"Need tracks ? Here's how to make them" Topic

If you want to make tracks simply & cheaply ,take a look.
castrarunis.blogspot.com/2014/02/trackstracks-more-tracks-need-tracks.html

Hope you find this useful
Z

That is brilliant…and I have tons sitting around.

That is brilliant, and I really like the model you are making!

That is an excellent idea!

Oooooh, COOL! Do like!

I even have some obsolete ones from stuff like my old 14.4k modem that will NEVER get used again.

Brilliant, brilliant idea!

All I can say is

Mind = Blown

Thanks all,
I remembered something else,if you cut them thin enough,you can also use them to make ammo belts.Granted not so detailed but they'll do.

AB can't wait to finish that model,had it in limbo for some months now but I'll post pics once it is ready.

Z

Great idea thanks for sharing

The most useful idea I've seen in ages. Boundless thank you's!

You're more than welcome.
Glad you like it & find it useful.

You can also take the small dehydrant tubs ( see the top left pic in blog – under the panther wheels ) & wrap the flat cable around them to make decent enough rubberlike wheels or rollers.
They can also be used to represent corrugated iron sheet roofs, non slip flooring,ammo feed belts as mentioned above & also cables if you cut them along the length.

Z

Yes – useful – bitsbox – thankyou. Cheers ;-)

Great idea! Always on the lookout for more useful bits. Thanks.

Intriguing idea – thanks for sharing!:)

Idea stolen!

I think what I need tracks for is too small. Got some plastic WWII tanks and the treads for them snapped on me. They're only 1/144 scale.

Thanks all.
Can't wait to see what you're going to do with them AA.
Sargonarhes – They come in different sizes depending on the thickness of the wire & the amount of pins in the connector.
Check the size of the pitch.
Look around ,If I'm not mistaken (though not sure)Ultra wide SCSI ones are thinner.Even if you buy a new cable it will last you a lifetime.There are loads on ebay.

Z

By the way, I think theye were also referred to as 'ribbon cable', though that may have been for old printer connections.

Alas, looks like most have been pitched from the shop.

Doug

Genius !

Damn i throw out mine ;(
But sombody around have some for sure !

Thanks Awuuu,
Never been called a genius before :):):)

Remember that one man's rubbish is another man's treasure trove ….

There's a wealth of material in junk shops, car boot sales, recycling depots etc etc etc …. one just needs to look and see …. or like I said before, E bay has loads of them.
A new one ( which I must say would be much better than a used one because its has no kinks & totally flat, hence the name )will last you a lifetime.

Enjoy
Z

It's words like those that make people like me the insufferable packrats that we are. Oh, wait, it's my own damn fault.

*sigh*

Doug

Hello again all,
Just discovered a better way to use the flat cable/ribbon cable tracks.
When you cut them to the required width , glue them on a piece of thin card ( cereal box ) with the width touching.
That way you can make them as long as you want,you won't have one end over the next & most importantly you will not be fiddling around waiting for the superglue to cure ( as the soft plastic takes sometime to adhere)

Remember to leave a tab in the card so as to push it snugly under the other end & the join always goes at the bottom side of your vehicle or under side guards so as not to be seen.

I will be showing you another way how to make tracks soon.

Hope you find it useful.
Z

*phew* I'm safe; parallel ribbon cables are few and far between locally. ;->=

Doug

Doug,
Are you Pulling my leg ? ;)

Z

Useful, wish I'd spotted it when first posted.

Very good idea, now if only I had some of those old ribbons

Thanks ,Glad you like it.
Rou , Never too late to try out.
Harbadix check out this link
ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=flat+cable&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xflat+ribbon+cable.TRS0&_nkw=flat+ribbon+cable&_sacat=0

Note the more pins the better as it would be wider. The connectors make great missile launchers also.

Z

What's a floppy disk drive he mentioned about with cable thingy?

And you have audacity to call yourself 'The Gaffer'!

Why, when I was a young man, our Hollerith cards were made of stone!

;->=

Doug

OP – That.Is.Genius!

I can probably even put them through as expenses…

Another idea is to use lengths of zip tie. You can get 2mm wide zip ties for use with computer cables and whatnot for dirt cheap.

link

Cut to length, soften in boiling water or with a heat gun, and apply to your model.

Thanks all,
Javelin98 I will try zip ties out also. Thanks.

As promised , here is the 2nd method on how to make tracks.
Hope you find it useful.

castrarunis.blogspot.com.mt/2016/08/tracks-2.html

Z

Very cool.

Thanks Dale glad you like it.
I have also tried using Aluminium foil from beer cans ( careful very sharp) & cereal box card ( specifically the brownish kind not the greyish kind as it seems better for this ) with varying results.
My next plan is to use metal gears as they should squash the material better & thus better embossed detail.

Z