Whaley Shunt (Shallcross Yard)

[Tortuga]

Cheers Rob! It’s taken a bit longer than intended to get to this stage (about two weeks), but I’m happy with how it’s turned out.

 

Not that the carpentry is completely finished - I still need to make a fiddle yard board, the legs and the backscene and there’ll also be some wood-wrangling to do as part of the scenic work - but for now I can lay some more track and work on some electrics!

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, JustinDean said:

This is going to be a much better model now Nick. Worth the effort for sure!

 

Jay

Definitely worth the effort. Can’t help but feel I’m neglecting Alsop though.

 

And that this has turned into more of a full on layout rather than what I’d intended…

[Tortuga]

Work on the extension board is progressing gradually, but as it’s just laying cork in the same way as for the inglenook board, it’s probably not worth a photo.

 

I have unearthed the two points which will complete the loop: since both were modified for Gibbs Sidings, they have slimmed down stretcher bars and no locking spring. Fortunately it turns out I did purchase a SEEP motor with a locking spring, so that can be used and save me a few pennies.

[Tortuga]

Turns out I couldn’t resist a progress photo.

[Enterprisingwestern]

12 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Turns out I couldn’t resist a progress photo.

 

You'll soon be playing trains testing clearances soon!

 

Mike.

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

You'll soon be playing trains testing clearances soon!

 

Mike.

Fingers crossed!

[Tortuga]

The first track is laid on the extension board. No photo as it’s currently hidden under plywood track protectors (tm)* and bricks until the glue dries.

 

(*patents pending)

[Tortuga]

Photos of last night’s track laying - first up, with weights and track protectors (tm) still in place: Will it all still be aligned?

 

With the weights removed: all seems to be as I left it - and stuck solid, which is a definite plus!

 

Next to deal with the centre track, but I’ll need to commit some point butchery a la @LNER4479 first...

Edited October 24, 2023 by Tortuga
Photo in the wrong place

[Tortuga]

4 hours ago, Tortuga said:

…I’ll need to commit some point butchery a la @LNER4479 first...

Or not.

 

Turns out that the equalised timbering of the PECO Y point doesn’t lend itself to reducing the distance between track centres without more effort than I’m prepared to spend on it (especially given that it’s lost the wire to it’s frog); so, guess who’ll be visiting his local model shop tomorrow?

[Tortuga]

Results of the last couple of evenings work:

 

Lengths of sleepers stuck down on all four lines (they were laid with rails in place), sections of sleepers removed from the two lower lines pending replacement by copper clad sleepers to keep alignment and work started on narrowing the gap between the two points of the loop crossover.

 

Getting there slowly!

[Tortuga]

Work on the extension has been progressing slowly, but I’ve now got sleepers for all four tracks laid on the extension board apart from the ends beyond the loop release points. 

 

I say sleepers as I’ve still got holes for four droppers to drill on the long siding (left hand-most track) and the left hand road of the loop. I’ve also got to sort out the holes for the solenoids on the loop points as they’ve somehow ended up being too far to the right, no idea how.  After that I’ll make up the copper clad sleepers on the Inglenook board then solder all the relevant rails to them.

 

On that note, I’m still having issues with my soldering iron. I changed the bit for a fresh one, but couldn’t for the life of me get it to tin. 

[Tortuga]

Took a couple of hours off from wardrobe construction to visit a small local exhibition this afternoon. About fifteen layouts with a high proportion of N gauge ones and a nice range of prototypes. Quite liked the Eastern Region shed layout (“Heathcote” I think), as it had a lot of (apparently) automated movements, and there were a couple of nicely presented Western Region shunting layouts as well.

 

Came away with a couple of cheap (ish) wagons to try out weathering printed finishes on - I want to get that almost-completely-gone-original-owners-livery effect common to ex-PO stock in the fifties - and a hopper wagon to bash into something approaching prototype dimensions.

[Tortuga]

After about 30 minutes of burnt fingers and solder going everywhere but where I wanted, this was the result of my attempt at soldering rails to copper clad sleepers:

 

There’s eight soldered points there, none of which have actually secured the rail to the sleeper and all of which are a right mess.

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

It’s a Weller 2015 model. The solder is Carrs 145 detail solder. The tip is clean and I’m using Carrs orange flux. 
 

I can’t get the solder to melt unless it’s in direct contact with the tip of the iron and then it just forms balls or slugs that don’t actually stick to any surface.
 

I can’t even get the solder to stick to the tip of the iron in order to tin it and I can’t even tin the ends of wire.

 

Can someone who has ANY experience of soldering please please please suggest some advice?

[JustinDean]

Ay up Nick,

I use the old school full fat lead solder and no flux. What you’re describing sounds to me like the solder being used - does the ‘145’ denote the melting point?  If so that’s more suitable for white metal. 
 

Jay

[Tortuga]

21 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

Ay up Nick,

I use the old school full fat lead solder and no flux. What you’re describing sounds to me like the solder being used - does the ‘145’ denote the melting point?  If so that’s more suitable for white metal. 
 

Jay

I think so. It’s the solder and flux combo recommended by C&L Finescale for attaching feeds to their pre-assembled frogs.

 

I did try some other solder - that came with the soldering iron and has no details as to what type of solder it is - but had the same result with that as well.

I don’t understand why either solder isn’t sticking to anything or tinning the bit.
 

I didn’t have any issues when I carried out similar soldering work on Alsop and was quite encouraged by how easy I found it having dreaded having to do it.
 

Now it’s turned into a dark art again and I’m feeling like I’ve wasted my time.

[JustinDean]

Solder doesn’t flow if the surface either isn’t hot enough or dirty. 
How are you cleaning the tip of your iron

for starters?

Maybe test on a piece of scrap rail by heating it with the iron then applying the solder to the hot rail and seeing if it flows. 

Edited November 5, 2023 by JustinDean

[Tortuga]

It was a fresh tip. I was using brass wool to clean it, but recently got a stand with a sponge so I’ve been using that as the brass wool didn’t seem to be doing much to clean the tip.

[JustinDean]

1 minute ago, Tortuga said:

It was a fresh tip. I was using brass wool to clean it, but recently got a stand with a sponge so I’ve been using that as the brass wool didn’t seem to be doing much to clean the tip.

I never use an abrasive to clean a tip, just a wet sponge. Have you got another tip you can try?

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

What temperature is the iron running at and what size is the tip?, 145 degree solder is ok for track building, it sounds like you're not getting enough heat to the joint.

 

Mike.

[Tortuga]

11 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

I never use an abrasive to clean a tip, just a wet sponge. Have you got another tip you can try?

I’ve got one fresh tip left. I’ll hook that in and try tinning it. I’ll ditch the brass wool and stick with a sponge in future.

 

5 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

What temperature is the iron running at and what size is the tip?, 145 degree solder is ok for track building, it sounds like you're not getting enough heat to the joint.

 

Mike.

No idea on temperature. It’s a 2.4mm chisel tip.

When I’ve been trying to tin the ends of wire, I’ve held the iron on the wire until I can’t hold it, but the solder won’t melt into the wire…

 

I’m leaning toward the tip being knackered. I’ll try the remaining replacement, but it looks like I’m going to struggle getting any more: recommendations for a new soldering iron anyone?

[Enterprisingwestern]

3 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

recommendations for a new soldering iron anyone?

 

A decent quality, ie non chinese crap, temperature controlled iron with a selection of bits.

IMHO, soldering needs to be done properly, not p!ssed about at.

Spend wisely, spend once and enjoy soldering.

There are various threads on here with recommendations, no point re-inventing the wheel and asking again here.

 

Mike.

[Graham T]

I used to find soldering a complete nightmare.  Tried a couple of different (cheap) irons, and then bought one of these from DCC Concepts.  I also use their Sapphire solder and no-clean flux, and the tip restorer whenever I finish a job.  I wouldn't say it's made me an expert, but my soldering is 100 times better than before.

[JustinDean]

I suspect the tip is knackered. Can’t you get a pack of new ones off eBay?

Regarding irons I’m currently using a temperature controlled one and spent a fair few quid but before that I used an Antex iron for getting on 30 years with no issues.  
If you’re burning fingers tinning pieces get some ‘helping hands’ until you get more adept at doing it. Like a lot of things plenty of practice is in order.

 

Jay

[Tortuga]

Thanks for the advice gents.

In the short term, I’ll look at getting some tip restorer and, if I can, some more replacement tips - if I remember right I got the soldering iron as a Christmas/birthday present when I was still living with my parents - but I suspect they’re long out of manufacture, so it’s probably time to invest in a new soldering iron…

 

To move the project on, I’m going to scrap the copper clad sleepers - not happy with their appearance tbh - and reinstate plastic sleepers at the board joints, though I’ll reinforce their positions using track pins through the webbing for added security.

[Nick C]

I'd agree that the iron/tip isn't getting hot enough. I've got a temperature controlled one from Circuit Specialists (https://www.circuitspecialists.eu/soldering-desoldering/soldering-stations - though they no longer show the 75W one I've got), which was recommended by, IIRC, @hayfield

 

I'd also suggest that the rail looks very tarnished, which will also stop the solder sticking. Give the area you're soldering to a good clean up with a glassfibre brush beforehand, so it's nice and shiny.