagging top run to worry about, but it gives you the opportunity to adjust the sag to make sure you don't end up with a gap.

 

The tape idea is a good one, but I would use masking tape.  You can get link building jigs to keep them straight - Trumpeter have just released one - but they don't help with shaping.

 

5lU4w5V.jpg

 

07VmNoT.jpg

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On 17/08/2018 at 08:00, Das Abteilung said:

No you're not rubbish.  Like the rest of us you're just stumped by bad kit design and engineering from new manufacturers who don't know any better and older ones who should know better..........  I like the Trumpeter - and others' - approach of "link and length", leaving you just with individual links to fit around sprockets and idlers.  I suspect it won't be long before someone uses slide moulding to even produce these too.

 

So, fantasy is fine.  But what about the today problem?  My Meng Tortoise (and everyone else's!) had links held together only by adhesive: no mechanical connection.  So, very much like your KT tracks.  Yes, PITA.  Why on earth would anyone make them like that??

 

I wanted to keep them off the vehicle for painting and I decided the only way this would work would be to make the track in several sections per side: 3, as it turned out.  A top run including half the sprocket links, a lower run including the bottom half of the sprocket links and an idler piece.  See top photo.  There will need to be a section join at the front of the sprocket or the assembled section will never fit onto the sprocket teeth.  But if you look at the lower photo you'll see the need for care.  The left one fits and the right one slightly doesn't.

 

These were assembled with non-quick-setting adhesive and fitted to the sprockets and idlers.  But you need to start at the middle of the sprocket and work along the bottom run to get the link spacing correct for the idler end, working 4 or 5 links at a time.  Leave the adhesive to partly set so that the links stay together but can still be flexed: you'll get to know how long with your glue an the kit plastic after a couple of goes.  With the KT you have a sagging top run to worry about, but it gives you the opportunity to adjust the sag to make sure you don't end up with a gap.

 

The tape idea is a good one, but I would use masking tape.  You can get link building jigs to keep them straight - Trumpeter have just released one - but they don't help with shaping.

 

 

 

 

Superb job mate and I have started working on the tape method but as you suggest I am using masking tape. Took 2 hours to get about 20 links to make a run.  Unfortunately the painting is going to be compromised but that's life. 

 

It may yet end up in the bin

 

Rodders 

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Having built a fair few sets of tracks over the years I find the best approach is to set yourself a number your happy with...……….mine is 15...…...I glue groups of 15 together, then join them to the previous 15, and so the track progresses, when it comes to the idlers, or where the track goes around the sprockets, this is where my system changes, having served on tanks for a number of years I got the chance(or chore) to track bash or remove real links, knocking track pins out with sledge hammers...………..I find it impossible to make links appear naturally and sit properly as they go around  idlers, my solution is to do away with gluing them one link at a time, so, I follow what the real thing does and also A/M track manufacturers, I individually drill out the track pin and replace it with an appropriate width of brass wire, it may sound hard work, but remember, there may only be 15 links going around(each) sprocket...………..looks a lot better.  It plays havoc on the tips of your fingers and thumbs, but well worth the sacrifice...….I think I use a 5mm drill and drill from both ends, its dead easy when drilling to go off centre and the last couple of milimeter your drill appears well away from where the other end of the track pin should appear.  White metal tracks your advised to ream out the holes in the track as their maybe clogged holes, so, why not do it with plastic tracks.

I build my tracks placed against the edge of a steel rule, just to keep them straight...……..no tape, just number 1 eyeball and placing the tank ontop of the track - as the track grows, just to get an idea as to where the links start to lift off the ground to go around the idler...

 

……...when worn tracks(real ones) are returned to base workshops, they where joined together, about 6-7 links and rolled into a circular track with 2 track pins, one either side, allowing 2-3 men to pick up the links between them and load them onto a vehicle...…...that's possibly changed now and they now use a fork lift...………..

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At least I managed to build the Tami Archer , Which as you will know comprises long length sections for top and bottom runs with single shoes

around the sprockets and idlers . The only thing was they had to be hand painted/muckied afterwards , that model restored a little faith .

( still prefer the one piece jobs ) .

                                                    Don .

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For me, steel rule straight edge x2 and Tamiya Extra Thin brush-on liquid cement or equivalent are my friends when it comes to putting together any kind of hard plastic individual link track. rayprit offered some excellent "how to" suggestions in his post. 

 

Even so, temperament counts. They definitely fall into one of those love 'em or loath 'em prejudices in modelling. I love them (e.g. Dragon Magic Track), much preferred over continuous run, although I can appreciate the love for the latter when they are half-decent like Dragon's DS.  But then I also don't mind tasks requiring repetition, time and persistance. e.g. learning to play guitar.

 

Are you rubbish at modelling individual link tracks? I don't think so. You just don't enjoy it and get frustrated with them. And that's OK.

 

I think that for most modellers, link and length are possibly the middle ground compromise. I don't mind those either, so long as they have sag moulded in the top horizontal runs if and where applicable. They are definitely becoming the default inclusion in most contemporary new mould kits where soft continuous run aren't. Even Dragon has abandoned individual link Magic Track inclusion now in favour of their flexible continuous run DS.

 

Continuous run. Not a lover of. But I don't hate them either, so long as they are quality. Certainly the 'a lot quicker' option. Best of them I've use personally are Dragons DS. I haven't tried Tamiya's latest implementation of flexible continuous run, although coming from Tamiya in 2018, I would expect them to be light years ahead their predecessors and as good as Dragons DS? IME Trumpeter frequently include link and length and continuous run, although the latter in the couple of kits of theirs I have, KV-1 & KV-2, are still primitive 70's Tamiya/90's Zvezda style.

 

 

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Hi ,finishing the Zvezda King Tiger ,which is a re boxing of this Dragon kit ( i think ),i found if you file slightly the sticky out bits they are easier to fit together .

I found that making groups of 4 and waiting until they are set ,and then making two long lengths ,one for the top and one for the bottom helps .

Then you can concentrate on the lengths of tracks that go round the idler and drive wheels .

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I DID IT I GOT THEM TO WORK

Thanks to eveyone who suggested how to do it I have managed to get them to fit around the wheels I am so pleased they even fit togeather after a fashon.  I will use plenty of mud to disguise my workmanship but once again Britmodeller chums came up trumps

 

l5.jpg

 

l6.jpg

 

l7.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Rodders154 said:

I DID IT I GOT THEM TO WORK

Thanks to eveyone who suggested how to do it I have managed to get them to fit around the wheels I am so pleased they even fot togeather after a fashon.  I will use plenty of mud to disguise my workmanship but once again Britmodeller chums came up trumps

 

l5.jpg

 

l6.jpg

 

l7.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the feedback Rodders, great to see your skills improving, keep it up, its looking good

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Agreeing with everything else that's been said, and congratulating you on sticking with it (forgive the pun) and getting your tracks fitted, I'd just like to add that having a tank with side skirts is a huge bonus! You can then forget about the top run!

 

Rearguards,

Badder.

 

PS, following with interest as I have the Tamiya KT in the stash and intend to get after-market tracks for it.

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4 hours ago, Badder said:

Agreeing with everything else that's been said, and congratulating you on sticking with it (forgive the pun) and getting your tracks fitted, I'd just like to add that having a tank with side skirts is a huge bonus! You can then forget about the top run!

 

Rearguards,

Badder.

 

PS, following with interest as I have the Tamiya KT in the stash and intend to get after-market tracks for it.

I agree Badder about leaving off the top track if your fitted with side skirts/Bazooka plates and besides, with our regimental tanks, it was common practice to run with skirts missing, instead of three skirts, run with two or even one, so I need a top track, the insides of those skirts used to fill up with mud quiet quickly making track maintenance virtually impossible...…….I have never left track off, thought about it, but what sticks at the back of my mind is when finished your going to have a lot of track left over and it annoyed me having to throw all those tracks away,(Some track sets can cost in excess of £30 plus) I built them just for peace of mind and also I would know its not a complete track...……...plus I think having served on tanks for a number of years I could not build a tank half dressed, just call me sentimental  :)

 

Your suggestion also reminds me of building the Airfix Shackleton relating to leaving parts off?  You have the option to build all the interior, paint it, super detail it, then close up both parts, never to see the insides again(I left mine out) 

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Just to add to your woes, the fella building the 1/16 Jagdtiger on the WIP forum reckons that the inner guide horns were slightly shorter than the outer ones because of the shape of the inner side of the sprocket.  I'll have a chance to measure some in a few days, then we'll know.

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  • 2 months later...
On 8/24/2018 at 4:53 PM, TallBlondJohn said:

Proper job. Especially considering your vertical workbench which must be very space-saving.

You beat me to it! I was going to say the tracks also have great traction now!😆

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