Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Mon Dec 02, 2024 6:01 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 12:14 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:11 pm
Posts: 352
Location: muncie IN
First name: shad
Last Name: peters
Focus: Build
i have used the copper shielding tape from stewmac, but i was wondering would aluminum foil tape do the same thing? has anyone ever tried it? they are both conductive, copper a little more so, but the effect should be mostly the same right? it would be a whole lot cheaper than the stewmac stuff for sure.

_________________
~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:37 pm 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 1:08 pm
Posts: 18
First name: Mike
Last Name: G
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
stew mac copper tape has conductive adhesive so you don't have to solder the pieces together, I don't think you can solder aluminum foil, not sure though


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:14 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:34 pm
Posts: 2047
First name: Stuart
Last Name: Gort
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Foil would work....as long as it conducts well (aluminum is pretty good) and you have a reliable way to attach a ground wire.

The easist way to do this is to use either carbon or silver based paint and simply brush it inside the cavity. In the electronics cavity the paint will be automatically grounded as the pots, switches, and jack are tightened into place. Then you run a small ground wire from there to the bridge and pickup cavities.

Use an eyelet and just screw them down into the wood with a tiny wood screw.

_________________
I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:25 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:03 am
Posts: 198
Location: USA
First name: Brett
Last Name: Faust
City: Puyallup
State: WA
Zip/Postal Code: 98373
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Most pickguards are shielded with self adhesive aluminum not copper, it does work well.
The problem comes with closing the box so to speak. You can't solder to aluminum so the pieces must be large enough to do the job,not multiple passes with aluminum tape (I have tried this way, it works but is not good in the long term).
Go to a stained glass supply, ask for copper sheet. Self adhesive copper sheets are usually sold in 1 SF units.
Have fun.

_________________
How long is that in luthyears?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:06 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:35 pm
Posts: 2561
Country: USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
I would definitely NOT use aluminum, you can't solder to it, so grounding it would be a problem. I don't trust simply mounting the pot to the aluminum surface through the pot-hole. You'd have to screw a wire to it, to ground it. Same thing with shielding paint, which is what fender does. They screw a metal tab to their paint-shielded surfaces.
Also the copper shielding is thicker than the paint, and can intercept stronger RF signals more effectively.

gaah

_________________
Old growth, shmold growth!


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 61 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com