I HATE soldering!

TheThing · I HATE soldering!

I seem to have a little 'flat' spot on the far side of the main oval. I've tried cleaning the rails, replacing the two standard straights etc etc, but most of the locos (crab, 2x Class 31s and Class 40) slow down slightly (even to a stop!) as they go over it.

A-ha! Me tought, maybe the power isn't getting fully there. I'll solder a couple of wires to the rails to 'boost' electricity in that area.

An hour later, I've managed to melt 2 sleepers (does smell rather nice, strangely), burnt my finger, dripped solder on the desk and my trousers (luckily peeled off the trousers), but finally got the wires on. Moved the track into palce and they both fell off!

I HATE SOLDERING!

Teleman

It sounds like you did not have the track sides were you soldered clean . Or it was melted sleeper on the track side
Have a look at this post , see its easy realy

http://thecentralstation.myfreeforum.org/about563.html

Even older tom

That's the fun of learning to solder, Hugh. angry6

It's painful, smelly and damages more than it fixes BUT once you get the knack of how to do it, it's ever so rewarding! thumbleft

upnick

Hi Hugh,

Sounds like you need a fibreglass pen

i had to resolder a wire on a laid rail the other day and used one.

http://tinyurl.com/df4az2

Use the fibre glass pen vigorously on the outer side of the rail to clean it ....... blow any bits away and make sure its clean (mind your eyes with the bits of fibreglass) tin the wire squeeze it between some flat nosed piers measure how long the tinned wire needs to be to be flush with the rail when its all in place snip it to length file the wire end flat apply a bit of flux to the rail and tin it bit more flux on the wire offer it up to the rail in position and bit of solder on the iron tip touch the wire soon as you hear the sizle of the flux remove the iron and you should have a good soldered joint

Its easier i find to do this with the track in position feeding the wire up through the board and a small screwdriver holding onto the wire while you apply the iron.

Few things needed to good soldering .....

Good iron ....... mines a Antex 25S with three sizes of tip for varied jobs.
stand for the above with damp sponge in.
Flux
Solder 60/40
Speed .. work quickly with the iron hot & clean.
Desoldering braid .... for the times you get bit too much solder on

As Tom says its a pleasure when you get the hang of it

Oh btw Teleman cant get the vid to play here or on you tube

poliss

Video works fine for me Nick. Could be that youtube was busy or your flash player needs upgrading.

Teleman

Soldering is an art realy , as i have been soldering for years i make it look very easy . But make sure every thing is clean , thats the main thing . Also see if you can find some 'SN62' solder its better for modelling as it a lower melting point . I would send you some but ive used up the last i had on Lion but i will let you know when i get some more

TheThing

Ah, I see!

I've been trying to hold the wire, solder and iron and put them all together at once. I should be adding the solder to the track first then melting it with the wire in place!

You make it look so easy Teleman!

Where can I get a fibregalss pen from? Never heard of them before. Are they just used for cleaning applications?

poliss

Here's a Teleman link to fibreglass pencils.
http://tinyurl.com/b98thq

TheThing

Thanks again poliss!

Joe

I feel the same Hugh I was trying to solder my art project together in art today and burned it a tad and also stabbed my self 3 times with wire so I feel your pain... in my thumbs

TheThing

I've got it!

Thanks to Teleman's instructional video, I had another stab at soldering this afternoon. No fibreglass pen, but I cleaned a couple of fishplates off with the track rubber and soldered wire to both! It's so much easier when you know how!

It doesn't look the prettiest, but it seems to have worked and the wires have stayed in place. I'm as happy as larry!

(The piece of track is for the end of a siding, so I added a fishplate to each rail as it gave me a bigger target to aim the soldering iron at).

Might have a go at fixing SWMBO colander later!

Teleman

Keep at it Hugh , and remember i've been soldering for over 30 years ! you do get a feel for it after a while and then you will wonder why it was so hard in the first place

Joe

TheThing

Well, let's not get carried away...

I've done some more soldering of wires to rails now - 2 lots in total! Couldn't have done it without you gents!