Soldering Flextrack

[Anonymous]

Not having laid flex track before, I am considering clamping the ends of 2 pieces of flextrack together in a vise and then soldering them without the usual track connectors. This way I can make a continuous 180 degree curve after having soldered several 3 ft pieces together. I figure the soldered ends would just slip though the ties if I clean off the burrs, and I don't have to chop off several ties as would be needed with the uusal connectors. Also, the vise would serve as a heat sink so ties would not melt. I guess I could just go try this scheme, but I thought I would see If anyone has used it. I have a devil of a time inserting track connectors and a twelve foot piece of fabricated flex track would be a handy thing to have.
Bryant

[Jacktal]

The basic idea of soldering flextracks together before installing them is a good one but without the connectors....I believe you,re looking for problems there.Solder,by itself,isn't very strong,especially without the burrs.You'd have a very thin solder joint which is likely to break with even minor bending.

I'd suggest that you still use the joiners,which you could cut very short to avoid removing ties,and then solder your joints leaving a slight thickness of solder on the outside of the rail only.This way it would be strong enough to resist handling.

Obviously,these joints wouldn't slip like you'd like them to do.What I do is pre-installing my tracks(tacked) and then cut the inside rail to the proper length before I solder them together.This gives me pre-shaped trackwork that I install permanently after.It may seem complicated but really isn't and it has given me good results so far.

Soldering the rails on your workbench is a neat idea as it allows you to have rails perfectly aligned and stay this way as you install them on your layout.It is much more tricky to solder rails in a curve and not end up having slight kinks in your trackwork.

[cwclark]

soldering the track without rail joiners is asking for disaster..not only will the sodler eventually break, but trying to get a perfect track alignment will be impossible, and trying to solder a curved section in a vise, ..well...forget it!..i usually cut a rail joiner in half with a dremel tool cut off wheel, pu***hem onto the rails and then solder it...Chuck [:D]

[dknelson]

Sometimes conventional wisdom is conventional wisdom for a good reason -- I'd cut out three ties at each end of the flex track, use the railjoiners by all means, solder the track together (remembering that solder on the inside of the rail might snag a flange -- and hope for the best. Then I'd use one of those radius thingees from Baumgarten to ensure that there is a continuous tangent or radius through the soldered joint.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. You saved me time and effort on what seemed like a reasonable idea.
Bryant

[simon1966]

I laid my first flextrack a couple of months ago. I used the technique described in the Hobby basics section of the MRR web site. This involves the removal of ties from the end of each peice you are joining. I found that by trimming some of the tie detail from the top surface with a sprue nipper and leaving the side that would be viewed, I could then easliy slide the ties back under the track when it was all glued down. The key to getting rail joiners on is to ensure there are no burrs on the rails and also that the cut ends of the joiners are flat (I found that when I snipped pairs of Atlas joiners apart with my nippers that unless I paid attention I could cause the cut to cause a problem). I then pu***he joiner onto the rail holdin it with a pair of needle nose plyers.

[Anonymous]

I have been laying flextrak as I type this message its been a breeze and I use N scale connectors on ho scale track they are smaller less obtrusive and tighter. the key to smooth soldering is flux I use a small tube smear a tiny bit on and the solder when heated with the flux will melt like butter and fill the joint nice and smooth
just take your mini files back and clean the surface

[dknelson]

Don't forget that a heat sink can save nearby ties during soldering, especially if you have a small iron or gun -- it can be a small wet rag, or a few of those metal gauge thingees, whatever. Also don;t forget that the rail gets HOT and just as you would never knowingly touch the tip of your soldering iron, don't rest your wrist on almost-as-hot rail!
Dave "ouch! &^(#&%^" Nelson

[Anonymous]

Tanks All: I am using two auto style alligator clips--the kind that you can clamp on an auto battery post--- for heat sinks. But a wet rag would probably work even better.
Bryant

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bryant01

Tanks All: I am using two auto style alligator clips--the kind that you can clamp on an auto battery post--- for heat sinks. But a wet rag would probably work even better.
Bryant

Basicaly anything that absorbs the heat before it can melt your ties will work. I sometimes just lay metal bars across the track (just make sure the power is off).
Dave

[Anonymous]

Hey Dave Nelson, what is a Baumgarten thingie? Bob T

[Anonymous]

I always thought it was best to lay most of the flextrack through the curve, but leave a few inches free and pointing straight out (on the tangent) then connect the next piece of flex with a joiner and solder, then continue bending the track into position. This way, the rail doesn't have to slip very far, and you can remove the minimum number of ties, perhaps not having to replace any once the track is down. Definitely solder your joints while the rail is still straight; you'll never get it kink-free if the track is already spiked down all the way through the curve prior to soldering. If you really must solder the pieces at the workbench, I'd suggest just doing them two at a time, to create 6-foot lengths, and then start laying the curve from its midpoint. You can place the middle joint of one of these at the curve's midpoint, then flex it an equal amount on either side, minimizing the amount of slippage and tie removal that must be done by splitting it equally to either side of the midpoint. Assuming you need the full 12 feet of length to complete your curve, then the next 6-footer would attach to one end of the first piece, with rails and ties cut conventionally, and half of that next 6-footer would be on the curve, the rest on the approaching tangent. Again, this minimizes the slippage and rail cutting. Plus, by having a continuous rail going from straight into curvature, you may end up with a natural easement; just leave a few spikes out, right where the straight-to-curve transition happens, so that it can shape itself.

I don't have this luxury, since I'm using AMI tacky roadbed and Micro-Engineering track, which bends rather stiffly and holds it shape, but has no springiness to it. In my case, I can get away with not having soldered joints, but I have to very carfeully bend all my curves before setting them down. Not sure which method I prefer, to be honest...

[Anonymous]

Read the article on laying flextrack in the latest issue of MR. Basically all the advice offered above is good, and this excellent article will pull it all together for you.

[dknelson]

Hi Bob T. You asked what I meant by Baumgarten thingee.
I think the brand is Baumgarten -- if not the Walthers catalog track section should show who makes these things. They are a series of metal, probably aluminum, strips that fit between HO rails. One is tangent. You put your flex track down, put this between the rails and push it up and down and it straightens out the flex track to a perfect tangent. Very useful
The others are various curve radiuses. You do the same thing: put the flex track down, chose the radius, push it between the rails and it conforms the track to the radius. A very useful gadget thingee and a good investment if you are just beginning to lay lots of rail. Again if it isn';t Baumgarten then I do not know who makes it but it is in the Walthers catalog under track. It comes as a set. Baumgarten makes lots of useful track laying tools. That is why I think this also is their product
Dave Nelson

[raykaczmarek]

[^] I've soldering the curve in the flexile track.
The joint on the curve are a derail.
(I use a small clamp on a "heat sink" protection the plastic tie.)

[Anonymous]

If you are using AMI (and I'm a big fan of it - buy HO AMI and cut it down the center to cut your cost in half), you will lose some of the benefits of it by using ME track in N scale. One of the great things about AMI is the ability to change your mind very quickly, or to right a wrong (and I've made a few). The problem is that the ME track is less forgiving of mistakes, especially in curves after you have curved it. I use Peco track and one of the reasons is that I can correct mistakes as I go with the track as well as the road bed. I don't know how often I have rebent the Peco C55 track to new curve sizes after changing my mind - often more than once.

[snowey]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rsn48

If you are using AMI (and I'm a big fan of it - buy HO AMI and cut it down the center to cut your cost in half), you will lose some of the benefits of it by using ME track in N scale. One of the great things about AMI is the ability to change your mind very quickly, or to right a wrong (and I've made a few). The problem is that the ME track is less forgiving of mistakes, especially in curves after you have curved it. I use Peco track and one of the reasons is that I can correct mistakes as I go with the track as well as the road bed. I don't know how often I have rebent the Peco C55 track to new curve sizes after changing my mind - often more than once.

that's EXACTLY why I plan on using my AMI ffor streeets & sidewaalks, aand not roadbedd.

[dknelson]

Message to Bob/rt2907. My mistake -- getting too old. It has been years since Baumgarten manufactured the track alignment tools I mentioned in a previous posting. My set came in a bag labled "Cajon Rail Products" but the Walthers catalog shows it is now offered by Ribbonrail. MLR makes a straightener but only Ribbonrail seems to offer this precise curving tool/jig. Sorry for the mixup
Dave Nelson

[snowey]

ddo they have it in N scale?