track soldering questions

[Woodville]

Do you solder all track joints? If not, where and why not? Also, is there any concern about melting the plastic ties?

I am getting ready to glue down track and wanted to do it properly. Thanks

 

[Dougget]

I plan to solder my track so that I end up with soldered three foot sections. I will use a combination of flex and sectional track, so not every joint will be soldered. I also plan to solder power connections to each three foot segment so that I do not need to rely on the rail joiners for electrical power.

I have experimented with soldering track. The key is to heat up the track quickly and just enough to get the solder to flow, then get the heat off. I have used electrical flux to make the "heat on" time as short as possible. (do not use plumbing flux, it's not the same)

You can also use a heat sink to contain the heat on the rails. I once saw a picture of bent needle nose pliers with rubber bands around the grips to keep the pliers on the rails. You can also get small spring loaded heat sinks from a place like radio shack.

My best advice is to get some scrap track and practice. You can usually pick up a grab bag of used track on eBay for $5. Well worth it for some practice. You can always recycle the cheap track on your layout as scenery details. Extra rails stacked up near a turnout or behind the roundhouse.

Doug

 

[Larry]

I use SS tweezers for a heatsink. They work fine. I also use solid 20 0r 22 ga. wire for drops. If you flatten the end of the wire w/a hammer on an anvil & then solder it to the outside of the track it won't hardly show up. I use a solder that the phone co. uses. It doesn't require any flux. I clean the track till it's shiney w/an end brush(looks like a thick ballpoint w/a small end brush). Then apply the heat w/a 30watt soldering iron(not a gun). I hardly ever melt any plastic ties, but if you do it won't hurt anything. I put a pair of Stainless steel tweezers on the track on both sides of the solder iron to attract the heat. I buy all of my tweezers at a Flea market for about 1 & 2 bucks a pc.
My tweezers have a slide screw so you can clamp the tweezers to the track.

 

[Larry]

I only use 3ft flex & use track connectors at every joint. Then I solder every other pc. together at the connectors on the outside of the track. Then I solder drops about every 4ft. in the middle of the flex. I have over 600 ft. of track & have never had problems w/power shortage except when I'm under the layout & cut a drop by mistake.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I wouldn't solder the track joiners. They are really only to align the track. The track will expand and contract over time and if it is soldered at the joiners it is more likely to kink. Be sure your solder does not have the acid core to it.

 

[nmaniac]

When I solder my track I remove about three ties do the soldering on the bottom side of the rail,once done and the track is in place I replace the ties and I solder every other joiner,I think doing the soldering on the bottom side make;s it look cleaner,Just remember which rail which !!

L

 

[BN8002]

I soldered only joints in long curves. My layout is in rooms that have a lot of temperature variance throughout the year so I planned for a fair amount of expansion and contraction. I also dropped feeders on pretty much every section of flex track with 22ga solid core wire so that I wasn't relying on rail joiners to carry current. When I soldered feeders or joints I didn't melt ties once I started rolling with it..I used a pair of hemostats on either side of my solder point and used flux on the joint before hand. I'm not a fan of needle irons so I used a gun for all my soldering.

 

[railfan]

The super thin solder melts easier and quicker....especially if you have a walmart el-cheapo soldering iron like me....and I want to try the electronic flux too. I've always used rosin core solder on wires.....never soldered track yet.


Mike

 

[Larry]

I always Tin all of my wires & track before I solder everything together. Makes everything easier to flow together.

 

[diburning]

Plumbers use an acid core solder, which works well with copper plumbing as pipes are usually thicker than wire. Always use a rosin core on electronics and electrical circuitry.

Acid core solder or acid based fluxes WILL corrode the rail into a sticky green mess over time! Even if you scrape it off with a brite boy, the green scum will return within a week!

 

[bennyboots]

Do you solder all track joints? If not, where and why not? Also, is there any concern about melting the plastic ties?

I am getting ready to glue down track and wanted to do it properly. Thanks

A small piece of paper towel folded down to around 1'' square and soaked with water (1 on each side of your work area directly above the ties) worked well for me I didn't melt a single tie.

I soldered my feeder wires in 1/4'' from the joiners, one for every piece of solid rail. I didn't solder any joiners on my layout but thats just me, I like the idea of being able to take things apart if need be. I run DCC so the healthiest track signal possible eliminates problems down the road.