Soldering and laying track/turnouts????

[Anonymous]

Another question from the newbie. I am building HO layout using Atlas Code 83 flex track. I know I need to solder the connections on curves, but here are my questions:

1. When do most of you solder? Before the track is laid (ie, on the workbench) or as the track is being laid? Why? Same answer whether it is on straight away or curves?

2. What do most of you do with turnouts and connections to track? Always solder? Never? Why?

3. Does everyone solder all connections (except a couple to allow for expansion, etc.) or do you solder only on curves? And turnouts?

4. What is your favorite track soldering technique? I have read several books, articles and posts on this forum and elsewhere, but now that I am ready to do it for the first time, I thought I would ask these questions.

Thanks in advance.

John

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: When do most of you solder? Before the track is laid (ie, on the workbench) or as the track is being laid? Why? Same answer whether it is on straight away or curves?

I solder two pieces of flextrack at a time and add feeder wires at the work bench, then I complete the installation of the curves, soldering the remaining joints (before bending the rail). It's eaiser for me to do most of it on the bench. I leave a .005" unsoldered gap between 6' straight sections.

QUOTE: What do most of you do with turnouts and connections to track? Always solder? Never? Why?

I solder feeder wires on the points side of the turnout, insulate both rails on the diverging route (a must for power routing turnouts). I also solder fine jumper wires at the heel of the point and lead rails of Atlas turnouts (rivet type) for electrical reliability. Feeders are soldered in the middle of every 3' section. I solder all feeders. It gives a good mechanical, air tight (prevents corrosion), electrical connection . Corrosion increases resistance and reduces efficiency of DCC transmissions.

QUOTE: Does everyone solder all connections (except a couple to allow for expansion, etc.) or do you solder only on curves? And turnouts?

See answers to #1 & #2

QUOTE: What is your favorite track soldering technique?

Sweat soldering. That way I know each piece has taken solder.
See Tips for soldering track

QUOTE: from cacole
...Track joints should be soldered while the rail is straight, and then bend it around the curve... Never solder your track to a turnout. A turnout is the only track item that has moving parts, and if you ever have to replace one because something has broken or worn it's much easier to do if they are not soldered in place.

[#ditto]
Thanks for clarifying that cacole.

QUOTE: JSoule
Think that might be overkill for our 4x8. Do you think I am making a mistake?

Overkill? No, not in my opinion. Even though decoders are improving (Lenz has a decoder that is not affected by dirty track), don't trust rail jointers to carry digital signals.

[cacole]

Track joints should be soldered while the rail is straight, and then bend it around the curve. If you try to solder it already bent around the curve, you're likely to wind up with a kink in the rail at the joint.

I leave every other track joint unsoldered for expansion/contraction on long straight sections, but still solder feeder wires every 3 feet for good DCC operation. On curves, every track joint is soldered. This is how I did it on a 20 x 40 foot club layout.

Never solder your track to a turnout. A turnout is the only track item that has moving parts, and if you ever have to replace one because something has broken or worn it's much easier to do if they are not soldered in place.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies. I plan to do as you both have suggested. I'll solder all curves, every other connection on the straights, no solder for the turnouts. Plan to drop feeders several places around the layout, but not every or even every other track section. Think that might be overkill for our 4x8. Do you think I am making a mistake? Planning to use Digitrax Zephyr if my LHS ever gets a shipment again. Will have a power bus to connect the feeders. My grandson and I are busy laying cork this weekend, maybe some track by Sunday.

Thanks again.

John

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JSoule

.... Will have a power bus to connect the feeders....

John, take a look at this web site for more information on wiring and more for DCC.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/wirefordcc_toc.htm

[n2mopac]

Here is a little variation that I have not seen posted here. I also solder all curve joints at the workbench before laying the track, its the only way I know to keep the joints consistent. On straits, however, I solder the joints in place with. I too leave an unsoldered joint every other joint (approx 6 feet), the difference being I stagger these gaps. In other words, I solder one rail on one joint and the other rail on the other joint. The effect is that It keeps the rails more consistentlly strait while still allowing for expansion. I then drop a feeder from every soldered pair of rails, thus on feeder from each rail ever 6 feet (or less). I use insulated frog turnouts and I solder the inside rail on one end, the outside rail of the other end, and both rails on the diverging route.
Ron

[Anonymous]

I generally solder on the layout after I lay the track and all the curves are properly fitted. I just put a little flux (electrical type) on the rail joiner and touch the hot and well-tinned 80w iron to the rail. A little added fine solder will run into the joint very quickly. I only solder the outside of the joint as I want to avoid the possibility of a wheel flange hitting solder. I then drill small holes on the outside of the rails between the ties, insert feeder wires from below the rodabed, bend to fit, and solder as above. The joints and feeders are pretty well hidden by weathering and ballast.

[EL PARRo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole
Never solder your track to a turnout. A turnout is the only track item that has moving parts, and if you ever have to replace one because something has broken or worn it's much easier to do if they are not soldered in place.

I think that the track should be soldered to turnouts, but be 100% sure that the turnout is where you want it before soldering it. As for removing a turnout, I don't know about you guys, but if I ever had to remove a turout that already in place, I'd use my Dremel to cut the rails and then just lift it out. Then, it doesn't matter whether or not the track is soldered.

[jwar]

All the above are great help. If your having problems sodering curved rails, while holding the sodering gun, both pieces of track straigt and with your second left hand positiong the soder itself, you might think about making a track sodoring jig.

Takes about ten minits to make out of 1/4 inch plywood, using the side factory cuts for straight edges
Using a approx a 6 x 10 inch 1/4 plywood , tack and glue a 1 inch strip of quarter inch ply accross the upper edge.
Then set your track against this edge and lay another strip of plywood against the ties and (using the actual track as a spacer) and glue and tack it in. [the track will be very snug in the slot0

after the glue sets take your track and lay it in the slot, I like to use a very hot gun, get the heat in quick, if a tie should melt, it will not drop or curl down as the jig prevent this. It works great and I tack down my curves about ten inches from the soder point, slip this jig in place, soder the outside only (dont use liquid flux as that stuff will track on down the line) , What I like about this jig of mine is that the rails are perfectaly straight as a die, both vert and horz.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestion on the jig. I managed to get the track soldered on teh curves and am now wrestling with soldering the feeder wires. I will try the jig next time I am laying track.

Anyone have any real good hints on soldering feeder wires. Problem may be I just hate/am not very good at soldering. Have tried everything from 15 watt to 65 watt iron. Using appropriate solder and flux paste, am still struggling.

[jwmurrayjr]

Put flux on the wire and on the side of the rail. Then tin the wire pretty heavily, and hold the wire to the side of the rail with a small screwdriver. Then use a well-tinned iron (I use a 40w) where the wire touches the rail to heat both the wire and the rail and the solder on the wire will flow between into the joint and make a nice clean connection.

The joint will be bright and will need to be touched up with paint.

[:)]

[Anonymous]

Good tip. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

John

[cwclark]

I lay about half the track then solder on a new section of track then bend it into the curve and lay it..one rail will always be longer than the other so i cut off the longer rail even with the short rail with a dremel tool cut off wheel and continue the process...I solder with a weller high wattage gun..I put a dap of rosin core solder flux on the outside portion of the rail joiner...turn on the gun until its real hot...touch it to one end of a rail joiner just long enough to heat the rail and touch the rosin core solder to the other end of the rail joiner..the solder will flow down the rail joiner towards the gun...I lift it away and make sure the solder is very shiny in appearance...I then solder a wire from one rail to the next rail between the rail joints i just soldered to ensure a good electrical connection...I solder every joiner without gaps because i have a temperature controlled room and don't have to worry about rail expansion..i keep the room 73 degrees year round...another way i solder is soldering electronic parts together..it's basically the same technique except i use a 15 watt gun from radio shack instead of the weller..the weller wattage is too high for electronics and can burn them up...Chuck [:D]