Academy M-36

[Larry Bates]

This is one of my next builds that I've been working on a little. I'm just putting it up for something for my first entry to my new vBench! ;) :)
This past weekend I spent a couple of hours putting together the tracks for it. They're MK tracks,for the Sherman. These track blocks have double pins. In all I've probably spent 4 hrs. so far and got about 3 to 4 inches of track together. Each block has 8 pieces, I'll try and post some pics up tomorrow.

[Larry Bates]

another photo..... I added the end to the cannon as there are really no after market barrels for it yet. The end is a thread protector, as most did not use the flash suppressor. I chucked a piece of plastic tube the appropriate size in my drill and using an exacto blade and/or a file , "turned" the piece.

[Larry Bates]

Well, as promised here is a brief sinopsis of assembling MK's Sherman track links.

[Larry Bates]

These are the sprues that carry the main track block pieces.

[Larry Bates]

This pic is of various pieces to use depending on what kit/version of Sherman you are using. These will go on my M-36. Some of these are spacers for the drive sproket to allow a good fit. I used two for this model as it not a Sherman variation.
the bottom two loose pieces are to use for the idler wheels so as to adjust track tension which is a good thing for Sherman based rigs.

[Larry Bates]

Here is a length of track that has been assembled. As you may notice there is one block on backwards. :( Oh well just like in the field. :lol:

[Larry Bates]

Here you see the four main track block pieces separated from the sprue before clean up.

[Larry Bates]

The end connectors are a bit trickier to separate from the sprue compared to the track block pieces. Last weekend I cracked two at the holes straight across, one of them in two. After assembling the other pieces that I had cleaned, I reglued, using testors liquid cement and a small brush the damaged connectors and when dried, attached them to the track run. :) I used a cutting wheel on a dremel tool to first cut the connectors from the restricting sprue legs. Then when those were gone I used snippers to finally free the pieces from the remaining tree. Whew! Now I was getting a more reasonable way of assembling these tracks than what MK gives you in the box! I'll post pics of that later.

[Larry Bates]

I used the end of a metal ruler to support the end connector while using tweezers and an x-acto knife to clean up the sprue gates.

[Larry Bates]

This is what it looks like before gluing together. The two track pins are set in one half of the track block, here the instructions would have you use "a weak or tacky glue" or something to that effect, in the center. Instead, I held the two block pieces, along with the track pins trapped between, together with tweezers along the horizontal axis, then using a very small brush, touched the sides of the track block along the seams on the two long sides ONLY! Set down and move on to the next, and let dry. If you do it right the block cures at the seam and the track pins will still be free to rotate! Even if the pins attract a little glue I was able to break them free with just a bit of persuasion from a pair of tweezers. I did lose one to an exceeding amount of torque on the pin from the tweezers. :angry:

[Larry Bates]

This is what it looks like when the block is complete with the pins trapped between.

[Larry Bates]

Now comes the tricky part, to attach the end connectors you must put a tiny drop o glue on ONLY th very tip of each pin. Here I switched to testors tube glue, using a tooth pick to place the miniscule amount of glue on the end of the pin. An optivisor of some sort is a must here! Then attach the connectors in the correct order, repeat over and over and you have a track! Oh, I amost forgot, there is a tiny matter of the TINY bolt that must be glued in the hole of the end connector , and if required, the extended end connector to each link. This makes a total of 8 pieces per track block!

[Larry Bates]

Still, It's worth the time to assemble these tracks as they are gorgeous when complete, especially with the end connectors.

Don't let this picture scare you! ;) :o :)

[James Tainton]

Originally posted by Larry Bates@Oct 21 2005, 08:50 PM
I used a cutting wheel on a dremel tool to first cut the connectors from the restricting sprue legs.
you might want to try just heating a scalpel/x-acto blade under a candle and then slicing the bits off- using that Dremel tool like that strikes me like using a sledge hammer to hang a picture ;)

[Larry Bates]

Yes , but I use it only on the lowest setting, which is plenty fast enough for any use on plastic. With my luck I'd melt half of the tracks. :lol:

James, I only use the dremel on the outer parts of sprue to release the tension on the actual pieces, then use sprue cutters.

[Larry Bates]

Originally posted by panzerfaust@Oct 21 2005, 10:21 PM
using that Dremel tool like that strikes me like using a sledge hammer to hang a picture ;)
what's wrong with that? :lol:

[James Tainton]

Originally posted by Larry Bates@Oct 21 2005, 09:24 PM
Yes , but I use it only on the lowest setting, which is plenty fast enough for any use on plastic. With my luck I'd melt half of the tracks. :lol:

James, I only use the dremel on the outer parts of sprue to release the tension on the actual pieces, then use sprue cutters.
Oh okay- I guess I got it wrong- looks like a lot of ...fun?? :lol:

[Larry Bates]

Oh okay- I guess I got it wrong- looks like a lot of ...fun?? :lol:




Fun? Well, it's painful if that s what you mean. :) but, after assembling AFV Clubs and having them fall apart after painting them and to be fair, removing them and reattaching. I wanted something that was a bit more solid. And the extended end connectors are so much better on these. But heck, once its done I can't play with it anymore!
lol

[Larry Bates]

BTW James,
I thought it was pretty cool the way my 88 post was move to my vbench the next day :) I was wondering how I could do that.

[Larry Bates]

A few more pics. Here's the suspension units assembled. TWS and/or TMD road wheels, can't remember which, I think the stamped wheels are TMD.

[Larry Bates]

A comparison shot of the kit track guides and ones I'm scratching from copper sheet.

[Larry Bates]

I got this set of Edward pe for it , mostly for the front fenders and the ice cleat rack on the sides. The one thing that is kind of cool is that Edward has provided a couple sizes of cutouts to make bolt heads. The theory being you mash heated sprue over them and voila! Can't wait to try it.

[Larry Bates]

some things to add to the kit.....the exhaust shield is from Tamiya's early M4 model, which is from a sprue made for the M4A3. BONUS! ;) The Academy kit only supplies the later exhaust shield. Even so this one will have to be modified as it is too thick, and needs additional detail. The mg is from the sadly now defunct Collector's Brass company.

[Larry Bates]

close up , sorry its shot through the plastic bag..... :(

[Larry Bates]

I should have posted this shot earlier, but, here it is. This shows the spacers added to the drive sproket to be able to fit MK's tracks. The hole is the result of widening the sprokets, it's a sort of keyhole thing to get the two halve to fit together inline. This will be filled later.

[Larry Bates]

This sproket is a pretty tight fit with the MK tracks, has anyone seen , I ccan't remember off the top of my head , which company makes it.... there's a really nice AM sprocket with pe teeth plates, to attach to the plastic, or is it resin? part? Has anyone used it, with MK ?

[Evan August]

Nice project you've got there Larry. Man, I hate tracks, don't know if I would have the patience to do those. ;)

[Larry Bates]

Thanks Evan,
When I opened the box and looked at the sprues I thought , oh my god, how am I going to put these together without glueing them solid? so back into the closet they went for several months. I kept looking at them thinking of how to assemble them. Then, I came up with this. Nothing astounding, but it works, and its easy!

Thanks for your interest. ;)