Paint order for tank and treads

I always paint mine first, but as you say, it seems to be a matter of what works for you. A lot of the members assemble first and paint later. I usually assemble the tracks first to at least a "link and length" state before I paint them (talking indy links, of course), but paint before I put them on the tank.

It's as you say, whatever works for you. For me, without exception, the tracks are painted separately, then attatched to the tank afterwards (roadwheels assembled and painted as well. Assembling the tracks onto the tank, THEN painting them has been beyond me as to how it could be done...

I'm with Zokissima all the way on this one, just don't see how it could be easier to weather after they were assembled.

For any viynil treads, I paint them sepretaly and glue the treads on after the tank is paintded and ready to go. For indy tracks, I build the model and put the tracks on before painting. It's a little work painting the modle and then the treads while not messing up, but it beats painting each indy tread before glueing it in.

One other tread question. I keep hearing Vinyl and Indy. Is indy short for individual? That would then mean the Vinyl is that once piece track for my Tamiya tank?

QUOTE: Originally posted by ngc7293 One other tread question. I keep hearing Vinyl and Indy. Is indy short for individual? That would then mean the Vinyl is that once piece track for my Tamiya tank?

Right on the money !!!

Just to throw my 2 cents in for the original question. I assemble the tracks, paint and weather them before putting them on the vehicle. They get a final weathering with the rest of the vehicle after they are mounted.

I'm with Robert. The final weathering blends them in with the condition of the rest of the vehicle.

Matt

I'm with Shermie..paint and partial weather then attach. The final weathering is to blend the vehicle into the dio base. It also helps to have the vehicle attached to the base before using the pastels so you won't accidently touch them and leave fingerprints.

As for Indy tracks, if possible I always assemble the tracks into 2 runs so that I can drape them on the vehicle to set, but can remove them for painting. Usually the joins are in the middle of the drive sprocket and idler. Works well for solidly joined tracks like the Panther (see the GB) but smaller links have a tendancy to break if handled too much.

I never paint the individual links first. I have found it impossible to keep the links joined if you do that.

Paint then assemble the wheels.
Assemble and paint the body of the tank (base color only)
Assemble and paint indi (yes, isdividual links) or pre paint them on the sprue if possible.
Paint vinyl (yes the long strips from earli Tamiya and Italeri)
Rust type wethering to tracks.
Add wheels to tank. Paint camo pattern.
Add tracks to wheels.
Finish weathering.(Washes and dust.to blend everything together)

My mehtod with the indy tracks takes a while, but I don't want to deal with painting each tread before there glued together. I could spray them while on the sprue, but I would still have to paint the areas that didn't get painted when I cut them out. If I had the choice of indy tracks (My choice has only one exception, the Panzerkampthwagon IV) or viynil treads on an armor model, it's going indys. They look more realistic on models than viynil. But viynil can look good if it's done right.

For indys, I glue up the straight runs (using Tamiya Extra Thin Cement) first and let them dry. I glue the links together that go around the sprockets and idlers, mold them around the sprockets and idlers, then put rubber bands around them to hold them on and let them dry. This leaves very few individual links to do. Then I take the runs off the idlers and sprockets and paint all the "lengths" and the few remaining individual links flat black. After that dries, I put several rust washes of burnt sienna oil paint mixed with Humbrol leather. The last step is to dry brush the links with Testors Model Master Steel and highlight with a very light drybrush of silver on the high points. Then glue the indy links between the lengths and place them back around the wheels. I always have the lower hull painted long before this, but weather after everything is put together. I also usually do this before the lower and upper hulls are attached, or before the fenders are added.