I'm having a heck of a time with ME joiners. They're so tight, I literally cut my fingers trying to put them on. Then the mating rail almost never goes in right the first time. Anybody here know any neat tricks for mating ME code 83 rail?
Mark, Oroville, CA
P.S. Not my first layout. Just my first with ME track.
WP Lives
I take a piece of scrap rail, and chamfer the corners of the foot at the end. Use a file or cut-off disc. This will allow you to get the joiner started, and as you push it, it will spread to accommodate the full width of the foot. Once it's on about halfway, pull it off, reverse the joiner and repeat.While the process is time consuming, at least you'll make progress and not risk further injury.
I use ME code 70 or code 55 joiners on code 83 ME rail when using the rail on Central Valley tie strips. Using a cut-off disc, I remove material from both sides of the foot and also from the bottom surface of the foot (and do so on all rail ends). The joiners slip on, and, with a rail in each end, are then soldered. I usually make only 12' or 15' of rail at a time, then glue it in place on the ties. Any longer, and it becomes difficult to handle.The advantage to this method is that there's no need to mortise out the ties to accommodate the thickness of the joiner, nor to trim tieplates to gain width, as the joiners sit no wider or deeper than the rail itself. The joiners are also a lot less noticeable.
Wayne
Are you using ME rail? They're really tight on ME rail, but they won't fit at all on anything else. I use Atlas N-scale joiners on my Atlas and Walthers code 83.
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Dress the rail ends with a file. Smooth both bottom, and both sides, to remove all burrs, and to add a slight point on the bottom of the rail end, allowing for a smoother insertion.
Note: It does not need to be much, as joiners are meant to be tight. Just a couple passes will suffice.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
I solve the problem by using Atlas N scale code 80 joiners instead. They are nearly as unobtrusive as the ME code 83 types, but far easier to work with. They fit onto ME code 83 with no trouble, and will work on Walthers or Atlas code 83 if you chamfer the rail web/base area with a couple passes of a file. They work great if you need to interface different brands of track.
Rob Spangler
Doc, thanks...I'll try that.
Carl, yes, ME.
Rick, cool.
Rob, sounds easy...thanks.
And a special thanks to all of you for ideas.
See you down the line.
MC
I use ME code 83 joiners, exclusively on my track; which is almost all Atlas Code 83 flextrack.
I, too, used a short piece of rail to make a joiner spreader, but I went a step further and cut a couple of notches in a piece of pine 1x2, allowing me to press the joiner all the way onto the spreader. I hold it with a pair of pliers to get a good grip on it.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Like Rob, I used Atlas Code 80 N scale joiners for all of my HO scale Code 83 track. I carefully tapered one end of a piece of scrap rail to "size" each joiner prior to final installation but found that wrapping the other end of the rail with electrical tape made the tool much easier and safer to handle.
Hornblower
Medina1128I hold it with a pair of pliers to get a good grip on it.
hornblowerwrapping the other end of the rail with electrical tape made the tool much easier and safer to handle
I took the pliers and bent a loop in the other end of the piece of rail I use to open joiners - easier on the fingers.
I stuck the other end of the joiner spreading piece of rail into a wine cork to make a comfy handle!