Best laid plans of mice & men…both T-34-85’s have been completed…however the old Tamiya Porsche King Tiger’s replacement tracks have been a bit frustrating. I really want to complete a tri-color as a warm up before moving to the Pz IV’s.
After an excavation that would have done Indiana Jones proud, I found an old set of clasp original style Friulmodellismo King Tiger tracks in the stash. The KT set may have been the first offered by Friulmodellismo. In any case these relics bounced around between various model club members in the early 1990’s before I ended up with them.
The sprockets are for the old Tamiya King Tiger/Hunting Tiger from the 1970’s and other aged dinosaurs:) While the price tag fell off over the years, I think they were $27 in 1992.
Fortunately the early 90’s Tamiya King Tiger’s sprockets work and the warped white metal sprockets aren’t needed. I think the sprockets were mishandled over the years as the set moved around the model club.
About 1 out of 7 of the thick links were distorted or warped beyond saving. Probably half of thin flat links were wrapped but easily flattened back to correct shape.
Several links had broken pins or broken classes so that also had to be checked.
In the end, I had ninety usable thick links and over a hundred usable flat links. Each track run needed 42 thick & 42 flat, plus 6 double links for spares. So there was a total of two spare thick links.
Thankfully Friulmodellismo included an alignment jig for crimping track links back in the day:)
The tracks had a very heavy coating of mold release agent. It may have been silicon spray etc but I looked like thirty some year old Pam nonstick cooking spray. In anycase, it proved hard to remove with a simple wash that usually works.
Kali Kat offered use of her table and Ultrasonic cleaner.
Don’t do this disclaimer! Responsibility is entirely yours if warning is disregarded.
Used gloves, safety glasses and outside ventilation etc. Safety is critical!
Cleaned up an old seasoning jar and filled it with MEK. The lid was above water level in the ultrasonic cleaner and sealed tightly. The Ultrasonic waves penetrate the glass jar and create bubbles inside cleaning what ever is in the jar. Naturally the tracks were in the jar.
Two eight minute cycles for each track and they were free of mold release. The tracks were left outside and dried in open air ventilation.
Kali settled in for a nap while I cleaned track links.
The jar sealed well enough the MEK can be saved in a secure location and used again for cleaning additional tracks if needed.
before continuing regularly scheduled Pz IV programming 
