Guys, it was my pleasure to put this together for you all! Now if FSM would just get on the ball and publish it!!!!

Steve, that Takom St Chamond is a great kit! I would love to see what you do with it!

Thanks  for taking the time to put this how to together. It was  most enjoyable to read.

Doog  Even I enjoyed your tutorial .   Can't say when it will help my aircraft builds .  But ya never know, I could  build a AFV some day. 

.......(about the same time pigs fly )

OH NO!  Its happening !

Karl, thanks for putting this together!  I'm on my second armor build and I would much rather use the individual tracks instead of the "rubber bands" and this tutorial was very helpful in showing me how to assemble them.

Thanks for the "thanks", G! Honestly, I appreciate hearing that it has helped you, or any other modelers.

Given the realism of indy links over those durned "rubber bands" that have sadly seemed to be making a comeback, it makes me feel like this post is hopefully contributing to more modelers not being scared of them. I honestly feel like this is what led to the invention of those "DS" tracks that I despise so much. Maybe if more modelers don't shrink from doing indy tracks it might lead to more use of them over the DS alternative--at least that's my hope! ...

Glad to know that this helped you out a bit.

Thanks, Karl, this really helped me.

Unfortunately I didn't read it until I had glued all the running gear together, but I've been able to work the tracks around the sprocket and wheels fine.

Scott, glad you like it, and thanks back at ya for taking the time to leave a comment!

Doog, Thank you for the tutorial. As usual your work is fantastic. Thanks again.

Scott

Wayne, you're absolutely right--this technique works well for just about any tank. With a little creativity, you could even use it for a Sherman. I hope your tracks turn out great!

ygmodeler4

Aw dang Karl, now I dont have an excuse to stay away from indy tracks anymore, why do you have to go and be so helpful all the time?!

do what i do build warwheels and trucks. they are different builds than tracks, at least until the upper hull.

seriously i have a PZ-IIC w/ length and link and a JGSDF TYPE 87 SPAA with indy tracks (no support rollers but the technique will still work) i will be using this for in between wheels builds

ygmodeler4

Aw dang Karl, now I dont have an excuse to stay away from indy tracks anymore, why do you have to go and be so helpful all the time?!

All kidding aside after reading this I will have to try my hand at. Unfortunately Ive been able to make do with vinyl tracks for the past 5 years by only getting certain kits (tamiya) but that really limits the choices of models you can build...anyways keep up the good work as always

Thanks for the nice words! That's the greatest compliment that you can give---to know that something I posted may help you to expand your own modeling skills and potential!!

Guys like you were exactly the kind of guys I was targeting with this tutorial----guys who steered away from some of these great kits because they were intimidated by indy track links. Once you get the process down, yyour enjoyment---and your stash --will expand exponentially because there willl be nothing that you can't build!

Aw dang Karl, now I dont have an excuse to stay away from indy tracks anymore, why do you have to go and be so helpful all the time?!

All kidding aside after reading this I will have to try my hand at. Unfortunately Ive been able to make do with vinyl tracks for the past 5 years by only getting certain kits (tamiya) but that really limits the choices of models you can build...anyways keep up the good work as always

Glad you liked it, bud!!! :)

Awesome tutorial Professor doog! 

This is bookmarked.

Thanks, Phaisal! Glad you like it!

I can't imagine a chloroform glue?! Wow, you'd better keep the widows open for that stuff! 

Very nice tutorial, Karl! My main artist "AI" also uses similar method to construct the tracks. He also uses slow-setting cement, a chloroform based one.

Gamera

Thanks a bundle Karl, I'd tried something similar and the links kept falling apart, I had no idea they stay flexible up to 45 minutes after cementing! Plus I was trying to handle the model a few hours after putting them on...  

I'm thrilled to know that you may sort out whatever mistakes you might have made in making your tracks!

Be aware that the tracks can stay flexible for up to an hour or more--it all depends on what kind of glue you use and how much of it you use. You definitely want to wait for them to become melted together from the glue, and to start hardening.

Quick glue like Tenax R7 will naturally cause the tracks to become stiffer faster. If you do this technique for the first time with a different glue than Testors'. check back every 15 minutes or so and gauge the pliability of the tack length. Depending on the strength of the glue, you may be able to put them on after a half-hour.

The most important thing is to leave them on for a day or more so that  they don't shrink! Even a millimeter of two can make it frustrating to put the tracks back on or make them want to pull apart at some point.

Thanks a bundle Karl, I'd tried something similar and the links kept falling apart, I had no idea they stay flexible up to 45 minutes after cementing! Plus I was trying to handle the model a few hours after putting them on...  

Thanks, guys, for the positive comments!

And feel free to share your tips, comments and questions in this post too!

Great tutorial, Karl!

I've had your previous one bookmarked for several years but this one is much more detailed. I'm going to go ahead and swap them out. Thanks for doing this.

Regards,

Jeff

Invaluable information here.  Perhaps FSM might consider making a "How To" video for posting to the FSM web site that captures this? (Hint, hint!)  Again, invaluable information and technique here (for me at least)!  Many thanks, Doog!

Very nice . When  I take the leap and try indy links I will come back to your guide many times.

Dave

Awsome guide.

I have not build a kit with individual links, Im too lazy....I stil want to build some Friul but probably some time down the road.

This are the kind of real, step by step, instructions we all need for building great kits.

Thanks pal!

Now that's a nice tut, well worth waiting for. I was a bit worried you might start painting the tracks while on, but it all came good in the end.

I use a different plastic weld, so I think I will try on some spare tracks first.

I'm on my way out for the afternoon, all, but thanks to everyone who's looked in and left a comment or question!! I'm on my way out for the afternoon, but I'll be back to answer the other posts here later tonight.

New Hampshire

I remember some years ago you doing this as a sort of tutorial in one of your builds.  It is a method I have used since then and find it pretty easy to work with.  I will say there is but one caveat.  If doing this method on Tamiya kits that use polycaps in the idler and drive wheels be aware it is going to be a pain sliding the whole thing on and off.  I learned this by mistake and I damn near ripped up a run of tracks trying to slowly pry the polycapped drive sprocket off.  

Brian

Good advice----you can also trim down the post for the polycap wheels by dragging a #11 blade lengthwise across it, and therefore making it a slightly thinner post. The polycap won' be so snug after that.

Ditto that for when you paint the posts---just use a #11 to scrape off the paint!

jgeratic

Indie tracks 101, great stuff!

One question, would it be advisable  to mark the completed track ovals left and and right, to avoid fit issues?

regards,

Jack

Jack, I used to "label" my track loops, but I've stopped doing it because you can basically swap sides on most vehicles, and with the variance that you can get from sagging the track a little more or less, it doesn't seem to be a problem NOT to do so.

I know there are SOME tanks where there is one or more links difference sometimes, so it may be a smart thing to do, but I can't say that I follow it like a rule.

This is an awesome tutorial doog!  Right now I am content with aircraft, but I know at some point I will want to do some armor.  So this is definitely getting added to my personal Tips and Tricks document for future reference.

Thanks!

waynec

you might try petroleum jelly or maybe not use the ploycap until the final installation of the wheels. just a couple of thoughts.

Yeah, in hindsight I would probably not bother adding in the polycap anymore.  With a dab of superglue at the end it is not like they will go anywhere, so the polycap probably isn't that necessary.  Alas I wish I had realized all this before adding the polycap.

Brian