I need a new soldering iron, but I can't afford one right now. Is there any way to connect flex track WITHOUT soldering it?
flex track
- Thread starter stary
- Start date
You can get an adequate soldering iron at any electronics store for less than $20. If your flex track joints are not on a curve, the rail joiners will be adequate for the time being. Sometimes, they are even adequate on bigger radius curves. As far as an alternative to soldering... ya got me there.
TrainNut is right, you can get a decent iron for under $20, maybe even a little less if you shop around. Not having a soldering iron is like not having rail nippers, wire cutters, a hammer or a screwdriver. These are all essential tools including a soldering iron. You can't find a substitute for any of these, and you're asking for problems not soldering your tracks.
N
nachoman
If you don't solder your flextrack around curves, there will be a kink at the joint. Sometimes, you can get by with it in HO scale, but in N scale, that kink is likely to derail the trains. I bet you can pick up a soldering iron for less than 10 bucks from Harbor Freight tools, or a 25W pencil iron (would be fine for N scale) at home depot for about 16 bucks.
If you can't afford that, maybe you can find a friend or neighbor to loan you one for awhile.
Kevin
If you can't afford that, maybe you can find a friend or neighbor to loan you one for awhile.
Kevin
I had a soldered joint in a curve which consistently derailed one of my locos. I moved the joint to a straight section and the derailing problem went away. Without being soldered it probably would have been even worse.