Getting juice to wing rails with functional chairs while laying in-situ?

[Lacathedrale]

Hi there,

 

I've a made a turnout on scrap wood using only functional chairs in the past and it has come out OK. It would be a simple matter to get power to the wing rails when the turnout can be removed from the wood, inverted and a little wire soldered after the fact - but if, as now, I'm laying a slightly larger formation in-situ - then I can't do that.

 

1. Unless I've gone mad, it would appear the only realistic way for me (i.e. ten thumbed ogre) to achieve this will be to assemble the whole common crossing using thin PCB in at least one or two positions, those timbers having cosmetic chairs. Is that correct?
    
2. If so, should I be:
   1. Assembling the common crossing off-board using the EMGS alignment jig? (does anyone have any instructions for this anywhere - I've never tried it but have had it for ages) or.
   2. Putting the vee in place with functional chairs and then sliding the PCB under after the fact, to be soldered to the wing rails later?

 

Many thanks!

William

 

PS. If anyone knows where i can buy some of the 0.67mm copper clad PCB strips, please let me know :) 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Lacathedrale

[Izzy]

Hi William,

 

Not sure if you intend using wooden/ply sleepers, but using the latter I've always just used a few rivets at both the crossing and first sleeper past the slide chairs for electrical connection. At the latter it also helps with strength. A few cut-up chairs as half chairs then complete the job when all proves okay under use.

 

 

 

 

 

Bob

 

 

[Gordon A]

Use some thin PCB (from C7L 0.6mm thick) to bridge the electrical gap in place of a pair of functional chairs.

[Lacathedrale]

I'm using plastic sleepers @Izzy but thank you. I should try the ply method at some point, I do much prefer soldering to fiddling around with functional chairs - but without a punch/press/etc. it seems a bit of a non-starter?

 

@Gordon A - shouldn't I be worried about the heat from the iron melting the adjacent chairs when attaching it? Whereabouts is best - towards the vee tip or further back? Sorry for the stupid questons - I'd just rather not mess it up!

[Paul Cram]

9 minutes ago, Gordon A said:

Use some thin PCB (from C7L 0.6mm thick) to bridge the electrical gap in place of a pair of functional chairs.

I aloso use 0.6mm pcb  Not had a problem with plastic sleepers. Hawes was built using plastic sleepers.

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks @Paul Cram - same question - soldered to the vee/wing rails after the rest of the chairs are threaded on and glued down, or some other method?

[Paul Cram]

2 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

Thanks @Paul Cram - same question - soldered to the vee/wing rails after the rest of the chairs are threaded on and glued down, or some other method?

PCB tinned and  stuck to sleeperrs and then crossing assembled  in the normal way.  I leave the PCB slightly over length and trim back once soldered. Iron only needs to be there until solder flashes under the joint.

[Lacathedrale]

Thank you, apologies - this should definitely be in the hand-laid track and templot section! 

[Siberian Snooper]

I build the common crossing using waste etch fret and file back the excess flush to the wing rails, the etch is positioned where large cast chairs go. Half plastic chairs with the rail seat removed will help to hold down the crossing. I also drill a 0.45 mm hole in the brass corresponding to the 2nd  chair after the slab and bracket and use a lace making pin to secure the crossing,  it also doubles as the power supply to the crossing.

 

 

[Gordon A]

3 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

I'm using plastic sleepers @Izzy but thank you. I should try the ply method at some point, I do much prefer soldering to fiddling around with functional chairs - but without a punch/press/etc. it seems a bit of a non-starter?

 

@Gordon A - shouldn't I be worried about the heat from the iron melting the adjacent chairs when attaching it? Whereabouts is best - towards the vee tip or further back? Sorry for the stupid questons - I'd just rather not mess it up!

 

As per Paul Cram's post.

I would solder the pcb approx midway between the tip of the vee and the fishplates using 145 degree C solder.

Only apply heat to the rail for the minimum amount of time it takes to melt the solder.

Depending on the length of the V rails you could slide the adjacent chairs away from the solder joint, only fixing them in place after the solder has set.

I tend to locate the pcb so that it sits on top of a sleeper which will save you two plastic chairs.

I use a thick superglue to stick the pcb to the sleeper. Allow to set.

Only solder in a well ventilated as I understand the fumes given off by melted super glue are carcinogenic.

[Stephen Freeman]

Hi,

Fumes from superglue are unpleasant and poisonous, think cyanide and/or CS gas.

You don't need a press and punch to use rivets at least in limited quantities, a suitable drill for the hole and squeeze in a vice. You can also employ Palatine Models droppers in conjunction with the rivets.