After the last update I added one more oil color to the finish- a more muddy, grimey shade.
I also weathered the wooden box using oils and pigments before using some ‘Fuel Stain’ product from AMMO on the drums and around the area they sit.
A similar ‘Oil Stains’ product was used on parts of the rear deck. Oils and pigments were also used to weather the exhausts.
Then I used pigments again for the tracks, matched as close as possible to the oil paint colors.
Aaaaand now the tricky bit- track assembly! Actually it turned out not too bad at all- pretty much exactly as I wrote earlier.
For the front tracks I placed all three roadwheels on plus the idler (no glue needed) and fed the track end through until just before it would meet the sprocket.
Putting the sprocket on at this point allowed me to use it to grab the track and gently turn it, pulling the track round to meet the bottom run just below the sprocket. The tracks were strong enough to be pulled together, glue applied and the remaining half link put on to complete it. I didn’t even need to hold it until the glue dried- it held just fine.
The rear track solid length sections were too big to repeat the above technique. What I fid here was to fit all the road wheels then put the sprocket and the idler into the tracks and then lower this carefully into place. It’s simply a matter of getting the sprocket and idler onto their mounts and easing the upper section of track past the return rollers.
They were then fixed in place the same way as the front sections.
When I finally had them on I realised they were done in the opposite direction to the instructions but luckily it didn’t affect the assembly and, even more luckily, it makes little visual difference. Phew!
Next up was another tricky bit- attaching the mine plough. Not quite as fiddly as the tracks but I was sure glad to get it done!
Thanks for reading!