Just out of interest, how do finescale modellers typically join sections of track to allow thermal expansion? Obviously the usual rail joiners are not going to look right. Also, do you get problems with the soldered joints onto the pins breaking?
Guy
Finescale fishplates, of course :-) C&L Finescale and Exactoscale both sell H-section fishplates in plastic, and C&L also sell them in brass. The plastic ones can be fitted loose, although a dob of superglue at one end helps, and these hold the rail ends in alignment as well as allowing for movement. The brass ones can obviously be soldered, and because of the price I only use them where I want to solder fishplates!
Soldered joints onto pins???? Que?
I saw some finescale track being laid, probably at Pendon, and they were soldering the rails to pins driven into the sleepers.
Guy
Ah - that method! Ply and rivet (or pin) track construction is quite old-fashioned now, although many people still use it. I've not used it much myself as I prefer the C&L/Exactoscale parts, but if a method has been proven at Pendon it's going to work. Basically, it's tried and tested but quite labour intensive (IMO) to get good results, whereas moulded chairs etc are much quicker and give a better result (again, IMO). What the latter method hasn't got is time to prove itself - will track built with ABS chairs glued onto ply sleepers, for instance, still be working in 20 or 30 years time?
Upturned 'omega' shape of flexible wiring ( like 7 strand stuff- forgot the SWG of the wire) soldered underneath the gap where the rail joiner would normally be. With care it can be soldered in place after track-laying , but use a pair of long nose pliers as a heat shunt on the rail to stop the plastic melting if thats your type of track..
Why give yourself the bother of forming an omega? I use a version of this method but just make a small circular loop in the wire (I form it round a needle file) and solder the wire ends to the rails. The tip about pliers as a heat sink is worth noting.. I use those jolly little aluminium hair grip things that ladies have in their make up boxes. They hold themselves on leaving both hands free. The main idea is to have somewhere for the expansion to go that isn't going to stress your soldered joint.
Alistair Wright
5522 Models
I have a box of bulldog clips for the same purpose.
I also have a pair of small flush-end cutters, you can use these to grip rail quite tightly without damaging the bits you see and notice. I used to use pincers but the cutters are smaller and handier.
Guy
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