Embarrassing admission....Happy Number 38 guitar to me.

[ozzbike]

Nope so far.

I got nothing from the paper after four coats.

I have now got three coats on an old cheeseboard and no go.

Today I have added some more graphite and stirred in some water and the graphite. Now I have two coats and no connectivity again.

Tomorrow stir in some more graphite and try again I suppose.

[Trevor Davies]

Hi Ozzbike,
the 2.9 k ohm resistance sounds reasonable(!) for a thin layer. But I'm not sure what you should be expecting!
A 10 cm pencil line drawn onto paper typically has a resistance of somewhere between 10 k ohm to 100 k ohm - the variation depends on the type of pencil (or type of wax or binding agent holding the graphite lead together). At least you got less than that.

What was the resistance of the 3 coats?
Does the graphite powder conduct without the paint? Does the wet paint (with graphite) conduct?
Also, how are you measuring the connectivity?

[ozzbike]

Hi Ozzbike,
the 2.9 k ohm resistance sounds reasonable(!) for a thin layer. But I'm not sure what you should be expecting!
A 10 cm pencil line drawn onto paper typically has a resistance of somewhere between 10 k ohm to 100 k ohm - the variation depends on the type of pencil (or type of wax or binding agent holding the graphite lead together). At least you got less than that.

What was the resistance of the 3 coats?
Does the graphite powder conduct without the paint? Does the wet paint (with graphite) conduct?
Also, how are you measuring the connectivity?

Trevor,

Not much action I am afraid with this stuff.

I have read a couple of other things on the internet...and watched this fellows video.

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

I have added lots of graphite to the mix...little water each time. I have stirred and shaken with each addition and before each coat.

I am using the digital multi-meter pictured.

The top black line on the second pic has scratches from the red and black probes....not missing coverage. The bottom one has about four coats of varying ratio of graphite to paint to water.

I am now getting some continuity giving digital number readings when the probes are about 30mm apart now. I still don't get a consistent steady reading on resistance.

I will keep making tests and adding graphite until I either run out or get continuity and a steady measurement resistance.

[McCreed]

FWIW, I tried testing a factory Fender that had shielding paint and couldn't get a beep out of my DMM.

[ozzbike]

FWIW, I tried testing a factory Fender that had shielding paint and couldn't get a beep out of my DMM.

Ah...now things are starting to make sense.

Maybe shielding paint is just that, a shield.

Conductive copper tape creates continuity that we send to ground and thus the RFI from lights etc is sent to ground and the pickups allowed to remain quiet.

I will keep adding graphite to see if I can get continuity....as I have come this far. Maybe using a big bottle next time will help.

[McCreed]

I will keep adding graphite to see if I can get continuity....as I have come this far. Maybe using a big bottle next time will help.

Well, more is always better, right???

[wazkelly]

Maybe you need to use a battery & led bulb as demonstrated in the video?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[ozzbike]

Maybe you need to use a battery & led bulb as demonstrated in the video?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Ha Ha...cheeky man.

I have weird numbers on the meter...but they are consistent across the painted section now. No continuity beep....but I am getting numbers so something must be happening.

That will do me now. I will have to think of how I can connect each cavity to the next. I think I may cut a small square of the copper tape...stick that to the painted wood and solder a wire to that.

This one is nearly done....ho ho ho.

[ozzbike]

I have sanded (wet) at 2000 grit a couple of times all over the guitar body.

Then 4 coats of Turtle Wax Light to Medium cleaner Polishing Compound. Then 4 coats of Meguiar's Ultimate compound, and then 4 coats of Meguiar's Scratch X 2, and then 3 coats of Bowden's Own Paint Cleanse and Restore, and then one coat of Bowden's Own Carnauba Body Wax.

The two on the bed (the gold/brown looking thing) have been this morning buffed with one coat of Bowden's Own Lazy Wax, and then one coat of Bowden's Own Fully Slick.

I will let it hang now as I do the neck...and then it may get some more hand waxing and buffing.

The finish is not crystal clear, but I think it is a great outcome for hand polish/buff only.

[robin]

Looks good Ozzie. You gotta be happy with that finish.

By coincidence I have been checking out some of the same Tubes as you and was ready to pull the trigger on the DIY conductive paint. But I think I have enough copper tape for my next project so I might do some more research first. Plus my next will be single coils so it will need good shielding.

Cant wait to see #38 when she is finished.

rob