2 electrical questions (1: nonconductive substance needed 2: cold heat)

[FJ and G]

1. My brass throw rod that I fabbed over the weekend is coming in contact with the center of the 3rd rail. I need to insulate the portion that rubs against the 3rd rail when the switch is thrown. I'm thinking either a dab of fingernail polish or epoxy where the throw rod touches the rail. Any ideas appreciated. (it's already soldered to the points so I don't want to remove it and hammer down a depression in that spot).

2. My butane pencil torch has been acting up and falling apart on me as I'm soldering rails outside. My buddy recommended cold heat. Is this a bunch of hype or does it really heat up instantaneously at a very high temperature?

Thanks.

[MartyE]

Try liquid electrical tape. Basically is a paint on rubberized product that will give the apperance of electrical tape when dried. If you are looking for a less obvious fix then maybe a little clear silicon cauking.

The cold heat thing I seem to hear that is mostly for smaller jobs and may not work on a rail.

[otftch]

You can get a piece of very thin plastic,like the clear plastic on blister packs,and glue it between the throw and the rail.That wont wear away like any type of coatings.A little bit of super glue,on the throw side will keep it place.Lube with a little graphite.
Ed

[lionelsoni]

How about a notch in the bottom of the center rail? You might be able to saw through the flanges on either side of the throw rod with very short strokes of a razor saw, then remove the piece of flange by cutting into the web with a Dremel cutoff wheel.

[FJ and G]

Thanks all,

I'll start w/electrical tape fluid, then work my way to more invasive surgury like the thin plastic and finally the "scalpel" if each fails. Thx.

[Anonymous]

Marty's idea about the liquid electrical tape is a good idea. Check the temp range for proper polymerization. Stuff may not set properly unless temp is above 50 degrees.

There are medium to heavy duty resistance soldering units available that might work better than the butane torch. These are not the hobby tweezer units used for HO Brass locos, they are more often found in HVAC/electrical work where open flame, secondary oxidation, or heat spillage is a problem (HVAC work, bus bar). Units are not cheap. Cold might be ok for really small work but it can't pack the heat for a large job or compete with winter ambient conditions. You might want to check E-Bay or surplus houses for deals on RS kits.

[Anonymous]

Hi Dave, I have one of the "Cold Heat" soldering devices and it is fine on very , very ,very ,very ,small solder joints. However it does not work as good as it does on TV. I had this same problem with my Ginsu Knife I purchased a few years back. No matter how hard I tried , I just could not get it to cut like the TV version.[:D][:D][:D][:D]...Tim