How to glue tracks on Tank

planetFigure

Help Support planetFigure:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Dolf

Dolf

A Fixture
Joined
Jul 29, 2018
Messages
906
Hi!

I'm having a hard time trying to glue the tracks of my Stug IV...
I've tried cianoacrylat, not working...
Have tried the Tamia Extra Thin glue, not working...
I've tried a super glue from the Chinese... not working...

Have no more ideas...

What else can I do? Is there some glue that glues these damn tracks?

Thank you!

Dolf
 
Thanks Nap (y)

I've moved from my old place to the Nordeast of the country (close to Serra da Estrela, the higest mountain in Portugal; it snows in Winter...), so didn't have Internet access for some time. Now everything seems to be working again, I even managed to return to the hobby :happy:

The guy on the video seems to have done that work in the proper order... I didn't! I built my tank fully, and kept the tracks (and the antenna) for the last...
Now I'm having serious problems to be able to glue my tracks... The edge of them won't glue, no matter what type of glue I use...
As I said, I've tried cyanoacrilat, Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, and even tried super glue from the Chinese (we have a lot of them here, either in restaurants, or stores selling everything), none of them worked...
As I've no more cyanoacrilat I'm ordering some more (Colle 21), will see if a fresh one will do the job... hoping it will work...

Thanks again.

Dolf
 
Unless the tracks are made of styrene, Tamiya's Extra Thin, or any other styrene cement won't really work. It's made for bonding styrene pieces together by creating a weld between the parts. It actually melts the plastic along the join, which then cures again as a weld.
Have you tried 2-part epoxy glues? The bond is generally stronger against shear forces than CA glues. I use 2-part epoxy glue to assemble my metal and resin figures, or other subjects, not made of styrene, where I have to bond unlike materials.
You could try PVA aka white glue, too, but it doesn't form nearly as strong a bond as the other types.
Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad
 
Dolf, are you using the rubber, flexible, one-piece tracks? Or link by link styrene ones?
If it is the first, you could use thread to tie the tracks to the upper return rollers. And to tie beginning and end of the track together.
White glue also works, as long as the tracks are kept into position until dry (overnight). You can keep them in position by using balls of tissue paper pressed between the mud guards and tracks.

Andif all else fails....on a StuG you could install the side skirts and hide the upper part of the tracks...

Good luck.

Adrian
 
Thanks a lot gents!

Brad, 2-part epoxy glue (which I have) is the only one I haven't tested yet. I may give it a try (y)

Adrian, my Stug IV is a very old model (from Italeri, back in the 70's), so my tracks are definitely not the newer ones, link by link styrene ones.

I haven't tested white glue yet, it seems too weak to do the job...

"on a StuG you could install the side skirts and hide the upper part of the tracks..."

What do you mean by that?... :confused:
I haven't placed the side protections yet, but guess you're not referring to those.

Thanks a lot!

Dolf
 
I mean what you call the side protection. The big vertical plates hung on rails along the side of the vehicle. After installing these, the upper run of the track cannot be seen anymore, so you are free to use a messy solution.
I know this old kit well. It was one of my favourites and one of the few tanks in my collection of kits that I have actually built. I used thread and white glue for the tracks (after painting them), and things are still in place after 35 years.... :)
 
Ok, so it's the side protections you meant.
I have them done, not placed yet, will have to see what size they are, and if still not able to glue the tracks, then... I'll improve...

Thanks again!

Cheers!

Dolf
 
hello Dolf,
after years having the same problem as you I finally arrived to a point where i always buy an aftermarket set of styrene link by link tracks if not provided in the kit.
Not only they are easy to work with, but also you get way more realistic tracks by being able to have them with a correct sagging :)

cheers
 
Thank you, Frank! (y)
I'll have to think about that for the next tank I'll build, this one wasn't worthy spending a lot of money in some set of styrene link by link tracks...
It will do, I have to make this thing work...
In the meantime the dio is almost finished (apart from a few details), but the tracks on the tank remain unsolved... So I have to find a solution...

Cheers!

Dolf
 
A method I have heard of, but not tried, it to attach the tracks, then glue bits of styrene rod to the lower hull but above the track links, these, when dry will pin the tracks down. Obviously you will need something to hold the tracks down whilst the glue dries on the styrene rod.. If done right you wont notice this... as tracks are usually coated in mud and turf etc..

Smithy
 
Try stapling them together? You might have to remove the drive or idler sprockets and put them back once the track is slipped on. If the staples are are at the top (or bottom) they shouldn't be so noticeable, especially if painted. If that still fails then you might well have to do like someone upthread suggested and look for modern after-market tracks.
 
Dolf said:
Thank you, Bundook (y)

I guess I'll order a new cyanoacrylate glue. Maybe the one from Green Stuff World, as they have an accelerator as well (https://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/...glue-activator-cyanoacrylate-accelerator.html) , so it might be useful in this case.

Cheers!

Dolf
Click to expand...

i guess it won't work as the PVC tracks, specially in older kits, are made of an oily PVC plastic, this is done in order for the pvc to stay flexible I know new Tamiya kits provide a new plastic quality which is glueable .
for your Stug you can look on the net for Dragon link by limk tracks which are really easy to work with and very affordable :)
 
Thank you Frank!
I guess I'll have to look for those Dragon link by link tracks...

Cheers!

Dolf
 
"for your Stug you can look on the net for Dragon link by link tracks which are really easy to work with and very affordable :)"

Frank, I've been looking for Stug IV Dragon tracks, but to no avail... :unsure:
All I find (from Dragon) is their new Stug IV, but no link by link tracks...
Any advice on that? A retailer, perhaps...

Thanks much!

Cheers!

Dolf

EDIT: Are they called "Magic Tracks" (rubber link by link tracks)?
 

Similar threads

Babelfish
Waterslide heraldry decals??
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
Martin64
Martin64
phil_h
Completed Pegaso 90mm Islamic Cavalry
4 5 6
Replies
102
Views
6K
Nap
Nap
WarhammerAdjacent
WIP Critique Orc Experiment
Replies
10
Views
675
MalcC
MalcC
D
using a paperclip or something else?
Replies
5
Views
521
Mirofsoft
Mirofsoft
Jamie Stokes
Modelling as a mental health aid...
Replies
0
Views
208
Jamie Stokes
Jamie Stokes

Latest posts

Back
Top