A Different Approach to Burnishing/Blackening Friul links & Adding Spare Links for Protection?

Not sure about the blackeing Ben, but i have seen images of tanks useing all sorts of tracks as extra armour. I recall one of a Pz IV useing T-34 tracks. But i can't say i have ever seen this done on a Tiger. You would only be able to put them to the left of the MG and right of the drivers vision slit, as you look at the front of the tanks.

That's what I thought Bish,

I'd have thought crews would have found it a LOT easier trying to tack small Pz. III size links onto a tank instead of honking great Tiger links - they must have weighed a pound or two!

Ben

The individual links are not that heavy. You will have seen from your Fruils that each link is pretty small. I remember reading how heavy a Tiger tracks was, its in one of my books somehwere. And if i remeber right it wasn't much heavier than a Warrior track. When we had to re build a track we used to do it 7 links at a time and two of us could lift them. And about 4 or 5 guys could flip a comp[lete track. So a Tiger crew would be able to fit a few links to the front. You would probably only fit 3 or 4 links on each side of the front.

I have just found a couple of pics which show Tiger's with Tiger links on the front. They go top to bottom rather than side to side and there are 3 links.

Cheers Bish!

thats the same solution I have but different manufacturers and names.

1.) Are you using straight pins for your track pins? if you are you are probably drilling the holes large so that probably  why you have loose pins just slow down and your bit to your pin size and it should eliminate your loose pin problem.

2.) Wash your tracks with soap and water to clean whatever oils or mold release agent that remain which would probably interfere with the metal burnishing/Blacken it/Black for track. And also use only half of the bottle when you do your tracks. The reason is if you use half of the bottle once your done with your tracks pour it back into the bottle and it rejuvenates the fluid.

Hi Mike,

With this AK stuff they screwed up big time. They ask you to clean the links prior to treatment with soapy water but they now say soapy water is a BIG no-no as it affects the reaction and stops it working properly. Instead the AK/Uschi stuff needs to be added to links cleaned with vinegar to work to it's full potential!

I never use that crappy Friul wire - I use 0.5mm diameter Brass Rod for link pins and if the holes need opening out I use a 0.5mm bit. Usually they hold just fine but a bit of CA is always needed somewhere. The main problem is getting the solution to hit all of the link surface which is why I want to tret the links before assembly.

Cheers buddy,

Ben

I use regular straight pins that are used in sewing and when I open the holes I simply use the pins and they fit snugly and they aren't loose at all . To open the holes I use a small diameter drill bit in a pin vise and can drill all the links in about an hour.

As for the solution have you thought about using a old toothbrush to get the solution in all of the nooks and crannys of the links?

Hinksy

Hi Mike,

With this AK stuff they screwed up big time. They ask you to clean the links prior to treatment with soapy water but they now say soapy water is a BIG no-no as it affects the reaction and stops it working properly. Instead the AK/Uschi stuff needs to be added to links cleaned with vinegar to work to it's full potential!

I never use that crappy Friul wire - I use 0.5mm diameter Brass Rod for link pins and if the holes need opening out I use a 0.5mm bit. Usually they hold just fine but a bit of CA is always needed somewhere. The main problem is getting the solution to hit all of the link surface which is why I want to tret the links before assembly.

Cheers buddy,

Ben

Hi Mike,

I do use a toothbrush but always seem to find a few spots that get missed.

This time they've turned out perfectly. I've kept the solution to retreat the Friuls after assembly as it has has a bit of reaction power left in it.

After the Friuls have been fitted I like to scatter small amounts of Mig Russian Earth Pigment onto the tracks in areas then lightly flood the tracks with thinner. When cured they take on a lovely, patchy dried on mud look. Give it a try

I've ordered the correct pins - the dress shops in our town stock pins that are way too big in diameter. I was given a stack of these 0.5mm 12" Brass Rods and they are perfect for this job. You don't need many rods to do two runs of Tiger Friuls.

They are all done now. I've test fitted a few on the turret holders for a photo - these are definately my best looking Friuls yet that have been treated with AK's stuff. These are without any washes - just the straight dipping in solution. I've split them into two bags of 115 and will do one run tonight and the other tomorrow.

Test fit on the turret wall - a big improvement over the kit issue links:

I'll definately be treating my Friuls before assembly again!

Ben

Ben, that looks interesting stuff. In the past i have simply painted by Fruils. I was thinking of trying Blacekn it, but i might well give this AK stuff a try. Does it rub off well to leave the bare metal in the ares it needs it.

I haven't got any AK stuff yet but haave a list of products i want to get. Whats your experiance with Creative Models as thats where i was planning on getting some from.

Hi Bish,

I use Creative Models for ALL my model stuff except for Tamiya Paints which my LHS carry. I get kits from either Wonderland Models (they are very cheap for Dragon kits) or my LHS but they are getting silly expensive! I like to support my LHS but they are just going too far now - old Tamiya kits at £40 prices!

Creative Models dispatch the same day and stock EVERYTHING by Vallejo and AK. I usually order on the internet but you can always phone them aswell.

This stuff rubs off great to expose bare metal - I used it here on my Initial Tiger I:

I can't rate it highly enough. This is good too - I know Tim Ivatts who makes it. I used this before AK released their stuff. This is very similar but dries to a more 'orangy' rusty shade:

http://www.modelarmour.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1197:ti-hobbies-blacktracks&catid=37:kits&Itemid=60

Just order straight from 'Little Cars'.

Cheers,

Ben

I probably wouldn't do that Bish as the metal used in making the tracks really isn't a realistic color for the worn steel found on "pot metal" (Cast steel) tracks that are worn down by the steel road wheels on the Tiger tanks.

You might be better off either airbrushing the contact areas with steel color or just using a graphite pencil and rubbing it into the contact areas as "pot metal" when it is worn by rubbing against the steel road wheels tends to get shiny versus the non worn areas which are duller.

The process would also be the same for the face of the links as the tracks run over hard surfaces the treads would look shinier than the rest of the surrounding area.

Bish

Ben, that looks interesting stuff. In the past i have simply painted by Fruils. I was thinking of trying Blacekn it, but i might well give this AK stuff a try. Does it rub off well to leave the bare metal in the ares it needs it.

I haven't got any AK stuff yet but haave a list of products i want to get. Whats your experiance with Creative Models as thats where i was planning on getting some from.

Ben, thanks, i will try them out, i really need to get some AK stuff soon.

Mikeym, thanks for the tip. When i started doing Fruils i based the wear on what i had seen on modern AFV tracks, and it seemed pretty close. But always happy to try out new ideas. Do you think there would be any differance in tacks running on steel rimmed wheels as opposed to rubber ones.

Bish

Ben, thanks, i will try them out, i really need to get some AK stuff soon.

Mikeym, thanks for the tip. When i started doing Fruils i based the wear on what i had seen on modern AFV tracks, and it seemed pretty close. But always happy to try out new ideas. Do you think there would be any differance in tacks running on steel rimmed wheels as opposed to rubber ones.

with the steel wheels both the track and the contacting surfaces would be shiney in the areas of contact. But I think with the rubber rimmed wheels you will still have the rust disappearing in the contact surfaces but where the tracks meet the wheels they would probably be darker where the rubber would transfer to the metal due to the heat buildup in both surfaces during braking.

I had never thought about that. I was baseing my Fruil wear of tracks running on rubber timmed whells. I will bear that in mind when i get to a steel rimmed model. Thansk for the advice.