I’m wondering if this wire glue would be an alternative to soldering droppers to track, has anyone used it ?.
Conductive Wire Glue/Paint -
No Soldering Iron
Brand: ThinkGeek
3.6公公公九公、
203 ratings
£1 1 50
About this item
• Electrically 'conductive' wire glue
Soldering alternative.
Re: Soldering alternative.
I only see this stuff as a temporary fix and not used somewhere where you can get vibration and movement in/on the joint.
Re: Soldering alternative.
May I suggest a soldering gun as an easy to use soldering method? One is less likely to touch the hot bits and it only takes a second or two to heat up to temperature. The gun trigger that turns it on is not designed to be kept on for that long as it will overheat, though one has to be holding the soldering tip part onto the area for a good 30-40 seconds to overheat... Long after the solder usually melts!
I found as a relative beginner, the solder gun is a good tool to learn, and unlike the soldering iron, if one accidentally stands on its lead, one is not likely to burn oneself. (Soldering irons shape means it one is reaching a place away from where one is and one finds the lead too short (E.g. If one steps on it without knowing, ones hand can slide down the handle and one can end up holding the hot part! The gun can't do this as one holds the 90 degree handle)).
I would then move onto a traditional soldering iron and depending on use, but a 25 or a 40 watt. 40w if one is building ones own track o r making things out of tinplate as one needs more heat, or if soldering electrical wires then a 25w version is ample.
If you can, leaded solders are nicer to use as need less heat. They slide better into the work. Unleaded solders tend to need more heat. Additional flux helps the solder flow. Remember that! (Flux can corrosive, so if it gets on ones skin wash the flux off with water. Never get soldering iron wet. Friend of mine put my 12v soldering iron in a glass of water and it broke, and he then see my brothers mains soldering iron did the exact same thing after me telling him off for breaking mine! Big flash! Iron never worked again and fortunately he did not have a shock).
If buying a traditional iron ALWAYS buy a decent weighty soldering iron stand as well. The stand is somewhere safe to put the iron when one is not soldering. Prevents accidental burns which can happen if one does not have a stand. Stands are safety for this reason.
Other than that, and ensuring item to be soldered is not enough before applying the solder (If tinning is not required), then soldering becomes easy. Rub down area to be soldered so it is clean and solder is more likely to solder to it. Heat the item, and apply the solder and watch the solder flow. Then remove the iron so the solder cool and sets. Job done!
Soldering is easy when one gets the hang of it! Yes stay safe. Wear clear safety glasses in case solder splashes up (Rare but good to get into the habit of safety glasses when using soldering iron or mini drills etc). If one is nervous then buy some heat resistant gloves to feel safe with. I don't use these but they do work so it makes one feel less nervous.
I do recommend giving it a go as soldering opens up a whole new world when it comes to model railways and what one can do!
Not saying the wire glue does not work. Maybe useful for certain jobs as an alternative in areas where one can't apply heat.
I found as a relative beginner, the solder gun is a good tool to learn, and unlike the soldering iron, if one accidentally stands on its lead, one is not likely to burn oneself. (Soldering irons shape means it one is reaching a place away from where one is and one finds the lead too short (E.g. If one steps on it without knowing, ones hand can slide down the handle and one can end up holding the hot part! The gun can't do this as one holds the 90 degree handle)).
I would then move onto a traditional soldering iron and depending on use, but a 25 or a 40 watt. 40w if one is building ones own track o r making things out of tinplate as one needs more heat, or if soldering electrical wires then a 25w version is ample.
If you can, leaded solders are nicer to use as need less heat. They slide better into the work. Unleaded solders tend to need more heat. Additional flux helps the solder flow. Remember that! (Flux can corrosive, so if it gets on ones skin wash the flux off with water. Never get soldering iron wet. Friend of mine put my 12v soldering iron in a glass of water and it broke, and he then see my brothers mains soldering iron did the exact same thing after me telling him off for breaking mine! Big flash! Iron never worked again and fortunately he did not have a shock).
If buying a traditional iron ALWAYS buy a decent weighty soldering iron stand as well. The stand is somewhere safe to put the iron when one is not soldering. Prevents accidental burns which can happen if one does not have a stand. Stands are safety for this reason.
Other than that, and ensuring item to be soldered is not enough before applying the solder (If tinning is not required), then soldering becomes easy. Rub down area to be soldered so it is clean and solder is more likely to solder to it. Heat the item, and apply the solder and watch the solder flow. Then remove the iron so the solder cool and sets. Job done!
Soldering is easy when one gets the hang of it! Yes stay safe. Wear clear safety glasses in case solder splashes up (Rare but good to get into the habit of safety glasses when using soldering iron or mini drills etc). If one is nervous then buy some heat resistant gloves to feel safe with. I don't use these but they do work so it makes one feel less nervous.
I do recommend giving it a go as soldering opens up a whole new world when it comes to model railways and what one can do!
Not saying the wire glue does not work. Maybe useful for certain jobs as an alternative in areas where one can't apply heat.
Modelling On A Budget ---》 https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 22&t=52212
Re: Soldering alternative.
Having done some googling on this, it would appear it's intended more for PCB repair - at least in industrial use.
Re: Soldering alternative.
Many thanks for all of your comments / advice, it’s much appreciated.
It’s as I thought and not really a product for us railway modellers.
Cheers
It’s as I thought and not really a product for us railway modellers.
Cheers
Re: Soldering alternative.
And also the consumer priced formulations have relatively poor conductivity. There is high grade product, used typically in electronics assembly, but it will cost more than a 25W soldering iron and a roll of resin cored electrical solder.
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End2end
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Re: Soldering alternative.
I cannot be 100% exact as you've left no link to the product for us to check, but I'll be the 10th man on this.
This stuff CAN BE useful but not in the way you want to use it.
I've used conductive paint over the plastic bushes in wheels in conjunction with pick up springs (that go over the axles) to get power FROM the track to light my coaches.
Your best bet is to learn to solder. There's no comparison.
Thanks
End2end
This stuff CAN BE useful but not in the way you want to use it.
I've used conductive paint over the plastic bushes in wheels in conjunction with pick up springs (that go over the axles) to get power FROM the track to light my coaches.
Your best bet is to learn to solder. There's no comparison.
Thanks
End2end
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pete12345
Re: Soldering alternative.
Soldering isn't difficult and is a skill that, once learned, is immensely useful. I'd consider it essential for model railways.
The key when working on track is to have a powerful enough iron which can transfer its heat quickly into the joint without losing temperature. That way you spend less time heating up plastic parts which then melt. Also, ensure the surfaces are completely clean, and tin both the wire end and the bottom of the rail before attempting to join them. The two parts should then quickly fuse together when brought into contact and a hot iron applied. With a hole through the board directly below the joint, it makes a completely invisible connection once ballasted.
The key when working on track is to have a powerful enough iron which can transfer its heat quickly into the joint without losing temperature. That way you spend less time heating up plastic parts which then melt. Also, ensure the surfaces are completely clean, and tin both the wire end and the bottom of the rail before attempting to join them. The two parts should then quickly fuse together when brought into contact and a hot iron applied. With a hole through the board directly below the joint, it makes a completely invisible connection once ballasted.
Re: Soldering alternative.
Great advice, thank you.
Re: Soldering alternative.
I used to avoid anything to do with soldering like the plague for decades, starting with my first (and not entirely successful) layout build in 1967. When I began construction of my current layout, about six or seven years ago I decided, as it was much more complex than the simple layouts I had attempted previously, that I needed to do quite a bit of soldering to make sure everything worked properly.
I found that, after a fair bit of trial and error, it wasn't really difficult after all. I now have a layout with double track, a reverse curve, four platform terminus, goods yard and MPD with turntable and it all works. All the signals (bar one distant that is permanently on caution) and all points not within easy reach of the controller are electrified. The layout is constructed so that it can be taken apart into three sections if need be (and it needed to be when we recarpeted the house).
Once you have the hang of it, soldering is easy. I should have tried it years ago.
I found that, after a fair bit of trial and error, it wasn't really difficult after all. I now have a layout with double track, a reverse curve, four platform terminus, goods yard and MPD with turntable and it all works. All the signals (bar one distant that is permanently on caution) and all points not within easy reach of the controller are electrified. The layout is constructed so that it can be taken apart into three sections if need be (and it needed to be when we recarpeted the house).
Once you have the hang of it, soldering is easy. I should have tried it years ago.