C
cutandfold
Guest
Well, I will be working on some more Turret parts (over the next few days).
Because I finally got a full Track finished.
Took me two...to three weeks.
I'd say somewhere between 20 and 30 hours.
And thats including a number of modifications and assembling a lot more track than I need.
Compare that to 8 months of previous work completing half of one track
and I am much happier.
Hopefully completing the second Track will go as well.
So, a quick update...
New one piece track sections, layered parts to build some scale thickness, a lot less cutting...
Then I went back and adjusted the colours.
It was suggested to me that the track parts were still coming out too beige/sandy.
So I grayed everything out a lot more...left only some rust tone...and added the darker roadway/tire marks.
I also created a little jig to help with the gluing of the roadway parts.
Not perfect, but I decided to remove the glue tabs from these parts...too small to deal with.
And the little jig holds the part while I put some glue in the corners.
I can work on folding more parts while the glue sets up.
Every now and then a little glue squeezes through and glues the part to the jig. lol
But for the most part it helps.
...Next, comes the install...
I've tried to test fit the Track a few times, and its awkward feeding the Track in and over all the wheels.
Its also a little risky, trying to keep an eye on 20 different parts while you do it, so as to avoid bending
or breaking anything. So, for this final installation, I removed the Turret and turned the Tank over.
I made a quick holder, to support the Tank upside down, and keep fragile parts off the table.
Feeding the Track is now a little easier, since the Track falls away from the upper return rollers, but it
stills requires some patience and care.
...
Once the Track is in, I prepare the joiner section for overlap and gluing.
And then make the final connection.
(I used Fast Grab Aileenes glue for this step and it worked well.)
...
At first everything looked good, but then I noticed the tension on the rear Drive gear and its assembly.
Because I didn't use the adjustable front tensioner (which I designed after my test Tank was assembled),
my Track is a little too tight on this model.
And as a result, it is pulling the rear Drive Gear out of place.
So I decided to disconnect the Track again and try one link longer.
Its a loose fitting track, but I can live with that for the purpose of getting this test finished.
...
Once the side plates are installed, most of the Track is hidden, so I can hide some of the Track
sag at the top. For now, it looks like a Tank with a newly installed Track that needs adjusting!
Note (in the photo) the Smoke Pot assembly ready to install on the Turret.
Because I finally got a full Track finished.
Took me two...to three weeks.
I'd say somewhere between 20 and 30 hours.
And thats including a number of modifications and assembling a lot more track than I need.
Compare that to 8 months of previous work completing half of one track
and I am much happier.
Hopefully completing the second Track will go as well.
So, a quick update...
New one piece track sections, layered parts to build some scale thickness, a lot less cutting...
Then I went back and adjusted the colours.
It was suggested to me that the track parts were still coming out too beige/sandy.
So I grayed everything out a lot more...left only some rust tone...and added the darker roadway/tire marks.
I also created a little jig to help with the gluing of the roadway parts.
Not perfect, but I decided to remove the glue tabs from these parts...too small to deal with.
And the little jig holds the part while I put some glue in the corners.
I can work on folding more parts while the glue sets up.
Every now and then a little glue squeezes through and glues the part to the jig. lol
But for the most part it helps.
...Next, comes the install...
I've tried to test fit the Track a few times, and its awkward feeding the Track in and over all the wheels.
Its also a little risky, trying to keep an eye on 20 different parts while you do it, so as to avoid bending
or breaking anything. So, for this final installation, I removed the Turret and turned the Tank over.
I made a quick holder, to support the Tank upside down, and keep fragile parts off the table.
Feeding the Track is now a little easier, since the Track falls away from the upper return rollers, but it
stills requires some patience and care.
...
Once the Track is in, I prepare the joiner section for overlap and gluing.
And then make the final connection.
(I used Fast Grab Aileenes glue for this step and it worked well.)
...
At first everything looked good, but then I noticed the tension on the rear Drive gear and its assembly.
Because I didn't use the adjustable front tensioner (which I designed after my test Tank was assembled),
my Track is a little too tight on this model.
And as a result, it is pulling the rear Drive Gear out of place.
So I decided to disconnect the Track again and try one link longer.
Its a loose fitting track, but I can live with that for the purpose of getting this test finished.
...
Once the side plates are installed, most of the Track is hidden, so I can hide some of the Track
sag at the top. For now, it looks like a Tank with a newly installed Track that needs adjusting!
Note (in the photo) the Smoke Pot assembly ready to install on the Turret.