discussion Glued tank tracks

[Dulux]

Hello guys,

I’ve been a bit of a twat and let the glue set on my Tiger tracks. I was thinking just to put them in hot water and then manipulate them. Any suggestions?

 

[Airborne01]

A picture of the problem might help with the solution mate! Are they rubber band, link or link and length etc How many links, scale etc
Steve

 

[Dulux]

A picture of the problem might help with the solution mate! Are they rubber band, link or link and length etc How many links, scale etc
Steve

My apologies, they are the single link plastic variety. 1/35

 

[Airborne01]

My apologies, they are the single link plastic variety. 1/35

I may have some in my stash, if all else fails you're welcome to them - I'm in Ireland until Tuesday but if you need them I'll dispatch them asp!
Steve

 

[Guest]

Hot water might just do it, but I wouldn‘t count on it, really. Depending on how much glue you used, and which kind, you might be able to pull (most of) them apart, but then it could be problematic getting them back together. A new set sounds like the best solution, really

 

[papa 695]

You could also try putting some hot glue ( like Tamiya extra thin ) where you glued them it may loosen them enough to get the tracks to fold around the sprockets and idler wheels. Before going out to get a new set.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Before writing them off it might be worth giving them a soak in white spirit. I’ve found it breaks down some glued joints. Mind you, the resulting clean up that will be necessary probably makes a new set the quicker option.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Steven
I reckon we have all done something which we later regret :rolling: So don't feel too bad.
The trouble is that the cement that is used for styrene isn't a normal glue. It actually "melts" the plastic and when the solvent evaporates the two pieces are welded together. There is not a layer of glue between the parts.
That means I very much doubt hot water would work. Ian's idea is the only one that might work.
Steve's kind offer may well be the way to go.
Jim

 

[Dulux]

So it’s a case of ordering a new set of plastic links, although not sure where. Perhaps someone could enlighten me. Or go for a set of metal tracks

 

[Tim Marlow]

There are a few options in the scale-models shop here….
https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/search/tiger-tracks

 

[Dulux]

There are a few options in the scale-models shop here….
https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/search/tiger-tracks

Hi Tim,

Many thanks for the link but a lot of those products are out of stock. My Tiger is mid production. do you think “early production” will fit?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Sorry mate, not my field. I picked them because John’s shop is the site host. Sounds like one for Allen Dewire or Jakko, amongst others….

 

[Guest]

Tiger Is got a few different designs of track over the course of production, but as the sprockets and roadwheel positions didn’t change, any type should fit any Tiger I (Tiger II tracks were entirely different). Off the top of my head, very early tracks were handed — that is, the links for the right-hand side were a mirror image of those for the left — but soon, the same link began to be fitted on both sides. That then came in early and late versions, the late one having ice cleats (little diagonal ribs on the outermost surface of the link) which the early one lacked.

Your cheapest option, BTW, would probably be the Academy track set because these generally cost next to nothing

Whether it’s historically correct is the main question, if this matters to you, of course. It would not be impossible for early tracks to be on a mid-production Tiger, I would think, but I’m no expert on that particular tank so if you do want to be historically accurate, then don’t take my word for any of this

 

[Dulux]

Tiger Is got a few different designs of track over the course of production, but as the sprockets and roadwheel positions didn’t change, any type should fit any Tiger I (Tiger II tracks were entirely different). Off the top of my head, very early tracks were handed — that is, the links for the right-hand side were a mirror image of those for the left — but soon, the same link began to be fitted on both sides. That then came in early and late versions, the late one having ice cleats (little diagonal ribs on the outermost surface of the link) which the early one lacked.

Your cheapest option, BTW, would probably be the Academy track set because these generally cost next to nothing :smiling3:

Whether it’s historically correct is the main question, if this matters to you, of course. It would not be impossible for early tracks to be on a mid-production Tiger, I would think, but I’m no expert on that particular tank so if you do want to be historically accurate, then don’t take my word for any of this :smiling3:

Thankyou Jakko,

So bugger it!! I’ve gone for a shiny new set of Friul’s. Not sure how easy they are to put together but sod it

 

[Guest]

I’ve only ever built one set of Friul tracks, and my experience wasn’t too great. They still need cleaning up of the little pips left from where the metal entered the mould as well as drilling out both channels in the links where the connecting pins are to go, so in all I think I spent about as much time, effort and aching fingers on them as on comparable plastic tracks. The advantage of them on a model like a Tiger, though, is that they will hang naturally on their own accord.