I have seen a few posts lately stating issues with Dragon DS tracks falling apart? I have used DS track only on a couple of builds and have had no issues at all. I wash the track, prime with Tamiya primer from the can, then paint and weather with both Acrylic and Enamel based paints and washes.
If anyone has any pictures of these tracks that have fallen apart, please share, and also please let me know what process was used to paint them.
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DS Track Issues?
SgtRam
Contributing Writer
#197
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
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Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 05:06 PM UTC
GTDeath13
Joined: June 12, 2015
KitMaker: 921 posts
Armorama: 919 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 06:01 PM UTC
What I do not like about DS plastic is that it cannot be easily cleaned from mold seams (e.g. Saladin wheels), it is easily affected by plastic glue and is so flexible that it can cause problems, for example the manlet od the M48 tank.
I have used DS tracks on 2 M48 builds, wihout facing any problem thus far, but I have glued the tracks in place, so they are not stressed or stretched in any way.
Just my 0.02$ Nikos
I have used DS tracks on 2 M48 builds, wihout facing any problem thus far, but I have glued the tracks in place, so they are not stressed or stretched in any way.
Just my 0.02$ Nikos
C_JACQUEMONT
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
Armorama: 2,325 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 06:03 PM UTC
Quoted Text
If anyone has any pictures of these tracks that have fallen apart, please share, and also please let me know what process was used to paint them.
The problem is they break/fall apart WITHOUT PAINT, I have pics of my experience, will try an post pics later.
Cheers,
Christophe
C_JACQUEMONT
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
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Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 06:05 PM UTC
edmund
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
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Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 07:47 PM UTC
You could try putting them in the freezer and then try to clean the seam lines when they are frozen , but they don't stay rigid for a long time . ICM and other manufacturers are going back to vinyl if that's the correct material for the tires . ICM 35526 and 35403 are good examples .
rfbaer
Joined: June 12, 2007
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,696 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 09:32 PM UTC
I have several Shermans with DS tracks, that have been finished and in my display case for several years, no issues. I do paint the tracks with acrylics only though.
I also have a Tamiya Sherman with their newer T48 tracks, painted with Floquil (never again) that are separating in the middle of the track blocks.
I also have a Tamiya Sherman with their newer T48 tracks, painted with Floquil (never again) that are separating in the middle of the track blocks.
edmund
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
Armorama: 456 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 10:39 PM UTC
The problem with the DS. Track has to a manufacturing issue . I have a couple of DS tracks that I never used , they are still in the packaging that they came in and have not been disturbed . And it looks like they are ok .
easyco69
Joined: November 03, 2012
KitMaker: 2,275 posts
Armorama: 2,233 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 10:44 PM UTC
No issues here, I just use regular glue for putting them together, that is one of the pluses with using DS tracks.
edmund
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
Armorama: 456 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 11:57 PM UTC
The Sherman's and the American haft tracks had real rubber band tracks .
PanzerKarl
Joined: April 20, 2004
KitMaker: 2,439 posts
Armorama: 1,980 posts
Posted: Monday, June 29, 2015 - 12:15 AM UTC
Quoted Text
The Sherman's and the American haft tracks had real rubber band tracks .
Steel tracks with rubber pads.
edmund
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
Armorama: 456 posts
Posted: Monday, June 29, 2015 - 01:19 AM UTC
what you call pads is what I refer to as rubber , the links that are on the side are metal . Maybe we just don't say the same thing . The later tracks were all metal . The early tracks were a steel frame with rubber moulder blocks with two rubber bushed pins . There were rubber thread links and there were steel tread links . I'm not sure if they were ever mixed togethere .
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Monday, June 29, 2015 - 02:24 AM UTC
No issues yet on 5-6 builds,the oldest about 7 years old.I used tamiya paints and weathered with enamel washes which did cause them to become a little brittle,but no breakage on any of them yet.
C_JACQUEMONT
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
Armorama: 2,325 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2015 - 08:05 PM UTC
Sorry for the late reply. Here's my photo.
My story is, I put the tracks together, put them on the suspension, no paint or primer. After a few months, I noticed the tracks had broken in one location, it was not possible to repair them as they had somehow become very hard and brittle and kept breaking in other parts...
Eventually replaced by Dragoncare after I opened a ticket with them.
So definitely not a paint/glue/thinner issue, more of a bad chemical formula of that batch making it deteriorate with time.
Cheers,
Christophe
My story is, I put the tracks together, put them on the suspension, no paint or primer. After a few months, I noticed the tracks had broken in one location, it was not possible to repair them as they had somehow become very hard and brittle and kept breaking in other parts...
Eventually replaced by Dragoncare after I opened a ticket with them.
So definitely not a paint/glue/thinner issue, more of a bad chemical formula of that batch making it deteriorate with time.
Cheers,
Christophe
SgtRam
Contributing Writer#197
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
Armorama: 2,859 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2015 - 08:16 PM UTC
Christophe, thanks for that. I rarely use them, I prefer Magic Track and/or AM. But I am finding alot of the wheeled vehicles are now including them. I am thinking best to coat with primer right away, seems the when the air gets to them, the deteriorate.
Thanks
Kevin
Thanks
Kevin
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Friday, July 17, 2015 - 09:41 AM UTC
Quoted Text
The Shermans and the American halftracks had real rubber band tracks .
Tank tracks were individual blocks with rubber-bushed steel pins and steel end connectors, though the halftrack tracks were molded as a continuous rubber loop over a structure of steel cables and metal cross pieces. The halftrack suspension had to be compressed using turnbuckles to create enough slack to install the tracks.
tayc
Joined: October 22, 2005
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 33 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 01:27 PM UTC
I have a set of Dragon DS tracks for the M48A3 Mod.B that I glued ready for assembly, but had not painted. They have sat on my bench for about 6 months as I have been away from modelling for some time due to competing work and family priorities. On returning to paint these tonight I noticed an oily residue. Has anyone else had this experience? My response at this stage is to re-wash in warm soapy water. I will let them air dry. Any suggestions?
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 02:47 PM UTC
This is my Panther G
They became Shiney and brittle and eventually broke in places.It had to be 5-6 years ago so I don't remember the exact process,but I'm sure I used some enamel paint or enamel track washes.
They became Shiney and brittle and eventually broke in places.It had to be 5-6 years ago so I don't remember the exact process,but I'm sure I used some enamel paint or enamel track washes.
tnker101
Joined: November 30, 2007
KitMaker: 117 posts
Armorama: 115 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 02:53 PM UTC
I ran into issues using Model Master's metalizer. After time the tracks would crack and the guide teeth became brittle.
slug955
Joined: November 10, 2013
KitMaker: 195 posts
Armorama: 175 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 03:31 PM UTC
If you are old enough to remember when 'I love lucy' was new to air, you may recall Airfix used a similar material on their tank kit tracks. They suffered from a condition called 'Rot-a-Track'. It was a reaction between two different kinds of plastic. They just crumbled over time. 
Cantstopbuyingkits
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 04:38 PM UTC
The rubber tyres onnTamiya from that time seem to have the same problem from whst I've heard.
barkingdigger
Associate Editor
#013
Joined: June 20, 2008
KitMaker: 3,981 posts
Armorama: 3,403 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 10:04 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I have a set of Dragon DS tracks for the M48A3 Mod.B that I glued ready for assembly, but had not painted. They have sat on my bench for about 6 months as I have been away from modelling for some time due to competing work and family priorities. On returning to paint these tonight I noticed an oily residue. Has anyone else had this experience? My response at this stage is to re-wash in warm soapy water. I will let them air dry. Any suggestions?
Hmmm. It sounds like there is a chemical process that wasn't finished yet - if they were 100% stable they wouldn't "sweat" at this stage. You can clean & paint, but if it were me I'd be looking for some AM plastic replacements...
My few brushes with DS have been ok so far, but then I base-coat with thinned Tamiya acrylics and finish with other acrylics, so nothing with harsh solvents ever goes near them. My most dramatic experience with "glue-able" tracks was an old Emhar Whippet, where I used a rattle can of Humbrol on the whole kit (I think their sprays are a kind of lacquer) and the tracks remained sticky & glossy for well over a month afterwards! The hull dried overnight, as expected. Oddly enough, despite still being sticky weeks later I found that several washes of acrylics seemed to settle them down again. If they ever decide to disintegrate the bin awaits.
alewar
Joined: December 27, 2006
KitMaker: 773 posts
Armorama: 765 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2016 - 12:45 AM UTC
Hi I paint my Stug III G late model with S.Williams "Now" spray can, as I paint the models too. Sadly the tracks become apart !.
So, I dont use anymore enamels on them.
Masterclub resin ones was the solution.
Regards from the south
Alvaro
So, I dont use anymore enamels on them.
Masterclub resin ones was the solution.
Regards from the south
Alvaro
tayc
Joined: October 22, 2005
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 33 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2016 - 01:11 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextI have a set of Dragon DS tracks for the M48A3 Mod.B that I glued ready for assembly, but had not painted. They have sat on my bench for about 6 months as I have been away from modelling for some time due to competing work and family priorities. On returning to paint these tonight I noticed an oily residue. Has anyone else had this experience? My response at this stage is to re-wash in warm soapy water. I will let them air dry. Any suggestions?
Hmmm. It sounds like there is a chemical process that wasn't finished yet - if they were 100% stable they wouldn't "sweat" at this stage. You can clean & paint, but if it were me I'd be looking for some AM plastic replacements...
My few brushes with DS have been ok so far, but then I base-coat with thinned Tamiya acrylics and finish with other acrylics, so nothing with harsh solvents ever goes near them. My most dramatic experience with "glue-able" tracks was an old Emhar Whippet, where I used a rattle can of Humbrol on the whole kit (I think their sprays are a kind of lacquer) and the tracks remained sticky & glossy for well over a month afterwards! The hull dried overnight, as expected. Oddly enough, despite still being sticky weeks later I found that several washes of acrylics seemed to settle them down again. If they ever decide to disintegrate the bin awaits.
Thanks for the feedback. "Sweating" is a good way of describing the residue. I will try painting - I use acrylics for all of my builds, including washes etc. AM parts will be a possibility, but for the time being I will see how the DS tracks go.
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