Plastic track pins
11-30-2010, 05:06 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Everywhere, MB, CANADA
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Plastic track pins
I've not had problems with my plastic tracks (Tiger 1 and now Jagdpanther, both HL). My Tiger 1's metal tracks were always losing pings and Ihad to experiment with flattening out and then finally bending the tips of the pins to keep them from working out after a couple of yards. The plastic tracks seem to hold pins on my tanks quite well (Idon't drive on them with my Tiger anymore though, however I do use them for hanging spare track links on my hull.)
11-30-2010, 05:07 PM
#3
RE: Plastic track pins
I had that problem with my HL's;Stug III and Panzer IV, the Panther G and Tiger I are OK.
I made a pin punchtool from a 3/8" dowel for a handle and a needle in serted into it and ground off.
I lay the tracks out on a bench, flat.
I push each pin out a bit, so the knurled end of the pin is out.
I place a very small drop of Superglue on each knurled end and push the pins back in, Don't use very much, it will make removal impoosible, basically, just "show" the glue to the end of the pin.
They don't back out after that.
I also paint mine, I have a mix of paint colors I like, Tamiya Acrylics, 50% XF-10, 50% XF-1 and a hint of XF-56 to give a slight metalic look. I dry brush a hint of XF-56 on the high spots and then apply a flat, clear matt spray. I am sure there are better techniques but I am happy with how this turns out.
I made a pin punchtool from a 3/8" dowel for a handle and a needle in serted into it and ground off.
I lay the tracks out on a bench, flat.
I push each pin out a bit, so the knurled end of the pin is out.
I place a very small drop of Superglue on each knurled end and push the pins back in, Don't use very much, it will make removal impoosible, basically, just "show" the glue to the end of the pin.
They don't back out after that.
I also paint mine, I have a mix of paint colors I like, Tamiya Acrylics, 50% XF-10, 50% XF-1 and a hint of XF-56 to give a slight metalic look. I dry brush a hint of XF-56 on the high spots and then apply a flat, clear matt spray. I am sure there are better techniques but I am happy with how this turns out.
11-30-2010, 06:18 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: , CA
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Plastic track pins
Hello and Welcome
My two cents
I did the super glue thing with my Panzer III when I first got it and it didn't take long for them to work loose. I ended up laying them out flat and painting the backside with a few coats of primer so it builds a layer on the exposed part of the pin and it has definitely worked better than the CA glue for me, it's also much less of a hassle than most other methods I have heard. I did the same when I got my metal tracks and its worked like a charm. I put a drop of CA glue on the last pin inserted and its good to go.
When I need to remove a pin I use an extra pin and a set of pliers to hold it straight and its really easy to tap them free using something like the end of a screwdriver then push the pins through to remove them glued or otherwise, The PIII pins have a large exposed area but I imagine this would work at least to some degree if not solve the issue with other tracks.
Hope this helps
