Tracks

With tracks I have two different approaches depending on if they have rubber track blocks or if they are solid steel tracks.

Rubber Treadblocks - I base coat the entire track in flat black. Then brush gunmetal onto any of the track parts that are steel. I then drybrush with rust followed by another drybrushing of steel to highlight. Then I burnish any metal parts with graphite. I then finish weathering with pastels after the tracks have been installed on the vehicle.

Solid Steel Tracks - I start with a basecoat of gunmetal. Drybrushing, burnishing and final weathering is the same procedure as above.

I use Tamiya Acrylics for the most part with a little Model Master Acrylic thrown in for detail painting.

Hope this helps a bit Steve.

If you ever venture into the aftermarket stuff I highly recommend using Fruilmodel metal tracks. They are as realistic as you can get. Even when painting. After assembling them I dip them in Rail Weathering solution made by Micro Engineering Co. (found in any train hobby store) then I give them a few washes of dirt or mud, or what ever your terrain will be and then lighly sand down the raised areas to bring out the steel. I recommend these if your building any Dragon kit, I hate those darn tracks!

I have more experience with the vinyl type so, here's what I do:

First, I spray a coat of Wrought Iron black, followed by a lighter "misting" of Gunmetal. After the tracks have dried, I drybrush with Steel.

For weathering it's a mix of Rust and Dark Brown. Once they are in position on the piece, I am now using pastel chalks to finish them up (gives a nice dusty look to them)

If I may , let me add a question to the topic Shermanfreak this is along your line, I am starting a Sherman and with the tracks you mentioned the metal parts of the tracks. ON the Sherman are the whole traks metal or are there rubbertreadblocks on them. The ones in my kit are vinyl. As always thanks.

Chris - depends on which Sherman tracks you have. Some are a combination of rubber and steel and the rest are all steel. Which kit do your tracks come from (be specific, kit # would really help)?

They are out of the Tamiya M4A3 Sherman Late Production Kit # 35250.

Just a word of friendly warning..Testors medetalizer paints reacts to vinyl plastic. causing the tracks to become brittle and break.

Chris - the tracks that come with that kit are the T48 Rubber Chevron style.

The bulk of the tracks are rubber with steel end connectors and guide horns.

Here is a link to a site that covers the different Sherman tracks.
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/spoelstra/g104/track_vvss.htm

As always Robert ,your knowledge is greatly appreciated. So with these the only thing that would be finished to look like metal is the sides of the treads and the bulk would still be black.

Basically yes ..... the sides and the guide horns would get a "metal" treatment and the rubber blocks I do in flat black. They really tone down after the pastels are applied to them.