Has anyone seen or know of an article, preferably with pictures on how to install rubber band tracks? I keep having problems with joining them and being able to hold them in place until the glue sets.
Here’s what to do if you’re using the gluable Tamiya type–glue them together with a big old dollop of glue, and then let them set overnight while setting a weight upon the seam, so that it presses it together as it dries fast. Put them on in the morning by slipping either the idler or sprocket in one end, and the other on the remaining wheel/sprocket, and slip the wheel/sprocket in the end you’re holding on the hull and glue it on.
What I do is connect the tracks together. Cement them if it can be cemented and wait until it dries. I then remove the road wheels, the idlers and the drive sprockets from the tank. I then attach the sprockets to the tracks seeing to it that the track sits well into the teeth of the sprocket. I then attach the sprocket into the sprocket post with the track hanging loosely around all the wheels posts. I attach the remaining wheels first the idler and then one by one into their respective mounting posts seeing to it that the track teeth is between the outer and the inner road wheels. It works. By the way, if you do not want to turn the wheels and the tracks, see to it that the joint is on the upper part of the tank and not the side that touches the road so that it will not be seen.
If you trust your gluings then glue all the wheels and then attach the already glued track.
If you do not, then glue all the wheels except the last one (or first, whichever is easier yo install) Then attach the track to the rest of the wheel, put the last one INSIDE the track and then put it in place, gluing it with a cyanoacryllic glue (you know, the real fast ones!)
Hope it helps!
dumb question, but what are rubber band tracks?
If your kit only has two tracks in the box, that’s rubber band tracks! It’s modelers slang for the type of tracks that used to come with all tank kits.
Disastermaster
101
Disastermaster
I always thought the ‘rubber band’ tracks were the single piece loop made of a black rubbery material used mainly for the motorized kits and are not very detailed at all and cannot be painted.
Vinyl tracks are the two piece tracks you’ll find like in Tamiya and Academy kits and must be joined (glued or melt the pins) at the ends to make a loop and are slightly more detailed than the above version and depending on the brand, can be painted. [:D]
Of course, I’ve been around alot longer than most of you guys. [;)]
[#ditto] That’s what I learned too.
I can see the easy way to do it now and thank to all who took the time to respond so clearly.
You’re quite right about the single piece loop, but the term “rubberband” tracks is still used (incorrectly) by many “newbies” to indicate vinyl tracks.
DISASTERMASTER
If you can hide the join behind a side skirt,
or with a judiciously-positioned piece of mud,
it can be a good idea to reinforce it with a few stitches of sewing thread.
Cheers,
Chris.