PMMS
Atelier infinite
Russian KV1/KV2
Individual Track links

Atelier infinite Set No. 35-0017
1:35th Scale
Review by Terry Ashley

Atelier infinite have joined the growing list of companies releasing individual track link sets for the excellent Trumpeter KV1/KV2 kits.

The set is cast in the usual light grey resin with approximately 200 links included in the plastic bag.

Resin track links
Atelier infinite

The casting is quite good with crisp details on the link faces and nice end pin details but there is some fine resin film to be removed from some links and a couple of square casting blocks to be removed from the corners of each link, one small the other quite large. I found it best to rest the casting block on your cutting board and press down with a sharp blade on the block/link join, this way no pressure is exerted on the link itself and then just some final cleanup of the scar is all that is needed. There was also a small air hole on the tip of the guide pin on a number of the links which may not be noticeable when assembled and painted and a couple of links had minor distortion on one end of the link.

Details of the links showing the cleanup needed and pins for clipping the links together
Atelier infinite

Assembly is straightforward after cleanup as the links are designed to clip together with two small pins and corresponding holes on the links that easily clip together using light finger pressure. After inserting one pin lightly press the new link into place with slight downward pressure to force the link as far to one side as possible allowing a bit more room for the link to slip over the pin as clipping directly can break off the small resin pin.

Method of clipping the links together
Atelier infinite

Once assembled the track runs were quite robust and didn’t tend to come apart with normal handling but there is one issue with the assembled track runs in that they tended to curve quite substantially, the longer the track run the more the curve. I have seen this phenomenon with other clip together track links but usually with much less curving and there is enough play between the pin/hole join for the runs to straighten okay when fitted to the target kit and therefore not an issue.
Unfortunately the pins fit very snugly with these links with not much play and therefore the runs don’t easily straighten even when fitted to the drive and road wheels of the kit.

This tendency to curl resulted in one side of the track wanting to lift off the drive sprocket /road wheels leaving a small gap between track and wheel, you could always glue the runs firmly in place I guess but that makes them not workable anymore.
It may also be possible to dip the assembled track run in hot/warm water and then straighten but care would be needed not to distort the links.

The assembled track runs fit perfectly around the Trumpeter drive sprockets without any trimming but the above issue means one side doesn’t sit flush around the sprockets.

Assembled track run showing substantial curve
Atelier infinite
Tracks fitted along road wheels forcing the run to straighten
but still with the issue of the links lifting off one side of the road wheel

Atelier infinite
Assembled track length around drive sprocket and road wheels
note
lifting off one on side of the road wheel and not sitting sung around
sprocket due to track run curve

Atelier infinite

Conclusion:
Overall a nice set of links with good details but there is a fair bit of cleanup needed before assembly and the curling issue is a problem.

Unfortunately given the amount of cleanup required and the problems with the curling I can’t really recommend these links especially where there are several other excellent sets to choose from.

See the Atelier infinite website for details of available sets, it's entirely in Japanese but if you run it through a translator such as WorldLingo you can get the gist of what’s there.

Atelier infinite detail sets are available from the excellent mail order service at Rainbow Ten.

See the KV Series Subjects page for reviews of other track and detail sets available on site.



Page created October 21, 2005

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