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Subject: 
Re: 7996 Metalized
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Thu, 4 Oct 2007 17:34:20 GMT
Viewed: 
5527 times
  

In lugnet.trains, Jordan Schwarz wrote:
   In lugnet.trains, Tommy Armstrong wrote:
   In lugnet.trains, Ludo Soete wrote:
   Hi,

SNIP Regards,

Ludo

Now that is what I call “out of the box” thinking.

Tommy Armstrong

I covered my 7996 with copper foil tape that I found at Hobby Lobby in their stained glass section. They offer several different widths, all about $5 a roll (which is about 30m of the tape - plenty to do 7996. I was concerned about tinning the copper because I thought that the soldering iron might melt things, but it sounds like that is not going to be an issue, from Ludo’s findings.

The copper tape for stained glass work does very well and conforms to surfaces especially well. I used the side of a pen as a burnishing tool to smooth out the surface of the tape after application. I found that the foiling process took quite a few hours. But for foiling a simpler track geometry, like a straight track, it would be pretty quick - 15 minutes or so.

Ludo - why did you use 60/40 lead solder specifically? Would lead-free solder work as well?

Why shoudn’t this work?

Lead-free solder needs a higher soldering iron temperture, keep this in mind, but it can be used.

Why i did use the 60/40 lead solder is that i don’t have lead-free solder at home yet.

Its intention was also to figure out if the copper foil would hold on the plastic rail and see if it was possible to use it.

The way i placed the wires between the different metallised pieces doesn’t make it possible to run 2 trains on each track with separate regulators.

Every rail is electrically connected together. See picture.



So i need to check where to cut the current so that it’s possible to run 2 trains with a separate regulator.

You have also to know that i tinned the copper foil *** before *** i applied it to the plastic rails, otherwise, you can melt the plastic rail if it becomes to hot, esspecially with lead-free solder!

I might considder to order a pre-tinned copper tape (foil) as sample and try this one too, no more problems with lead, and a smoother surface.

   (aside from being more expensive) Naturally I’d like to follow that approach if possible since LEGO bricks and children often come into contact.

You are absolutely right on this one!

Ludo

  
-Jordan

   
         
   
Subject: 
Re: 7996 Metalized
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Fri, 5 Oct 2007 10:52:01 GMT
Viewed: 
5759 times
  

Does anyone have a picture or so of the internals of points? I need to but the switch part of all four points to “turning” since I want to use memory wire on it.

   
         
   
Subject: 
Re: 7996 Metalized
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Fri, 5 Oct 2007 17:42:14 GMT
Viewed: 
5816 times
  

In lugnet.trains, Johan Korten wrote:
Does anyone have a picture or so of the internals of points? I need to but
the switch part of all four points to "turning" since I want to use memory
wire on it.

Hi Johan,

What exactly do you mean with " the internals of points"?
If you mean the inner side of a point when you dismount the bottom plate, then i
can help you, but only from a 9V point (2859), not from the 7996 point.

Perhaps i can place them also on Brickshelf.

Regards,
Ludo

   
         
   
Subject: 
Re: 7996 Metalized
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:07:33 GMT
Viewed: 
6579 times
  

For some reason it did not post my reply yesterday.

I want to automate the points. I use the spring to let the tongue of the point
return to its normal state and when I wind a nylon thread or so around a axle it
will put the direction for the train in 'straight forward' position. So all the
four tongues should be in 'turning position' in order for this to work. if the
internal springs are just like the 9V version with metal track than I could just
cut the actuator in half en push one side to the left and the other to the
right, but I want to be sure before damaging the point.

 

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