Building Dragons M1A1HA

Gunney,

What are you using to cut the pieces away from the sprue? For super delicate pieces I usually cut them away from the sprue with their attachment post still attached to get them free first and the will carefully separate them from the post with a very sharp hobby knife (I only use it for just this type of thing) and a pair of tweezers.

I hope you are having a better fit than I did. I was disappointed in this kit.

I have the Dragon kit, but haven't built it yet. I just finished an M1IP; I used the old Tamiya M1 for my base kit. I robbed a Trumpeter M1A1 for the bustle rack and rails. They came off the sprue pretty easy. I chose the Trumpeter 'cause I was able to get it very cheap. It has a decent mine plow as well that I'll rob for another project. Having said that, I usually get small delicate items off the sprue by cutting the sprue first and working on the individual connection points after the sprue is cut up.

I do the same as wbill, I cut them with some small scissor type things my brother had for building his RC car, and then I cut it nicer with a sharp hobby knife.

i didnt like this kit i thought the tamyia kit with the mine plow was way better than this one. it had more detail. i cut parts off of the spruce with a pair of wire cutters and none of the part break.

use special sprue cutters ( $10.00 approx.) from any good model shop. like flat cutting side cutters just much smaller. specially designed for cutting plastic so have small cutting head & don't damage parts. yet to build HA Abrams but tamiya kit of A1 is good & latest iraq 2004 kit has top reviews. trumpeter kit of iraq 2004 also said to be top line

QUOTE: Originally posted by wbill76 Gunney, What are you using to cut the pieces away from the sprue? For super delicate pieces I usually cut them away from the sprue with their attachment post still attached to get them free first and the will carefully separate them from the post with a very sharp hobby knife (I only use it for just this type of thing) and a pair of tweezers.

I use the Xuron Cutters.

also to me, i am disapointed with this kit, to me the detail is alittle soft. And the turret doesn't fit well.

I use a Tamiya sprue cutter. When I cut very delicate parts, I do it like Bill does. Cut the tree where the part is connected then work from there carefully.

As far as the kit is concerned, I have built the same kit and I sympathize with you.

The parts for the bustle rack are a bit thin and brittle. And there were fit problems too (some are too short) that require some modification work to correct. If I remember it correctly, I think there is a gap underneath the turret at the root of the gun that need some filling up and sanding, too. And not to mention the injection marks on the individual track links.

There...have I discouraged you already? Lol. Seriously though once you get through those problems it turns out quite well. The details are very good, the basic interiors and the figures
are a nice addition, too. My finished one is in this link:

http://www.geocities.com/ddta_ala/m1a1ha.htm