Well, Im working on the DML stugIII G, and it came with individual “magic track” links, and its my first time using them, and I cant figure how to connect them!. Do they snap together somehow? or do you glue them? And if you glue them, how do you make sure you get the right shape, so they fit around the wheels and everything? Any help or ideas woulod be great!
I dont know for the Stug but I’ve built a couple of those on Tiger I and Panther actually. Looks scary before starting but goes together pretty easy once started.
Temporarily install all the wheels on the tank and use them as a jig to make sub-assemblies. Make the curved portions around the idler wheel and sprocket by snaping the links together and smear some Ultra thin liquid cement. With liquid cement, you have plenty of time to get the links around the sprocket to shape it and old it in that position. Just be carefull to drop cement only in the joint of the links, not on the flat surfaces to avoid glueing it onto the sprocket. (Tamiya Ultra Thin Cement is very handy for those links) Then you can make the two flat portions in between the idler and sprockets by snaping the links together again but on a flat surface and cement them. You should end up with small sub-assemblies that you can paint and weather before finally installing them on the tank at the end of your build.
I hope this is of some help.
Check this thread from a few days ago for more info.
Tank Treads
Hey, Yann great to see ya back. I was About to get the RCMP to put an APB on you.[:D]
Ian, a Touch and flow really helps with this. If you don’t have one. I’d advise to get one.
Don’t do this, they might find a few other disturbing details about my life they wouldn’t like.
I had a lot of trouble with my “super slow” dial-up internet connection lately and my digital camera is at the repair shop so I haven’t post a lot lately. Hopefully everything will be back to normal next week as I expect to get my camera back and I switch to High speed broadband internet connection. Wooohoooo.
See ya
Thanks guys, HeavyArty, the link was very helpful. So you can’tjust snap them together and set them up before glueing together eh? And could anyone tell me what a ‘touch and flow’ is?
Hey man, I just noticed you’re from Vermont…what town you in? Williston here. I haven’t seen anyone from VT around these boards so far - good to have ya around (and I apologize for changing the subject…now back to magic tracks…)
A touch and flow is a very thin glass tube with basically a needle point at the end. It is used to control the application of liquid cements. There are many threads on this tool in the forums. That is what steered me in the right direction to but one. Here in Toronto, Canada, I bought mine for $9.99. Should be cheaper in the States.
Thanks Supraman, and by the way to vtrockin, Im from colchester here, I guess it really is a small world!
The way I did my Magic Tracks for my DML Tiger-1 was I laid them out on a table snapped them togather,then I painted them a track color with my airbrush. After a little dry time I un snapped them and put them back togather with glue. After snapping them back togather with glue after paint, they will stay flexiable for about 15 to 20 minutes, Just like the Tamiya individual track links. Durning this time I just ran them around the road wheels press them in to the shape I wanted and I was done. Worked great for me! Thats the way I always do them never had a problem.
sigh…if only people would discover the search button.
Anyways, yeah, as Yann said, I temporarily put on the road wheels so I can use them as a jig. I’ll assemble the tracks into short runs of about 4-5 pieces (yes you have to glue them). I’ll assemble the sections into longer runs, and wait a few minutes. While the tracks are still pliable, but before the glue has cured, I’ll place them on the roadwheels and curve them around the driver sprocket and rear idler. I’ll usually make the tracks in two sections; one for the lower run and around drive sprocket and idler, and the second run for the top.
i take some low tack masking tape and fasten it sticky side up on the bench then i lay out my entire track in two lengths guide horn side up then useing testors liquid cement lighly glue them. after about 30 mins peel them off and apply around the wheels and let set up then remove and paint (although i differ from most here as i paint them on the vehicle)
evening all,darn near ten bells up here in the great northwest and shes headed for 15 below.time for some indoor action .my experience is very much the same as every one elses.but i found that an occasional check with a straight edge can save a body a tad bit of @%$*&^.if you know what i mean!have fun and stay warm.
Thanks guys, and biffa, masking tape sounds like a great idea! why didnt I think of that?
Hi Ian, if you’re still interested I wrote a long hint in a reply to “more tank track problems” posted by “djp” in “Armor”. I have a great method for making sag and easy assembly without having to use a lot of subassemblies. Check it out if you’re curious!