Hey folks,
what kind of videos are out there to teach us about ATAK products? What kind of glue do you use to attach the resin pieces? I’m just researching this because my King Tiger build is now on hold until I get some guidance on it.
Thanks in advance
Tom
Hey Tom! So, I have some experience with ATAK. I love their zimm sets. When I was in my post-college Panther A phase back in 2014-15 I worked with it a lot.
I used 2 different types of glues. Each method has it’s upside and downside.
The first is Tamiya extra thin cement. I’m not sure the science and tech behind it, but this extremely thin cement is great because it comes with a little bruch applicator that allows you to easily apply glue to either the zimm pieces or the turret and hull sides, whichever you prefer. It also behaves in a way that allows you to move the zimm pieces around the tank’s sides to get the positioning just right before it hardens. It dries quick on this zimm, in my opinion, but not so quick that you don’t have a few seconds to maneuver it.
The second method is gap filling or extra thick CA superglue. I use the Micromark/Bob Smith Industries brands we have here in the states. I like these because don’t seem to dry too fast and allowed me to move the zimm a bit. It also had the effect of acting as a gap filler that could be be painted or sanded and made flush with putty before painting.
I love ATAK zimm since I just can’t seem to make good zimm out of putty. I always end up with a much too thick effect. I’ve used Cavalier and ATAK but really like ATAK because you can either cut your pieces to shape, or cut a square, apply it to the tanks surface, and then use a scalpel to trim away the excess. It’s important to me that Panther zimm sets come with a already zimm’d molded mantlet piece rather than suggesting you glue flexible zimm sheet to the contour of the mantlet.
This is how I did it.
I built these 2 Normandy Panther A lates using 2 different ATAK zimm sets and 2 different glues (outlined above).They were still works in progress at this point.
Around this time, I was fat, lonely and sad and started lifting weights, taking TRT therapy, counselling and got ripped and back into dating again. I convinced myself girls didn’t dig scale models and they’d impede my finding the right one. I threw away these models! These along with all kinds of unused photo etch and resin details sets, and some valuable Verlinden resin diorama buildings and bases got trashed. This whole thing still haunts me to this day, but typing it out helps. It wasn’t even necessary because I met my soul mate and she loves that I have this hobby. There’s a lesson in here, I just know it.
Anyways, hope that helps, thanks for letting me vent and here’s the Panthers with ATAk I was referring to.
Nate, you’re right on about applying ATAK, that’s great advice for Tom. But I can’t believe you binned those beautiful Panthers! What a catastrophe! It was like the antithesis of a Zen moment! I have actually found that most women respect model building, even if they don’t quite understand our motives. It is a much more productive and tangible hobby than say comic book or stamp collecting, where you just buy things only to look at them from behind plastic. It’s also a hobby that keeps us where they can see us - not like hunting or fishing or golf. And any girl that just thinks that you just play with little plastic tanks isn’t deep enough to be your soul mate, anyway.
Tom well stated! VBG
No, no he said. They are action figures!!!
You’re absolutely right Mathew.
You guys want to know the really weird/sad part?
The girl I met shortly after all that occurred, my soul mate I’m still with. She not only loves that I have this as a hobby, her father built and loved scale models! He passed right when we first met but we got to connect on firearms and models.
For Christmas our first year together, her family gifted me Dragon #6429 which is the 1:35 SdKfz 138/1 Geschutzwagen 38M w/sIG33/2 that he had buried in his stash. The very kit that defeated me back in college. I took that gifted kit and turned it into a winner and felt all was right with the world lol.
The only one I have used it, I sanded the ATAK zimmerit parts against a full size sanding paper sheet on a flat surface to leave it as thin as possible. I also sanded the kit walls with a thicker sand paper to improve the adhesion and used Ammo Superglue (acrylic) to attach it. It allows plenty of time to position it correctly, excess can be cleaned with water before it dries and it is strong enough.
I am quite happy with the result.
