- High temperature stability - you can solder on it (800 degrees F) and not damage or distort it! Hopefully your loco will not be that hot inside. This also relates to the adhesive - it still sticks after exposure to such temperatures!
- Thin - a good insulation for the voltages found in DCC can be had with a tape only 0.001 inches (0,02 mm) thick!
- It does not have a lot of shear (tearing) or punch-through strength. Don't expect it to insulate a solder joint with the jagged end of a wire sticking out - use shrink tubing!
Adhesives
Kapton Tape
Kapton is a very good electrical insulator. It is made into a tape that is good enough for aerospace and satellite applications. Its characteristics include:
Styrene Cements
We all know about this staple of modeling. Bruce is very happy with Faller Expert. It comes in a very easy to use bottle.
When we cut off a light pipe in a loco, we don't spend a lot of time polishing the end. A drop of Faller Expert on the end and you get a nice optical surface!
If you don't clear the throat of the bottle, the cement will dry in place and plug up the snout. Not fun! I like to use a piece of 0.015 phosphor bronze wire (Titchy Train Group) as a plug. Just insert it so that the wire runs through the entire snout and no more plugged snout.
Bruce's other Styrene Cement choice is MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone), which he buys at the home improvement or hardware store or online. It is very fast to set up and very strong as a complete styrene welder. USE WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION! It is a minor health risk and, as such, is getting harder to find, expecially in California.
Walthers' Goo
Aptly named, this compliant adhesive is another mainstay of model railroading. Bruce has used it for years (CLICK HERE). These days, Bruce seems to use more bathtub caulk