Stubborn rail joiners...

[jacon12]

Are rail joiners (Atlas code 100) always so hard to get on? Is there a trick to it? It seems like if I try to slightly separate (spread) them to facilitate the job I get it too loose and then have to squeeze them back tighter, or at least try to.
Also, does it hurt anything to lay track down directly on a clean tile floor, temporarily. I don't have the benchwork started yet but I'd sure like to at least see a train going, if nothing else but around and around. Anyone know of a reason NOT to do this?
Jacon

[Anonymous]

You remind me of my son when I got him his first train set.He was young(11yrs old) just wanted to see trains run at any cost thank God it was a toy train set.I did buy a sheet of plywood so he can run trains on it before I built a 4x8 layout to get it off the ground or floor.Myself I would not run trains on the floor.

[jwar]

How are you cutting the joiners apart. If your flexing them as like bending them back and forth untill they separate, the ends are tweeked and wont work.

Use a good pair of ***s and cut them apart. ...John

The above *** was diagonals, I think the moderator changed the word I used as I used the slang word that mechanics call them, no other intentions were ment, sorry about that, LOL...John

[dwRavenstar]

In the same situation I would check for burrs at the end of the track. If you use cutters watch that they don't in fact bend the joiners. Flexing till they separate has worked for me but I always watch the fresh ends, assuring that they aren't bent upwards and possibly causing a problem.

I mostly look at them (joiners) the same way I did nails when I was still roofing. If it isn't gonna work, toss it and get the next one ready.

The only danger I'd see with running the train on the floor is you might get hooked on doing it and your layout will stall in the thinking stage. [8] In building the initial benchwork for my dual level shelf layout I kept thinking that while I was constructing a long, narrow table everything I was doing was "counter" productive. [:D]

All I've got to do now is get this helix assembled and the second level can be started.

Dave (dwRavenstar)

[gmpullman]

I posted a hint in the layout building forum (this forum needs more distinct topic headings!!)...
I made a joiner insertion tool out of an old #11 X-acto blade. Use a Dremel grinding wheel to take off the sharp edge then contour a shape at the tip of the blade thats about the width of the rail base (I'm using code 83) Put a "step" into the contour so the joiner doesn't pu***oo far onto the blade. I pu***he joiner onto the tool and that slightly widens the joiner... reverse the joiner and push it onto the tool again and now its ready to shove onto the rail end. Experiment with the shape of the knife blade and you'll find that this makes a handy insertion tool!

[mikebonellisr]

I seperate the joiners from the strip by cutting them with a pair of xuron nippers,then file the top and bottom of the cut(one pass with a jewelers file is usually enough).I also dress the rail on the bottom and below the web.This takes only a few seconds and I din't recall ever having trouble getting the joiners on.I use both cd100 and cd.83.

[selector]

I can't add anything more about the joiners, but I would advise against running the trains on the floor. Unless you folks are scrupulous about keeping it clean, it is going to be a problem waiting to happen. Can you get a quick 'fix' on a counter, a cleaned workbench?

[jacon12]

From reading the answers, I see the problem with the joiners. I don't think I'm handling them right when separating them from each other (probably getting a little bend in them) plus I'm not making sure they have no burrs etc before using them. I've just got to start thinking more 'delicately', that I'm not dealing with the big O scale track that is pretty easy to put together. HO, especially flex, is quite a different animal.
I can't even imagine trying to work with N.
I've abandoned the floor idea and will instead build a 4x8 plywood table to try different things on. Hey, I got to thinking... my 61 year old back and knees wouldn't take it anyway. I'd get down there and may not get up! :)
Jacon

[dwRavenstar]

Jacon,
Recalling my previous N-scale layouts I can tell you first off it's no picnic. That was back in the day before reading glasses became an integral part of my daily paraphenalia. (After pricing the arm extensions the reading glasses seemed like the better decision, economically.)
You've got me breaking up, considering getting down there and not getting back up. I can picture myself; after calling with "I've fallen and can't get up"; telling the responding team that I'll accept their help in a second, I've just gotta spot these last three boxcars first! [^]

Dave (dwRavenstar)