New wireless soldering iron: with 10% off coupon code!

I was contacted back in November by gentleman that liked my blog and was wondering if I'd do a review of soldering iron.  He was going to send my a free one to try if I'd do a review on it.  The soldering iron is not just an ordinary iron but a wireless one.  It is the Iso-Tip Quick Charge Cordless Soldering Iron Kit: Model #7700.  I didn't even know they made wireless ones and if they did, they'd be expensive.  So I got it from him very quickly and I actually had several soldering projects to do, mainly decoder installs.  All I can say is wireless is the way to go.  No more getting that cord caught on corners or knocking over things on your workbench.  It's hot within 10 seconds and cools off quickly.  Best of all, you don't have to worry about it getting left on.  The push button control works perfectly.  It comes with 2 soldering tips and you can order just about any type.

I highly recommend this soldering iron because it easy to use and definitely affordable. It would work even better on soldering track wires due to the cordless feature.  I actually have to use it on some new feeder wires on the layout real soon.  Glad I have this now.   I will never go back to a wired one again.

If interested, here is the website: www.iso-tip.com
Model #7700 @ $50.95
Use virginiamidland10 for 10% off your order.  Hurry because this offer ends December 31st!

The soldering iron on it's charger. The red push button is used to heat the iron.  Push and hold, it heats up.  Let go, it cools.

The red button rotates so turning it up and holding the button heats up the iron and the it cannot be pushed if it's not in the up position.

This is the basic tip it comes with.  Easily removable.  It also comes with another tip.

Since I am done with track work, lets change it and other items!

Yes, the title says it all.  I was totally done with ALL my track work.  Done on both the upper and lower levels, feeder wires, the whole thing.  But, I was not too happy with the sand loading facility trackage and the double diamond, so I ripped it all out.

So I got some changes:

• No more diamonds or city junction
• The VA Midland receives another industry: the elevator at Mid-Atlantic Feeds.  
• The sand facility will have more trackage with 2 spurs
• With the elimination of the diamond, there will only be 2 signals in this area.

I really wanted to keep the diamond, but it only makes sense and what I had was very unprototypical.

Here's what I am doing.  This all makes more sense and will be a better operation.  It s a quick fix and the only hard part is redoing the feeder wires.   Moving the sand unloader will be no fun either.

No, it's not a wiring nightmare, I'm installing some LED lighting on the upper level. 

Got these light poles about a year ago.  I installed them around the layout, but never hooked them up.  Here's an example of one.  Got them off Ebay from China cheap.  

They definitely put out the light!  Almost too much.

Overall view of the area.  There are a total of 7 lights.

A little night photography?  All I am missing is the flashing red lights from the RR crossing apparatus.  

Soldering and signal frustration

Well after about a month or more of doing other things, I decided to install more signals on the layout.  This did not seem to be a long task but a tedious one.  My signals at the crossing have been put in for a few years now.  I installed them with on-off-on toggle switches.  I did the same with these.  These toggle switches have 6 connectors in the back to connect the correct wires.  I did myself a favor and ran the 2 main power wires all the way around the layout when I first thought about the project.  So that was done.  Those connect in the middle connectors on the switch.  Then the LEDs are on one (with the correct resistor) and the common is on the other.  Simple as that, right!  Solder them in and your done right!  Wrong! If the common and LED were switched connections, they would not work.  I found this out the hard way.  Soldering them in: not working, clip them in: working.  I went through toggle switches.  This was the obvious choice.  Went out and got some heavy duty ones like the other switches.  Then I found out about the common and LED thing.  Talk about frustrating.  I spent most of the day trying to get these to work!  The positive:  I did go several hours of soldering work without burning myself.

Soldering is something that if you are going to be in this hobby, you are going to have to learn.  It used to be painstaking but I found something that makes it so easy.  Tinning flux by Oatey is sold in Home Depot and other hardware stores.  Before this, my soldering was bad but this makes it so easy.  Put some on the end of the wire or connector and the solder bonds instantly.  No preheating!  I use and old soldering iron that has a little indention that holds my melted solder.  Works for me!  I use Micromark's Soldering Iron Stand instead of the little one that come with the iron. I use the same method on decoders and those expensive Tsunami decoders.

On with the progress:

My working (frustration) area above my desk.  The signals would control exiting of Battlefield yard.  Gator clips are great for testing connections.  Lots of tedious soldering work.

This is the larger signal that controls the VM out of Battlefield Yard.

Red signals coming out of the yard.  The one on the right is the RF&P connection that leads to hidden staging.  Need to lean it to the right some

Green Signal on the VM and an approach on the RF&P connector.  I wanted to wire the toggle to show a red over green or visa versa and it would not let me do that.  I'm sure you could but I could not figure it out.  I was happy they are lit!

Toggles are set and the fascia did not fit back even but that might be for another day!