Need soldering tip

[mike33469]

I need advice on how to solder feeder wires to rail joiners prior to slipping them onto rail ends. So far I've only managed to fill up a couple of good rail joiners with solder. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

you can buy rail joiners already with wires attached, but i suggest you just solder to the rails.

[Anonymous]

I just solder my feeder wires directly to the sides of the rails--that way, I don't have to worry about fouling up my rail joiners.

[Anonymous]

also, if you solder to rail joiners, youre relying on 2 pieces of metal touching for your electrical contact, just solder it to the rails.

[Anonymous]

Soldering directly to the rails is the best as recommended above. The method I use is to remove about 4 ties form the area I'm planning on attaching the leads and the I use alligator clips on either side of the area as a heat sink and then apply heat rail and the wire and touch the end of the solder if the heat is right it will flow very neatly and you will have a very strong connections.. File the ties you removed smooth and silde them under the rail. once you balace the track you will not beable to tell they had been remove.

[Anonymous]

[#ditto] X 4.
If you insist on having wiring to your joiners, pick up Atlas connectors (with wires attached. Cost versus the time you will spend trying to duplicate that is well worth it.

[camarokid]

Everything above is what you should do. However, if you still wi***o solder to the joiners you will need a block of wood, rosin core solder, flux, a very reliable iron and a small fan to blow the solder smoke away from your face. If you buy your joiners by the box (or not) lay them split side down on the wood, add flux, lay the wire on the joiner and weld away. You can solder the wire in line or across the joiner depending on how you wi***o run the wire through the trackbed. Don't forget to drill the hole for the wire to pass through. I run mine down the centerline to hide it. Always use new joiners and don't forget to check them once in a while for looseness. But then again, you'll know when it's time. DON'T FORGET THE FAN!!!!! Happy soldering and Merry Christmas.
Archie

[egmurphy]

I soldered my feeders to the rail joiners. I was having a hard time handling the soldering iron, solder, and wire, while keeping the rail joiner from moving (not enough hands). I wound up bending a 90º angle at the end of the lead wires, and tinning them (trying to leave as much solder as possible on them during tinning) before trying to connect them to the joiners. I turned the joiners split side down (as previously mentioned), and brushed on some liquid flux. Then I could hold the wire in one hand with the bent end flat on the joiner, while I pressed the tip of the iron down on the wire. It just takes a second to heat up the wire and joiner, and enough solder flows from the wire to make the joint. I did my soldering on a small ceramic square (drink coaster when not employed in soldering service).

Regards

Ed

[mgruber]

Put a piece of scrap rail in a vice. Slip the joiner on to the rail to hold it in place. Apply flux to the bottom of the joiner and solder away. Be sure not to solder the joiner to the rail. Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

To get a bigger grip, do not cut the joiner from the strip of joiners. I've soldered to the joiners on my modules because I did not want the large wire and blob of solder showing on the track in my close up photos.

Bob Boudreau

[Paul Milenkovic]

Using flux in addition to the flux in the solder helps a whole lot. Radio Shack makes a rosin flux (safe for electricals -- don't use plumbing acid flux) -- the only other thing is you need to clean it up afterwards otherwise it leaves black deposits (from dirt binding to the left over flux) on top of the track.

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Paul Milenkovic

Using flux in addition to the flux in the solder helps a whole lot. Radio Shack makes a rosin flux (safe for electricals -- don't use plumbing acid flux) -- the only other thing is you need to clean it up afterwards otherwise it leaves black deposits (from dirt binding to the left over flux) on top of the track.

[#ditto] Flux makes a world of difference. Makes solder flow clean and even right into cracks.
The flux I use doesn't require clean up. Once it gets hot enough, it neutralizes.