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Very sorry to say this!
Aaron Poscovsky
No Longer a discounter!!!
After four long years of giving discount. I can NO longer stay in business this way. If you wish to do business with discounter, it's okay with me. Just do not jump down on me, because I can't give you a discount. I have a stack of bills from giving away my life savings to help ours. Thank you. Aaron Poscovsky AJ Model Trains |
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Re: He passed away!!!!!
David George
Keith,
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Pappa Ben had a stroke which exposed a worsening heart. There were plans to operate on his heart on Sunday but he just kept going down. A rather fast turn of events. I kidded him - Email a couple of weeks ago- about getting fax and Email reports from the NMRA Convention and National Train Show in Philadelphia next week ( I'm heading out tomorrow with my trailer/layout ) when I first heard of his hospitalization. Sadly he is to miss it all,,,,and will be missed by all. Mister Dave ----- Original Message -----
From: KLWZscale To: Z-Bend_Track@... Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 12:35 PM Subject: [Z-Bend_Track] Re: He passed away!!!!! --- In Z-Bend_Track@..., "Aaron Poscovsky" <aposcovsky@...> wrote: > > Ben Pearlman of Papa Ben's Trains Place passed away this afternoon. > Aaron > Does anyone have more information. This very very tragic. Ben is going to be sorely missed by many. Keith Webb |
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Re: He passed away!!!!!
Keith:
anyone have more information. This very very tragic. PersonId=18277639 Yes, it is. I ran trains on his massive home layout. I helped him with his electrical stuff on the layout. I called him Friend. I called him my Neighbor (until I moved last fall) for decades. He was a HUGE influence in my train life. He influenced thousands of people and train people with his 30++ years service to the NMRA. He stocked his train store to the ceiling with Z scale for us. He will be missed. Bill K. Houston |
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Re: XTrkCad 3.1.4
I dabbled with it briefly but nothing serious nor recent.
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John Is anyone here using the Linux version of this program? |
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Re: Track soldering questions
SJ-BAZ man
You can put a touch on the joiner and bottom of the track if you like, just
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a touch tho. There's plenty in the solder too. Either way, the solder won't flow on dirty rail. Most new stock rail should be directly solderable without cleaning. Older open package rail will require some cleaning. File all the lower parts or use a rotary wheel (pad or brass) to clean it a bit but if you use the pad, make sure you stay away from the end of the rail or you'll risk damaging it (i.e. rip the rail out of the ties). Jeff -----Original Message-----
From: Z-Bend_Track@... [mailto:Z-Bend_Track@...]On Behalf Of John L. Battey Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 8:42 PM To: Z-Bend_Track@... Subject: [Z-Bend_Track] Re: Track soldering questions So far the only major difference of opinion I'm hearing is whether or not to use paste flux before heating the joint. Let me give a little background of my previous soldering experience. If you want a printed circuit board to look like it spent the afternoon on a gas grill, give it to me for ten minutes. On the other hand, I can do the prettiest sweated copper joint you've ever seen; perfect almost every time. Based on this, the paste flux and hotter iron moving quickly make good sense to me. John L. Battey SPONSORED LINKS G scale train Ho scale model train Model train n scale G scale model train Ho scale trains N scale trains ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS a.. Visit your group "Z-Bend_Track" on the web. b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Z-Bend_Track-unsubscribe@... c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- |
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Re: Track soldering questions
John L. Battey
So far the only major difference of opinion I'm hearing is whether or
not to use paste flux before heating the joint. Let me give a little background of my previous soldering experience. If you want a printed circuit board to look like it spent the afternoon on a gas grill, give it to me for ten minutes. On the other hand, I can do the prettiest sweated copper joint you've ever seen; perfect almost every time. Based on this, the paste flux and hotter iron moving quickly make good sense to me. John L. Battey |
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Re: Track soldering questions
SJ-BAZ man
Ah, good idea with the lamp dimmer. Forgot about that as most of us have
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the hi-tech temp variable irons. And I forgot the mention the 60/40 as you spec below. NEVER 66/34 or worse 65/33/2% silver. You'll kill your iron tips and it just does not whet (flow and adhere) as well. Jeff Merrill SF Bay Area Z Modules "The BAZ BoyZ" -----Original Message-----
From: Z-Bend_Track@... [mailto:Z-Bend_Track@...]On Behalf Of zbendtrack@... Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 7:47 PM To: Z-Bend_Track@... Subject: Re: [Z-Bend_Track] Track soldering questions John: Everyone has different skills and ideas. Here's mine > 1 - Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering Tool for this job? This tool was build for the Printed Circuit board repair industry. I don't think it has enough heat capacity to solder track (to suit me). I do in fact use mine to repair PC boards, however, quite nicely. I like a much hotter (and higher thermal capacity) iron for soldering track, and in particular, one that has a flat bladed screwdriver tip for fast heat transfer to the rail/joiner). > 2 - Is it best to apply the iron to the tops of the rails or try to hit > the side so I'm contacting both rails &the joiner simultaneously? Never, never solder to the top or inside of a rail. Or to the outside vertical surface of a rail either. I strongly suggest that you target the iron tip/and solder to the junction of the rail joiner where it touches the rails. Let the solder flow into the rail joiner and down and under the rails. If you wind up with solder inside of the joiner and next to the bottom of the rail you'll have a lifetime perfect connection. > 3 - How fine should the solder wire be for best results? I still use the old 60/40 rosin core solder (not the new lead free solders). Smaller diameter solders work best for folks with non-production-line skill sets. The lead free solders require a much higher tip temperature and that's dangerous when plastic ties are in the area being soldered and some folks use underpowered irons and limited skills. > 4 - What alloy of solder is best? > 5 - Solid core or resin core? Some thoughts, * Nothing, not even paint, will stick to metal oxides. Get a metal scratchwheel and put it in your Dremel tool and polish up the area you plan to solder (side of rail and the rail joiner) nice and bright before you start to solder * Apply a tiny amount of rosin flux to the junction of the rail joiner and the rails to help the solder break surface tension, stick and flow well. Not a "gob," just a tiny bit on a toothpick will work fine. * Use a 35-40 watt soldering iron with a flatbladed screwdriver tip. You want to transfer a lot of heat IN A BIG HURRY from the iron to the rail/joiner junction. If you sit on the rail with a 20-25 watt iron for seconds, trying desperately to heat it up, you'll melt ties in both direction. If you think 35-40 watts get too hot for you, get a cheap light dimmer and turn down the power 15%. * If the solder joint takes more than one-second, see above for something missing. Hot and fast works a lot, lot better than cold iron-and-long-time -on-rail. * use a short piece of 24 AWG sold wire bent into an L shape for your power feeders...pre-tin the short side of the L well in advance ...the long side of the L can go down through the roadbed/table to "home-run" power feeders underneath * after you have completed the rail/joiner soldering operation, just lay the short side of the L feeder wire on the soldered junction and just reheat the junction. A pre-tinned wire will "stick" instantly to the presoldered rail junction as you reflow/reheat the junction (1/3 second) * not all power feeders HAVE to be hooked up underneath But adding them later to completed ballasted track later is a disaster that will never look right * under the table, go from 24 awg wire to something stranded and substantially larger to go back to your power pack (at least 20 awg for a smaller layout) * wire is the cheapest thing you will every buy for a layout....don't save money...use a larger wire to get back to the powerpack. Z-Bend Track modules use 18 awg and that's good for up to 200 feet of mainline. Don't plan for "normal" train currents...plan for when you lay a pair of pliers on the track and short out the power pack...you don't want anything in the wiring to ever get hot or smoke....larger wire will keep you trains from slowing down during normal times and insure the fuse/circuit breaker in your power pack will promptly trip when you lay pliers on the track. Does this help? Bill K. Houston SPONSORED LINKS G scale train Ho scale model train Model train n scale G scale model train Ho scale trains N scale trains ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS a.. Visit your group "Z-Bend_Track" on the web. b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Z-Bend_Track-unsubscribe@... c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- |
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Re: Track soldering questions
SJ-BAZ man
Ditto the points below: heat the joint and touch the solder to the joint.
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Temperature differential will "suck" the solder into the joint, if it is clean. Best if you can to use a rotary brass brush or small file (I like the Gyro's) to at least assure the track rail is clean. Less of a problem with the joiners as they are plated. Use the finest solder available. If you don't have a good electronics store, Radio Shack sells .020" size. Very small and ideal. .032 starts getting big, allowing a lot of solder to flow. Use Rosin core (you need a flux) and try to avoid "Coreless" or solid solder where you have to use brush on flux. While the same, its messy in this scale and archaic. AVOID LEAD FREE as 1) it does NOT whet easy [flow] and 2) EATS the soldering iron tips FAST. You need that plating on the tip to help you transfer the heat. Temperature and tip shape help. You want <<700 degrees and usually a 15 or 25W MAX iron. If the solder "poofs" when touched to the iron, it's TOO hot. It should subtly flow on the joint (a bit faster than butter melting) but not too cool that it takes too much time to heat the joint (and thus melting the ties/sleepers). Metal track gauges like Micro-Trains or Aspen's on either side help heat sink as does a cool wet rag to touch on the rails after. NEVER 'pinch' with needle-nose or other pliers- the soft plastic ties may give to a new permanent set out of gauge. Jeff Merrill SF Bay Area Z Modules "The BAZ BoyZ" -----Original Message-----
From: Z-Bend_Track@... [mailto:Z-Bend_Track@...]On Behalf Of Larry Donsbach Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 9:45 AM To: Z-Bend_Track@... Subject: RE: [Z-Bend_Track] Track soldering questions 1 - Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering Tool for this job? Personally I like a little more control when soldering. The Cold Heat is good for emergencies but not for general use. 2 - Is it best to apply the iron to the tops of the rails or try to hit the side so I'm contacting both rails & the joiner simultaneously? Use a resin flux and heat the joiner and the rail. Let the flux take the solder between the rail and the joiner. 3 - How fine should the solder wire be for best results? Use small diameter solder. It is easier to get to the joint and won't overwhelm the area with solder. 4 - What alloy of solder is best? What I use is not marked with alloy content but any wood electronics solder should do. 5 - Solid core or resin core? I use resin core because I have had a roll of it for years. These are personal preferences. Hope they are a help. Larry D San Antonio SPONSORED LINKS G scale train Ho scale model train Model train n scale G scale model train Ho scale trains N scale trains ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS a.. Visit your group "Z-Bend_Track" on the web. b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Z-Bend_Track-unsubscribe@... c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- |
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Re: Track soldering questions
John:
Everyone has different skills and ideas. Here's mine 1 - Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering Tool for this job?This tool was build for the Printed Circuit board repair industry. I don't think it has enough heat capacity to solder track (to suit me). I do in fact use mine to repair PC boards, however, quite nicely. I like a much hotter (and higher thermal capacity) iron for soldering track, and in particular, one that has a flat bladed screwdriver tip for fast heat transfer to the rail/joiner). 2 - Is it best to apply the iron to the tops of the rails or try to hitNever, never solder to the top or inside of a rail. Or to the outside vertical surface of a rail either. I strongly suggest that you target the iron tip/and solder to the junction of the rail joiner where it touches the rails. Let the solder flow into the rail joiner and down and under the rails. If you wind up with solder inside of the joiner and next to the bottom of the rail you'll have a lifetime perfect connection. 3 - How fine should the solder wire be for best results?I still use the old 60/40 rosin core solder (not the new lead free solders). Smaller diameter solders work best for folks with non-production-line skill sets. The lead free solders require a much higher tip temperature and that's dangerous when plastic ties are in the area being soldered and some folks use underpowered irons and limited skills. 4 - What alloy of solder is best?Some thoughts, * Nothing, not even paint, will stick to metal oxides. Get a metal scratchwheel and put it in your Dremel tool and polish up the area you plan to solder (side of rail and the rail joiner) nice and bright before you start to solder * Apply a tiny amount of rosin flux to the junction of the rail joiner and the rails to help the solder break surface tension, stick and flow well. Not a "gob," just a tiny bit on a toothpick will work fine. * Use a 35-40 watt soldering iron with a flatbladed screwdriver tip. You want to transfer a lot of heat IN A BIG HURRY from the iron to the rail/joiner junction. If you sit on the rail with a 20-25 watt iron for seconds, trying desperately to heat it up, you'll melt ties in both direction. If you think 35-40 watts get too hot for you, get a cheap light dimmer and turn down the power 15%. * If the solder joint takes more than one-second, see above for something missing. Hot and fast works a lot, lot better than cold iron-and-long-time -on-rail. * use a short piece of 24 AWG sold wire bent into an L shape for your power feeders...pre-tin the short side of the L well in advance ...the long side of the L can go down through the roadbed/table to "home-run" power feeders underneath * after you have completed the rail/joiner soldering operation, just lay the short side of the L feeder wire on the soldered junction and just reheat the junction. A pre-tinned wire will "stick" instantly to the presoldered rail junction as you reflow/reheat the junction (1/3 second) * not all power feeders HAVE to be hooked up underneath But adding them later to completed ballasted track later is a disaster that will never look right * under the table, go from 24 awg wire to something stranded and substantially larger to go back to your power pack (at least 20 awg for a smaller layout) * wire is the cheapest thing you will every buy for a layout....don't save money...use a larger wire to get back to the powerpack. Z-Bend Track modules use 18 awg and that's good for up to 200 feet of mainline. Don't plan for "normal" train currents...plan for when you lay a pair of pliers on the track and short out the power pack...you don't want anything in the wiring to ever get hot or smoke....larger wire will keep you trains from slowing down during normal times and insure the fuse/circuit breaker in your power pack will promptly trip when you lay pliers on the track. Does this help? Bill K. Houston |
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Re: ETE EuroWest & EuroEast train shows
Unfortunately, I will not be able to make EuroEast, though I would love to be
there! I am a long time ETE member, but have not been able to make of the annual meets (as of yet). If you could, please pass on to the ETE that we are having a one day Z scale meet in Washington D.C. on July 5th. This day may be of great interest to ETE members. We will be having the event at home of Rob Allbrittons Z scale layout. The layout is a too scale replica of the Gotthard line. And when I mean too scale, it is true! The layout is Z scale and is housed in 4,000 square feet. It is by far the most impressive layout I have seen. The detail and scenery is incredible! Also, it should be noted that the event is being cosponsored by Marklin Inc. Riley O'Conner is actually hosting one of our clinics. If any of the ETE members are interested in attending, we still have slots open. More on the event can be found at this link: Sincerely, Rob Kluz Ztrack Magazine Ltd. 6142 Northcliff Blvd. Dublin, OH 43016 phone/fax: (614) 764-1703 Distributor American Z Line |
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Re: ETE EuroWest & EuroEast train shows
randy smidt
Hi, The DC Z-Bend Track group has tried to get together a display for EuroEast for the last couple of years, but we did (and are doing again) a big display at NTS and we were all just wipped out by August. Maybe we will try again next year. One of our group is actually on the planning committee for EuroEast.
I went to EuroEast a couple of years ago (last year had a family reunion that weekend). There was almost no Z scale there either. I hope to change that at some point. Randy Smidt soyboy <soyboy@...> wrote: I belong to an organization called European Train Enthusiasts for a few years now. Anually they have 2 train shows, EuroEast & EuroWest. I was wondering if any z-scalers had planned on attending this year? It might be a good opportunity to show off european z scale trains. Last year at EuroWest no z scale layouts were shown. however the Marklin Rep/Booth was there and had some z scale. That exposure became my inspiration to dive into z scale finally! I thought this might be a good oportunity for a individual, group or module club to set up a layout, show trains etc. I am hoping to at least bring a diorama or small layout depending on how much I build till then. I think the crowds will enjoy it. The shows get larger each year and I think this is the perfect place for z scale. EuroWest 2006 will be held in the Bay Area (San Carlos) CA on August 19-20, 2006. EuroEast 2006 will be held in Marietta, PA on August 4-6, 2006. is the website w/ more info. There is also a yahoo group for ETE. SPONSORED LINKS G scale train Ho scale model train Model train n scale G scale model train Ho scale trains N scale trains --------------------------------- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "Z-Bend_Track" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Z-Bend_Track-unsubscribe@... Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. --------------------------------- |
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ETE EuroWest & EuroEast train shows
I belong to an organization called European Train Enthusiasts
for a few years now. Anually they have 2 train shows, EuroEast & EuroWest. I was wondering if any z-scalers had planned on attending this year? It might be a good opportunity to show off european z scale trains. Last year at EuroWest no z scale layouts were shown. however the Marklin Rep/Booth was there and had some z scale. That exposure became my inspiration to dive into z scale finally! I thought this might be a good oportunity for a individual, group or module club to set up a layout, show trains etc. I am hoping to at least bring a diorama or small layout depending on how much I build till then. I think the crowds will enjoy it. The shows get larger each year and I think this is the perfect place for z scale. EuroWest 2006 will be held in the Bay Area (San Carlos) CA on August 19-20, 2006.?? EuroEast 2006 will be held in Marietta, PA on August 4-6, 2006.? is the website w/ more info. There is also a yahoo group for ETE. |
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Re: Track soldering questions
Larry Donsbach
1 - Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering Tool for this job?
Personally I like a little more control when soldering. The Cold Heat is good for emergencies but not for general use. 2 - Is it best to apply the iron to the tops of the rails or try to hit the side so I'm contacting both rails & the joiner simultaneously? Use a resin flux and heat the joiner and the rail. Let the flux take the solder between the rail and the joiner. 3 - How fine should the solder wire be for best results? Use small diameter solder. It is easier to get to the joint and won't overwhelm the area with solder. 4 - What alloy of solder is best? What I use is not marked with alloy content but any wood electronics solder should do. 5 - Solid core or resin core? I use resin core because I have had a roll of it for years. These are personal preferences. Hope they are a help. Larry D San Antonio |
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Track soldering questions
John L. Battey
1 - Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering Tool for this job?
2 - Is it best to apply the iron to the tops of the rails or try to hit the side so I'm contacting both rails & the joiner simultaneously? 3 - How fine should the solder wire be for best results? 4 - What alloy of solder is best? 5 - Solid core or resin core? I may think of some others later. John L. Battey |
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Re: Connection Link
SJ-BAZ man
Hey Bill,
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Nice job, great idea for a folding box. Jeff SF Bay Area Z "The BAZ BoyZ" -----Original Message-----
From: Z-Bend_Track@... [mailto:Z-Bend_Track@...]On Behalf Of zbendtrack@... Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 5:01 PM To: Z-Bend_Track@... Subject: Re: [Z-Bend_Track] Connection Link fred: Poke around here for ideas. Use your back button to navigate after you look at each photo. Hope it gives you some ideas. The meshing of the hinges gave me about 0.050 inch registration but the meshing of the DB connectors gave me about 0.001 inch registration (plus electrical connections too). Regards, bill Kronenberger SPONSORED LINKS G scale train Ho scale model train Model train n scale G scale model train Ho scale trains N scale trains ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS a.. Visit your group "Z-Bend_Track" on the web. b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Z-Bend_Track-unsubscribe@... c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- |
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