Copper Clad Sleepers

[Guest]

To be honest as far as I am aware, the copper clad sleepers are not orderable as an actual product. They are in the main DIY made from strips of copper clad board individually cut from larger plain sheets.

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As to where you buy copper clad board .... any electronics online catalogue supplier such as:

CPC

Rapidonline

Farnell

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Then there is the likes of ebay as well .... the list of potential copper clad board suppliers is virtually endless.

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[RDS]

Good Evening everyone 

 

next week i will will be making a lift up access hatch and to make the ends of the track strong I was wondering about copper glad sleepers? Any thoughts were I can buy a sheet and make my own rather than ordering some ?

 

thanks Red

[LCDR]

Try Marcway in Sheffield, they are one of the specialists in copper clad sleeper track.- £9.99 per 100, £90 per 1000.

[96RAF]

6” x 4” sheets - 10 sheets for a fiver from memory from Amazon with free P&P.

Cut into 6” x 1/2” strips for a double track joint. 1 sheet did my whole removable section, replacing the failed verostrip previously installed. 

Don’t forget to score through the copper cladding between the rails and in my case between the tracks as marked.

 

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[96RAF]

Also, DCC Concepts make such sleepers...

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-category/track-and-track-making-parts/dccconcepts-track-and-track-making-parts/

 

Sarah - your link is coming back to Error 404 on the Hornby site. Try this seemingly identical one

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-category/track-and-track-making-parts/dccconcepts-track-and-track-making-parts/

 

[Reddington]

Thanks everyone for the reply’s, 

Raf 96, How thick are your sheets you purchased?

 

cheers

Red

[96RAF]

Standard 1.6 mm from memory, same thickness as Hornby track sleepers. I can measure them after lunch when I go back out to do other stuff in the train room.

 

A tip for aligning the rails for soldering if the rails are already cut like mine were. A piece of square white electrical conduit (either the trunking or the lid) is just the right size to fit between 00 rails. If cutting the rails after placing the copper clads then they are alreadyd aligned.

[96RAF]

Copper clad is 1.4 mm, sleepers are 2.1 mm. Solder absorbs the gap.

[Rog RJ]

An alternative to using copper clad board is to use brass screws, driven into the baseboard directly under the rails and then the rails soldered to the top of the screws.

[The Duke 71000]

BASINGSTOKE 1958-67 - Copper clad sleepers. 

Point construction using coper clad sleeper strip - differences between C&L & Marcway. 

 

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Above: Pointwork under construction on my exhibition layout. 

Recent changes in copper prices have also resulted in some alteration to production methods of sleeper strip. These changes are incorporated in the info below. 

 

The sleepers seen are C&L finescale copper clad sleeper strips, and copper coated on BOTH sides. They are also true "OO" scale. So slightly WIDER than the Peco Streamline track sleepers also in view. It is necessary to build these points on top of a layer of Kellogg's cereal packet card (this being the EXACT thickness necessary) to ensure the C&L sleepers & rail, come up to exactly the same height as Peco track !

 

Marcway Copper clad sleeper strip is coated in copper on just ONE SIDE. So is slightly THINNER in thickness than the C&L ones. The Marcway width is also narrower, and identical with the Peco Streamline sleepers. When using Marcway sleepers I add the Kellogg's cereal packet card + "Sellotape" double sided tape, under the sleepers & rail to bring these points to exactly the same height as the Peco streamline track.   

 

Note: To simplify point construction I always use Code 75 Bullhead rail (also available from C&L & Marcway) as a lot less filing is necessary. This matches the Peco Code 75 Flatbottom on the normal track. Obviously as both rail types are Code 75 they are exactly the same height (i.e. 75 thousandths of 1 inch). 

 

The points seen above each took around 90-120 minutes to construct !

The Duke 71000 

[Reddington]

 

Copper clad is 1.4 mm, sleepers are 2.1 mm. Solder absorbs the gap.

Thank you so much

[Reddington]

Thank you everyone for all the reply’s much appreciated 

[96RAF]

Be aware if using double sided copper clad as is then you must use tape to secure it to the boards. If using screws then you need to score through the copper clad on BOTH sides to avoid shorts across the rails.

[The Duke 71000]

RAF96 said:

"If using screws then you need to score through the copper clad on BOTH sides to avoid shorts across the rails."

 

 

 

Not a good idea to use screws, pins or nails to hold down ANY track. As this will immediately increase the vibration noise of locomotives running on the track. They will also cause track distortion (micro-dips) affecting reliable current collection. Resulting in jerky locomotives at slower speeds. Save money & time, forget them. 

 

No pins, nails, or screws also obviates the necessity to cut the copper strip on the underside, which seriously weakens the sleeper and therefore point construction. The best handbuilt pointwork is always built in situ on the layout, NOT on the workbench. This also saves a lot of time. 

 

Don't forget, what happens if an insulation cut on the underside wasn't 100% ? You'll have to lift the whole point to find the culprit, not clever.     

 

Use a minidrill with a carbonundrum (grey colour) disc to rapidly insulate copper clad sleepers, once the point is complete and in situ. Even in awkward positions where its impossible to get at with any other sort of tool. Don't forget the copper film is thinner than paper, and only the copper film needs to be cut through !  

 

If track & the copperclad sleepers are glued with non-waterproof PVA. Then any mistakes or desire to move the track or points later, only requires warm water to be poured over the area to be moved. In 10 minutes the glue will be returned to a semi-fluid state allowing track movement or alterations.  

 

Non waterproof PVA such as Evo-stik in the green bottle, is an extremely versatile glue. It will stick many things in addition to wood.  It also works out far cheaper than most other glues. I therefore use it for virtually everything from Baseboard construction, Cork laying; Track laying; Ballasting (diluted), and all scenic hillside construction (diluted). 

  

Anything stuck with non waterproof PVA can of course be recovered later - even ballast. Saves a fortune when you decide its time for a new layout !!!  

 

 

The Duke 71000

   

[Chrissaf]

Duke, you seem to have got fixated on the use of copper board for constructing custom track work and points. This thread started by the OP has got nothing to do with that. He just wants them to bridge the track across a removable section.