02-20-2005
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#1
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Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 60
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Carl Worster: Soldering Track
TRACK SOLDERING
by Carl Worster
TECHNIQUES AND TIPS
Tools
Track bender for the gauge of track you have (Code 332 or 225) Safety goggles Propane torch Spark lighter or matches Small Square Side-cutter wire cutters (Dykes) Small fine-tooth hacksaw or razor saw Optional but desirable: Dremel tool with flex handle and fiber cutting wheels An old, used terry-cloth bath towel ASolder sucker@ to remove excess solder (available from Radio Shack) Knee pads (you=ll really appreciate these!)
Supplies
Bending Track
Set up your track bender, preferably at a comfortable working height (on a saw horse). NOTE: Bending track is a Atrial and error@ process. Start to bend one rail and lay it on the roadbed to Atry@ it. Always bend the track using repeated trips through the rail bender. Don't try to bend it in only one pass. Slightly over bend the track and then manually (with your hands) remove the excess bend. (This relieves stress within the track). Lay the first track in position on the roadbed where it will permanently lie. Begin to bend the second rail. Bend the second rail to match the first rail, estimating the distance apart of the finished track.
Placing (Threading) Ties On The Track
Lay both rails on a flat surface (preferably at a comfortable working height). Partially slide one rail into the sectional flex-track ties (about 6 inches only). Now slide the second rail into the sectional flex-track ties, advancing about 12 inches. Repeat this process (threading the ties onto both tracks) until all the ties are in place.
ASquare@ The First Section Of Track
When track is bent to follow curves, one rail usually ends up longer than the other. Therefore, it is necessary to Asquare@ the starting end (one time only).
ASquare@ The Second (Advancing) Section Of Track
Getting Ready to Solder
Before you can solder, you need to have at least two complete sections of track bent and threaded with ties. Lay the two sections of track in place on the roadbed. Using steel wool, polish the ends of each rail to remove corrosion.
Prepare The Coupling Clips
Using a pair of side cutters, cut off the protruding Atip@ from the bottom of several couplings. (When soldering track, it is best to use new, clean couplers, not used couplers)
Preparing The Ties For Soldering
From one of the sections of track, slide five ties off the rail so tie 6 just remains on the rails. Cut the connecting web between ties 5 and 6 (flush with tie 5) with a pair of side cutters. Cut each protruding web from tie 6 while it is still threaded onto the two sections of rail. Slide ties 6 through 10 back onto the rails as far as they will slide. Now remove all webs from between ties 1 through 5 so there is no webbing on any of the ties. Slide the trimmed ties 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 back onto the rails as far as possible. To prepare the other section of track, just slide all of the ties away from the rail ends to be soldered (about 6 inches).
Install The Rail Couplings
Using a Q-tip, spread some soldering flux on each rail end, everywhere but the top of the rail. Spread some soldering flux inside a trimmed rail coupler and slide the coupler half way onto one of the rails. Repeat the process for the second coupler. Don=t allow any dirt to get into the soldering flux. Slide the second section of track into the two rail couplers. If necessary, adjust the couplings so that they are equally spaced on each rail.
Preparing A AHeat Sink@ To Protect The Ties
Wet the bath-sized terry towel in cold water. Wring it out so it is Awetter than moist@. Forming an AU@, place the moistened towel ends beneath the track about 3 inches from the coupling. Have about 12" of towel ends free and then place these ends over the track. Again check that you have just covered the ties so that you have about 5" of exposed track on both sides of the coupling to solder. Be sure the free end of the track is supported with a little block of wood so that the track is not soldered with a Akink@ in the joint but will be soldered to produce a smooth, flat rail joint.
Solder The Track
Using your propane torch, heat one of the rails, moving the torch to the inside and the outside of the rail. Unwind the solder and touch the solder to one end of the coupling, preferably on the outside of the rail. The solder should flow (be sucked into) the coupling, including the inside of the coupling. The solder should glisten. If necessary, apply a small amount of solder on the inside of the rail. Use the solder sucker to remove any excess solder that may be on either side of the rail. Repeat this process for the second rail. To ensure that you do not have a Acold solder joint@, re-heat both rails until the solder is shiny again. Now turn off your torch, let each rail cool slightly (about 1 to12 minutes) and remove the top wet Aheat sink@ towel to allow the joints to cool slowly. Leave the bottom wet Aheat sink@ towel in place to prevent the ties from melting. The water in the bottom wet towel will probably be hot from the soldering process but will still protect the ties and let the solder cool slowly. The solder should remain shiny, even when it is cold. After about 5 minutes of cooling or when the track is just warm, you may remove the heat- sink towel.
Re-position The Track Ties
You may now evenly space the ties 1 through 5 from which you had removed the webs and had pushed back out of the way of the soldering torch. Finally, slide all of the ties on the advancing section of track against the newly soldered coupling and repeat the process of bending, cleaning and soldering the next section of track.
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Additional Tips And Hints
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