I'm working on one of the older Tamiya Sherman Jumbo kits and was wondering if anybody out there would know how to keep paint from chipping and flaking off of their tracks while putting them on the vehicle?

I did one of Acadamy's M-10s last year and when I sprayed their tracks with a red oxide auto primer and installed them, the paint stayed on almost completely. Never had this kind of luck with Tamiya's tracks.

So I was just wondering if anybody had any suggestions on this, or will I have to go and buy an aftermarket, workable set from RHPS?

Thanks and take care, sgirty.

I don't think I do anything differently from other modelers - but I have never had a problem with paint flaking off Tamiya's or any other poly-vinyl tracks. I don't prep them, don't wash them, don't prime them, I only use Tamiya Acrylics, and I only seal them lightly with Dull Cote.

Gunnie

I'm certainly no expert in model making, but I just finished an old (1970s) Tamiya Panzer IV D. I followed some suggestions made by some people by washing the tracks, spraying them with Tamiya laquer (German grey in my case) and letting them dry. After that I heavily washed them in a diluted Tamiya Red Brown acrylic with Tamiya thinner. That seems to get a good oxidized colour to the track. Finally I drybrushed with some enamal steel colour on worn parts.

I'm not sure what American tracks would look like but that has given me a good result and the paint seems to stay on. Of course, it cracks a little when you really stretch the tracks out, but no big chips have fallen off yet.

Try leaving the drive sprocket and idler wheel off, fit the tracks onto the tank suspension and then add the sprocket and idler.

In terms of an adhesive Primer, try Floquil, it sticks to plastic and metal much better than normal paint...
Andrew

As a new boy to armour I might not be qualified to comment but here we go anyway. I have read a lot of complicated methods for painting tracks. On my Centurion I did the following -
1 Washed the tracks in a strong sugar soap solution and rinsed well.
2 Using a stiff bristle brush applied a very light, virtually dry brushed, coat of Tamiya XF-64 red/brown acrylic on both sides of the track..
3 Applied a dry brush coat of matt black enamel to the outer side of the track.
4 Mixed equal parts of silver/matt black and turps and using a soft pointed fine bristle brush highlighted the contact part of the track (whatever that bit is called?)
5 Used an HB pencil to highlight wear areas on the inner side of the tracks over the almost transparent red/brown base.

The use of very thin and very few layers of paint should minimise the risk of cracking, and the result looks alright to me.

Regards Dave

Silence when you speak to an officer.

I think it definately has something to do with the thickness of the coat of paint you are applying. I do my tracks exactly like Gunnie, but with my old airbrush I could never seem to control the paint flow and as a result the paint always flaked off on me. Now that I have a new airbrush, I have much more control and I don't have the flaking problem anymore.

I agree with Adam - perhaps this is the problem here for you. My airbrushed and lacquer gloss or dull coats are always thinned up to (at least) 50%. I think if I sprayed Tamiya Acrylics onto the poly-vinyl tracks without thinning, or slightly thinned (considerably less than 50%), then I'd encounter flaking too. Great of Adam to mention the thinning aspect.

Gunnie

Hi sgirty !
I don't really care for vinyl tracks. I'd rather buy an AM set. But in regards to Adam's reply, I agree with him on the thickness. Are you spraying thin-light coat's of paint or thick coats ?
It is better to airbrush 2 to 3 thin coat's rather than 1 or 2 thick one's. And if your using enamel's, my advise is to wait 15-20 minutes between coats.
You really should wash the tracks to remove any "silicone mold release agent's " and then let them air-dry, before any primer or paint is applied. ...........Before you wash them you could also rough them up LIGHTLY with some fine 400g Wet-Dry sandpaper or some fine steel wool, to give some "tooth " for the paint to grab hold of.

- ralph