I am so frustrated with individual track links. Is there a company that I can get flex tracks for some of my armor? Is there any advice on properly installing my individual track links? Anyone...please advise!

SSgtMack

Hi Daniel,
why are you frustrated about those indy link tracks ? What trouble do you encounter ?
Most of the time, you just need a thorough prep of each link( yes, quite boring) to get a proper fit.
Then either you glue them and paint on the roads or you paint them first then set them in place. I prefer the second way even if it needs extra work to ensure a good glueing.

olivier

The one thing our hobby is good for is teaching patience and perseverance. I am sorry it is frustrating but in the end the effort and accomplishment are a far greater reward than the vinyl tracks will ever offer. I promise.

Hi Dan,
I feel your pain as well, I try to avoid the indy tracks as much as I can..the only company I can think of that sells the rubber band tracks is AFV Club, but the only tracks available is for the Sherman variants. In some of Dragon's kits, they offer the odd rubber bands, and Academy offer a choice of the rubber bands and the indy tracks in most of their kits.

I have also been stymied in every attempt to use individual links. I've had great luck, though, with the Fruilmodel metal links. I'm in the process of using some RHPS workable plastic links for a Sherman. They're better than the kit indy links, but not as good as the Fruils.

I think the next time I try kit-supplied indy links, I may go at them with a drill bit and some wire to make workable links of my own.

Daniel,
I agree with Rob, they are a hassle but they are far superior to the rubber band tracks when done.
If you absolutely MUST have some band tracks for a kit, check to see if Tamiya makes a copy of the kit (i.e. Panthers or Tigers) and then put out a request on this board (or other modelling board) for anyone's leftovers. I say Tamiya because a.)Most of their kits have band tracks and b.)They are probably of better quality than from someone like Italeri (not universally true, of course; for example run away screaming if someone offers to send you their leftovers from the Tamiya Panther A, at least make THEM pay for the privilege, and I'm not talking just postage!). Many people who have built one of these Tamiya kits will have swapped them out for after market tracks so they may be willing to part with them cheaply, or even free. In fact, come to think of it, whattya need?

You can also call Tamiya and purchase the tracks for most of thier kits as separate items. I think $5.00USD a set.....Of course free from someone's leftover stash is best.

I to hate individual track links. I have tried everything from kit supplied to AM stuff. AM stuff - MK and Frui - look great but can be more work than the kit tracks.

I wish more companies like AFV would produce or provide rubberband stye as an option or accessory. The Tamiya styrene tracks are great from their 90s and later kits. Nice detail on borth sides and paint nicely.

They are painful, but worth it.

The cleanup is best done over several sessions, I do mine on weeknights after work when you only get 1/2 an hour here and there.

For the assembly, I made a Jig out of a few peices of metal that I got from a hardware store each had 2 screw hole offcentred ( they look like a door hinge without the hinge if you understand it) I've got 4 screwed to a peice of 4 x 2 about 300mm long. One side is screwed permanently to the wood. The other side I made different size track links and screwed the metal so it can be moved for each type of track.

After all the cleanup has been done on the track links, I lay them out in about fifteen per time and drop a hint of glue on them and the holding the links firmly in the jig with a metal ruler I use a set of twisers to push the links together.

It's actually easier to do than to write about!!!!

Gaz

I took one look at the indy links in my first tracked kit (Dragon pz III J) and went right out and bought fruil's. e Now though I am still waiting for Blacken-it to arrive...
Love these things, with the exception of stabbing myself a few times building them (use .020 brass wire not the wire that comes with them) I would put these on every model if I could wait for them to arrive...

I am also in the process of building the Italeri Crusader Mk 1 with flex tracks. I wanted something a little easier to build (i had just started the dml pz IV E and was feeling quite humbled by it) The flex tracks do not look very convincing. I am now in the process of training the tracks.. so my modelling is on hold once again. May have to start the dml stug i have under the bench... hmm that will leave 4 kits started but not finished arggggghh


Martyn

Personally, it's a steep learning curve, but in the end it's worth it.

Re. 'workable' tracks, LionMarc is bringing out some interesting stuff...Jim

As a recent "born again" modeller and used to the rubber band style tracks of 70-80's kits.I must admit i was quite daunted the first time I came across individual track links.

Of course i had to pick DML's Firefly with 4 tiny parts per link :-)

But to be honest the worst part is actually removing and cleaning up the parts from the sprues.
I never spent more than one hour per modelling session on the tracks and before i knew it i had them made.

All I would say is dont try to build them all in one session you WILL go crazy.

Ian

Gentleman,

Thanks for all of the advice! I am now finishing up an E-100 that has huge track links. The tracks look good on the tops and bottoms of the road wheels but it is a real pain trying to position them around the drive sprokets and idler wheels. Everything is connected but to me it just looks too 'loose'. I know there is supposed to be some track hang on top but it is hard to get that effect. I paint all the tracks before I glue them in place. Afterward, I will go through and weather the tracks and wheels. Is there any special flexible super glue that can flex into place and still hold the bond to the tracklinks?
I am about to embark on the build of a Bison I from Alan. This kit also has individual links. Anyone out there have any flex tracks for a Panzer I?


Semper Fi!

SSgt Mack

Daniel,
For non-workable styrene tracks, I recommend using a plastic cement that functions by melting the styrene. You will want to avoid glues that have brittle, all-or-nothing bonds like CA. I personally recommend Tamiya Extra Thin, but Tenax also works well. I find the Testors liquid cement is too strong and I end up deforming many of the bonds. With any of the glues, a little is better than a lot.
The trick is to work in sections. If you are familiar with link & length tracks, think like that. Build the runs to go around the sprockets and idlers and fit them around the pieces while the glue is still setting. They will have surprising flexibility at this stage, allowing you to easily manipulate them around the wheels. Complete with the long runs for the top and bottom, building in the sag in the former as appropriate. If you don't glue the sections together, you can remove them to facilitate painting once the links have set.
And one final thing, build yourself a jig of some sort as others have recommended. Just use a material like metal or wood that won't react to the solvent glue.

I just had my first experience with the DML "EZ Tracks".

EZ my foot...

The 3 in 1 DML 251 (Kit 6233) gives you the option of building either early or late model tracks. I tried putting the links together (EZ) and they just would not go properly. I got one pair to work fine, but several others, I simply ended up snapping off the little posts. So, I gave the 'early' tracks a try (moulded plastic as opposed to the EZ tracks) and they went together like a dream so Im going to use those for this build. Thankfully I can probably be ok accuracy-wise by putting an early track version on a late model version of the 251.