Had two code 83 HO Atlas crossings ( one 90* and the other 60* ) go bad on me. I think using lacquer thinner in a "CMX Clean Machine" rail cleaning tank car may be too much for the plastic frogs as the are melted somewhat enough to make it rough riding when those 33 & 36" scale wheels cross over them.
I think its 91% rubbing alcohol from now on.
I'm also going to have to rip at least two Atlas Snap switches out ( frogs are almost smooth as a baby's behind ) but the other three snap switches seem to be much better shape, but on each one is a flex track that is soldered and does need to be removed and re curved a little less than it is.
I could order one of these or both, either a De Soldering pump ( first pic ) and/or De Soldering wick ( second pic ).
As I would like to save some track. I've read an article "How to De-solder"
http://www.aaroncake.net/electronics/desolder.htm
but would like to know some of your experiences with de-soldering before I take a stab at it.
Thanks.
Wadda ya mean I'm old ? Just because I remember gasoline at 9 cents a gallon and those big coal burning steamers.
I have used both a lot. Just develop at procedure that suits you.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Is that pump supposed to blow the solder away, or suck the solder into the tube? I think I'd try the braid, only because I tried a Radio Shack solder sucker and had no luck with it.
The solder wick is going to remove all but a very thin layer of solder. The Solder-put sucks up the solder but there has to be enough solder to suck up. In either case - unless there is solder in a sizable gap, you probably won't get a completely clean desoldered joint.
With that said, what you'll probably end up doing is cutting through each piece of flex-track at the joint and removing it. After that is done, you can then heat up each rail end and remove the rail joiner fragments. (Be careful NOT to heat up the rail too long or you'll start melting ties.) At this point the solder wick can clean up any excess solder from the ends of the rail so that a new rail joiner can be slid back on.
To answer your question, I would just get the solder wick. However, neither one is going to make desoldering a one-step action.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
For rail joiners, what might work is heating up the joint to melt the solder then pushing the joiner back with a screwdriver. When it cools the joiner will end up soldered to the adjoining track, but replacing it would be the reverse - heat it up, then slide the joiner onto the new turnout.
There's a reason I don't solder turnouts Neither tool is going to get all the solder out of a rail joiner and allow it to slide like it wasn't ever soldered Plus you'll end up applying heat so long that it melts the ties.
Then again, I've never had to clean my track so I've never melted the plastic bits of a turnout.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
When I have to remove a section of track that is soldered in I cut through the joint with a dremmel tool and remove the track. Then using a soldering iron I heat the remaining half of the joiner and slide it off the rail that is staying in place. Very little of the solder remains and new joiners can be slid on.
rockislandnut Had two code 83 HO Atlas crossings ( one 90* and the other 60* ) go bad on me. I think using lacquer thinner in a "CMX Clean Machine" rail cleaning tank car may be too much for the plastic frogs as the are melted somewhat enough to make it rough riding when those 33 & 36" scale wheels cross over them.
If that is what really happened, you had the drip rate on the CMX set way too high -- we use one on our large HO scale layout with lacquer thinner and have never melted the plastic on any turnouts or crossovers.
cacole rockislandnut: Had two code 83 HO Atlas crossings ( one 90* and the other 60* ) go bad on me. I think using lacquer thinner in a "CMX Clean Machine" rail cleaning tank car may be too much for the plastic frogs as the are melted somewhat enough to make it rough riding when those 33 & 36" scale wheels cross over them. If that is what really happened, you had the drip rate on the CMX set way too high -- we use one on our large HO scale layout with lacquer thinner and have never melted the plastic on any turnouts or crossovers.
rockislandnut: Had two code 83 HO Atlas crossings ( one 90* and the other 60* ) go bad on me. I think using lacquer thinner in a "CMX Clean Machine" rail cleaning tank car may be too much for the plastic frogs as the are melted somewhat enough to make it rough riding when those 33 & 36" scale wheels cross over them.
Could be but never the less I'm through with Lacquer thinner.
maxman Is that pump supposed to blow the solder away, or suck the solder into the tube? I think I'd try the braid, only because I tried a Radio Shack solder sucker and had no luck with it.
It sucks up the solder. Well supposing as I haven't used one yet.
Now what I'd like to know is about what temp I should set the soldering station for de-soldering? Have an "Engineering Lab" LF-1600 Soldering Station 80 watt.
Somewhere around 575-650 degrees F.? Not really used to this station yet, but I have soldered some rail ( not joiners ) for taping on a #18 gauge feeder wire. Man just one short press of the iron ( when the temp showed 600* F. ) and that feeder wire was soldered beautiful. I don't think the tie even got warm.
Thanks guys for the De-Soldering info. I probably should get a piece of scrap rail with a soldered joiner on it and practice.
rock,
Personally, I would do it at a slightly higher temp (~700 degrees F) and with a broad screwdriver-type soldering tip to better transfer the heat. It's better to heat the solder/rail quickly so that you don't leave the iron on it too long and run the risk of melting ties. Like a surgeon working on a patient in OR, you want to be in and out as quickly as possible when it comes to soldering or desoldering.
Thanks Tom, I'll try 700 degrees F. Also I have the "BO5" tip which has a 5mm wide tip which may be ok as to using a wide flat tip. The stock tip that came with the station is the "BO1" in the pic and is pointed.
Always wanted to operate. Hope the patient lives.
I would just go with the dremel and cut the section out. When you replace the turnout I'd recommend adding a feeder wire directly to the turnout and not soldering the joiners.
Springfield PA
I might as well put in my worth. Looking at your picture of the tips, i would use the B10 tip to unsolder a rail joiner because you want to heat the entire joiner as quickly as possible. The tip should be clean and tinned.
As far as desoldering tools go, I have tried braid and don't like it. I find that I have to apply heat for too long to get the braid hot enough to melt the solder under it and soak it up. I use a good quality sucker. The trick is to place the end of the sucker's tip right into the molten solder before releasing the plunger. The tip is teflon and isn't easily damaged by either the molten solder or the iron's tip.
Do be careful when desoldering and when pulling apart the joints that you don't splash solder around and onto yourself. Wear safety goggles.
That said, I think I would cut through the rail joiner and remove the pieces as others have suggested. I don't solder rail to turnouts. The chances of a piece of rail failing are almost zero; the chances of a turnout failing and having to be replaced are much higher.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
You probably know by now that good de-soldering is like soldering. You need to develop a technique that works for you. Others ideas are good but you have to dig into it.
I started robbing parts out of discarded PC boards many years ago and no Internet o ask for suggestions. I just pretty much started doing the reverse procedure and hardly ever lost a part.
With track, a thin rotary blade on a Dremel was the key and then slide the track joiner off using a wedge iron tip and maybe 70 percent heat with the solder station.
retsignalmtr When I have to remove a section of track that is soldered in I cut through the joint with a dremmel tool and remove the track. Then using a soldering iron I heat the remaining half of the joiner and slide it off the rail that is staying in place. Very little of the solder remains and new joiners can be slid on.
As an old Electronics Tech, this is the way I do it on my layout too.
700 degrees using either the B05 or the B10 tip will work.
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.
Thanks guys for the very good info, I appreciate all this very much.
Things on the home front came up and need to be attended to first, but I will take every one of your ideas into consideration.
As the younger generation today says:You dudes rock.