Please, I have trouble soldering 20 years old Atlas rails. Wiil somebody remember me tips about good soldering? Thanks.
Harley-DavidsonPlease, I have trouble soldering 20 years old Atlas rails. Wiil somebody remember me tips about good soldering? Thanks.
H-D.
Go to the Fastracks website. Google is your friend.
Tim Warris has a number of video's on how to solder track. Be aware that Tim uses acid based flux, but only a VERY SMALL AMOUNT and applies it with a Micro Brush and then thoroughly washes it off when he is finished with the soldering. Most modelers recommend using Acid Free flux for any electrical work as it will not usually corrode over time.
The trick is to get the track clean and shiny with a small wire brush, (I use a small brass brush) put on a small dab of Acid Free Flux with a Micro Brush or a toothpick where you want the solder to go. Use a 40 Watt soldering iron, (for HO and smaller). Make sure that the iron is HOT. Get the heat on the track and get in fast with the solder. When the solder flows, (2 or 3 seconds) get the iron off the joint. When you get some practice at it on some old track, the whole thing should not take more than 4 or 5 seconds to complete.
Good Luck.
Blue Flamer.
I use a scratch brush on the rail and joiners, then apply rosin flux to the joiner/joint. Next clean the tip of the hot iron by wiping it across a damp sponge. Then apply a small amount of solder to the tip of the iron, then apply the iron to the joint, and add more solder as needed.
A scratch brush is a pencil like brush that has metal wires for the bristles. (I got mine at Micro Mark.) I use this to cut through the oxidation and other crud that is on the rails. The flux also cleans the metal when it is heated by the iron.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I use silver solder with the flux in the wire. I get the wire hot, add some solder to the wire, bend into shape and use a alligator clip to hold to the outside of the rail. Hit it with a 45 watt iron and with in 3 seconds or so I have the feeder hooked up.
On joiners, with me using flex track there are no ties in the way. I tin the iron with solder, hold against the out side rail for 20 seconds or less (never timed it) then touch with solder and wait till the solder sucks up into the rail joiner.
I see no reason why the age of the track should be a issue unless it is dirty.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
If the track's 20 years old, it's probably heavily oxidized, especially on the parts that don't see a wheel, like the sides and bottom. Definitely use somethign liek a scratch brush to clean where you intend to solder.
You do NOT need acid flux - in fact you should never use acid flux where electricity is involved. It works for the Fast Tracks turnouts because you build them ina fixture and then can wash the entire turnout to neutralize any acid residue before painting and installing it. Even then it's not really needed, I had no problem solding rail to PC ties using a water soluable flux I got from H&N. I use this flux for most anything. It's a paste and is water soluable and non-hazerdous - it didn;t even need any hazerdous materials stickers to ship.
On the new track I just purchased, I don;t even clean it. I stript he wire, dip the bare wire in the flux so it gets just a tiny bit on it, and solder away. The key is a hot iron with a CLEAN tip. H&N also has a really good lead-free tip tinner, or you cna get it at Radio Shack. The tip of the sodlerign iron should be bright and shiny, if it's not, heat transfer will be impaired and you will need to hodl the iron ont he joint longer to melt the solder - this is when the ties start to melt. With a clean hot tip (and use the right size tool - 35-40 watt is good for track work, save the 150 watt gun for the #12 bus wires), the wire to rail solder joint occurs almost instantly, leaving a bright shiny connection - if it is dull, the solder either never fully melted or something happened like you moved the wire before the solder froze. It can be tricky - 3-4 things to hold and only 2 hands to do it, but what works well for me is picking up a blob of sodler on the tip of the iron and then touchign it tot he wire/rail joint. With a tiny amount of flux onthe joint, it tends to 'suck' the solder to the wire/rail. That only takes 2 hands - one to hold the wire steady and oen to hold the iron.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerYou do NOT need acid flux - in fact you should never use acid flux where electricity is involved. It works for the Fast Tracks turnouts because you build them ina fixture and then can wash the entire turnout to neutralize any acid residue before painting and installing it. Even then it's not really needed, I had no problem solding rail to PC ties using a water soluable flux I got from H&N. I use this flux for most anything. It's a paste and is water soluable and non-hazerdous - it didn;t even need any hazerdous materials stickers to ship.
Exactly! Too many send people off to Fast Tracks without realizing that Fast Tracks advises using THE WRONG FLUX for electrical soldering. I do note that Blue Flamer does mention the incorrect use of acid flux. Kudo's to him for that!
Randy is correct. There is no need to use acid flux to solder rail. Doing so without fully washing the track work after is asking for problems down the road, IMO.
Use a contact cleaner, a Micro-Mark scratch brush, and RESIN or ROSIN flux along with small diameter 63/37 or 60/40 tin/lead composition solder and an iron with a clean tinned tip that has enough heating capacity for soldering rail. Use aligator clips as heat sinks on the rail to help avoid melting ties, if that is an issue for you.