Individual Track Links

hello and welcome to the forums. it kinda depends on the manufacturer , some you have to glue together , some you have to drill and put wires/pins in the holes. what kind tracks are you having a problem with?

What kind of tracks are they ? ... Plastic stock ? metal ? resin ? get back to me and I will try to help !

Welcome to FSM allisonsarah. Good to have you join us here in the Armour Forum.

To add to the questions the others have all ready thrown back at you ... what will they be going onto. There's a big difference between Tiger tracks and Sherman tracks, even though they may be both indy tracks.

I agree with that sherman .... tanks from the U.S.A. usually have tracks so tight you have to wonder how they last. Wheras german armour is much looser like a tractor ... then there is russian ... where you have to wonder how they even stay on while driving !

Ha ha... shermanfreak couldn't chime in without givin a "sherman" as an example...
Allisonsarah... yep be more specific please... oh yeah.. and welcome to our world!

PS Shermanfreak... I still haven't forgotten about those tracks.. bear with me..

Welcome allisonsarah! I'll watch this thread if I ever run into indy tracks myself!

My problem is with Dragons Elephant plastic links. Can’t keep em streight and how do I wrap them around without falling apart?

Welcome allisonsarah. I have the kit, but have not started it yet. I have heard that the tracks are inaccurate. Most people use a jerry rigged jig to align them straight. For keeping them together I use a slower curring glue and make a set of tracks. After they harden a bit, I shape them around the drive sprocket and glue them down. Then make a long run of them and attach them from the sprocket towards the idler. Now the Elefant will have some sag just after the sprocket. Continue around the idler and towards the sprocket. Good luck, hope I didn't confuse you.

QUOTE: Originally posted by allisonsarah My problem is with Dragons Elephant plastic links. Can’t keep em streight and how do I wrap them around without falling apart?

I line them up on a piece of wide masking tape using a 6" steel ruler to keep them straight.

Once I've got the length I want, I put a drop of glue at the connection points. If the run of track sections is going to curve around the sprocket or idler, I curl the tape with tracks still on around that piece. For a top run that will sag, I stick a paint brush or pencil under the tape so the tracks will dry in the proper wavy position.

I usually make four runs, one for the bottom, one for the top and one each for the wrap around the sprocket and idler.

allisonsarah hi!
welcome to the forums!
my initial advice would have been to take your kit and tracks into a sound-proofed room and prepare to start swearing...a lot!![:0]
they are a huge pain in the behind , BUT you can get a much more realistic effect with them...if you want to steer clear of them, buy a tamiya kit (i'd say); dragon models all have them that i've seen....err, preparing to be corrected no doubt!!
Rob Gronovius thanks for the advice re the tape...never would have thought of that...i'll give it a go for the sherman group build (not looking forward to those tracks at all .
anyway, hope you get your tracks sorted alisonsarah....
regards,
nick

Welcome to the FSM forums allisonsarah. The information Rob Gronovius has given is very good, it should help straighten out your tracks. Good luck on your model. Posting some pictures of your model would be great.
mark956

QUOTE: Originally posted by Rob Gronovius I line them up on a piece of wide masking tape using a 6" steel ruler to keep them straight. I usually make four runs, one for the bottom, one for the top and one each for the wrap around the sprocket and idler.

I too have to say thanks for the info. I have an Academy FISTV. When I had complained about constructing these treads, it had been suggested that I get a set of aftermarket treads, but I like the tape idea.

welcome to the forum sarah,i am rather new here myself ,,but the pple here are grt8 and very helpful,,,,,,,,keep up on the building

I did individual track links once before on one of Dragons Panzer IV. I learned how to do it from our very own FineScale Modeler. In the May 99 issue there was an artical by Joe Morgan called "Getting started with Individual-link tracks". I followed what he said and they came out fine.
In a nutshell he says to work on one side at a time, work in short runs using the tops of the road wheels as stepping stones, use liquid cement to join the links and use super glue to attach to the road wheels.

Thanks to all. I will try all the suggestions and try to be patient.
Allisonsarah

Welcome to the forum allisonsarah. I too was pondering on this subject since I have not encountered building indy tracks before. Thanks for the people here & for the Major on the quick refresher. Now I could start with my Dragon M1A1HA.