Does anyone use Solderstick?

[captrees]

https://solderstick.com/products/solder ... ctor-kit-1?

Any good? I'm guessing that for a T connection you could stick 2 ends into one end of the connector?

[Bigmet]

That's an expensive bodge for 'field repairs' to get you out of a hole when in the wilds. (I'd replace any such repair as described below, once back in civilisation.)

Sitting indoors in the warm and dry, regular resin cored electrical solder and heat shrink insulation with an electrical soldering iron is going to be way cheaper and likely to prove more robust long term. IMO.

[centenary]

I think they're a good solution for their supposed application, such as car electrics. For model railway wiring, nah, not for me.

[captrees]

I am faced with the problem of putting bus wires in where they don't currently exist, which means crawling under the tables and in some awkward places overhead soldering, so figured solderstick might be handy.

[centenary]

I am faced with the problem of putting bus wires in where they don't currently exist, which means crawling under the tables and in some awkward places overhead soldering, so figured solderstick might be handy.

You could use wago connectors, suitcase connectors and variations on these, none of which involve soldering and will provide a very efficient and robust electrical connector.

These are similar to Wago. You can get them in single, double, triple etc connectors.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Feggizuli-cabl ... tdGY&psc=1

[Peterm]

Or you could buy a box full of bootlace (ferrule) connectors along with a crimping tool, and use choc blocks to connect the wiring up.

Check out ebay for them. This is the Australian site, but you'll find them on ebay.UK as well.

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_fro ... s&_sacat=0

[captrees]

Thanks guys. The alternatives to soldering seem to be endless. Hadn't considered them before. Am still in the 1950's with this stuff, but going to do a big re-wire as I extend my layout.

[Bigmet]

Is this a DCC layout? It took a while to dawn on me that the simple 2 bus wires for track supply, 2 bus wires for auxiliaries such as point motor decoders, meant an end to almost all under the baseboard wiring. Run the busses around the layout on a baseboard front panel where they are fully accessible, likewise accessory decoders, reverse loop modules, etc.. Power to the track and point motors most of the way using wire on top and scenically concealed. I put all points on removeable panels so that the necessary (minimal) under baseboard wiring to the motor and testing is done off layout on a bench. So it is a complete rethink from the 'old way' and much, much easier, should have done it years ago...

[captrees]

Is this a DCC layout?

Not yet, but I'm doubling the size of the layout, and would like to go to DCC at some stage. I have some niggling connectivity issues in those hard to get at places and want to get it perfect.

[Bigmet]

I am right with you on 'let's build a layoit as robust and easy as possible to maintain'. I had been using DCC for over 10 years before the penny dropped, the wiring simplification which comes with DCC reduces the need for all the traditional under baseboard wiring. Combined with open frame construction it's now way simpler and all the important electrics are on view, and any fault tracing will be much simpler. (No faults yet...)