Making power connectors for Kato Unitrack

[gavino200]

I used to solder wires to the Unijoiners. It's a bit tricky but it works well. But I never liked that it tied down two tracks. Also you have to removed the Unijoiners to rearrange the tracks. So I decided to try just soldering to the underside of the rails. You have to use a nippers to extend a couple of those small square holes to access the rail from below. I opened up three square holes. A dab of flux then solder. You have to be very careful not to melt the plastic, but I was able to do it without ruining any. It does leave a trace that you can see from above if you look very closely but the cosmetic result is good. So far I'm liking it. 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by gavino200

[cteno4]

nice!

 

Yep my preferred way to make track leads. I usually just use a little burr mill in the drill press with a fence so I can just drill down to the track base then just push the track a half inch or so milling a slot. Flip around and do the opposite rail.

 

also I usually pretin the rail as it’s easier to get the soldering iron down onto the rail with a chisel tip and a quick pop of solder w.o the wire around. Then tin the wire, lay it in the slot and just put the soldering iron onto the tinned wire and it quickly melts the solder and fused with the solder on the rail. Least heat over all and easier mechanics as holding wire, iron, and solder at same time I have to unbutton my shirt to pull out my third hand...

 

I solder a lot of stuff by pretinning each items and then just fusing them as I find much better control over all and better placement.

 

I then put a dab of epoxy over the slot and insulation so that it’s a strain relief and helps hide if you see a hint of the slot under the rail from above.

 

ive cranked out a few dozen of these at a time in the past for Ttrak modules in very little time. Also makes for using a heavier gauge wire like 18g to the track and also on the other end on the terminal strip under the module. 24 and 26g stranded wire does not hold up well at all once stripped!

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

 

[Kiha66]

Nice work gavin, they look good!

[James-SNMB]

Thanks for sharing! This had not occurred to me as an option. I've been thinking of switching to unitrack down the road, and I will definitely be using this technoque now instead of buying the special terminal track or terminal unijoiners in many places on the layout.