Is Gold Leaf a good shielding?

[apa]

OK so this might seem a little over the top but since I will have some left over I may as well use it

Is Real Gold Leaf a good way of shielding the cavities of the electrics? I was going to use tin foil glued to the walls rather than splash out on a bottle of shielding paint that costs about the same as a pack of gold leaf!!

I cant see why not.

A

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='apa' post='1125469' date='Feb 12 2011, 09:34 PM']OK so this might seem a little over the top but since I will have some left over I may as well use it

Is Real Gold Leaf a good way of shielding the cavities of the electrics? I was going to use tin foil glued to the walls rather than splash out on a bottle of shielding paint that costs about the same as a pack of gold leaf!!

I cant see why not.

A[/quote]

I have never tried it, but I would hazard a guess that it would not be thick enough to provide a good shield. Shielding paint takes a good few layers to build up a decent shield (and it's still not as good as copper) and whilst copper adhesive makes for good shielding, remember that copper is a superb conductor compared to gold lead and tin foil.

[Musky]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='1125496' date='Feb 12 2011, 10:17 PM']I have never tried it, but I would hazard a guess that it would not be thick enough to provide a good shield. Shielding paint takes a good few layers to build up a decent shield (and it's still not as good as copper) and whilst copper adhesive makes for good shielding, remember that copper is a superb conductor compared to gold lead and [b]tin foil[/b].[/quote]
True, but [i]aluminium[/i] foil also has excellent conductivity and EMF shielding. Use an aluminium foil that is marginally thicker than copper foil and you'll end up with the same noise rejection.

[icastle]

[quote name='apa' post='1125469' date='Feb 12 2011, 09:34 PM']OK so this might seem a little over the top but since I will have some left over I may as well use it

Is Real Gold Leaf a good way of shielding the cavities of the electrics? I was going to use tin foil glued to the walls rather than splash out on a bottle of shielding paint that costs about the same as a pack of gold leaf!!

I cant see why not.

A[/quote]

Gold is a far better conductor than copper - it's usually disregarded for shielding because of the sheer cost of it in comparison to copper.

The only real issue is that you need to find a way to connect your shielding to the guitar earth - easy using copper tape but you will need to experiment with contact methods using gold leaf.

[apa]

Thanks for the replies

For Tin foil read Alluminium Foil. I agree that the thickness of the gold leaf may be an issue so probably not the best to use. Oh well, you live and learn.

I'll use alluminium foil.

A

[Bloodaxe]

As stated Gold Leaf is unbelievably thin - hold a piece up to the light & it'll actually refract green - however, I'd be more concerned with maintaining conductivity. Gold Size isn't conductive as far as I know, & you'll destroy it if you were to attempt to solder to it (assuming you can use ordinary solder on gold).

Copper tape is probably the best cost-effective solution, the adhesives tend to be conductive & it's thick enough to support a 'tack' of solder at joints and soldering the grounding wire to it.

[url="http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A3133&rt=nc&_nkw=copper+shielding+tape&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=2&_sc=1"]Plenty on Ebay for less than a fiver[/url]

P.

[apa]

Cheers Bloodaxe

[dougie]

www.convertape.com
bought a a4 size sheet off them last week for less than 4 quid delivered,only took 4 days from order too,highly recommend them.

[lettsguitars]

you MUST make sure the copper tape you buy states to have conductive adhesive. slug repellant tape WILL NOT DO! the adhesive doesn't conduct and you have to solder all the joins to create a reliable circuit. aluminium foil and glue would be better than nothing if you were stranded on a desert island with nothing but strip lighting, an unshielded bass, amp, gfenerator and a roll of bakofoil. gold is surely the best conductor besides water but is not going to be thick enough unless you can build it up a lot. would definately make for an interesting ebay description. paint isn't as good as proppercopper tape.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1130412' date='Feb 16 2011, 10:57 PM']you MUST make sure the copper tape you buy states to have conductive adhesive. slug repellant tape WILL NOT DO! the adhesive doesn't conduct and you have to solder all the joins to create a reliable circuit.[/quote]

Soldering the joints really isn't a big deal. And nor is checking them with a meter.

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1130515' date='Feb 17 2011, 01:24 AM']Soldering the joints really isn't a big deal. And nor is checking them with a meter.[/quote]
quite. but even though nor kindly checks your work with a meter, i think just using the proper stuff in the first place is more simplerer.

[dougie]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1130515' date='Feb 17 2011, 01:24 AM']Soldering the joints really isn't a big deal. And nor is checking them with a meter.[/quote]
Stuff i got does fine m8,checking with a meter gives a zero resistance reading both sides....also states"suitable for guitar sheilding"

[Martin E]

As an experiment I bought some really cheap slug repellent tape (less than £2 a roll) thinking I would have to solder the joins but in fact found the adhesive was perfectly conductive.

Of course they may not all be same but it's worth a try as some of the stuff with conductive adhesive can be expensive.

Another unforeseen benefit is that my control cavity has been completely free of slugs since the installation.

[apa]

[quote name='Martin E' post='1131648' date='Feb 17 2011, 10:36 PM']As an experiment I bought some really cheap slug repellent tape (less than £2 a roll) thinking I would have to solder the joins but in fact found the adhesive was perfectly conductive.

Of course they may not all be same but it's worth a try as some of the stuff with conductive adhesive can be expensive.

Another unforeseen benefit is that my control cavity has been completely free of slugs since the installation.[/quote]

I like the way you think Sir. Is there a name to this particular brand?

A

[dougie]

[quote name='Martin E' post='1131648' date='Feb 17 2011, 10:36 PM']As an experiment I bought some really cheap slug repellent tape (less than £2 a roll) thinking I would have to solder the joins but in fact found the adhesive was perfectly conductive.

Of course they may not all be same but it's worth a try as some of the stuff with conductive adhesive can be expensive.

Another unforeseen benefit is that my control cavity has been completely free of slugs since the installation.[/quote]
Nothing worse than slugs in yer cavity m8

[Martin E]

Sorry apa, I don't recall what it was. Just something cheap I got got off ebay last year.