Hi everyone,
Working on my first Tamiya tank since 1984. I was expecting to heat up a screwdriver tip to fuse the ends.
While building, my eyes glanced at the directions and it said the tracks could be glued with plastic cement and painted with plastic paints. Blew my mind, really.
Is it true?
I mean, I gotta glue em an then stretch em' over the sprockets, idlers, and road wheels, then stretch em to get the proper sag. Is a glue joint on a rubberized track gonna take that kind of treatment. Does one cement work better with them than others? I have Tamiya Ultrathin and that new fireproof Tamiya cement, though I haven't used it yet.
I'd appreciate any recommendations before I take a stab at ruining them. It does say in the direction that if they come apart to staple or sew them together.
Thank you for reading,
Gaz
Armor/AFV
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Tamiya rubber tracks
GazzaS
#424
Joined: April 23, 2015
KitMaker: 4,648 posts
Armorama: 2,248 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 03:43 PM UTC
supaderpa
Joined: March 28, 2016
KitMaker: 157 posts
Armorama: 140 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 04:23 PM UTC
I built a Tamiya Panzer IV and III a while back and also used Tamiya Extra Thin to glue the tracks together. It held up nice and well and I was able to achieve some sag through a fair bit of stretching but I accidentally applied too much on one end and melted off a couple of guide horns 
Of course these were fairly old kits (circa 1990's) so I'm not sure how tough Tamiya's rubberband tracks from their newer line kits are.
Of course these were fairly old kits (circa 1990's) so I'm not sure how tough Tamiya's rubberband tracks from their newer line kits are.
PantherF
Joined: June 10, 2005
KitMaker: 6,188 posts
Armorama: 5,960 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 05:18 PM UTC
The TRUE name of these types of tracks are called vinyl tracks. Tamiya DID truly have rubber band tracks that were a one piece black band that were primarily used in their motorized tank kits. They had NO detail to them and the sprockets were just little cog wheels designed to grip the inside of the band.
SO... these vinyl tracks I would fuse together with a hot tip, staple or sew together.
Jeff
SO... these vinyl tracks I would fuse together with a hot tip, staple or sew together.
Jeff
Namabiiru
Associate Editor#399
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 06:03 PM UTC
I've never heard of Tamiya using anything but vinyl for their un-motorized tracks, nor would I ever use plastic cement for them. Generally speaking I avoid vinyl tracks whenever possible, but sometimes there just aren't any AM replacements to be found at an affordable price. I have had to use CA glue on vinyl tracks that were so old nothing else would work, and I was able to replicate sag that way.
Dragon produces styrene tracks which actually work quite well with plastic model cement. I've used them only once, but I was impressed at how well they combined the simplicity of one-piece flexible track runs with the glue-able and paintable properties of styrene.
Dragon produces styrene tracks which actually work quite well with plastic model cement. I've used them only once, but I was impressed at how well they combined the simplicity of one-piece flexible track runs with the glue-able and paintable properties of styrene.
HeavyArty
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
Armorama: 13,742 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 06:19 PM UTC
The newer Tamiya Tracks are no longer standard vinyl and are gluable. They are similar to DS Styrene. They hold together quite well with just about any liquid glue. Just use the same glue you use on the rest of the model and they will be fine.
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 06:20 PM UTC
The tracks on the newer Tamiya releases,at least 7-8 years all glue well with CA glue.
GazzaS
#424
Joined: April 23, 2015
KitMaker: 4,648 posts
Armorama: 2,248 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 11:19 PM UTC
Guys,
Thank you for your answers. I really love friuls. But don't want to buy them for every build.
Gaz
Thank you for your answers. I really love friuls. But don't want to buy them for every build.
Gaz
Tojo72
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Sunday, June 05, 2016 - 11:41 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Guys,
Thank you for your answers. I really love friuls. But don't want to buy them for every build.
Gaz
Spade Ace are a decent compromise to check out.
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Monday, June 06, 2016 - 12:45 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Hi everyone,
Working on my first Tamiya tank since 1984. I was expecting to heat up a screwdriver tip to fuse the ends.
While building, my eyes glanced at the directions and it said the tracks could be glued with plastic cement and painted with plastic paints. Blew my mind, really.
Is it true?
I mean, I gotta glue em an then stretch em' over the sprockets, idlers, and road wheels, then stretch em to get the proper sag. Is a glue joint on a rubberized track gonna take that kind of treatment. Does one cement work better with them than others? I have Tamiya Ultrathin and that new fireproof Tamiya cement, though I haven't used it yet.
I'd appreciate any recommendations before I take a stab at ruining them. It does say in the direction that if they come apart to staple or sew them together.
Thank you for reading,
Gaz
Tamiya introduced a vinyl/styrene blend for soft tracks in 1997. It is glueable. It is also fragile, and may snap where it has been folded tightly to fit in the box. It can be glued using liquid styrene cement. It must only be painted with acrylics. Any kind of enamel or lacquer will cause the plastic to dry out and crumble within days.
TankManNick
Joined: February 01, 2010
KitMaker: 551 posts
Armorama: 543 posts
Posted: Monday, June 06, 2016 - 12:49 AM UTC
Beware "painted with plastic paints" - use acrylics, NOT enamels!
Experience on Tamiya Centaur - the tracks partially dissolved! They replaced the tracks but the replacements fell apart about a year later anyway. NOT at all impressed! Had to invest in some Modelkastens...
Experience on Tamiya Centaur - the tracks partially dissolved! They replaced the tracks but the replacements fell apart about a year later anyway. NOT at all impressed! Had to invest in some Modelkastens...
Namabiiru
Associate Editor#399
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Monday, June 06, 2016 - 06:04 AM UTC
I've only built older Tamiya kits, but I may have unknowingly come across some of the vinyl/styrene tracks Gerald mentions because that's exactly what happened with my Bren Carrier: A few well-intentioned, but ill-advised attempts to straighten hopelessly kinked treads and what did I wind up with? Four half runs!
In any event, if I had to pick one aspect of Tamiya kits I really don't like it's their tracks. Unless you plan to cover them in mud they just don't have the detail. At least, such seems to be the case with the older kits.
In any event, if I had to pick one aspect of Tamiya kits I really don't like it's their tracks. Unless you plan to cover them in mud they just don't have the detail. At least, such seems to be the case with the older kits.
GazzaS
#424
Joined: April 23, 2015
KitMaker: 4,648 posts
Armorama: 2,248 posts
Posted: Monday, June 06, 2016 - 07:11 AM UTC
Guys,
Thank you for the additional information. I paint with acrylics, so I'm in luck on that account.
I'm in the middle of Big aircraft build, and wanted a tank for a quick OOB break. I spent a lot of time this weekend ignoring the plane and assembling quickly with CA.
Once the tracks are on, I can do some painting. Hopefully I can do it without ending up with half runs.
Cheers,
Gaz
Thank you for the additional information. I paint with acrylics, so I'm in luck on that account.
I'm in the middle of Big aircraft build, and wanted a tank for a quick OOB break. I spent a lot of time this weekend ignoring the plane and assembling quickly with CA.
Once the tracks are on, I can do some painting. Hopefully I can do it without ending up with half runs.
Cheers,
Gaz
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