08-26-2009, 10:41 PM
Thanks for all the comments and kind words guys. Youze guys iz da best! 
Thanks for the tips about pinning it down while ballasting and gluing Russ. Thing is, I don't know when I'll get to ballasting and I'd like to get some track down and start running trains. I have some long term goals to reach, however I need to aquire certain things. Things that have to wait for sometime in the near future.
e-paw - Tips...hmmm...a few dozen spring to mind. However, the basics. Practice good soldering skills, have a decent iron (I use a 40w iron for my track work), keep the tip of the iron clean...at all costs!!! I cleaned my tip dozens of times during this build. A quick dip with the hot iron in the flux and wipe it on a paper towel roll to get the oxidization off. A clean tip is a hot tip, which means the solder will melt faster and flow better. If your tip is dirty you will have a hard time getting the solder to flow and it will just blob all over the place.
Patience is also required. Knowing when to put the tools down and walk away is a good habit to get into. When I find I start to get frustrated or just plain ornery when doing this kind of stuff, I usually walk away, grab a beer surf the net or watch a sitcom for half and hour and then see if I can get back into it. 9/10 I pick right up where I left off no problems. If I don't feel like getting off the couch...it ain't happening.
Honestly, there are a ton of good handlaying resources out there too. I know I keep plugging their stuff but the Fast Tracks website is a great resource, even if you don't buy any of the products, there are tons of videos and intructional how toos about soldering, filing the point rails and frogs etc. Worth a look into by anyone. If it wasn't for those guys, I'd have spent a small fortune on Peco turnouts and probably be broke because of it.
Now...on with the show... :ugeek:
umm...almost done.
![[Image: DSC03155.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03155.jpg)
![[Image: DSC03154.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC03154.jpg)
I just need to solder in the throwbars and then clean the solder paste off the track with some soap and water. It is surprisingly strong, however, still delicate to handle. I can pick up as one complete piece if I handle it carefully.
I'll get the throwbars on tomorrow and then start thinking about mounting it in place on the layout.
Peace!
Thanks for the tips about pinning it down while ballasting and gluing Russ. Thing is, I don't know when I'll get to ballasting and I'd like to get some track down and start running trains. I have some long term goals to reach, however I need to aquire certain things. Things that have to wait for sometime in the near future.
e-paw - Tips...hmmm...a few dozen spring to mind. However, the basics. Practice good soldering skills, have a decent iron (I use a 40w iron for my track work), keep the tip of the iron clean...at all costs!!! I cleaned my tip dozens of times during this build. A quick dip with the hot iron in the flux and wipe it on a paper towel roll to get the oxidization off. A clean tip is a hot tip, which means the solder will melt faster and flow better. If your tip is dirty you will have a hard time getting the solder to flow and it will just blob all over the place.
Patience is also required. Knowing when to put the tools down and walk away is a good habit to get into. When I find I start to get frustrated or just plain ornery when doing this kind of stuff, I usually walk away, grab a beer surf the net or watch a sitcom for half and hour and then see if I can get back into it. 9/10 I pick right up where I left off no problems. If I don't feel like getting off the couch...it ain't happening.
Honestly, there are a ton of good handlaying resources out there too. I know I keep plugging their stuff but the Fast Tracks website is a great resource, even if you don't buy any of the products, there are tons of videos and intructional how toos about soldering, filing the point rails and frogs etc. Worth a look into by anyone. If it wasn't for those guys, I'd have spent a small fortune on Peco turnouts and probably be broke because of it.
Now...on with the show... :ugeek:
umm...almost done.
I just need to solder in the throwbars and then clean the solder paste off the track with some soap and water. It is surprisingly strong, however, still delicate to handle. I can pick up as one complete piece if I handle it carefully.
I'll get the throwbars on tomorrow and then start thinking about mounting it in place on the layout.
Peace!