Looking at photos of how their jigs are setup, it looks like the ties sit into deeper pockets, with the rails sitting in the groove. Is this correct?
When using copper ties, how to do cancel the solid copper coating across the top? Do any of you “etch” them as you would do a PC board? A slight touch with an abrasive disk to grind off the coating?
I’m assuming the rails are soldered on the outside edge only? Or are they soldered somehow on the bottom?
The pockets for the ties are deeper than the grooves for the rails by the depth of the ties, so the rail sits right on the ties.
A swipe with the corner edge of a triangular file gaps the tie.
With a little flux I think a little solder gets under the rail, even a little to the inside.
If you have a broadband connection watch the videos on the site, they go through the whole process, better than I could ever describe with words.
The ties sit in the slots, the rail sits on top of them in the groove, which holds it in place.
To electrically isolate the rails, the cladding is cut with a file, razor saw, or a diamond wheel in a Dremel tool.
As to soldering, the solder should wick under the rail when heated. To get the best results, use flux (in addition to any flux core solder.)
I attended a club meeting (Oct 9), Tim Warris was the speaker, and he built a #6 in 35 minutes. He would solder one side of the rail, and then immediately touch the iron to the other side and apply a little solder.
He had a few tips about soldering: Don’t use lead free solder, and always use flux. Acid or rosin, doesn’t matter. And pre-curve the rail, or in time, the stress will break the solder joints.
Go to his website at handlaidtrack.com, and check out the videos he has. They show the process of soldering, etc.
How do I curve the rail? I feel a little dumb, never having had researched hand laying track…
Would I use the same style bending / curving tool like would be used with the G-scale track when people roll it themselves?
With a grin…watch the video!
You prebend the rail by kind of dragging it through your fingers with a bit more pressure on one side than the other. It is kind of a feel thing. You can use a tool, but for N, and I suspect HO, it is easy enough to do by hand. Watch the video, he build the whole turnout, and you can see every step. If your connection doesn’t allow that there are instructions, with pictures on the site. Or they will send you the CD with the videos for free.
I guess I don’t see something you do.
Where’s the video?
The videos are in the document libraries.
The videos are fantanstic…worth a watch.
David B