Hello all.

I've been working on a DML sherman firefly with individual track links that are driving me crazy. Mainly because the peices are pretty small and I keep dropping them... I think i've spent as much time looking in the carpet for the parts as I did working on the tracks. LOL.

I"ve attempted several ways of doing them that I've read about and I have finally after several attempts found a way that works well for me and I thought I'd share it with any others who might find it useful.. .

you need a pair of locking tweezers and a popsickle stick...

First take a set of locking tweezers...perferably a cheap set. Normaly if you use the tweezer to hold the tracks agaist the stick as in the picture below, the end of them starts to stick up in the air instead of holding them down, so I took a pair of pliers and gave them a bit more of a bend where they cross near the base. that way they lay flat across the parts.

I keep the end of the tweezers on the last peice added that way while i'm glueing the next link there is very little chance of any breaks happening on the parts i've already done. ( this was my main problem...) This method seems to work well. I'm doing runs of about 10 or 11 tracklinks at a time.

anyways here is a photo of the method in use.. I hope others might find it useful........

Great tip Delbert. Should come in handy in the future. Thanks for sharing it with us!

That's a good one Delbert!!!
You well deserve a at least couple of cyber drinks... And most important at all, thanks for sharing.
Ciao

Thinking... Thinking... Trying to come up with an way to adapt this great idea to the Hummel tracks that I am going to do that have the guide running the center. At least you gave a good starting point. Thanks!!!

That is a great tip!! Thanks. I don't do a lot of indi's but man I've got one set waiting for me and I'll use this!! Great job.

Lots of spin off posibilities too.

Thank you, I've got a DML BMP-2E kit that I've been reluctant to build, mainly due to the tracks. This looks like something that even I can do! :-)

thanks all

Keenan

this one is for you....... because after reading your post my mind which is still spinning with idea's after an all-night brainstorming session working with these "darn" indie track links. I quickly made this prototype that might work for track links that have a guide running through them..

It is simple to make.. took me about 5 mins.. its a popsickle stick with 2 holes drilled through it. Then I took two straighten paper clips and put through the holes bending the backside flush agaist the stick and then taping them in place.. ... then I put one of my flat files agaist the stick on the top side and used a pair of pliers to bend the paperclips over so they will be flatish.. (you might want to use one of the links your going to use to get a better fit for the links)

then use the tweezers to hold the paperclips down while the link you've glued has dried then release to add the next one...... and as you go if you need to keep the links in place use a bit of masking tape to tape them down to the stick.....

anyways this is just an idea............since I do not have any links like you have this one is so far unproven but if you try it and it pans out let me know.........

here is a picture of the idea....... take it and run with it ...........

Man, Delbert, that was quick. It is 7:30 am where I am and I'm still half asleep. You must be on some serious Java to come up with something like that, that fast. Thanks, I'll give it a whirl.

Afraid not Keenan........I personaly absolutly Hate Coffee in all its forms.....

but I am finishing off the last can of a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper, which I consider mana from the gods..........

going to have to run for more later of course If I take the long way to Wal-Mart to get more I will pass my favorite hobby store........LOL........

Great ideas..thanks for sharing.

Good stuff. Thanks for the tips.

I avoided doing indies on my academy Stuart 'cause of all the little bitty pieces, this is definitly a grat idea. Thank god the German links are easier (at least on what I've built so far with them)