Make your own cheap conductive paint

mikenetic

Saw this as I was taking a browse around YouTube. It's Highline Guitars basically saying all you need to do is mix powdered graphite lubricant and acrylic paint. Paint a strip, let it dry, check for conductivity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhxjzbxmDxA

Roland

It’s still not as conductive as copper tape

Funkfingers

My CIJ Fender Jaguar body came with the grey paint in every cavity. Pity that nobody thought to connect any of it to ground! Duh!

Headphones

Funkfingers said:

My CIJ Fender Jaguar body came with the grey paint in every cavity. Pity that nobody thought to connect any of it to ground! Duh!

There'd be no point.  I've yet to find a big F product with screening paint that actually conducts!

ICBM

If you want to do the job properly, use copper tape. It’s more of a faff certainly, but it’s completely effective.

mikenetic

@icbm one of the things that worries me a bit about tape is long-term adhesion. It's not something I have any experience with - are there any specific types or application tips I should know about?

ICBM

mikenetic said:

@icbm one of the things that worries me a bit about tape is long-term adhesion. It's not something I have any experience with - are there any specific types or application tips I should know about?

I haven't ever seen any that's peeled off. I do always spot-solder the joints, since the adhesive seems to become less conductive over time, but that's all.

PeteC

I bought a Richie Kotzen Tele new last year and despite its high spec was surprised ( not ) to find it was unshielded - the only thing that completely did it was fully shielding with copper tape and soldering a ground point.