Does anyone have any good hints on how to glue tank tracks together correctly? I’m building a 1/72 tiger and need a little help.[banghead]
Thanks![:)]
The model I’m building is the Revell 1/72 scale Tiger I Ausf.E.
The tracks are the plastic type not the nice vinyl type like Tamiya has.[:I]
If they are plastic individual or lengths of track, best is liquid glue. Squeeze track pieces together than hit the seam with liquid glue. Works great. If they are one-piece vinyl track, super glue works best for me.
there are a couple of replies in your post at the techhniques forum.
I have had disasters using superglue on vinyl. Maybe it’s just Italerie kits, but the two times I have done it, the tracks have broken up thereby causing me to go out and find replacement pieces. My latest attempt with Italerie will be to melt them according to instructions and see how that works. I only build 35th , and I generally like the individual link even if they are an aftermarket. Am totally unfamiliar as to what is available for snail scale. You can try stapling vinyl, a process I find that works rather well, and holds up without showing if you do it right
This reply also appears in the techniques forum, but I will repeat it here as there seems to be a better response.
What a coincidence, I also started a Revell 1/72 Tiger on Friday night. Last night I started the “tracks”, what a nightmare. I had already painted them and painted and weathered the wheels, so that made it even worse.
DO NOT ATTACH THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO THE HULL BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS.
The only way I could get them on was to start with the long top piece and superglue it to the top spiggot on the drive wheel.(don`t fix the other end) Then, worked my way around the drive wheel piece by piece, fixing with superglue until I got to the bottom. This takes a while as the glue must be set before attempting the next piece.(I worked on both sets of wheels, fixing one while the other one set) Next was the 4 tread piece, I made a slight bend at each joint carefully with pliers to give it a bit of shape and glued it to the last link. When this joint was firmly set I gently formed the section around the first road wheel and fixed it. I then attached the bottom long piece glued directly to the wheels. I gave up at this point as it was about 5.30 AM and my night shift finishes at 7. Also, when these pieces were attached, I applied superglue from the back to anywhere that the track touched a wheel. I will continue tonight around the rear wheel and then attempt to get some sag into the top of the track. Hopefully the ends will meet up, if not there are some spare sections that should go on the turret that I will use.
Hope this helps and if anyone else finds a better way, please let us know.
I was using this Tiger as a practice run for the 1 day GB, but I now I will be getting a tiger with vinyl tracks for that one.
Since posting this, I have managed to add a sag to the top long section by carefully bending the piece with pliers and glued it to the wheels. Just have to get the bits around the rear wheel now and get it to link up.
Here is a photo of my completed tracks. Don`t look too bad, but a real pain to do. I will apply some weathering and wear to hide mistakes.
Definately vinyl next time!
Just a booster for this thread.
Either no one has had a problem with these tracks or no one can offer advice. With the 1 day GB approaching, I would have thought that there may have been a bit more interest in this topic.
Hoping for replies
Daveash