Soldering Question

[JeremyB]

Hi guys

I hate using rail joiners, Can I just solder the two pieces of track instead of using the joiners or would this be a problem. Also do you guys have any soldering tips.

Thanks
Jeremy

[dave9999]

Jeremy,
Use the joiners!! They will keep the track aligned. This how I do it and haven't had problems.

QUOTE: Also do you guys have any soldering tips

I have a soldering tip but it's on my soldering iron.[(-D]. Dave

[JeremyB]

I plan on dropping a turnout in place of a broken one and I can't slide the joiners back. So would it be alright to do???

[Big_Boy_4005]

Replacement tips are available at the store where you bought your iron. [oops] Sorry, wrong tips.[:D]

Seriously though, the joiner helps align the rails, and soldering without it will be a lot more difficult, since the rail ends don't have a lot of surface area. I'm not sure if your electrical path will suffer as a result of that small connection. You may end up having to add feeders more often, if you find your trains slowing down.

There a few secrets to good solder joints. Make sure that the surfaces that you are trying to join are clean. Apply heat to the work, not the solder. Don't allow the parts to move before the solder solidifies. The joint should look shiney and smooth, not dull or bubbly.

If you find soldering difficult, practice on some scraps of wire. Its really pretty easy once you get the hang of it


I see Dave and I have the same sense of humor and the same advice. Great minds think alike, eh Dave?

[Big_Boy_4005]

Shorten the joiner, or cut the tie on the track away and slip another one under after the repair is done.

[dave9999]

If you remove a couple of ties from the track you can slide the joiners out of the way. After the new switch is in
place, slide the joiners into position and solder. If you already have joiners soldered to the track, heat the solder
joint and pull the joiner off with pliers(gently). Dave

[JeremyB]

I only want to do it to one piece of track, not my whole railroad so would that be alright.

Jeremy

[dave9999]

Jeremy,
It appears that you want to keep asking until someone says "sure it's fine to solder your track without using joiners" . But, speaking for myself, I would not do it. It's not difficult to replace the track and do it right. If you try to solder it without the joiners and it ends up misaligned, then you have a whole new set of problems to deal with. So just take the time and do it right the first time. Dave

[Anonymous]

USE JOINERS[!][!]

[Nieuweboer]

if you really want to ommit railjoiners (wich I don't recommend) you cando so and still have the rails alligned: use two railgauges on both sides of the joint and solder a short piece of wire in the outside web of both rails. When you have to remove the turnout or whatever just unsolder the piece of wire and lift out what needs to be lifted out.

[Jetrock]

I just don't understand what is so dreadful about using rail joiners!! I mean, if this person wants to try it, let them, and they'll realize that they are making what they want to do harder rather than easier.

[Anonymous]

I have tried many methods to join rail ends without the use of rail joiners. I struggled with the very non-prototypic look of rail joiners. Nothing worked over the long haul, nothing! I went back to rail joiners and ceased having problems with joint kinks and alignment. I would suggest you cut the rail beyond the existing rail joiner on the piece you want to remove, remove a couple of ties from under the remaining track, make the replacement piece long enough to fit, and use rail joiners to make the connection.. Then you can shave down the ties you removed and slip them back under the rail. Add a little ballast and voila, problem solved.


Tom

[der5997]

OK, so no joiners. Here's a thought on how it might be done, and the alignment of the track preserved at the same time. Is it possible to use a tie or ties close to the join that are made from electronic circuit board? The rail could be soldered in guage to these ties. In fact, there wouldn't be a need to solder across the join at all so long as feeders provide power where it's wanted. A possible plus to this approach is that one would have automatically provided insulated gaps should they be required. Of course, each of these circuit board ties would have to have the electrical continuity broken between the rails. This is generally done by removing a portion of the copper with a file, isn't it? [2c][2c] Opps, inflation!

[Anonymous]

Just patiently solder it... Don't hold the heat on too long, and don't let the parts move until they cool.

I have a whole layout that is completely soldered, yards, industry, mainline, and all. It just takes practice, patience, flux, and good solder. (I use a 30 watt iron, and melt the solder on the iron first, then let it flash on the flux on the outside of the rails. If you want, wet paper towles, and / or heatsinks 1/2 inch on either side of the solder joint will keep anything from melting.

We aren't trying to "weld," just get the solder to rush onto the rails, flatten out, and cool in place. It will have a good connection if the rails were clean, the flux was acid free paste, and the solder was a resin core.

Again, the solder seems to be holding up fine here. I will caution you that in curves and such, the track must be glued to the roadbed to keep it from popping outward, but I have had the same problem with rail joiners in the past.