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I do this too (use CA to tack down the track), but a word of warning. If you have a foam sheet surface under your roadbed, the CA will dissolve it if you get too messy (like me).
I probably spend too much time on my trackwork, but, it's fun for me...and I love the results when seen in my close-up photography. Many detail oriented N-scalers agree that our super-detailed cars and engines look much better on the best looking trackage available, and that it's highly counterintuitive to run a lovely Scale Trains SD40-2 UP Snoot on Kato Unitrack.
If every length of solid track has a feeder, what is the reasoning for also soldering the rail joiners? Seems like an unnecessary task.
Did you file the rail before you tried the rail joiners???? I really like the tight ones as they hold well after 20 plus years.Here how I do it. Using a triangle file, file the flanges so the look like this Using a piece of wood to press the joiner on. Notice I'm pushing into the end of the piece of wood.I do both of these (or did - haven’t laid track for a couple years as layout trackwork was completed a while ago). However, the “pushing into the end grain of a piece of wood” option only works if you’re installing a joiner on a track segment that is not fastened to the layout. In situations where I need to place a joiner on the end of rail that is already installed I used a short section of rail that I filed similarly to the rail end shown in the first photo and installed it in a piece of wood down (looks like an ice pick), then used this tool to gently open up both ends of a joiner so it could be relatively easily slid onto a rail. I filed the ends of all my rail segments, not just to ease joiner installation, but also so I had nice clean metal to make soldering easier. This is critical on the pre weathered rail. I liked ME joiners once I figured out how instal them without mutilating my fingers. Compared to some brands they look less conspicuous and the tightness held the rails steadily in place and helped eliminate kinked joints. Later in the layout construction I found myself out of joiners with no more in stock at the LHS. They suggested Z scale joiners, which worked fine and are about 1/2 the length of ME code 55 joiners - pros and cons in that…
Photo (4) - For comparison's sake here's a "regular" rail joiner and Peco80 flex painted, & weathered:[/b][/i]
I admire Robert's stick-to-it-ness on making small joiners. I've switched to Atlas Z scale joiners, as they're half the length of N and stick out less. But also don't slow down the track laying process and allow for expansion and contraction since they don't need to be soldered. I always seem to run into some until the modules over winter for a year or two. Then things calm down. But I was running into issues with PCB ties at the ends of modules restricting any expansion/contraction of rails as the wood modules breathed.[/guote]Hmmm...Interesting. I'll have to give the Atlas Z-scale joiners a try as I mostly just get two shortened ME Code55 or Code40 joiners out of a single regular-length joiner anyway. I assume the Atlas Z-scale joiners are for Code55, eh?QuoteI don't find the silver solder as maintainable. So I also hear you that it works long term and shouldn't be broken ever, but it doesn't reheat and flow as well if you do have a major mechanical issue. For example when modules are dropped on modules. (Hey, it happens sometimes in the trailer, unfortunantely.) "Maintainable" meaning re-soldering I assume. Although I haven't kept track of maintainability since I rarely have a need for repairs, in my experience with maintenance/repair, using Superior No.30 Supersafe Soldering Flux, and keeping my iron tip bright, clean and tinned as well as removing paint from the joint to be unsoldered/re-soldered and degreasing with Bestine, I have zero issues with reheating, since it's still the same alloy of solder, and I don't perceive any difference in "flow". If I need to add a bit of extra solder to the joint, any unsightly excess is easily sucked up with de-soldering braid. In my brass/nickel-silver projects, I find that the 96/4 silver-bearing solder is cleaner and thinner than the lead bearing alloys I used previously...and much stronger, and just as easily cleaned up. Those are a couple of the main reasons I started using it exclusively for my model railroad brass/bronze/NS projects. However, if you're finding that re-soldering during repair/maintenance is a major part of your solder preference, Kester makes a special flux specifically formulated for "rework" It is no-cleanup, Halogen-free, is "gel-like" and comes in a syringe. Product RF550 Rework Flux and it might make repair/maintenance even easier.QuoteThe Kester stuff with just a touch of pb in it flows sooooo good. Nice small, clean joints. Less heat. I did a thorough, time-consuming review of all of Kester's cored solders on their site, and my findings show that none of Kester's "Leaded" solders have less than 36% Lead content, which I would definitely not define as "...just a touch of pb", but, I might have overlooked some extra-low-just-a-touch alloys. Yes, Silver-bearing solders do have higher temperatures between "solidus" and "liquidus" phases (commonly called the "pasty or mushy" phase) when the solder is a "slurry" neither fully liquid nor fully solid. Some fabricators often use this "mushy" phase to get the parts of their joint properly positioned as when soldering copper pipes. In my experience, I want as strong and clean a joint as I can do, so I don't use the "mushy" phase to position parts which, for me, usually results in a weak and granular-looking "cold joint" which is something I was taught by my Electrical Engineer dad to avoid at all costs. But, most solders have this engineered into their characteristics by varying the types of metals and percentages of their alloy composition Typical 60/40 Tin/Lead solder has a "mushy" phase of 361-374 F, while 96/4 Tin/Silver solder has a "mushy" phase of 430-444 F, with the 96/4 Silver-bearing solder fully melting 70 F above the 60/40 Leaded solder's melting point. Even at that, I don't have any problems melting plastic ties because of my soldering techniques. For me, the 70 F difference between them is irrelevant.I am not sure exactly what type of plastic is used in any of the three brands of flex that I would consider recommending, but my chosen brand, Micro Engineering, after a bit of research, is probably an "engineering-grade Polymer plastic" that is injectible, retains detail, is durable yet flexible enough. ABS comes to mind and probably melts completely at 482 F, starting its "mushy" phase at 446 F. This means that the melting temperature of solder being used should be ideally below the ties' "mushy" beginning temperature of 446 F. Both Leaded and Silver-bearing solders have lower melting temperatures than 446 F and when observed, as soon as the solder melts and flows, heat should be immediately removed. Even letting the iron stay a couple of seconds too long might result in a higher rail temperature than 446 F, maybe resulting in the deformation of the spikeheads (on ME track) or the doohickies on Atlas55 and Peco55 deforming...then melting...even though I am pretty sure that Peco uses an Acetal/Delrin-like slippery plastic which probably has a different melting temperature than either Atlas or ME. So, technique, observation and good equipment is really pretty important in order to do quality trackwork.In my solder research today, I discovered a silver-bearing solder that doesn't have a "mushy" phase...its melting temp and freezing temp are the same at 430 F...it's 96.5/3.5 Tin/Silver solder. Hmmm...I'm going to order a bit of it and see if it works well for precise fabrication using my new digital temperature-controlled Hakko Soldering Station. Additionally, if you feel the need for a lower melting/freezing temperature and don't mind a weaker Lead alloy, then 63/37 Tin/Lead solder has a melting/freezing temp of 361 F. ..."commonly used" in its description because of its "instant transition" between melting and freezing, which minimizes cold solder joints. As always, I highly recommend and use Superior No.30 Supersafe Soldering Flux for all of my trackwork and most of my brass/bronze/NS projects...available here: https://www.hnflux.com/ After looking at what's available from Kester as far as different solder alloys and types of fluxes used in their cored solders, maybe there's an alternative or two out there. However, the Supersafe flux has been excellent for me over the years and I do not feel a need to experiment other than for mere information's sake...which is low on my totem pole priority-wise.Well, that's about it for a few hours well spent learning a bit about soldering materials!
I don't find the silver solder as maintainable. So I also hear you that it works long term and shouldn't be broken ever, but it doesn't reheat and flow as well if you do have a major mechanical issue. For example when modules are dropped on modules. (Hey, it happens sometimes in the trailer, unfortunantely.)
The Kester stuff with just a touch of pb in it flows sooooo good. Nice small, clean joints. Less heat.
Could we see a photo showing that Peco code 80 track after it has been ballasted?(Also, on my laptop monitor, the track appears as 3X actual size when the zoom setting is at 100%.)
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Topic: help with rail joiners (Read 1044 times)
