29 replies to this topic

[Matt Sheldon]

I know I recall seeing one a couple decades ago, but I no longer see them advertised, nor do I have a picture. Anyone that has one that can post a picture and any information?

[Cheater]

The one Jay and I used at his place the week before Christmas he found on eBay. I don't think those irons have been made for years, but someone may have one. Put a want ad in Racer Swap Shop and I'll bet you'll find one.

[Samiam]

Find a tinner's iron used for roofing and make a shoe for it.

[Ramcatlarry]

Check for dry mount sealing iron in art supplies.  You may need to make an aluminum guide flag to metal epoxy to the bottom.

 

Dick Blick: $82+shipping

[Peter Crawley]

Matt:
 
Attached is a picture of an actual track braid iron with the business end milled specifically for slot tracks.  

Peter Crawley

[Samiam]

Pete,

Is that the same iron you used to flatten the braid on the Hillclimber at the store on Conklin St?

[Brian Cochrane]

Pete Crawley...

Hi!

[Peter Crawley]

Sam & Brian:

Hello, guys,

Yes, Sam that is the same iron I used back in the 1970s and early '80s. I am surprised you remember it. 

I wish I knew how many tracks I braided it with, probably more than 20. My dad used to hire me out to braid tracks back in the 1970s. 

This iron was specifically machined to install 1/4" braid on American tracks. I have, or had, another one that wasn't as good but I cannot find that one. Pulling it out brought back memories, bad memories, but memories none the less. Burnt fingers and arms. Getting hot glue on you and having to wait, painfully, for the glue to cool before peeling it off, sometimes with some skin. 

 

I prefer the modern way, with contact cement, much better.
 
Peter Vasseur

[Matt Sheldon]

Attached is a picture of an actual track braid iron with the business end milled specifically for slot tracks.

Thank you, Peter. This is what I remembered.

[kvanpelt]

Would a Monokote Sealing iron work for you? They reach about 350 deg F.

[Matt Sheldon]

This might be perfect, Kevin. I am going to order one and mill the braid recess into it and see what happens.

[Samiam]

Yes, Sam that is the same iron I used back in the 1970s and early '80s. I am surprised you remember it.

How could I forget? I remember during a race a braid would come up and you would grab that thing and iron it down.

Great times at your Dad's track. Good memories.
 
Have a good New Year, Pete.

[MSwiss]

Maybe I'm dreaming this but I thought Cox sold a track braid that was preglued, and you stuck down with that big iron, with the contoured shoe.

IIRC (a mighty big "if"), Cox sold that shoe.

[Phil Hackett]

Circle-T in SoCal used a staple gun and staples to keep the braid down... the track was trashed when the track closed... it always seemed so barbaric...

[Matt Sheldon]

Our old track owner out here used small tacks; hard on the car braid as well

[Ramcatlarry]

Topflite Monocoat iron from Hobbico Dist: $30. Extra shoe to machine: $13. Such a deal. Tunable heat as well.

Think I would make the flag shape contact area only 1-1.5" long to go around corners and concentrate heat better.

The framemaking art stores are getting ripped off.

[Cheater]

Think I would make the flag shape contact area only 1-1.5" long to go around corners and concentrate heat better.

Larry,

You are as sharp as a (braid) tack.

As you said, the '60s era braid iron that Jay Guard has was a little difficult to use in the turns on his track due to the length of the piece that goes into the slot.

I asked that bum in FL to send me a pic of his braid iron to post here, but I guess he feels unboxing all of their stuff to finish moving into the new house is more important... the man needs to get his priorities straight! LOL.

[Brian Cochrane]

I remember the preglued  braid that we ironed on,but the iron was pretty bulky.A few years back the old King track at Port Jeff needed some braid repairs done before a big race and Doug wanted me to build up the height of the braid recess with bondo.I told him let me do it my way .I built up the low areas with a glue gun and let it cool.Then I put the braid down with a home made braid iron I made many years ago for my home oval track. If you do it correctly it will come out perfect.and it doesn't take as long as you would think.And it also will not damage the track.He was quite impressed ,and that's hard to do with Doug

[Brian Cochrane]

I actually remember what I did now.I made a second braid shoe that followed behind the hot iron .This shoe had wings sticking out that slid on the topside of the track surface so as to keep the braid consistant to the track surface.I hope you understood that and maybe it can help you out...

[MSwiss]

Sounds real cool.

 

I'd like to see the pic.

 

So the wings don't heat up enough to effect the track paint?

 

I use an iron a lot with removing old braid, and I have to be careful not to get too carried away.

[Brian Cochrane]

The second shoe didn't get heated only from  the heat of the braid a little.I didn't do the whole track only some low areas..They raced all the wing classes on it and at he time all new records were set. But it is a good way to repair an old track and save it from the grave.I have bondoed track braid recesses  a few times and that has its problems at times because of oils and braid juice  that is impregnated in the track  pores......BXP

[MSwiss]

I didn't read your post carefully enough.

When you referred to a second shoe, I thought it was a different style.

How does the second shoe connect to the iron?

It would be great to see it.

[Brian Cochrane]

It doesn't. You have it separate from the iron and follow behind it pushing it along while the glue and braid are getting warmed by the braid iron. It's easier to do with a helper.

[Brian Cochrane]

You can also do a double heat job where you get the braid close to the right height the first pass and then re-warm it and get it to the desired height with the second pass.

 

Ferret Engineering used to have the braid with the glue backing. Ask Jeff Bonnano of PawPaw braid to ask Carrol from Ferret about it.They know Carrol; she lives near them in Florida.

[jimht]

Used hot melt glue when we removed the original brass tape and cut a braid shoulder on my 180' Engleman in 1972.

Worked well until it became difficult/expensive to obtain glue that wasn't affected by naphtha.

 

The past ten years I've used only the 3M 9469PC adhesive transfer tape.

 

Still have a couple of the original American Beauty braid irons 200W-300W; great for soldering a toilet to a sink.