I simply love DS-tracks from Dragon
RobinNilsson
TOS ModeratorStockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:21 AM UTC
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
North Carolina, United States
Joined: June 06, 2006
KitMaker: 4,691 posts
Armorama: 3,509 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:36 AM UTC
Wow !!!
New Jersey, United States
Joined: February 06, 2015
KitMaker: 1,098 posts
Armorama: 68 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:42 AM UTC
DS - Dog Sh_t ??
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:44 AM UTC
Quoted Text
DS - Dog Sh_t ??
That stuff can at least be used to promote plant growth ....
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
Washington, United States
Joined: March 29, 2017
KitMaker: 157 posts
Armorama: 122 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:46 AM UTC
Whenever I buy a kit with DS tracks, I pull them out and put them up for sale on Ebay. I typically get between $10 - $15 per set for them. They are simply junk.
Wisconsin, United States
Joined: April 05, 2007
KitMaker: 2,023 posts
Armorama: 1,234 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:52 AM UTC
There have been stories here on Armorama about this but this is the first time I've actually seen pictures of DiSintegrating or DeSolving tracks.
Time to dig thru the stash and see if I've got problems too.
Robin, sorry for your misfortunes !
On the bench :
A whole bunch of figures, Too many half built kits and a (gasp) wing thing
California, United States
Joined: February 01, 2010
KitMaker: 551 posts
Armorama: 543 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:53 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Whenever I buy a kit with DS tracks, I pull them out and put them up for sale on Ebay. I typically get between $10 - $15 per set for them. They are simply junk.
Wow someone must like them. After images like the above I'm scared to use them - even if they look OK. The thing is, is it worth it to you after putting in all the effort to build the model to have to worry whether it will fall apart just by sitting on a shelf!
I have a 2 or 3 Shermans, a Tiger I and an M1A1 Abrams that just off the top of my head I know have DS tracks. I keep putting off building them as it means making a decision or buying new tracks. Then I go get a model ready to build and make that instead!
California, United States
Joined: February 01, 2010
KitMaker: 551 posts
Armorama: 543 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 10:56 AM UTC
I haven't personally seen any that bad, but I did see a pair of Pz IV tracks I think it was with very poor, indistinct detail. I didn't buy that model! (Luckily I could look inside the box.)
The only Dragon I've purchased recently were older ones that had hard plastic track.
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:00 AM UTC
Quoted Text
There have been stories here on Armorama about this but this is the first time I've actually seen pictures of DiSintegrating or DeSolving tracks.
Time to dig thru the stash and see if I've got problems too.
Robin, sorry for your misfortunes !
I had already made up my mind that all soft tracks will be replaced but this case was really extreme ...
/ Robin
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
#384
Nevada, United States
Joined: August 23, 2005
KitMaker: 1,426 posts
Armorama: 1,316 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:01 AM UTC
Holy crap, my models, approximately 150 built kits, have been in storage for about three years, lots of DS in there, I’m afraid to see what’s going on in those boxes.
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:13 AM UTC
If I found myself saying anything like the title line... I would quit the hobby and go to sleep. I simply won't use any such crap in a build.
Because it costs additional money to replace the tracks in a kit which may already cost more than $50 or 60 USD (plus shipping in some cases...), I have stepped back from buying newer Dragon tracked kits, regardless of how much the subject may actually appeal to me. When I can get other maker's kits of cool and interesting subjects with link or link-and-length styrene track-sets for the same $50 - 60 or even less, without need to go spend another $20 - 40 on replacement tracks... why should I waste money on buying DS junk?
Bob
@Robin: I've seen a couple pics of DS fails before... But your pic here takes the cake for WOW! Dang! If I opened up one of my boxes and found that had happened, "
" wouldn't begin to express how I felt about it!
We gotta get this pic going viral!
United States
Joined: October 14, 2012
KitMaker: 2,663 posts
Armorama: 2,649 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 11:48 AM UTC
Same here, last may when packing to move the Dragon T28 assault tank that I built earlier the darn track melted into a puddle of goop. I have replaced the German tracks with plastic. I still have a lot of shermans to go.
Donald
California, United States
Joined: June 11, 2009
KitMaker: 461 posts
Armorama: 370 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 12:04 PM UTC
I am currently working on an M60A2 that came with DS tracks. I've heard good and bad things about the DS tracks. Now, I'm contemplating if I should go for replacement tracks!
Texas, United States
Joined: April 07, 2009
KitMaker: 1,063 posts
Armorama: 1,049 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 12:48 PM UTC
Some folks still seem to use them without problems, while others get garbage. It's like Dragon made different batches or experimented with the formula. I had DS on a Jagdpanther that literally fell off the road wheels about a month after I finished the dio. Man, was I pissed!!!
Even my pick-up is panzer grey.
England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 20, 2004
KitMaker: 2,439 posts
Armorama: 1,980 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 01:06 PM UTC
Robin please please please can I send this over to Dragon models on their Facebook page and tell them if this don't stop them putting DS tracks in their kits then we shall all go on a no buy Dragon strike.
Who in the right mind would be happy finding that in your kit.
BRING BACK THE MAGIC TRACK
Never in the field of scale modelling was so much owed by so many to so few.
Arizona, United States
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 02:33 PM UTC
Good to know I'm not the only one. I got a pre-owned PZIII last year and when I tried to use the tracks to line up the drive sprockets they fell apart much like yours. Lucky for me I had a set of Fruils handy.
I found a nifty feature on the forums called HIDE USER.
I was going to try it on myself and go stealth, but it only works on other users.
Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
Armorama: 2,052 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 02:47 PM UTC
This has been a source of discussion for a long time now. It's one reason I no longer buy Dragon kits (well, almost never-- I just picked up a 1/72 scale M4A3(76)W, only because I thought it had link and length tracks). I still have two Dragon kits with DS tracks in my stash, but I've made an effort to replace the tracks. The sad part is Dragon has made no attempt to make this right, and they seem to be unconcerned with this problem. Although I have noted they are moving back to "magic tracks" in some new releases, which is a good thing I suppose. To me, it's just one more indicator of Dragon's move away from quality model manufacturing-- where they were top of the line a few years ago, they've steadily gone downhill with DS and some of their Black Label kits. It's a shame the prices have not decreased along with the quality-- it's almost like they are wishing their way out of the business, which is a great shame-- they used to be great.
VR, Russ
Nevada, United States
Joined: December 21, 2008
KitMaker: 1,109 posts
Armorama: 1,095 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 03:33 PM UTC
Quoted Text
There have been stories here on Armorama about this but this is the first time I've actually seen pictures of DiSintegrating or DeSolving tracks.
Time to dig thru the stash and see if I've got problems too.
Robin, sorry for your misfortunes !
I have a set that did the exact same thing.
G
Lasci la pistola. Porti le cannoli.
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 05:24 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Robin please please please can I send this over to Dragon models on their Facebook page and tell them if this don't stop them putting DS tracks in their kits then we shall all go on a no buy Dragon strike.
Who in the right mind would be happy finding that in your kit.
BRING BACK THE MAGIC TRACK
Be my guest
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
Bulgaria
Joined: December 07, 2013
KitMaker: 908 posts
Armorama: 698 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 05:24 PM UTC
I had same experience with Panther G tracks, which cracks. Another set of DS from Sherman Firefly released some oily substance in the package-total mess.
Croatia Hrvatska
Joined: December 11, 2015
KitMaker: 101 posts
Armorama: 95 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 06:39 PM UTC
I have built only two Dragon kits having DS tracks mainly because I lost interest in WW 2 subjects and moved to modern AFV.
Some fifteen years ago Dragon kits used to be a state of art kits with lot of extras.
There are few Tamiya kits, all other are Dragon.
Queensland, Australia
Joined: October 22, 2005
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 33 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 06:52 PM UTC
Here is my post on Aussie Modeller International on the same subject for what it is worth:
I initially thought DS tracks were a great idea but now believe otherwise. From my experience it is a bit of a lottery as to how these tracks will go, irrespective of the finish, and I now don’t use them. I have experienced most of the issues described here and also found tracks “sweating” in the plastic bag on opening a new kit. From what I can gather online DS or Dragon Styrene 100 was developed by Dragon in-house to meet a demand for detailed but flexible tracks - essentially some type of combination of polystyrene and vinyl but I’m not a chemical engineer so could be way off the mark here. However, my experience as a modeller makes me believe that the DS is inherently unstable as a plastic that should be avoided. I now regard the product as a space saver if I use it at all while I source after market alternatives. DS parts are simply not worth the grief in my book.
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 08:22 PM UTC
One of the advantages of having a stash is that the kits are stored unbuilt for some years and problems with aging of these tracks have time to show up before the kit gets built.
It is easier to replace them in the box than on a finished model in the display cabinet ....
/ Robin
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
Queensland, Australia
Joined: August 06, 2005
KitMaker: 3,353 posts
Armorama: 3,121 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 09:24 PM UTC
I have friends in my club that despise link oand length and Magic tracks and so wanted DS. I have been happy to do a straight swap of my DS tracks for Magic tracks. Now I am ecstatic, but I wonder if my friends have opened boxes lately...... and if I still have friends..
On the Bench:
Dust, styrene scraps, paint splotches and tears.
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 09:45 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I have friends in my club that despise link oand length and Magic tracks and so wanted DS. I have been happy to do a straight swap of my DS tracks for Magic tracks. Now I am ecstatic, but I wonder if my friends have opened boxes lately...... and if I still have friends..
Hurry up and build those kits before your friends come and ask for their tracks back
/ Robin
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
