Hello Everyone,

I've been working on my DML sherman for the last few weeks and am ready to put on the tracks, but I'm a bit torn on the best method. I have all the links and blocks cut out and cleaned up, and I have also put together all the wheel subassemblies without actually glueing them to the hull. What would be the logical next step?

I've heard that I should white glue the wheels to the hull, glue on the tracks and then remove the whole assembly for painting. Is this correct?

I'm doing indi tracks for a wirbelwind the way I am doing it is....
Attach all road wheels and allow the drive sproket to spin.
I made a jig with a flat piece of wood with a long straight edge piece of wood glued to it. Then an adjustable piece that creates a trougth to put the indi pieces in that keeps them square.
I made all the flat straight sections based on measurements from the center line of the road wheels.
I then made a paper template of the top return wheels to trace the sag. I transfered the sag line to a block of wood then recreated the sag line in profile out of the wood. This allowed me to align the pieces easily.

I think the shermie will be easier because there is little or no sag in Allied tank tracks. I would glue the suspension and road wheels, then do short track lengths from wheel to wheel.

Hi Borntodig,

I build mine in sections and paint them as I go, then join up the sections until the last small section needs to be joined. I can remove the tracks up to the last small secion and then it's just a top and bottom link to join them.

Not a sure if I've explained that very well but it works for me.

Cheers

Al

Try this method....
Build your links in sections and only install the REAR connectors, this way you can avoid the links getting twisted - its much easier to straighten everything out IMHO.

I would avoid the white glue method personally.

If you are working on the easy 8s I would build a jig if using the kit's track - those T80- tracks are supposed to have some space between them or use any of the AFV club sets.

Chris

Ok guys, Im only a part-time armor modeler, and I haven't done this in a while so speak slowly and clearly

So I take it that I need to work with a few links at a time. Ok
I can do that. Should I glue the links to the wheels in these small sections or not?

I tried Chefchris's tip and glued on only one side of the conectors for a set of 5 links for now.

IT all looks rather odd...

I assemble both end connectors in about 10 links sections using liquid glue. When connecting the sections I make sure to press the ends against a straight edge like a piece of wood or book every now and then to make sure the are relatively straight. I actually have a jig in the approximate dimensions of the Sherman wheels layout. Then I close the loop around my jig. After everything dries up I slip the sprocket and idler inside and slide them onto the pins on hull. Squeeze the bogey assemblies inside and voila.