Soldering wires to rails

[Sturgeon-Phish]

I'm almost to the point of permanent laying the track on my layout and I'm thinking of soldering the wire to the rails instead of using the 690 track clips, and I was wondering on how to solder the wires to the rails. I've soldered wire to wire lots but I've not soldered wire to the rails before. Do I use flux, what kind, a torch, soldering gun, solder pencil or what?
Thanks
Jim

[Anonymous]

Well, I have soldered wires to tubular track before with great success. I prefer the Weller guns too the pens for this purpose. (a torch is overkill)

This is how I do it...

1. clean the area with light grade sandpaper

2. flux the spots to soldered HEAVLY

3. put a medium bead on the tip of the points, place it on the fluxed spots

4. take the wire to be soldered and slather it in flux

5. place wire on the rail with solder on, heat the wire until the solder on the rail encases the wire

6. look at the finished joint with pride and smile![:D]

Hope this helps,

Jerry

[spankybird]

I think Jerry has it covered.

The only thing I would add is don't do it next to one of the metal ties.


tom

[lionelsoni]

Unless the track is in very bad shape and certainly if it's new, you shouldn't need any special cleaning nor flux other than what's in rosin-core solder, since the rails are tin-plated. You won't need much heat either.

You could go to the trouble of soldering the wire to the underside of the rail; but I think having the joint accessible is worth the compromise with realism. Actually, one side of the rail is usually much harder to see than the other; so you could solder the wire on that side.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Thank you!!!! I'll pratice on some old track before I start on the layout.

[selector]

Will you use braided wire, stranded, or single filament? The techniques vary a bit for each application. For braided or strand, tin the wire first, then apply it to the side of the rail you wi***o attach it to, and apply the gun tip to the wire. In a second or two, you should have a bond. For mono-filament, I suggest making a small 90-degree bend at the tip of the wire and lay that to the web of the track. Do the fluxing and heating that seems best.

[Back2Trains]

I've been soldering for as far back as I can remember and it was certainly a large part of my career in electronics. One thing I have learned is that I want to do a quality job in as few steps as possible.
For soldering wire to track I use a soldering gun and rosin core solder. If the track is clean, and especially if it's new, the solder will quickly flow right to it. If the track is dirty or corroded you must clean it with sandpaper. Even using a pocket knife to scrape down to bright metal will work. If the wire is tinned or bright clean copper, just solder it wihout any further prep. Most of the time I just lay the wire against the track, hold it down with the gun tip, heat it and apply solder. You can also solder rail joints by placing the gun tip so that it contacts both rails, heat and apply solder. The molten solder will bridge the gap. For wider gaps use a piece of wire to bridge the gap.
I use stranded wire for connections to the track, so I strip the end, twist the strands tight and solder it on. I have seen some types of insulation that will actually cause the copper to corrode. The only thing to do in this case is to strip the wire, fan out the strands and clean them with sandpaper. If you don't fan out the strands you will only clean the outside and the solder won't adhere well, if at all.

[Anonymous]

With traditional-style O and O27 tubular track, I like to take advantage of the gap that is left of the bottom of rails when they are formed. I insert a small, flat-blade screwdriver into the gap to separate (open) it a bit, then slip the wire into the gap. Remove the screwdriver and the rail will close, gripping the wire tightly. Then solder the wire in place. This provides a very secure and invisible connection, since all the wire is beneath the track.

[FJ and G]

All of the above techniques are good.

I wire bru***he joints on my 027 track using a high-speed rotary tool. Then I solder the rails right together sans wire. Sometimes I get a little too much solder on so I take the braid to it. I use a Weller. I throw away all my track pins.

[andregg1]

HI
You can found flux for electronic use in Radio Shack.
also the best solder pencil 70 watt.
Don't use piping flux.
good luck.
Andre.