Soldering tracks

[Anonymous]

What type of solder is the best to use when soldering copper wire to nickel silver track? The problem is when I place my solder iron to the solder it beads up and I end up melting the plastic ties. I'm using a low temp pencil iron. thanks in advance J.J

[Anonymous]

I've been successfully using 40 tin/60 lead aci core solder. Be sure to use soldering flux.
Ralph

[Anonymous]

It's also a good idea to place water soked cotton balls on top of your track about an inch either side of were you are soldering. This acts as a heat sink so your ties don't melt........Jamie

[Anonymous]

I think the proper procedure is avoid touching the solder to the iron.
Heat the the piece itself, then apply the solder to
the heated piece.

[Anonymous]

Here's a suggestion from the manual.
1) Apply flux to the rail joint with a small brush.

2) Apply heat to the outside edge of the rail with
the soldering iron. As the flux boils apply solder
to the outside edge of the rail joint.
As the solder touches the joint, not the iron, the
solder flows through the rail joiner and bonds the
track together.
3) Use a file to clean up the solder joint after it cools, both on the rail top and inside rail surfaces.

60% tin, 40% lead mixtures work well for model needs.
A 25 watt iron is adequate for small wires but for
track or wires larger than 14 gauge the manual recommends 40 watt.

[Anonymous]

Will this work soldering the motor strips to the circuit board on a kato sd40-2 ho engine without heat dammage to the circuit board.

[Anonymous]

JJ: I think you need a bit of practice at sodering and do some of the basics. If your soder is beading up and not flowing there are two reasons, what you are trying to soder to is not properly prepared (too dirty) and the other is what you are trying to soder to is not hot enough to accept the soder as a flow. Iron may not be hot enough.
To rectify this you have to follow a few steps.
First of all make sure that all is clean, your soder gun tip, the wire that your are trying to soder on, and the track that you are trying to soder the wire to. You can use several methods to clean, from wire brush in dremel to emery paper (fine sand paper). Once these are clean add soder to the tip of your sodering iron and coat the tip, make sure that the tip is hot enough. Then add some flux, liquid or paste, to both the end of your copper wire, aprox 1/4 to 1/2 all the way from the end, then put some flux on the cleaned area of the track. Then touch your sodering iron to he fluxed area of the copper wire and add some soder, just a small amount, to the tip of your sodering iron then touch the fluxed area of the wire, to "coat" the wire. Make sure it flows freely, then do the same with the rail. I agree strongly with others and use wet cotton balls near the area where you are going to soder, this will prevent the heat from transfering down the rail and melting ties. Once you have coated the proper name is
"tinning", the wire and track, put the two together, put a little soder on the tip of your sodering iron and touch it to the wire and track and the soder should flow smoothly. Leave the sodering iron on just long enough for the soder that is on both parts to melt and the little bit that you have on the tip of your iron to flow into the seam, then remove. Wait until cool then wiggle the wire carefully to ensure proper bonding. If this does not work then maybe you do not have a hot engough sodering iron. I would recomend taking a couple pieces of scap track or rail and do a little practice first. If I have not sodered for a while I, plus a lot of other modelers, take a few pieces and do a little practice before I start on the layout, does not hurt to proactice first. Hope this helps. Ron..

[Anonymous]

Make sure you get rosin core solder and not acid core. You can also get flux pens which are are less messy. I also clean both parts to be soldered with isoproponal (rubing) alcohol. After soldering I clean the joint with the alcohol and a small bru***o remove any excess flux.

Also if you move the part as the solder is solidifying you will get a bad (cold) joint. If you are not soldering rail but something small or where the parts are likely to move as you solder then try and get some 63% tin 37% lead solder. It's more expensive but goes from liquid to solid almost instantly as it cools so it's much harder to get a bad joint. It also melts at a slightly lower temperature although I don't think it's significantly lower.

[Anonymous]

If I read uour posting correctly, You are using Acid Core Solder. Acid core solder is NEVER used on electrical circuits. It eats at the two metals causing many problems. The proper solder for electrical/electronics projects is rosen core solder.

jwe

[Anonymous]

It also helps if you put a track gauge over the spot you intend to solder. Use a fast heating iron, such as a "Weller" trigger action iron.
Quick heat in a small space, along with the aforementioned track gauge, will minimize any damage to plastic ties.
P.S. Don't try to duplicate "welded rail", if you solder all your joints, you will have nothing but trouble. Yes, this is experience talking. If you use wood as benchwork, you NEED to allow for expansion, and contraction. I tried to "weld" rail in a tunnel on my layout, I ended up with a piece of track that would only be useful at an amusement park!
Good Luck! Todd C.

[Anonymous]

Charles
This method is highly successful and nearly foolproof. I have used it for many years with very few problems. The track and joiners must be clean.
I am building a new layout using some track and turnouts I had on my old layout which was inactive for twenty-five years. With shiny clean brass, I get excellent soldered joints.
I use a hot iron-clad soldering pencil (40W) and 1/16" 40/60 solder. I use a very small amount of flux applied with a miniature screwdriver. The iron is applied to the outside of the rail. It takes only a second or two to complete the operation and the plastic ties are not melted. It works for me.
Good luck
polyjim

[Anonymous]

Just curious, what diameter solder are you using to affect this wonderful bond? This will help as much as any of the very good info the manual has to offer, I think? Let us know, Thanks, John