Yeah, shipping from Japan isn't that expensive if it's not a huge box. But if it says 'hobby' you can expect anything to be marked up three or more times. And Dymo tape works just as well as anything. I've got a small roll I've been using for five years and it's barely used. The adhesive is strong enough that you can reuse the tape over and over. Normally I only use one piece on a model since you can reposition it multiple times. You had some great luck DM finding that lifetime supply! 

Real G: Nice work there on the headlight guards. Thinning them is a good idea but I'm so butterfingered I'm afraid I'll break them if I did the same. 

Disastermaster, well once you add "hobby" to the product description, expect to pay more!

I haven't been working much on stuff this weekend, but I did make some progress.

The 30 Cal barrels will be replaced with spare parts from Tamiya's new M3 Stuart.  A BIG difference in apperance!

For me, the headlight brush guards on US WW II tanks never look right in plastic, but in keeping with the "no aftermarket" mantra, I thinned the kit guards while still attached to the sprue.  I learned that if you remove the guards first, it is nigh impossible to thin the parts while trying not to crush them.  It took me several hours to thin the Stuart's brush guards doing it this way, but only about 20 minutes to do the Lee's while still attached to the sprue.  Lesson learned.

And since I have settled on using the wonky kit tracks, I tried my hand at the old heated screwdriver method of securing their ends.  Worked like a charm.

Wonder what the devious shipping cost would be?

I'd "stick" with buying in the U.S.A.

I found all of mine, (basically a lifetime supply) in a thrift store in a box around twenty years ago for around (I think) $5 total....... that'd be 5¢ a roll.

What luck.

Yeah Dymo tape is the thing. I've tried masking tape but it's too thin, the blade wants to slip off for me. 

I was looking at the HobbyLink Japan website this morning and looks like now the tape is being made as a hobby product! 

https://www.hlj.com/scribing-guide-tape-hard-6mm-x-3m-2pcs-hqphrdt-6mm

Real G

Greysnake - Yeah I was eyeing the Miniart tracks.  But I HATE end pin connector type link to link!  I need to think it over.

 

OK! I got it! The tape still exists. I actually always liked those labels. Just didn't know they would still be around now that we have all this new technology.

M1GarandFan

Does anyone still have any of that stuff!! ;)

There's some sort of AF thing that dymotape is required for putting flight instructions on the blank plate in the T-38

Real G

I have a roll of Dymo tape in the drawer.

 

M1GarandFan

DYMO TAPE!? As in a DYMO label maker?? I haven't heard that mentioned in about 20 years. Does anyone still have any of that stuff!! ;)

 

Yes , I knew all this a long time ago.  I've been into all armor since the mid 1960's.  I was making an over simplfied observation on how I quickly tell the two apart.

tankboy51

One way I learned  to tell the Grant and Lee apart, was the Grant and  was redesigned by the British and named for the winner in the US civil war while the Lee, which was the original American design was named for the loser. 

It was more like they got the M3 first and called it the Lee. Then they submitted changes they determined necessary. The one built to their specifications they called the Grant; two of the famous ACW generals who faced one another at the end. They called the winner the version they preferred.

The US convention of naming the M3 light tank, M3 Halftrack, M3 medium tank, M3 submachine gun was confusing. The British already named their tanks Crusader, Valentine, Matilda so it made more sense to use American generals to name American tanks.

M1GarandFan

Does anyone still have any of that stuff!! ;)

BK

I have a roll of Dymo tape in the drawer.

M1GarandFan

DYMO TAPE!? As in a DYMO label maker?? I haven't heard that mentioned in about 20 years. Does anyone still have any of that stuff!! ;)

 

I want to say Target had the stuff last time that I was there.

DYMO TAPE!? As in a DYMO label maker?? I haven't heard that mentioned in about 20 years. Does anyone still have any of that stuff!! ;)

Real G

Greysnake - Yeah I was eyeing the Miniart tracks.  But I HATE end pin connector type link to link!  I need to think it over.

Ogrejohn - Thanks!

Oh man, rookie mistake!!!

I removed the seam down the split transmission case flanges.  Arrrgh, they should have been left alone!  Am I going to scribe recessed lines down their centerlines?  Ha-ha, nope!  

Lay a piece of fresh DYMO tape on the flanges and align the edge to where the seam should be. Use a strait pin clamped in a pin vise (hand drill) with about a 1/4 inch sticking out. Holding it at an angle, scribe it in with repeated passes to get the effect you want.

It's easy, simple, and it's not hard to do. It'd actually would look better than the original mold lines.

Yes you're correct.  My wife was proof reading my comment and that was saying too much, so I dropped it.  We did not like naming things.  That was what other folks did,  the Brits also named the Sherman and Stuart, among others.

tankboy51

One way I learned  to tell the Grant and Lee apart, was the Grant and  was redesigned by the British and named for the winner in the US civil war while the Lee, which was the original American design was named for the loser. 

 

The US Army did not use the names. The Lee was simply the M3 Medium. The Brits were the ones who came up with the name. The British used both the Lee and the Grant tanks. But yes, the Grant had a different turret that had room for a radio installation, while the Lee used a hull mounted radio. Later versions of the Lee used by the British in CBI removed the commanders cupola and had a simple split hatch.

Gamera

Maybe it's just me but adding aftermarket PE and resin parts to these classic kits kinda defeats the purpose of building it. If I want more detail I'd just buy a newer kit. 

Gamera, being that you are the trusted friend of all children of the world, I will obey and promise not to add any aftermarket to this kit!

But stuff lying around in my parts box don’t count.  And neither do the sheet plastic and punch & die sets!  

I made more progress, so I’ll post some pics soon.

One way I learned  to tell the Grant and Lee apart, was the Grant and  was redesigned by the British and named for the winner in the US civil war while the Lee, which was the original American design was named for the loser. 

Real G

M3 was equipped with five(!) 30 Cals, I assumed the one under the 37mm gun was one of them -

The "missing" two are to the driver's left in the left forward part of the hull.  Only about two inches of muzzle poke out (just enough to get the jacket nut wrench on.

They were ot alligned to anyone, and the driver was expected to not drive into a ditch or other obstacle while watching the fall of shot via tracer (through the tiny slits in the driver's hatch or through a periscope).

But, Armor Branch just loved MGs on early tanks.  And the further from the field the more they were loved.  Nick Moran has a decent bit of content on the topic.

Real G

Greg - I just noticed that the M3 has no provisions for motorization!

The Tamiya kit number will be "MM" and "MT" as the M3 was oe of the first released in the then new "Military Miniatures" line instead of the "Motorized Tank" line of kits.

Been too long, and Scalemates is not terribly clear, but I think the MT version was a Grant, and the Lee was an MM.  But, it could be the Lee was kitted both ways.

What's odd, in retrospect, is that the motorized kits had figures, typically, four, and the Miniatures versions did not.  So, with the MT Walker Bulldog you got 4 GI's in ETO attire, I think you got the same four figures with a Lee, and there were four Desert Rats with the Grant.  But, I could be remembering that wrong.

These sites are pretty neat.  A lot of folks are getting into the hobby again  I built this kit when it came out in 1974 or 1975, I forget when exacly.  I know it was right after the Monogram kits with the great Shep Pain dioramas in them.  Wow!  2 models of the same type!  Why they were different scales did not bother me a whole lot,  I was only 23 years old, the hobby seemed new to me, they semed to be growing up as well.  Sure, I was a veteran of Tamiya models of the Panther, Tiger 1 and 2, even the 1/24 Tiger ( yes I bought 1 of those at K-Mart for the princly price of $5.00.  I'm rambling again.  Well, the point is I still have it.  It was repainted in 1988, that I remember,  it was right when I moved to house in Coloado.  I did some airbrush counter shading on it. Ahhh, that takes me back.

Oh that's cool. I really need to get back to one of those old classic kits.

Maybe it's just me but adding aftermarket PE and resin parts to these classic kits kinda defeats the purpose of building it. If I want more detail I'd just buy a newer kit.

This is an old build log of the kit, it might have some information for you: http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Building%20M3%20Lee/1%20intro%20and%20research.html

Real G

Okay I flexed my Google-Fu and came up with some shots showing the counterweight thingy as a stub with a bolt.  Is this correct?

Now to decide whether or not to replace the flexible (but inaccurate) tracks.

 

If there is no counterweight rod under the 37mm, the gun is not equipped with a stabilizer. So you can build it either way. Photos show both.

Such a classic kit. Yes, it's been ripped to shreds, but many of us cobbled that Lee together with tube glue.

I remember my first Tamiya kit. It was the M113 that was motorized. I was very surprised that it came with German markings. Back then, I didn't know the difference between WW2 German markings and modern German markings.

BTW that M113 really traveled well in the sand and gravel of my driveway. Man, I need to find another one of those little hotrods.

Greysnake - Yeah I was eyeing the Miniart tracks.  But I HATE end pin connector type link to link!  I need to think it over.

Ogrejohn - Thanks!

Oh man, rookie mistake!!!

I removed the seam down the split transmission case flanges.  Arrrgh, they should have been left alone!  Am I going to scribe recessed lines down their centerlines?  Ha-ha, nope!  

Looking good G! 

Real G

Now to decide whether or not to replace the flexible (but inaccurate) tracks.

 

Well if you want workable ones the Miniart T41 tracks are nice. Of course they take almost eight hours to clean up and build. Not sure if they’d fit the Tamiya sprocket.