My Fast Tracks jigs Modified...

rray Oct 20, 2004

  1. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Z Scale Turnout Jig Modification

    I had my Fast Tracks Turnout Jigs modified so I could get a better soldering angle on the ties. The problem I had was that the PC Ties sat too low in their slot to allow the soldering iron tip to contact just the tie. The tip would also contact the side of the Tie Slot, and draw away the heat I needed for a quick solder joint. Many people said it was just my soldering technique, ok... [​IMG] This is a Z Scale tie folks! (.041" wide)


    Here is my Narrow Gauge friend, Steve Wesolowski, Firing up his Sherline in preparation for the job.
    [​IMG]

    This is what Steve did, He milled out an area at the ends of the tie slots that was half the depth of the tie slots, to allow access for my soldering iron to come in at 45 degrees to the tie, and the solder to come in 90 degrees from the soldering iron tip.
    [​IMG]

    Here is a close-up of a Tie sitting in the slot. Notice that the top of the tie sits below the top of the tie slot. It has to sit that low so the rail can fit in its perpendicular slot.
    [​IMG]

    And now I can get a comfortable angle for quickly soldering the rails to the ties without the heatsink effect of the jig contacting the soldering iron tip. Special thanks go to Steve Wesolowski for milling my jig, and Jim Hoover for his suggestions, tips, and moral support during my time of frustration.
    [​IMG]

    -Robert
     
  2. Gabriel

    Gabriel TrainBoard Member

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    Awesome work! Is Sherline the brand of the mill? That just might have to go on the to get list =)
     
  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Yes, it's a Sherline mill. It runs very quiet, and has a pretty powerfull motor. A nice little precision tool for sure. This one is my friend's, but I'm thinking I might like one myself! :D
     
  4. Coaltrain

    Coaltrain TrainBoard Member

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    How do you like those Fast Track jigs?
     
  5. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    At first I was very frustrated, because of the soldering difficulty with the Z Scale ties, however now that the soldering issue is fixed, I am real happy with them.

    Once you go to N Scale ties and larger, the soldering is fine because the ties are just enough wider to get your iron in there.
     
  6. Mike Sheridan

    Mike Sheridan TrainBoard Member

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    A decent lathe/mill is a nice thing to have, but they aren't cheap and take up space.

    I had a Unimat 3 (very similar to the Sherline) many years ago when doing "model engineering", but more recently I bought a "Unimat 1" (poke that into Google for more info) for my modelling needs. It packs away quite easily, is very adaptable, and is about half the price of proper machines like Sherline.

    But of course you get what you pay for; it isn't very sturdy or powerful. I did manage to mill the taper on brass blades for G-scale turnouts but that was really pushing it. However, for lighter work not requiring great precision it is quite handy. The last job I did was using it as a hand-held router to mill some slots in plywood [​IMG] .
     
  7. EDModels

    EDModels TrainBoard Member

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    Robert,

    The real key to soldering is keeping the tip of the iron clean and tinned. From the one pic, I can see that the tip looks black and dry. That is what makes the tip stick to the copper. I use plenty of flux, and wipe the iron on a damp rag every few joints.

    I also highly recommend a .015" or smaller dia. solder. I get mine from www.mpja.com part number 15342TL - .015" (.37mm) Multi Core Solder 1/2 lbs for $4.95. It goes a long way, trust me! I bought 2 lbs of it and ended up give 1 lbs away, because there is no way I'll ever use that much! I've built about 180 turnouts with the first roll, and still have 8.5 oz left!

    [​IMG]

    I also use the smallest tip on my 25W iron. Every so often I sand or file the tip back down to a point. You will notice over time the flux/solder/heat will start to eat the tin plated copper tip away, and it will start to look like a ball point pen, without the ball. New tips are only a few bucks, and when I tin the tip, I can get about 40-50 turnouts out of one.

    I add the paste flux to the copper PC ties, set the rail (use weights, and the flux helps keep the rail stay put), and touch the tip of the iron to the rail and tie just long enough for the flux to melt and flow, then just tap the solder to the flux. I make sure to get some solder to flow to the other side of the rail to ensure a good bond. That is it. Make sure the solder stays shiny, that mean you have a good joint. If it gets dull and rough looking, you heated the joint too long, add a bit more flux and solder, to shine it over.

    The technique is an aquired skill for sure. I look back at some of my first turnouts and laugh, nice big blobs of solder on the sides of the rail. You will find exactly how much flux and solder to use over time.

    You better get your soldering technique down! I have got 200 photo-etched Z-scale BethGon kits coming in about 2 weeks! PS-2 4750 covered hoppers coming in a month or so!

    Good luck!
     
  8. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I am looking forward to some of those kits. I bought a 250 watt resistance soldering rig, the ones they sell at Micro-Mark. An American Beauty model, but it works terrible on the turnouts. It should do fine for your kits!

    It works good at spot welding Mircon Art and Micro Engineering jits together though. ;)

    I would have just bought prebuilt turnouts, but my pride won't let me drop $30 or more for an unpowered Z turnout from Wright or Halwa, so I choose to go this route. [​IMG]
     
  9. racedirector

    racedirector TrainBoard Member

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    I've often thought of buying one or two of the Fastrack jigs but the cost always deterred me. Then I got into a discussion re the investment given the fact that once you have finished your trackwork the jigs just sit in the cupboard. In Aussie dollars, that is alot of money doing nothing. I'll just have to stick with laid in place turnouts instead.

    BTW, nice work on the Z scale turnouts, the one in the pic looks really nice. I started to do N scale but turned to HO after I couldn't see much. How you manage Z scale is beyond me - you have impressed me immensely!!
     
  10. JASON

    JASON TrainBoard Supporter

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    Mythman,wow 180 turnouts!Was this for the layout or the shop?Maybe you can tell me,I'm looking for a couple dual gauge turns outs N & Nn3,does anyone do them?
    BTW,your web site looks very promising!Maybe some one could do a "how-to-do" on point building?

    Bruce, sorry I missed you at the club the other weekend,good to see you got your fill of that canite,plenty more there for ya!
     
  11. racedirector

    racedirector TrainBoard Member

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    Oops~ sorry not to attribute the fine looking turnout to Mythman - I just wasn't looking properly. 180 turnouts huh? Boy, you MUST be a pro by now, easily in competition with the manufacturers! [​IMG]

    And Jason, yup, got a bootful of Canite - thank you very much. I too am sorry we missed but my son is buggin me to go back to see the trains so we might catch up soon!

    Cheers
     
  12. EDModels

    EDModels TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the compliments all...

    All I can say is, business is good. I have built a total of over 250 turnouts. I don't know the exact amount, I should have wrote them all down. I just sent out orders 170, 171, and 172, and alot of those orders are for multiple turnouts. I also have 36 for my own N scale layout, and currently working on another 48 for my Z scale layout. On a good day, without disruption (Damn full-time job!), I can hammer out 10 (a right and left for each of my 5 sizes) or about 3 custom curved/wyes. I still am trying to get the double slips down, they are my nemesis.

    As far as dual gauge turnouts, I have thought about messing around with them. I enjoy doing new pieces.
     
  13. JASON

    JASON TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ty Mythman,I'll be keeping an eye on your site for those dual gauge points!
    BTW got anymore pic's of your layouts?
     
  14. EDModels

    EDModels TrainBoard Member

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    Jason,

    My Z-scale layout consists of some lumber and foam board stacked on the basement floor right now...

    Here is a forest of trees and PCB material I've been cutting for the layout. There is about 10,000 of the 14,500 required wood ties here. I have been wondering about stacking all of them... Yeah, right... [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Mike Skibbe

    Mike Skibbe TrainBoard Member

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    Now, I haven't used a turnout jig yet, but the 100 watt resistance soldering outfit was the best thing I bought for handlaying turnouts. Are you using the tweezer handtool or trying to use the single electrode?

    With the tweezers I can hold the rail in place where I want it, hit the footswitch, hit the solder, release the foot switch, and can then hold the rail in place while the joint cools. For me, this meant no more worrying about balancing heavy objects on the rail to hold it in position while attacking with a soldering iron.

    Do the soldering irons really work better when using the turnout jigs, or was there a different problem with the 250 watt set-up?
     
  16. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I have the tweezer unit, but have not tried it again since having my jigs modified. I had problems with sparking, and shorting against the jig. I'll probably try it again now that my jigs are modified.


    -Robert
     

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