SoftScience Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 My Hobbyboss M26A1 arrived today. For a discussion of parts breakdown I direct you over to Plastix's Pershing Pilot thread. This kit is identical save for a different barrel and no single link tracks. And woe! For the rubber tracks are from that garbage dark vinyl that used to come with Trumpeter tanks from two decades ago. They look nice enough but they cannot be cemented. They're also not equipped to be secured with a hot screwdriver like the old Tamiya tracks. An inauspicious start, to be sure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Hi SoftScience. Great to see you here. I thoroughly enjoyed your Panzer IV STGB project. I will be interested to see your version of the HobbyBoss kit in progress. What a shame about the tracks though - my purchase of the kit I got was partly based on the fact it had the track links. I've got sixty of the first set together and, so far.....they seem to go together really well and stay together when being handled. Hopefully the remaining links go together in the same way. Hope you manage to get your bands to work okay. Can I please ask if you are going to make up and show off the engine compartment? It seems reasonable well detailed and a few extra bits of wire/cables seem to bring it to life. As long as I can paint and weather it okay then I think I will leave the hatches open on mine. I have found some figures in the stash I might be able to use if I get time that includes some engineers. I may be able to have them working on the engine deck. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 Hi Styx, I haven't really considered what I'll do with the engine yet. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to see one in the box. I'm currently trying to drum up some enthusiasm for this project within myself. My modeling mojo has been wavering the last few days, and seeing the crappy tracks has left me feeling deflated. I'll get there, but I may need to take a few days break from all things modeling (incl. forum posts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 hello Soft Science glad to see you here, will be looking forward to seeing your work progress on your M26. if i or the other host can help please ask. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: . if i or the other host can help please ask. Dennis Yeah, tell me what kind of adhesive works on these awful tracks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 8 hours ago, SoftScience said: Yeah, tell me what kind of adhesive works on these awful tracks! Yeah - not surprised you are fed up with them. Not sure this proves anything with your actual tracks but - I cut the end runners off the ones included in my kit and used Loctite Precision Super Glue on three pieces. It's not had more than a few minutes to set in the photo but I have tried pulling them apart gently and they seem to be holding together okay. There is a white bloom where the glue is but that can be covered with paint and mud? I assume yours will have a similar pin and hole arrangement at the ends of each track length so that should increase the contact surface area. I haven’t got any handy but two part Epoxy might work too. Never tried any on tracks but just a thought. Hope that is of some use. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/3/2019 at 11:07 PM, SoftScience said: They look nice enough but they cannot be cemented. They're also not equipped to be secured with a hot screwdriver like the old Tamiya tracks. Sorry for catching this late. i wonder if you could drill some small holes and pin them somehow ? That or maybe tie them together with a fine thread, or possible staple them together ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 6 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Sorry for catching this late. i wonder if you could drill some small holes and pin them somehow ? That or maybe tie them together with a fine thread, or possible staple them together ? That all sounds like a messy pain in the butt. And there would still be that horrible seem down the sides to contend with. I see that AFV Club and Bronco both have the late type T80E1 tracks available, so I'll just poney up the money and get one of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 I'm building the Bronco T80E1 tracks at the moment for my build & I can only recommend them if you are extremely patient. The set consists of 1124 parts & after nearly a week I'm only about half way though cleaning them up. I'm starting to regret not buying Friul tracks instead, which while twice the price they would have only taken a few hours to put together. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Mig Eater said: I'm building the Bronco T80E1 tracks at the moment Pure purgatory, maybe try self flagellation next😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 6 hours ago, Hewy said: Pure purgatory, maybe try self flagellation next😁 Whoa guys this is model building not penance for a lifelong sin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 13, 2019 Author Share Posted April 13, 2019 Finally getting started. I'm working from the top down. The basic parts didn't fit too well. The Barrell took a good deal of reshaping. Nothing hard, just tedious. The bottom and top halves of the turret have a seem that needed puttying. Once this gets cleaned up I can add the fine turret details. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Good to see the turret together. I assembled mine this past week. It sounds like there were more issues with yours and your barrel. Mine seemed to go together reasonably well. Very little filler. Hopefully the rest of your kit fits better. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 Sorry about not posting on this for a while. To be honest, it's mostly because I'm trying to finish up two other models I have on the go, before I sink my teeth into this one. But I need to get moving if I want to finishing up before the deadline, especially since I'll be gone for most of June. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Of course it would be nice to see it finished. However the build to me is more about the fun than completion. Id be more satisfied as a host to see you have fun, rather than if you force it just to finish. Dennis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmodai Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Of course it would be nice to see it finished. However the build to me is more about the fun than completion. Id be more satisfied as a host to see you have fun, rather than if you force it just to finish. Dennis Solid advice in general. Too often the fun gets left behind when one starts to take their hobby a little too seriously... And depending on your build SoftScience, there is always track stapling to get them together, and you may be able to hide the joins behind sandshields or weathering. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 Finally some movement! I retextured the turret and began adding some detail. Thr HB instructions are a bit goofy. They tell you to open holes already opened but miss others that require opening (e.g., the two tab things on the rear edges of the turret). So check and double check is the name of the game. The loader's hatch has some decent interior surface details, so I'm posing it open. The commander's hatch will need some periscope details in order to pose open. I should have something somewhere. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Hi. Great to see there's been more progress. Like you, I ended up looking for some periscopes so I could have a couple of hatches - luckily there were some spares in my previous Sherman build. Hope you manage to find some suitable ones. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 11, 2019 Author Share Posted May 11, 2019 I'm still puttering along. Not shown are all three wheels that have been assembled and cleaned up. Things may start getting a bit more fun now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 12, 2019 Author Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) @PlaStix When you added your suspension arms, what position did you set your shocks? This goofy semi functional suspension has me wondering. Edited May 12, 2019 by SoftScience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) Hi @SoftScience. Great to see your progress but I'm afraid I'm not going to be any help with regards the suspension arms. You are right there doesn’t seem to be any hint in the instructions as to the correct ride height. Luckily for me the front end of my Pershing was heavy due to the additional frontal armour which resulted in the front of the tank sitting lower than the rear. I ended up taping several pieces of mounting board under the rear part of the hull to enable me to get the angle - then I glued the arms in place so that the lowest part of each arm rested on the cutting matt while the glue set: I think the best way for you may be to tape something under the hull to enable that pin on the suspension arms to sit centrally in the cutouts next to the hole for the torsion bars - if you know what I mean? So the suspension arms are at the mid-point. Kind regards, Stix Edited May 12, 2019 by PlaStix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 12, 2019 Author Share Posted May 12, 2019 Thanks, Stix, I ended up doing things a bit different before you posted your response. The key seems to be, (and excuse my terminology as I don't know what these things are really called) 1. glue rocker arms/axles (parts A12 and A14) to the torsion bars (parts A2) and let dry. 2. Slightly sand down male part of the shock absorber things (part A15) so it slides better in the female half (part A17) 3. Clip (DON'T GLUE) the tip of part A15 to the rocker arms/axles 4. Slide (DON'T GLUE) parts A17 onto A15. 5. Now carefully slide (DON'T GLUE) the assembly onto the hull side. 6. Glue the end of the torsion bar to it's receptacle in the opposite sides of the inner hull wall 7. Glue the hull mounted sides of part A17 to the hull sides. 8. Set everything to Max extent as the weight of the model will compress the things down and give things a springy sit) and let dry. The torsion bars should give your axle arms so spring, and the unglue halves of the shocks will allow them to move up and down , sort of This results in largly functional suspension. Here is one half done 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 Glad you got it sorted! It did seem quite complicated! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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