a good old fashioned butt-kickin'

mgh: I would be leery of the holding power of Lacquer thinner (as seems to be born out by your situation) while the theory of using lacquer thinner is sound, for small parts that are set in place and left alone afterwords. I think that a plastic cement would be better able to achieve your goal of a more permanent and lasting joint for larger and more complex joints; as well as less reaction to any paints formula. 

tigerman: Testors PINK?? not familiar with this one, any more info? or do your mean the clear parts cement?                                                                                                               

Carl:  Sautéed;   zat wot yer lookin' four?  yew ol' word mister-er

disastermaster: nice graphic - it's what I need to get me back to the bench--Thanks

No sawt, saut or sott needed.......  

          just use mud.

I think this is just a rant and no answer was being saught .........sawt ........saut ....sott .....................?

tigerman

I just make one long run and use the Testors pink bottle with the little brush and liberally brush them. After an hour they are setting pretty well and I take the run and shape them around the idler, sprocket and wheels. I leave one connection unglued so it will be easy to remove later. I then let them set for about 24 hours. I would recommend an extra link, because the tracks tend to tighten up a little.

That's interesting.  Is the pink bottle stuff slow to set?  I didn't think I could let the tracks set that long before they were set hard, but I am using lacquer thinner for glue, and it is pretty hot stuff.

So after they have set the 24 hours, there is enough flexibility in the plastic that you can pull them off around the sprockets and road wheels?

I just make one long run and use the Testors pink bottle with the little brush and liberally brush them. After an hour they are setting pretty well and I take the run and shape them around the idler, sprocket and wheels. I leave one connection unglued so it will be easy to remove later. I then let them set for about 24 hours. I would recommend an extra link, because the tracks tend to tighten up a little.

waynec

and this is why i do warwheels.

I'm with you there!  Have an Opel Blitz and a Command car to build.  Have a Trumpeter M1A1, but I think it has a choice of vinyl tracks

and this is why i do warwheels.

mgh

Yup.  I assembled them on a piece of tape, then when they began to set I pulled them off the tape and shaped them around the wheels.  When they were set firmly I pulled the sections off (that technique was recommended to me in another post).

That is basically the method I use, except I leave the tape on once around the wheels until they are fully dry.  Maybe you didn't use enough glue to make strong enough bonds between the links?

That is one reason I have become a fan of the  assemble and attach tracks first, paint in place second method. Before that I dreaded doing link and length or indy tracks with partial assembly and painting followed by more assembly and painting...

Yup.  I assembled them on a piece of tape, then when they began to set I pulled them off the tape and shaped them around the wheels.  When they were set firmly I pulled the sections off (that technique was recommended to me in another post).

Did you glue them together?  the DML tracks will not stay if you do not glue them.  They are not designed to be "workable".