Because of some “hot deals”, a serious need to build a PKW 38(t) and serious peer pressure on the part of the elitist armor community, I’m now proud owner of three Dragon kits that feature Magic Track. I knew I was getting myself in for a lot of little parts - but after doing two straight 700 scale battleships, nothing is going to look really small. However, I wasn’t real happy with the very cursory directions on how to make, and above all, how to install Magic Track. (In the instructions for the P38t the tracks are not there in one diagram, and they are in the next: that’s it for installation. No words of course.) So I looked around here and other resources (including a very helpful video on YouTube from a Canadian guy running a channel called Planetarmor) that covered the subject. Lessons I drew were to line the things up on a ruler or something straight, glue the pieces individually (YouTube guy pumps for Testors over Tamiya cement because it dries slower) and do it in segments. And do the segments covering the drive sprocket last.
Then I look at the directions for a Brummbar (a nasty and ugly self propelled howitzer) that I was going to do first because it has optional side skirts (in metal no less) and thus if need be could hide a botch on the top. But this kit, if I understand the icons (again, no words), calls for the use of super glue. I’m not a great fan of super glue under most circumstances (sometimes is a life saver I’ll grant). More to the point, using CA, it seems to me, calls into question all of the stuff described above. The whole sectional approach presupposes that the last bits that will cover the front and rear of the wheel assembly and fit into the sprockets have to retain some give. Can’t see superglue doing that. I could see using CA to connect the very last tracks once you were sure that they were going to fit right - but using it for everything sounds bad.
[dto:] Superglue will not bond plastic parts together better than plastic glue. Superglue should be only used when you apply wood, metal or non-plastic parts onto plastic. Just use plastic liquid cement… if you can do a search here, you will find plenty of help especially Doog’s instructions.
Definitely stay away from using Super Glue on indy styrene links. Super glue doesn’t have the necessary shear strength to stand up to the inevitable rough handling that will be involved in painting, weathering, and installing the runs once you’ve installed them. The method you’ve picked up from YouTube is the better route by far…only difference in my method when I work with indys is to use regular glue vs. liquid glue but that’s just a personal preference as it extends the work time a bit more in my experience. HTH!
I find Testors plastic cement (liquid) works best for me. After making the desired length I need I just brush the glue on, wait about 3-4 minutes and then shape by bending the track into place. I always start with the sprocket first or I should say, I make a long run of track and then shape my sprocket in the middle of the run. The track sould be snug arond the sprocket that is why I do this first. I then make a run to for the bottom leaving enough extra to wrap around the idler wheel which should also be a snug fit… I then finish of on the top run of the track. I do this last so that if my last link did not line up just right in order to connect the tracks, I am able to add more links and do away with the extra by making track sag. Just have something to stick in between the tank hull and tracks until the glue drys. I never had any real trouble with the magic tracks.
Use Testors stuff like Panzerwaffe has shown in his picture or my personal favourite, Tamiya extra thin cement.
You will still need the tracks to be relatively moveabe for a while while you get the sag sorted and this extra thin stuff is ideal - slow setting and workable.
If you were building a Panzer I for examle you would want sag between the the upper rollers. I know that most of my MAFVA buddies who build Dragon kits use those industrial foam squashy earplugs to put between the rollers and leave them to sit on the build overnight. When the plugs are removed they get some superb looking tracks. They also assemble the tracks in a bottom run that goes under the road wheels and halfway up the drive sprocket and rear idler.They put anything to hand under the front and rear ends to hold them in the correct places to allow them to sit on the bottome half of the drive sprocket and idler wheel and they do what I’ve already said re the top run.
When fully set the two halves can be removed and painted/weathered properly, then fitted back on & the ends joined.
Personally I like my Friuls so avoid Magic Tracks and any other Link & Length tracks. There’s nothing wrong with these tracks but if you can afford them then Friuls take some beating!
Dry fit the track teeth on the drive sprocket before starting. This will be the most troublesome area in the track loop, if the teeth have fit issues dry then modify the track links, sprocket teeth or both. In extreme cases some cut off the drive sprocket teeth where the track sits, the tooth ends can be added after or hid in weathering.
Nothing looks like tracks more so than tracks. Friulsare scale tank track. If price & time are no issue then buy a set when plastic links simply will not do.
I don’t know abt the armour track thing involved super glue in this context but super glue really helps out in many of my model kits especially a small surface but heavy loaded area connected to another part, super glue works wonder for plastic or any other thing.
I give an example. A 1/48 F-15E strike eagle one main wing weapon pylon loaded with one AIM-120, one sidewinder plus 6 cluster bombs and with all yr paint apply on those load. Seriously do you think Tamiya cement can do the job of holding the pylon on the wings???
If you still all not sure what I am talking abt, take a look at the FINESCALE MODELER F-15E of the forum heading. I am quite shock somebody dismiss the benefit of supeglue completely… Yes, it may not apply in all modelling context but when comes to small area, great holding strength. Super glue is my number one choice.
The issue isn’t necessarily the strength of CA glues. The major problem is that most CA glues tend to set up almost immediately. The preferred manner of assembling most indy link tracks requires the glue used to be able to hold the track links together but remain flexible enough to be able to form the tracks to the necessary shape (ie around sprovkets, idlers and to add sag if required) before the glue fully hardens…This is not possible with a fast-setting CA.
While it is possible to use slow-setting CA’s, it’s not ideal. It’s fiddly and messy and the “workable” window is smaller.
On the CA front, I had one of the really ugly experiences I’ve had modeling. I’m pretty impressed with Zap’s products, although I wish I could figure out a way to keep their thick CA from freezing up the dam tube. Zap medium is my usual go-to. (And yea, there are times when nothing else will do: I’ve even made my wife shot some kicker while I was holding a broken ship mast in place.) Anyhow, for reasons that I cannot recall I got my hands on some Zap Thin CA and decided to try to glue a piece from the inside. This stuff is every bit as thin as Tamiya cement or Weld-On 3. I gave it just a dribble but the dribble made it through the whole and managed to nail three fingers. Hurt like the devil and naturally glued my fingers together. I’m not sure I’ll ever use it again. If I really disliked someone I might give it to them.
Thankee for the wise words concerning Magic Trak. I’m actually looking forward to it. There’s something about repititve tasks that induces a feeling of calm. Probably would be a good thing to do in the lotus position. (I’d need a mantra of some kind for maximum impact: that’s worth a though.) If they don’t fit, of course, I’ll be singing a different tune. As for add-on parts, I’d think it a fine idea when my skills are up to it. I saw a review of a 48 scale Tamiya fighter (Corsair I think) and the guy described it as a “mindless shake and bake” kit because everything fit so well. Can’t say that I’ve come close to building a kit that I considered boring because there was nothing to screw-up. If I ever do, I’ll start buying resin radio antennas or PE altimeters. Or better yet I’ll convert a Texan into a Zero. The after market stuff appears expensive, but my guess is that it actually saves good modelers money. If one went berzerk trying to replicate the last King Tiger to fire a round on the Oder in all of its splendor, it would probably take more time than building three kits OOB. And I know the mentality. Fishing’s a vice of mine, and I know gents that think they’re slumming it if they use a wet fly. They’d want metal tracks.
