Indiviual track links?!?!?!?

Well, the guys got you well covered on the assembly. Happy B-day.

BTW. I paint, weather, and drybush my indies before assembly. Just retouch them after assembly. Anybody does it the same way?

Welcome stukabomb88. Before I did my first set of indy links, I was scared by the horror stories I've read. I just jumped in and did it. I took my time and they came out very nicely. I too build stretches of links, anywhere from 10-20 and do short and long stretches. I start over the drive sprocket and work my way to the idler and back. I prefer to paint them on the sprue, trim and touch up before I glue them together. Good luck.

Ryan, you must have gotten a much different batch of Tamiay Extra Thin than I did. I really don't even notice the smell. Certainly not any worse than Testor's. It's Tamiya's acrylic paints I don't like the smell of! I wonder if my smeller is just too burnt out from too many years of sinus sprays!! lol

First, !! For all indy tracks I use tamiya extra thin cement. It smells awful, but makes the treads nice and bendable for a half hour or so. I cut out the treads, glue about 20 of them together and bend the treak link around the wheels. Works great and the treads won't fall apart, it dries thin but gets sticky when it's allowed to dry a little bit. You can model the tread sag easily with this method too! Looks cool and is easy, the only problem with this method is the smell of the glue, but other than that it's cool!

For the wheels, I glue up a short section (enough to fit around the driver or idler wheel) of links with Tamiya Extra Thin cement. Let it set up for about 15 minutes, then wrap it around the wheel and hold it in place with a rubber band. (You could also use a bit of masking tape on each end of the run.) After all the lengths of tracks have set up hard, I glue them together with individual links and let them dry. As the top run is setting up, you will want to press it down on the return wheels to get the proper sag. I used bent pipe cleaners to hold them in place until the cement has cured. You will also want to do this in a top and bottom half so you can get the tracks back off for painting/weathering. Some modelers like to cement the tracks to the tank and paint them on the tank. I prefer to paint and weather them seperately then attach them after the tank is painted.

Also, if you can assemble the tank so that the drivers (and idlers if they have teeth on them) still turn, it makes it a lot easier! You can put a little glue on the drivers from the back after you have the tracks finished, if you want to.

Good luck.

And a belated "Happy Birthday" and Welcome to you!!

Here's a link for a T34/76 interior:
http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/
Go to the archives.

I'm not very good at indy links myself so I won't give any advice there.
to FSM

Thanks guys.

I was also wondering what would be the best way to put the tracks on the wheels. I've seen pictures of one half of the wheel put with the tracks before painting.

Do you know of any sites that would be good refrence for viewing a t-34's interior?

welcome aboard Stukabomb!
indy links are challenging & tedious, but not impossible.
part of the trick is to build the straight sections up in sections of 5 or so links at a time.
you can then join these to make longer runs.
you can make a simple jig by taping a ruler down to a piece of glass
or some other flat surface (not the kitchen table!) and using that to align one side
to keep the runs straight.
you could also put a straight edge on the other side too, if you want.

if you search the forum for "individual links" or "indy links" or maybe even just links,
you will find helpful threads like this:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17724
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18753
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15654

the topic comes up frequently.

glad you have joined us, you will find plenty of experienced modelers willing to help.

I suggest making a jig, which is basically something you can use to align the pieces while you glue them. Glue a few links at a time, to make sections, then combine smaller sections together to make larger ones. While still workable, while the glue is drying, take a section and form it around the drive, front, and any other wheels you will need.

Try using the search for indy links, or individual links on this forum, as this question has been discussed many times.

Here are a few preview links of the two kits:
T-34
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6092.htm

Kettenkrad
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6128.htm

Good luck, and let us know how the Dragon kit goes, it's supposed to be great. Have fun

Happy belated birthday

As for the individual link tracks....gotta love them

Seriously though, when I'm dealing with them I find it easiest to put them together in short lengths, say 4 or 5 links at a time, then paint the lengths before putting them on the model. Once they are are painted and the model is ready to have the tracks put on you can start attaching the lengths of track to the model. I find that working with the short lengths of track is much easier than working with the individual links, there's more to hang on to!

I've never attempted either of the model you have so I don't know if there are any tricks specific to those kits, but I'm sure someone else around here has.