Modding Copper pens

Well, I'm having a hard time finding these. Radio Shack doesn't stock them, and I can't get out to a Fry's at the moment. I've already tried the "copper" colored Sharpie but my meter says it doesn't conduct electricity.

Basically, my question is:

What alternatives do you have for copper pens? I'm running tracks for my (ghetto) desk mod and I don't want to have to go through all the trouble of soldering tracks from my old LED cutoffs. I was thinking of using graphite when I realized that it wasn't conductive .

I have already dug channels out into my desk, so could I just melt solder into it? I really don't want to do this though, as it would be a pain in the butt. Thoughts?

By the way, I'll post pics when I'm done.

Thanks,
-TX297

 

so you carved little trenches into your wooden desk??? Hmm sounds interesting. I would say melting soilder would be an expensive task and it wouldn't condutc good electricity as it would be a cold solder...there would be clobs of stuff and it wouldn't be one contiunise line.... hm..... i would try a pen i guess. But than again depends on what the lines are going to...the resistance might not matter

 

Use copper tape - readily available from craft stores. It's used for making stained glass stuff.

Basically it's a roll of copper tape with one adhesive side

*n

 

Dammit, I was at Hobby Lobby yesterday, even in the stained glass section! Thanks for the suggestions so far, I may go out and buy some of the stuff. I'll take a picture now and maybe upload it in a few minutes. In the meantime, do we have any other suggestions?

Thanks,
-TX297

Oh, and by the way, I'm embedding LEDs into my desk. I've been using a bit of plexi to write on as my desk has textured paint all over it. Then I'm going to put the plexi over the top of the LEDs. If you take a nice blue LED and shine it on the green cut-out with the LED in it, it put a nice glow in the glue I'm using. I'm just filling everything in with glue. Told you it was ghetto.

 

haha you should get the tape, fill in the trench thing cnalans whatever you wana call them...than when you have a buddy over and they put there hands on the deks or arm....zaaaaap!!! haha.

But ya that tape would work so much better than soldier. What do you plan on hooking up and from where to where? I'm curious

 

Why don't you use wire?!

 

Because it needs to be flush with my desk to fit underneath the plexi. I can't really dig the trenches that deep as I'm using one of those electronics screwdrivers and I don't have enough skin on my hand.

Are there any readily available pens with conductive properties that I can get at arts & craft stores?

Anyway, pic as requested:


-TX297

 

Run solder wire along the groove and use a heatgun to melt it

 

If you have enough space to put solder in it, than you can get some bare 28awg wire, and that would work good. ( I think the wire in CAT5 is 28awg)

 

is it just me who thought the thread title said "Copper penis", i need some more coffee

 

Could be a bit heavy...

anyway: on topic: try di find a cable that has many wery thin wires inside (speakercables often have) and take out one of those and solder it on... Fill the grooves with epoxy or something afterwards..

 

How about heated-window repair paint? (The stuff used for bridging Athlons laser-cut bridges).

It's highly conductive, is paintable, and dries pretty quickly. It's also quite expensive (around £10 a bottleas I recall) but should be good for a lot of work.

 

Yes.

I agree that thin wire would probably be the best bet. Using conductive pens and such is asking for trouble if you're using it over a fair distance (I imagine about 50cm or more?) since they're really designed for repairing bad PCBs etc.

 

I have no skin left on my hand

Well, I dug the trenches a little deeper so I could solder my cutoffs into there. I have two of them hooked up so far, although I screwed up one LED by trying to move the legs over too far.

Thanks,
-TX297

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But now, does anone know where I can get these pens or something that will work in a similiar way?

 

SJP is right. Goto an autoparts store. Ask for a Rear Window Defogger Repair Kit. It's like copper based nail polish. Just mask off the areas where you don't want any, and then brush it on. Costs about $5-$6.

peace.
unloaded

 

why in God's name do you have a british flag on your desk if you live in dallas....


i say go for the copper tape

 

Why would anyone want a British flag at all?

 

I used to live in England and moved in 2001. I'm just being a bit patriotic, that's all.

What do you call the bit-tech logo?


I'm not sure what to get now. I think I may go for the copper tape--it seems to come in useful for optical drive mods.


Thanks,
-TX297