Hello,

Not being a tank builder at all, should I normally remove the molded seam line on items like this arm? I don’t want to leave it if reality dictates that I should remove it.



Thanks much!

Rob

It depends. What is the part? Some 1/1 parts do have mold lines, depending on what vehicle and where the part is on it.

True; it all depends on the actual vehicle as some have seams and some don't depending on how they were manufactured.

Additionally, if it wont be visible on thecompleted build, and the presence of the seam doesn't interfere with fit, I dont usually bother

True also. If the seam is inside a closed-up vehicle, why bother?

Thank you all for the great answers.

Here’s the part in question....I believe it’s something to do with the road wheels...a support for the arm...




I’m building Trumpeter’s KV-3 kit...

I guess it's a mud scraper for the rear sprocket...Here's what it looks like on a KV-1 :

http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/dmitry_kiyatkin/kv-1/images/kv-1_007_of_130.jpg

H.P.

Wow! Thanks very much!! It is smooth after all...

Rob

My general rule is to remove all mould lines because while some cast or moulded parts do exhibit them, it is very hard to depict them to scale and without the scars from runner attachments. I also find that it’s more convincing to model parts that could or should have mould lines in real life without them than to leave them on parts which definitely shouldn’t have them.

Your part looks like the mud scraper on a KV and as it was welded plate, no mould seam.

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that it may be just more realistic removing the mold lines. It’s a tedious job for sure but it pays off in the end.

There are some parts, like torsion bar swing arms that are often forged, giving a slight hexagonal shape instead of rectangular. On these I scrape the seam flush. You should not have an edge or flash like a kit part.

KL