Master track pin, anyone?

[Jerry Carducci]

I feel silly asking this but does anyone else make a 'master' track pin for their model? That is to say on a track that has a more or less permanent
pin fixing method to make one pin that uses a removable, reusable method to facilitate taking the entire track off and on?

This became necessary while working with the half-track I've been refreshing when I realized I really needed to separate the track to
work on the model and that one of the press on nuts was missing. It's a relatively simple task to either modify one pin or make a new one
to use a small washer and cotter -like split pin to serve as a master link. Drilling the tiny hole in order to use a split pin or simple wire pin
is about the only challenge.

Trying to envision any drawback to this but can't really see one which is why I ask. I've done it on some of the larger examples of my smaller scales
and it worked well however I must admit several aspects of 1/6 scale and the dynamics of the stress on some parts is an aspect I'm still getting used to.

Jerry

[Adrian Harris]

I think the Churchill is the first Armortek model to use a semi permanent track pin.

Everything else already uses drilled track pins with split pins, or threaded fixings on the M3/M4.

Adrian.

[Robert E Morey]

I make a Master pin. On the Panther G track I threaded one or two track pins for an M3 nut instead of the press nut thingys. I usually put a little dot of white paint on the tip of pin for easy ID but not required.
Bob

[Marco Peter]

On my Tiger and Panther I have one pin on each side that can be pulled to easily take the track off.

[Jerry Carducci]

Outstanding all, I plan on implementing this. Thanks for the comments.

J

[Gerhard Michel]

Why could it be a bigger problem to clip off the cotter and remove the washer of a track pin to remove this pin afterwards? You only need a new cotter to reinstall the pin.

My first self-made track pins for the King Tiger had M4 threads on the inner side, paired with self locking nuts. This was very easy to remove and also reusable, but not very impressive to look at. For the next 2 tanks I used self made hard bronze pins with hole, washer and cotter at the outer side. The 200 holes with 1.2 mm diameter of each track link set were a little challenge, but with a fixed track link under the drilling machine as a mount for the pin this work could be rather simplified.

[Jerry Carducci]

I implemented what I was referring to with regards to a master pin.

I made a simple drilling fixture to ensure all the holes made were in the same position.
Used a tiny cotter pin and washer to retain the track pin.

Should work ok.

[Gerhard Michel]

I had to make my own track pins too, and I used a track link to fix it for drilling the hole for the cotter. I also used a further chuck to clamp the drill nearly at its peak to avoid bending:

[Steve McEvoy]

Going to make a master pin for my Churchill as l think they may be quite hard to remove once fitted. Will remove the knurling on the lathe and machine a shallow recess in the centre to locate the grub screw.