Thanks for posting this. I just completed my first set of magic tracks for a Dragon T-34. I followed the method you outlined here and everything went pretty smoothly.
Which kit is yours? Mine is a December 1943 in the box that I backdated to an April 43 production since the kit isn't 100% accurate...but everything I needed was in the box. Any questions, ask away! If yours if the standard one, 6420 or whatever, then that's a March 43 Alkett factory production and is perfect the way it is!
Much better with out the music, so great. Clear method, I've always used Contacta for the curved sections, but will give your method a shot . Thanks for posting. John.
Awesome video! I still have my first Dragon kit in the box, but learning your methods definitely inspires me to tackle that project. So many cool things to do, so little time!
I'm finding that cleaning up the "Magic Track" system to be very relaxing while listening to something else. Excellent tip on the number of links for the top run. Thank you.
Nice video. Very clear explanation. I really like magic tracks and I am more inclined to buy a kit if they are included. I use a slower drying glue, however. I use Testors glue in the black squeeze bottle. I feel it gives me enough time to shape the tracks. Sometimes the hardest part is getting a tight fit over the idler wheel.
A great video my friend ! Much as I prefer link and length, your video makes it simple and easy. I've got several kits I'm going to have to deal with. Your video will be of great help.
Thank you Stevie! And also thanks for your advice on the little things I was checking for this StuG here :) she's been camouflaged up today and I'm really happy with it!
Panzermeister36 cool. No problem...anytime. I just bought another Tiger from evilBay. I am sick! It is an illness! LOL. Looking Ng forward to seeing your camo.....that's where my downfall is. Next time I do camo, I'm gonna copy a model I like and go from there. I need to make it more blotchy and less stripey! Ha! T
These track pieces had so frustrated me that I rather buy workable tracks or if not available, I simply committed the kits to *the stash* which had grown and grown. Thanks for showing us mortals how it can be done. Note the details: u used a wide steel ruler, and used the sprocket to help connecting the ends.
Try the masking tape method my friend, works extremely well, you can place the entire track over each wheel and adjust the sag all at once, works better than I thought it would personally. Just aced the 1100 part Dragon Panzer III magic track set using it :p Great vids dude
Clean up...phhhhh. You make me feel very sloppy in general. You can glue them all if you use Contacta or Tamiya standard, so this method does make sense, just looks like a lot of work. Nice to see a video from one of us.
A lot of work maybe, but I feel like I have more control like this. But everyone has their own special way, and I've much preferred working with workable tracks due to how they look and how easy it is to weather them. Now I need some kaizen ostketten!
and comment 2 :) i am new to modelling again ( its been 35yrs) ...and i want ww2 tank kits in 1/48 or 1/35 that have great fit and good detail ( preferably interior if possible). what 3 kits would you recomend ? thanks in advance from the UK.
Tamiya makes some great kits for armour in both of those scales,so I'd go for some of those since they're well engineered and essentially flawless kits. However, they most likely won't have interiors...for those you'll need to go for a Dragon kit or maybe Trumpeter or Tristar which are all a little more complex. Dragon's panzer 38t kits are quite good though and those have full interiors.
+Jan Skácelík they are not glued to the wheels. So I can remove the tracks as one piece and paint them separately from the wheels. Since all the tracks are glued together, they will stay in the same shape.
Merci beaucoup! Et oui, je pense que chacun à son propre méthod pour les chenilles..c'est quelquechose assez frustrant donc tout le monde le fait différemment. ...J'espère que mon français Canadien est encore compréhensible :)
It's from Dragon, the kit that the tracks came with. 6581 is the kit number, but I did lots of modifications to the kit to change it from December 1943 production to April 1943.
I've had zero luck with these magic trick things. I still prefer the rubber band tracks. And is it not too time consuming to remove seam lines and injector pin marks on every track link? Good Lord I don't have that kind of time. I would also love to see how you would paint these tracks. Specifically the rubber on the road wheels and return rollers.
All that work maybe ads 45 minutes to the overall build, but I just watch a couple of Hamilkar's build videos or some TV while I work on them and it's a breeze, since it's repetitive work.
Yeah that's what I always think when I see these tracks, painting them must be a bitch. Or at least painting them to the standard I like, usually when I see people paint these they do a pretty sloppy job with the airbrush with the attitude of "oh well! the weathering will cover it all in the end".
I tried to follow the video but the track links keep falling apart, even after a full day of letting the plastic cement dry. EDIT: I'm pretty sure this doesn't work. You could pile all the cement you want, the tracks still fall apart.
Miss these Magic tracks in modern DML kits, Dragon probably listened to a small stupid minority who thought that Magic tracks are too hard and put in their stupid DS tracks which is the equivalent of a cancer cell, if one gets affected the rest also get affected. And because of this Dragon isn't selling a lot of new kits compared to their old kits, stupid Dragon. Great video anyway like always :)
DS are cheaper to manufacture and more attractive to beginners. I actually picked up a recent panther kit with DS but also with Magic Tracks as well for some reason, so that's the only reason I bought it. I'll do a review of that one.
So all the magic is that they are separate pieces, really? I have not yet had dragon model with magic tracks, M6 i'm doing now has vynil and i was curious what magic was. Thought it was going to be like easy assembly without glue workable tracks, like takom MK.V tank or tamiya Somua and B1 had (of course not all tracks can be made this like, but its what i thought hearing "magic" word). Never had such pleasure like when assembling MK.V workable tracks. So any cheapass model with separate link tracks can be called magic or what?
+MrSpamaccount "Magic Tracks" is just Dragon's term for their individual track links that come in a bag with no cleanup. Most other individual link tracks come on sprues. The Dragon M6 you bought is a "Black Label" kit i.e. really cheap and not up to usual Dragon "Smart Kit" standards.
Thanks for posting this. I just completed my first set of magic tracks for a Dragon T-34. I followed the method you outlined here and everything went pretty smoothly.
Awesome timing! I literally just got the same kit. I've never done magic track's before. And was apprehensive. This video is a big help. Thank you!
Which kit is yours? Mine is a December 1943 in the box that I backdated to an April 43 production since the kit isn't 100% accurate...but everything I needed was in the box. Any questions, ask away! If yours if the standard one, 6420 or whatever, then that's a March 43 Alkett factory production and is perfect the way it is!
Much better with out the music, so great. Clear method, I've always used Contacta for the curved sections, but will give your method a shot . Thanks for posting. John.
If I could get some Revell Contacta I sure would use it for the tracks :)
you explain things so clearly and to the point. my new fave youtuber now . regards, a newbie model maker
Thank you very much!
Awesome video! I still have my first Dragon kit in the box, but learning your methods definitely inspires me to tackle that project. So many cool things to do, so little time!
Thank you Sergio! Seeing your work, I think you will enjoy a Dragon Smart Kit for sure :)
I'm finding that cleaning up the "Magic Track" system to be very relaxing while listening to something else. Excellent tip on the number of links for the top run. Thank you.
Nice video. Very clear explanation. I really like magic tracks and I am more inclined to buy a kit if they are included. I use a slower drying glue, however. I use Testors glue in the black squeeze bottle. I feel it gives me enough time to shape the tracks. Sometimes the hardest part is getting a tight fit over the idler wheel.
Nicely done vid Evan. Well explained and filmed mate. Quality production
Thank you Mark :)
Nice and excellent video. I will try for my first time assembling them..I expect to do it right!
A great video my friend ! Much as I prefer link and length, your video makes it simple and easy. I've got several kits I'm going to have to deal with. Your video will be of great help.
Thanks Ennis :) I hope the video helps you out when you give them a go!
Y'all make this look so easy!!! Haha! Great how to vid!! Will refer back to this when it comes time delve into these tracks.
Thank you Chris! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Nice clear video. I do the drive sprocket first, then the top run, idler and finally roadwheels! 😊
Thank you Stevie! And also thanks for your advice on the little things I was checking for this StuG here :) she's been camouflaged up today and I'm really happy with it!
Panzermeister36 cool. No problem...anytime. I just bought another Tiger from evilBay. I am sick! It is an illness! LOL. Looking Ng forward to seeing your camo.....that's where my downfall is. Next time I do camo, I'm gonna copy a model I like and go from there. I need to make it more blotchy and less stripey! Ha!
T
Nice video Evan. I liked your other magic track video but this one is even better!
Thank you Steve!
These track pieces had so frustrated me that I rather buy workable tracks or if not available, I simply committed the kits to *the stash* which had grown and grown. Thanks for showing us mortals how it can be done. Note the details: u used a wide steel ruler, and used the sprocket to help connecting the ends.
Great video, I'm yet to attempt any magic tracks but have plenty of kits with them in the stash and I'm sure I will find this video useful.
Thank you!
Try the masking tape method my friend, works extremely well, you can place the entire track over each wheel and adjust the sag all at once, works better than I thought it would personally. Just aced the 1100 part Dragon Panzer III magic track set using it :p Great vids dude
Clean up...phhhhh. You make me feel very sloppy in general. You can glue them all if you use Contacta or Tamiya standard, so this method does make sense, just looks like a lot of work. Nice to see a video from one of us.
A lot of work maybe, but I feel like I have more control like this. But everyone has their own special way, and I've much preferred working with workable tracks due to how they look and how easy it is to weather them. Now I need some kaizen ostketten!
All hail the mighty Magic Tracks!
Aw yeah!
Good video . I have no luck with this tracks!!!
Informative video! Thanks mate.
cool to see how you approach this :)
Thank you Michael! Maybe if I had contacta it would be easier to work in one both section, so I will have to find some :)
Very informative , thank you !
I'm glad it was! Thanks :)
Nice video
Its very useful
Thank you!
I'm so glad they idler wheels are only the ones with the inner PE rims lol how tedious is that job atoll lol
and comment 2 :) i am new to modelling again ( its been 35yrs) ...and i want ww2 tank kits in 1/48 or 1/35 that have great fit and good detail ( preferably interior if possible). what 3 kits would you recomend ? thanks in advance from the UK.
Tamiya makes some great kits for armour in both of those scales,so I'd go for some of those since they're well engineered and essentially flawless kits. However, they most likely won't have interiors...for those you'll need to go for a Dragon kit or maybe Trumpeter or Tristar which are all a little more complex. Dragon's panzer 38t kits are quite good though and those have full interiors.
Very helpful! Thanks!
Thank you Chris
I just dont get the plastic tracks - how do you than paint them when they are glued like this? How do you paint the wheels?
+Jan Skácelík they are not glued to the wheels. So I can remove the tracks as one piece and paint them separately from the wheels. Since all the tracks are glued together, they will stay in the same shape.
Bonne méthodologie pour le montage de chenille, je fais différemment, à chacun ces petites astuce👍🇫🇷👍🇫🇷
Merci beaucoup! Et oui, je pense que chacun à son propre méthod pour les chenilles..c'est quelquechose assez frustrant donc tout le monde le fait différemment.
...J'espère que mon français Canadien est encore compréhensible :)
Tracks like this never go this easy
Great tutorial, :-)
Thank you Kim!
I hate this part. Thank you for tutorial!!
What model is it I know its a stug but by who
It's from Dragon, the kit that the tracks came with. 6581 is the kit number, but I did lots of modifications to the kit to change it from December 1943 production to April 1943.
I like it!
Thanks Mitko :)
I've had zero luck with these magic trick things. I still prefer the rubber band tracks. And is it not too time consuming to remove seam lines and injector pin marks on every track link? Good Lord I don't have that kind of time. I would also love to see how you would paint these tracks. Specifically the rubber on the road wheels and return rollers.
All that work maybe ads 45 minutes to the overall build, but I just watch a couple of Hamilkar's build videos or some TV while I work on them and it's a breeze, since it's repetitive work.
Yeah that's what I always think when I see these tracks, painting them must be a bitch. Or at least painting them to the standard I like, usually when I see people paint these they do a pretty sloppy job with the airbrush with the attitude of "oh well! the weathering will cover it all in the end".
I tried to follow the video but the track links keep falling apart, even after a full day of letting the plastic cement dry.
EDIT: I'm pretty sure this doesn't work. You could pile all the cement you want, the tracks still fall apart.
I'm tracking this tutorial!
Miss these Magic tracks in modern DML kits, Dragon probably listened to a small stupid minority who thought that Magic tracks are too hard and put in their stupid DS tracks which is the equivalent of a cancer cell, if one gets affected the rest also get affected. And because of this Dragon isn't selling a lot of new kits compared to their old kits, stupid Dragon. Great video anyway like always :)
DS are cheaper to manufacture and more attractive to beginners. I actually picked up a recent panther kit with DS but also with Magic Tracks as well for some reason, so that's the only reason I bought it. I'll do a review of that one.
Where can I get cheep stug 3 tracks?
You can probably find something on Ebay, but I'm not the kind of guy to ask since I don't buy much online.
It looks just like my stug 3. But you have boght extra stuff after market
All I bought were the metal grenade launchers for this kit, everything else was in the box.
Woww
So all the magic is that they are separate pieces, really? I have not yet had dragon model with magic tracks, M6 i'm doing now has vynil and i was curious what magic was. Thought it was going to be like easy assembly without glue workable tracks, like takom MK.V tank or tamiya Somua and B1 had (of course not all tracks can be made this like, but its what i thought hearing "magic" word). Never had such pleasure like when assembling MK.V workable tracks. So any cheapass model with separate link tracks can be called magic or what?
+MrSpamaccount "Magic Tracks" is just Dragon's term for their individual track links that come in a bag with no cleanup. Most other individual link tracks come on sprues. The Dragon M6 you bought is a "Black Label" kit i.e. really cheap and not up to usual Dragon "Smart Kit" standards.
The last section also never works like that ,it would not bend that easy
It does for me...