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Electrically Conductive Adhesive

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  • Member since
    August 2006
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Posted by trainnut1250 on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 5:44 PM

Rich,

 

Sounds like you fixed the problem. I have used electrically conductive epoxy - it worked well but was pretty expensive and the tubes dried out quickly after opening.

 

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 4:13 PM

RR_Mel

Rich I don’t have any Shinohara turnouts but I have soldered a couple of Atlas turnouts that have had what sounds like a similar problem.  I went with a good amount of rosin paste on the bad connection and a quick in and out with the iron worked OK.  I haven’t had very good luck with other type of fixes; the good old soldering method has always worked the best for me. 
 
Mel
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps. 

Mel, I followed you advice and did what you suggested.

Since one end of the jumper had separated from the bottom of the rail, I applied a small spot of hot solder, which was on the point of a soldering pencil, onto the bottom of the rail and quickly pressed the end of the jumper onto that spot of solder with the hot tip of the soldering pencil. That did the trick.

Thanks to all who replied to this thread. I had hoped to hear from someone with personal experience with electrically conductive adhesive, but no matter. I am not at all sure that electrically conductive adhesive would be the solution to the problem.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 1:08 PM

Rich I don’t have any Shinohara turnouts but I have soldered a couple of Atlas turnouts that have had what sounds like a similar problem.  I went with a good amount of rosin paste on the bad connection and a quick in and out with the iron worked OK.  I haven’t had very good luck with other type of fixes; the good old soldering method has always worked the best for me.
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
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Posted by zstripe on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 12:55 PM

Rich,

Without having it in My paws to see.....would it be possible to use silver bearing solder paste put in with a syringe and heat, without considerable damage to the ties? The paste has built in flux, when temp. is reached, it actually flows like adhesive capillary action to the joints, quicker than regular solder. Or add an external wire like has been suggested. Without seeing what's going on it's hard to give advice.

Edit: Or possibly slide a strip of tin/bronze under the web of the rail and on the ouside of the rail solder it to the rail, then you can solder a jumper to that?

Good Luck! Big Smile

Frank

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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 6:06 AM

I am wondering if a syringe type applicator would be the way to go. Several sources of electrically conductive adhesive use this method.

On the Walthers Shinohara turnouts, the jumpers are thin metal strips with spoon-like ends that make contact with the bottom of the rail. Since these jumpers have already separated where the spoon makes contact with the rail, it would be fairly easy to apply the adhesive to the bottom of the rail with the syringe and then press the jumper spoon end back into place.

Anyone?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 5:11 PM

gregc

are averse to soldering a wire between the rails above the ties that will be visible?

 

That was my first thought except for the visibility issue. I have considered sodering a wire to the bottom of the rail along the underside of the turnout.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    July 2009
  • From: lavale, md
  • 4,642 posts
Posted by gregc on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 5:02 PM

are averse to soldering a wire between the rails above the ties that will be visible?

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,035 posts
Electrically Conductive Adhesive
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 3:33 PM

I have a couple of Walthers Shinohara specialty tracks, a 3-way turnout and a double crossover, each with a dead rail segment. The problem is the thin metal jumper on the underside of the turnout that has separated from the bottom of the rail that it is supposed to supply electrical power to. The contact spot is too small to reach with solder, and it appears that solder is not even used in the manufacturing process.

Would electrically conductive adhesive work to repair the loose connection? Any recommendations as to brand? In searching the Internet, I see that it can be purchased in syringe form. That would appear ideal to get the adhesive into a tight space.

I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

Rich

 

Alton Junction

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