7mm How Do I Hold The Rail In Place When Soldering The Vs

[Willy]

I am in the process of filing up the ‘Vs’ for some turnouts and I am wondering how I should best hold the rail in place to solder them up accurately! I believe there is a jig on the market but I am not sure if it would be worth the expense for just 6 or 7 turnouts.

I am using 7mm C&L steel rail although that is probably irrelevant!

Anyone any suggestions please?

Willy

 

[Pugsley]

Assuming that the rails are to the correct angle, I just held them together over a copy of the Templot plan and soldered them together that way.

 

[BrushType4]

You could make something out of scrap wood just to hold the rails together at the correct angle and avoid burnt fingers!

 

[iploffy]

I used a Baked bean tin to hold in place and soldered the nose up then gently applied heat to the rail then soldered to the copperclad

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Piece of wood, e.g. a scrap of ply. Draw the desired vee onto this. Place rails just within the lines. Push in a good old fashioned drawing pin or two to hold the rails. Apply flux and solder.
Repeat until wood scorched beyond recognition.
Throw piece of wood away.

 

[Willy]

Piece of wood, e.g. a scrap of ply. Draw the desired vee onto this. Place rails just within the lines. Push in a good old fashioned drawing pin or two to hold the rails. Apply flux and solder.
Repeat until wood scorched beyond recognition.
Throw piece of wood away.

Thank you Simon, full instructions there so I can't go wrong now!

In fact thank you to everyone who replied.

I had thought of making up a jig out of scrap wood but I just wondered if anyone else had a better, idea but in the event it would appear that the wood will work fine.

Willy

 

[JimG]

Assuming that the rails are to the correct angle, I just held them together over a copy of the Templot plan and soldered them together that way.

I also do it that way since I tend to use a wide variety of crossing angles and would spend too much time making specific jigs for each angle. I use several toolmakers clamps to hold the rails vertical.

Jim.

 

[Willy]

Thank you Jim but as I am making them all with the same angle I though that a simple jig might help.

Willy

 

[Neil]

Mount card with a vee notch cut into it at the required angle, the vee shape that was cut out cn be used to hold the rails tight into the notch.

 

[Willy]

Mount card with a vee notch cut into it at the required angle, the vee shape that was cut out cn be used to hold the rails tight into the notch.

Nice idea Neil, thank you.

Willy

​