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Fixing warped PC ties

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  • Member since
    August 2019
  • 47 posts
Posted by hgodling on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 5:31 PM

They are N scale rails. So they are pretty small. I'm figuring there is probably some residual stress in the fiberglass when they shear them off. 

It doesn't take too much force to clamp it. I can hold it and untwist it, but it bounces back as soon as I let go. 

As small as they are, it's hard to see much in a picture. 

Cloverhouse was pretty careful in packing them, so I don't think something happened to them.  

 

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 12:09 PM

maxman
Warped PC ties? That doesn’t sound right. I purchased similar from them before and didn’t experience that issue. Think I would contact them and get them replaced.

I agree...I can't imagine how that stuff could warp at all.  I don't, for the most part, use such ties, but occasionally will cut them from circuit board that I have on-hand.  My usual use for circuit board is to add all-wheel pick-up to steam locomotives...

...and, seemingly, the board itself cannot be bent without breaking.

Wayne

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,877 posts
Posted by maxman on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 7:18 AM

Warped PC ties?  That doesn’t sound right.  I purchased similar from them before and didn’t experience that issue.  Think I would contact them and get them replaced.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 3:12 AM

I have absolutely no experience with this, but methinks one would want the heat to be moderate at best, and the clamp should also be warm when applied or it'll act like a heat sink and cool the item before the full effect of the clamping action.  Again, this is just a guess.  But clamping a cold, and twisted, PCB strip sounds like asking for trouble.

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • 47 posts
Fixing warped PC ties
Posted by hgodling on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 12:03 AM

I just bought some PC ties from cloverhouse to try my hand at handlaid track. However, the ties are quite warped. Many of them are twisted 90 deg or more.

I am assuming that I should address this before laying the track. Does anyone have experience with this?

The best information I can find is for general PC boards, not for ties. The typical suggestion is to heat and clamp. I was figuring I could use my heat gun (with great care not to melt or burn anything). 

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