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Indy Link Tracks

track forming

In the next photo, I have picked up the track, which you can see is still pliable, and placed it over the sprocket, extending it over to the idler. I make some small balls of facial tissue and place them between the fender and the track, setting the sag before curving the track around the idler and gluing it to the length coming around the sprocket. Note how the upper track lays on the outside of the return rollers. This will allow you to slip the tracks off after they have set. Remember—ONLY the inside return rollers are glued on at this point!

Featured in the photos is the completed right side track, placed on the lower hull to set firmly overnight. The two ends have been joined—but not yet glued--on the bottom of the run; the weight of the hull keeps them joined for now. Small balls of tissue have been placed under the front and rear to prevent droop. In the morning, I remove the tissue balls, and remove the tracks by simply loosening the track from the idler and pulling gently on the sprocket, which comes off easily with the track which by now has set hard. The sprocket comes off easily, nestled in the track and can be removed for ease of painting.

Paint and finish

To begin the painting process, I first base coat the tracks with Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth. Next, an oil wash of Windsor & Newton’s raw umber and then an acrylic wash of Windsor & Newton’s acrylic burnt sienna were applied. I added a drop of dish-washing liquid to the wash to break the surface tension and help it flow into the recesses of the track faces. Next, the tracks are dry brushed with a light dirt color from the craft store acrylics line, in this case, Folk Art 940 Coffee Bean lightened with Aleene’s Beige.

Now the track insides are weathered with Testors Steel darkened with a little bit of black. I’ll hit the guide horns too while I’m in there, this is the main reason why I never paint and weather my tracks on the model; you can’t really adequately perform this step in my opinion with the tracks installed. Lastly, the track faces receive a brushing of Steel to simulate wear.

After allowing to dry for a day, I then apply an oil wash of a light, dusty tan mixture, consisting of raw umber+white+yellow. Be careful with the yellow oil; the pigments are extremely dense and only a pinprick is necessary to tint the “dust”! I’ll also wash the entire model with this mixture/wash. When the wash dries, I dry brush some Silver on the very tips of the guide horns.

final installation

Once all the pieces have dried and are ready to be assembled, it's time to install them. First coax the guide horns into the wheels and then the sprocket and idler will be slipped on their posts which have been wet with liquid glue just prior to installation. Note the return rollers still only have the inside rollers and how the tracks will butt right up against them. Once the finished tracks are in place on both sides, the outer return rollers are now added to enclose the tracks on their upper travel.

At this point the model still has to receive some details and final weathering; some additional pin washes, rust streaks, and possibly some MIG powders on the lower tracks and hull…Alas that is beyond the scope of this tutorial! I hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial and may be no longer intimidated by the words “Individual Track Links”!