Guys im losing my mind with this grounding issue

[nickflook]

Hey guys, so I bought that copper tape from the site, it finally came! I got er all in there, plugged it in and instantly noticed no hum! I couldnt believe it, then I did the screw driver, tapping on the pickup trick to see if there was a connection, and now there isnt one.. which is why there was no hum.. I checked it before and the tap thing was working, is the copper foil not supposed to touch the pots or something? I think im missing a small step here, Ive attached pics, Did I over-do it and put way too much in? I didnt put any in the jack input part

[kells80aus]

This has probably been covered here, But, what I do is throw away the wiring kit that come with the guitar kit, and I build my own loom using shielded cotton covered wire and full sized pots(where possible). For solid body kits I layer all the routes with copper shielding. When I earth the bridge I tip some conductive paint into the bridge post hole to create a better contact. If I am building a kit with a fender style bridge then I find a place to solder the earth wire on.

Cheers PK

[nickflook]

Id love to not have to re-do all the wiring I had done, If I must, I will, and re-order new parts. But, Im just curious, before i put the shielding tape in, I had a connection and things worked, it was just very hummy due to not having any shielding. But once i put it in, nothing works. Im just trying to gain some more knowledge about all this stuff, is there something in there thats not supposed to touch the tape?

[dingobass]

First thing to check is have you got the bridge earthed (as PK suggested)
Secondly, my old favourite.... Have you got the output wired the right way round?

The pots should touch the copper, as this earths them without the need to run an earth wire from the back of each pot.
Saves on wire and looks so much neater.

Really like PK's idea of shielding paint in the bridge post holes, I usually strip a lot more off the earth wire and get it poking back up through the post hole.
This way, when I press the post in I know that there is a really good earth happening

[nickflook]

I think I just had an epiphany with with you guys are sayin, since my pots now have contact with the copper tape, it no longer needs the grounding wire i have going from pot to pot.. so if I rip that wire off you think it will make a difference? its starting to seem like that makes sense to me, but I have no clue what im talking about. And yeah, I double checked my output is wired right. everything was workin before this copper tape job. Im thinking its that grounding wire ive got going from pot to pot

[nickflook]

i just remember in the tutorial video, your ex1 wiring didnt work until you added that wire.. so I realize it must be an important one

[nickflook]

so i took that wire out, that wasnt it.. I think the problem is i have some bare wire touching the copper or something

[WeirdBits]

Just check that none of the lugs on the pots are accidentally shorting onto the copper shielding, as this would ground the output and cut the sound. Sometimes the pot holes or shape of the cavity will cause the lugs to touch the shielding. Either bend the lugs up slightly or put a piece of electrical tape under them to insulate them from the copper tape - but, you still want the pot body making contact with the copper. It could even just be a single stray wire strand hanging off a lug touching the copper, easy to miss and infuriating to try and find.

[nickflook]

i just tried everything and i think youre for sure right with the lugs hitting the copper. thats exactly whats happening and its the only thing I still have left to try to get this to work. if this works Ill paypal you some money so you can get yourself a pizza. all my hair has turned grey trying to figure this out

[nickflook]

WEIRDBITS !!! YOU ARE A GENIUS! that was it! everything was perfect except i had too much sodder on one of the lugs and it dripped down and was making a connection to the copper tape. oh man. I could cry im so happy right now, Ive been tyring to solve this forrreeverrr. I can finally glue this neck on! You gotta give me some paypal info so i can send you money for a pizza, seriously. LET ME FEED YOU PIZZA. Im forever grateful. Also, dingoboss and everyone else who suggested the copper tape, it TOTALLY got rid of that insane hum.

One last TINY thing i noticed. when i turn the volume knob, it crackles quite a bit, it works fine, just a little crackly, is that because i used too much sodder ? or do i need to blast some air into it to clean it out?