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the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:29 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
I am behämmert (i.e. :crazy:) trying to split the tracks on a 5+ year old Taigen Königstiger. This is probably one of the early Taigen metal versions with metal tracks, gears, etc., but no tension adjustment. :thumbdown: This is not a new procedure to me: I do it frequently to weather tracks. My attempts so far are as follows:

1) On multiple and various pins, I used my usual method of lightly (and not even so lightly) hammering on a shortened track pin (I keep an assortment of these homemade drift pins for various size track pins) braced by a pliers to try to drift the track pin out enough to get a grip on it with pliers. Rats! No movement, but bent drift pins every time. :-<
2) I tried removing the covers to access the axle pins for the drive cogs and the idler. Result: buggered up metal covers, nothing gives way. :wtf: Repaint, repaint, repaint
3) I checked Tips and Tricks (viewtopic.php?f=38&t=7244&p=66119&hilit ... ack#p66119): all good advice, summarizing all the techniques I have used before. :sick:

My next idea is to saw off or somehow split the track brutally (without damaging the hull :haha: ) and use some nice, spare, weathered metal Königstiger tracks that I already have.

...any ideas before I resort to violence or a land mine?

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 1:46 pm
by Sub
Hi.
Are they steel or alloy tracks ? You could carefully try heating up the end of a link pin with a gas torch, in case someone has put the pins in with locktight, or superglue the heat will melt the locktight free, BUT dont over do it or you may melt an alloy track segment.
Are you supporting the track underneath with a block onto a rigid surface when knocking the pin out, i use a wooden block on a bench with a small hole drilled in it which i align with the pin i am knocking out to all ow the pin to go into whilst fully supporting the track linkage.
Also i dont use an old trackpin to knock them out as they are made from soft mild steel and can and have bent on me i use a High speed hardened steel drill bit of the correct diameter of the pin hole and i grind the end flat and use that, much more stiff and robust.
Good luck, hope its of use.
Sub.

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:36 pm
by john1970
sounds like you cant get the tracks off the tank or the caps off the sprockets and idlers. If you can take the road wheels off this should give you some slack to lift the tracks over the idlers.

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 6:44 pm
by Jofaur86
:D Hello,

I think you know there is a meaning for this? 8O Usually from the inside to the outside, the axis has a bigger part at the end outside, and if you push in that direction then become difficult to extract. The solution explained by Sub is the way to go :thumbup:

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:50 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
Thank you Sub, John, and Jofaur. I began to wonder if the track pins were somehow put in reversed from the usual at the factory, so I tried that, a three-hands job holding the inside of the track against the block :) . I do not know whether the tracks are steel or an alloy: I suppose I could check with a magnet (Duh! :{ ). Or is there some better way to tell?
I thought about trying to remove one or two road wheels, and I may resort to that. I have not tried the torch. Somehow such a measure strikes me as--how shall I put it?--risky? :haha: I guess I did not mention that I am trying to preserve the paint job because it's different from any others, but still uses two of the colors of the three-color scheme. Rather, I want to weather it as if it were in a warm climate (Italy?). I also need to check my books on where the Königstiger were used. Projects...projects...projects!
Many thanks for the ideas! o-
I will keep you informed.

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:13 pm
by Tiger6
All metal tracks are Zinc Alloy.

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 3:32 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
A desperate man, I resorted to the Dremel with cutting tool. The tracks are off. Even though I have replacements, I will replace the cut sections because metal tracks are expensive. Thanks for all the ideas.

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 5:33 pm
by Jofaur86
Herr Dr. Professor wrote:Thank you Sub, John, and Jofaur. I began to wonder if the track pins were somehow put in reversed from the usual at the factory, so I tried that, a three-hands job holding the inside of the track against the block :) . I do not know whether the tracks are steel or an alloy: I suppose I could check with a magnet (Duh! :{ ). Or is there some better way to tell?
I thought about trying to remove one or two road wheels, and I may resort to that. I have not tried the torch. Somehow such a measure strikes me as--how shall I put it?--risky? :haha: I guess I did not mention that I am trying to preserve the paint job because it's different from any others, but still uses two of the colors of the three-color scheme. Rather, I want to weather it as if it were in a warm climate (Italy?). I also need to check my books on where the Königstiger were used. Projects...projects...projects!
Many thanks for the ideas! o-
I will keep you informed.
8O you have removed the tracks from above the tank, to do this??

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2021 5:47 pm
by Jofaur86

Re: the track-splittin' blues

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:18 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
Thank you, Jofaur86. I have seen those videos before, and many books include still shots from them. However, those in the video to which you provide the link are the clearest images I have ever seen.

You asked, "you have removed the tracks from above the tank, to do this??" If I correctly understand your question you are surprised that I would want to remove the tracks even when not repainting the model. Actually, I usually do so because I want to weather the tracks themselves and behind the tracks. I most often paint the tracks and then weather them with a touch of rust in a wash and/or a pastel powder. I also may add some "dirt," matching where the tank was in service. After I re-assemble the tank, I run it on a concrete floor to wear off the paint some. This may be more complicated than necessary, but I plod along, learning as I go. Frankly, I am a bit satisfied with what I have done weathering tracks on a few 1/16 RC tanks, but I am far from satisfied with any other weathering I have done.