The Curse of the Dragon - DS-Tracks -

[DocRob]

Yeah I know, the typical 'DS-tracks 'like 'em or not' thread, but no, this is about ageing or reacting of the material they are made of and/or they are packed in. I have four sets of DS-tracks, which luckily in all but one case will be substituted. 
For some reason, I opened my Jagdpanther G2 box, #6609, and found the still sealed DS-tracks in a state, shown on the pic. Where they were bent in the box, they already were broken and the third crack appeared, while taking them from the box. The tracks are absolutely brittle and the plastic wrap seems to have shrunken on them. 

I checked the other boxes, a Patton, where I opened the sealing of the DS-tracks and they are still flexible and unharmed. On a Panther G, they were flexible, but due to packing, they had bended guide horns, which I doubt, will be usable and on an early Tiger, I found the same.

The kits are all four to seven years old, when I bought them new and the worst, the Jagdpanther is not the oldest one.

Do you have similar effects with DS-tracks, and how do they held up under aggressive painting and weathering?

Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

Not their armour kits but my LHS got in the Dragon/Cybermodeler BF-109E kit and it uses the same material for the wheel wells. Myself and one of the staff were inspecting the kit when we both noticed it start to crumble. 

Rob, I have some indie link tracks from a Meng Jagdpanther I didn't use. I'd be happy to send them your way. They're from a G1 kit though so not sure if they're ok for a G2.

Carl

[Bomber_County]

This sometimes happens when two dissimilar compounds are in close proximity. I think the compounds leach from one to the other breaking down the molecular structures ie one or both disintegrate. I’m not a chemist but have seen this before. The track will be one compound and the plastic bag another…….I am no expert in the plastics field…………

[GazzaS]

This is a wide known problem, Rob.  I have only had one kit with the DS tracks and I  painted/weathered them with aqueous acrylics. I did this because I have heard of horror stories when ppl have used regular solvent based paints and weathering materials on them.  Sadly, the aqueous acrylics just weren't very durable and wore off in places while handling the model during the final stages of building.  Eventually the kit found it's way into the trash though the tracks were still supple.

So, I just avoid kits with DS tracks, now.  Incidentally, I have a set of Fruils that move from Tiger to Tiger as I build a new one and round-file the old one.  I do have a Dragon E with those wheel well inserts.  I dread to see them when I build the kit.

[DocRob]

18 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Not their armour kits but my LHS got in the Dragon/Cybermodeler BF-109E kit and it uses the same material for the wheel wells. Myself and one of the staff were inspecting the kit when we both noticed it start to crumble. 

Rob, I have some indie link tracks from a Meng Jagdpanther I didn't use. I'd be happy to send them your way. They're from a G1 kit though so not sure if they're ok for a G2.

It's a shame, that Dragon uses such an useless material for the tracks and plane parts. 
Thanks for the generous offer with the tracks Carl, but my four DS equipped kits are covered by three Friul sets and for the last, I have some Magic Tracks as a substitute.
I normally try to buy all needed AM, when buying a kit. It happens often, that later some goods are out of production.
Oh no, there is a DS made tanker jacket in my 251 kit .

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

13 hours ago, Bomber_County said:

This sometimes happens when two dissimilar compounds are in close proximity. I think the compounds leach from one to the other breaking down the molecular structures ie one or both disintegrate. I’m not a chemist but have seen this before. The track will be one compound and the plastic bag another…….I am no expert in the plastics field…………

Exactly my thought Phil, but the other tracks are still flexible and two of those where in their unopened clear plastic sleeve. These didn't look like vacuum wrapped, though.

Cheers Rob 

[DocRob]

13 hours ago, GazzaS said:

So, I just avoid kits with DS tracks, now.  Incidentally, I have a set of Fruils that move from Tiger to Tiger as I build a new one and round-file the old one.  I do have a Dragon E with those wheel well inserts.  I dread to see them when I build the kit.

Interesting way of cost saving Gaz, but taken into account, that a good set of metal tracks is not much cheaper, than the kit, it's made for. On the other hand it sounds like binning the wearer, when the shoe is not right .

Shame on Dragon for using this chemically unreliable stuff .

Cheers Rob

[Bomber_County]

Rob, agree with you I refuse to pay for a new set of tracks when sometimes they are the same cost as the kit. To that end I’ll only buy AFV’s with individual track components, ie Magic tracks or systems similar to RFM’s…..

[BlrwestSiR]

The DS tracks are a real hit or miss on when they deteriorate. I have some in my T-95 that look fine. Same with a Tiger. But that doesn't mean I trust them.

At least these days there are plastic sets that are as detailed as the metal ones and much cheaper. No easier to assemble though. 

[GazzaS]

15 hours ago, DocRob said:

 

Shame on Dragon for using this chemically unreliable stuff .

Cheers Rob

I blame it on those guys who say that Individual links are too hard.  I see them kinda guys on Farcebook all of the time.

[Peterpools]

Holy Smokes

I never knew and what an eye opener! I've heard in some plastic aircraft kits (wish I could remember whose) the plastic rejected Extra Thin and our normal glues. Why in the world do manufacturers produce kits with known defects or assembly issues. They should be required to list such issues on the box. 

Keep 'em comin

Peter

[DocRob]

On 11/8/2021 at 5:10 AM, GazzaS said:

I blame it on those guys who say that Individual links are too hard.  I see them kinda guys on Farcebook all of the time.

There are lots of kits out there with segmented length and link tracks. Don't build tanks, when you are not willing to put decent tracks together, not these rubber bands .

I didn't mean you by that Gaz, just a general rant into the direction of these comic social media nuts.

Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

On 11/10/2021 at 8:36 AM, Peterpools said:

Holy Smokes

I never knew and what an eye opener! I've heard in some plastic aircraft kits (wish I could remember whose) the plastic rejected Extra Thin and our normal glues. Why in the world do manufacturers produce kits with known defects or assembly issues. They should be required to list such issues on the box. 

Keep 'em comin

Peter

I think those are Pegasus model kits. They use ABS plastic for some reason. But Tamiya now has ABS cement...

[BlrwestSiR]

6 hours ago, DocRob said:

There are lots of kits out there with segmented length and link tracks. Don't build tanks, when you are not willing to put decent tracks together, not these rubber bands .

I didn't mean you by that Gaz, just a general rant into the direction of these comic social media nuts.

Cheers Rob

For some subjects, I like the link and length tracks. They speed things up a bunch and still give you decent detail. 

[DocRob]

42 minutes ago, BlrwestSiR said:

For some subjects, I like the link and length tracks. They speed things up a bunch and still give you decent detail. 

Most of the segmented tracks do look good and there is no need for torturing yourself with unnecessary single track link builds, where there is no need for, but if it has to be single track links, there is no way around, rubber bands are not the way to go, for different reasons.

Cheers Rob

[GazzaS]

13 hours ago, DocRob said:

There are lots of kits out there with segmented length and link tracks. Don't build tanks, when you are not willing to put decent tracks together, not these rubber bands .

I didn't mean you by that Gaz, just a general rant into the direction of these comic social media nuts.

Cheers Rob

No problem, Rob.  As for me, I've gotten to the point where I want the option of making the suspension going over obstacles and such just add a little interest.  This is one area where link-and-length fails.