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Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2024 6:55 pm
by MrChef
Herr Dr. Professor wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 4:06 pm I always rusted up tracks a bit, ran them on the concrete floor to make the cleats shine, and said "Boris Gudinov." Since these weathering products are made for static display, will the snow stay put if you run the Tiger?
Both of these sets of tracks are plastic so it's hard to follow my "usual" metal track weathering which is similar to your sadistic track abuse method Herr Dr.

The snow? Good question and I just checked now. When wet in the pot it's like white fluffy marshmallow with little white random bits. When dried it's similar to that acoustic foam paint they used to blow on apartment ceilings in the 70' & 80's. It dries pretty rock hard. But can be cracked and chipped.

I rotated all the track links before letting them dry and left the links as a loop on its side to resemble the tanks shape. I just went and bent all the tracks and ran the sprocket from end to end, all moves properly. Small bits of white broke off but 99% of the stuff I placed stayed put. As you said Herr Dr. these will not be runners more for display and pics but they can run.

Same goes with the muddy tracks but since there is less of the AK mud slapped on, there is easier movement.

No fear I have the metal tracks it came with, and will do the normal weathering to them as well. I was just curious what I could do with the plastic tracks since they were so gosh darned cheap. $3.99 per set.

I also still have another set of new plastic tracks I haven't messed with just in case. ;)

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 10:11 pm
by Ecam
Now that I've started work on my Tiger, I'm so stealing many of your ideas!

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2024 2:23 am
by MrChef
Ecam wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2024 10:11 pm Now that I've started work on my Tiger, I'm so stealing many of your ideas!
Haha :haha: Have at it! I can't imagine that I've done anything groundbreaking or interesting sans maybe the bamboo toothpicks. But that's the great thing about this forum, we all share ideas, opinions, advice and support. And I haven't met any elitest twits here yet. There's plenty of those and drama to go around the Facebook RC tank groups, just ask Meter rat. :/

I like how you made the turret reposition easy enough that I might actually try it one day.

I also like how you squared off the 3rd turret lug hole in the Rommel bin. I knew about it, just wasn't motivated enough to change it.

Honestly I did a lot of reading Tiger I builds here, Heng Long, Tamiya etc. not just brand specific. I think I got the fender mount idea that Mater rat likes looking at a Tammy.

Keep tanking :thumbup:

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 6:47 pm
by MrChef
Gathering my thoughts for next steps.

Revisiting my reference pics for 822 which became S13=


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Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 7:08 pm
by Ad Lav
Good reference photos :)

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:09 am
by MrChef
Track time.

So at this point I am prepping 3 sets of tracks for this Tiger: 1 Plastic Snow packed, 1 Plastic Muddy/Mucky and I decided to do the Metal tracks because they are my favorite to work with.

So a bluing or blackening if you will. I use Brownells Oxpho-blue=

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I used the last 8oz.of my 32oz. bottle and honestly I think it's gotten a bit weaker with age. I soaked these tracks for easily 30 minutes. It used to just take a few minutes and some brushing.

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I looked at reference pics for Tiger tracks:

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So I messed with a new set of rust weathering stuff I have on the metal spares:

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H'mmm... Whatcha think?

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:26 am
by Ecam
Tracks look spectacular! Not sure what the active ingredient in gun blue, but no too surprised that it has weakened.

Which Tiger is that in the second and third pictures above? Surely not 131 with those late tracks, as yes I called you Shirley...

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 3:52 pm
by MrChef
Thank you Eric. I have just a bit to tweak with the snow tracks. I'm not satisfied with this snow product but live and learn, it'll do. The Muddy tracks I'm pretty happy with, just gonna add some wet spots and splatters.

The Metal tracks I'm going to keep working on to resemble the previous real world pic examples. It will be my first attempt at emulating their look. I usually just do dusty dirty black/gray metal.

Thanks for the support. We have a weather pseudo warm up this coming week (36 degrees). I hope to get the final paint sprayed on the body so I can assemble and start the real work so I can get some pics finished with some winter environment.

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 4:51 pm
by MrChef
Borrowed the good wifes keen eyes picking colors and pigments.

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Still needs to be lighter but I have a good selection to play with.

Re: [WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:49 pm
by Ad Lav
Must be the Tiger from Militracks last summer.

I have a Panther link if you want to see the colour.