Quick question for anyone with a set of workable tracks…is the wire that’s included for pinning the links made of steel or brass?
Thanks!
Jeff Herne
maybe you can try a magnet on it.
By the way, I learned a neat way to make those links stronger- use straight pins instead of the wire. Insert, snip and glue. That’s what I am using on my Tiger.
I use dress making pins and snip them after there finished
You can pick a ton at Wal-mart for cheap. It is in the fabric section
Ugh, let me re-phrase the question… 
I’m editing an article for an upcoming issue here at FSM. The article explains how to do the tracks, but mentions that you must cut the wire provided in the Frui tracks. Now…my logic is thus…if the wire is made from brass, then any old cutters will do, since its a soft metal…if it’s stainless or steel, then using your trusty Xuron cutters will ruin them, something I really don’t want to be responsible for…
So…can anyone tell me what the wire is made of? I’d use a magnet if I had set here in the office.
Thanks,
Jeff Herne
Associate Editor, Finescale Modeler
jherne@finescale.com
Oops- too helpful, huh?? Unfortunately I ditched my wire because I heard that it doesn’t do a great job of supporting the weight of the track. I went to hometown-hobbies.com where they have a “how to” article, but they used plastic rod.
I don’t think it’s brass as the wire doesn’t even have a hint of the yellow/gold tinge of brass, so I’m guessing it’s steel… probably not unlike guitar string wire… but that’s just my guess.
p.s. I ditch the wire and use straight pins… works great!
Thanks Scott…I’m actually not using them, it’s already been done, I’m just fact checking here!!
Regards,
Jeff Herne
LOL
Poor Jeff!!! I feel sorry for you because use the forum to show the best and easy way to do things to each other and when you need it for just facts… hmmm…
the wire I have on my desk, and I’m sorry I’m not certain which kit it came from is silver, so not brass, but non-magnetic so I’d guess aluminum. It is soft… but I wouldn’t use xuron cutters on in it 180 plus times just to build tracks IMO
I just found the fruilmodel description on the following site that calls it a “light steel wire”
http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/fruilsoviettrackreviewcs_1.htm
I’d say they got their info from the manufacturer, at least it reads like it
Staright pins.
Test the size some are thicker and are a real bear to get in. I have found some small thin pins at a fabric store, they have long ones, short ones, thick ones, thin ones, colored beads on the end.
YES!!! Some are very hard STEEL and those side cutters for platics and PE will be shot after a few pins. Check to see how tough the pin is before you wreck your cutters. One solution I have used for this is to check the length of the pinand see how much you wull need to cut off from it and have it flush on the one end and fully seated in the other. Mark that on a pin and push in a pin far enough to secure the tracks together, clip off the head and then use apunch/dift to seat the pin the rest of the way. This way you can use heavier cutters and save your good ones.
SAFETY FIRST! [8D] WEAR GOGGLES! COVER YOUR ARMS, LEGS, CHEST,ANY EXPOSED BODY AREA THAT COULD GET CUT, AND [:p] I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THOSE FACES AND THEY SHOULD ALREADY HAVE BAGS OVER THEM EVEN IN YOU OWN HOMES. [:I]How did some of us ever get married let a lone have children is beyond me LOL!
THOSE CLIPPED HEADS CAN HIT HARD AND ARE SHARP. KEEP AWAY FROM OTHERS WHEN YOU ARE CLIPPING THE HEADS, THEY ARE STILL SHARP AND CAN FLY PRETTY FAR. [:o)] Just remember Tim “The Toolman” Taylor. I grab the pin at the correct spot and put the whole thing inside a paper bag , CLIP and the bag catches the head, safe and no clean up.
[}:)]NOT THAT I WOULD TELL YOU ANY WAY OTHER THAT THE MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDED TECHNIQUE.
Thank you!! You answered my question!
Jeff
Jeff I went and bought a small pair of wire cutters at the hardware store that work fine. They are 4 to 5 inches long. I found that regular staples work great instead of the wire that is provided. I unbend one side and use the bent side to push into the track pin holes. I then pull it back out about .5 mm and cut the bent end off and push the remaining back into the hole. Works great. It fits snug enough not to back out. No need for any glue.The cut staple is the same size as the molded pin on the other side of the track. The staple is really tough and can handle a lot of strain with out giving up. A box of staples will last a lifetime.
Jeff. The wire included with the Friul tracks is a ferous or magnetic material, it is of a very light weight grade, and though it can be cut with sprue pliers, I’d recommend the purchase of a small pair of diagonal pliers for cutting the wire, as mentioned here earlier. It’s good that FSM is going to publish an article on the friul tracks, in most cases they do not come with directions, and could be intimidating for an inexperienced modeller. The use of straight pins, which many of us use, would be a good side note that could be briefly mentioned. Look forward to seeing the article. Semper Fi, mike
Thanks again guys!
Although the article itself deals with a complete build, the author does spend some time on the tracks.
Maybe I’ll start to look at doing an article just on individual links! Thanks for the tip!
Jeff Herne
It ( the wire) is softer metal than stainless steel ,(perhaps even aluminum) and I use it exclusively on my fruil tracks , it cuts nicely with my testors side cutters and have had no problems with chipping the blades of them .
I have done many sets with the same cutters and still I can use them .
I don’t like the idea of using pins as the tracks do not look the same after to me , the pins are just a bit too thick . I have a walkthrough I did for LEM as well as the maquette garden website on using the supplied wire .
Here is the link to maquette http://perso.wanadoo.fr/maquette.garden/trucs/Friul%20tracks/friul.htm
When done you can beat a dog with these things , they are very durable .
I dunno Jason you really need to stop hanging out in the fabric section, Well if you do, stop advertising it[:D]
It’s OK though Jason even spiderman has issues LOL!
I have a question about mounting the tracks after I am done. Do they get put on the tank and then connected together? Or do you wait and put the drive sprocket & idler on with the track? I know that this will never stretch like the vinyl ones d,o to just pop over the roadwheels, drive sprocket and idler.
No,… you assemble them close to the length of the kit track ,( don’t glue the last few links for this reason ) and test fit them .
Adjust the sag according to your ref. pics .
These are a bit out of scale, ( not much) compared to Model Kasten , but are way more durable .
When you have the correct sag on the wheels , simply put the final pin in and glue it
I paint/weather mine prior to this as well as the Tank , this is almost the last step on most tanks I do .