Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: sricabla on March 28, 2006, 10:27:10 PM

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: sricabla on March 28, 2006, 10:27:10 PM

Where do you get your shielding paint?

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: palembic on March 28, 2006, 10:42:55 PM

Hey ...THAT is a question I always wanted to ask but never dared to!
 
PTBO

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: crgaston on March 28, 2006, 10:49:41 PM

Courtesy of google...
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Shielding/Conductive_Shielding_Paint.html (http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics%2C_pickups/Supplies:_Shielding/Conductive_Shielding_Paint.html)

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: crgaston on March 28, 2006, 10:51:15 PM

Although, foil tape from Home Depot or Lowes works pretty well, too.

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: jacko on March 29, 2006, 03:40:04 AM

Also here for european users ;-)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36275&criteria=sheilding%20paint&doy=29m3 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36275&criteria=sheilding%20paint&doy=29m3)
 
Graeme

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: bassman10096 on April 03, 2006, 09:48:45 AM

Most of the techs I've talked to say foil is more effective for noise suppression.  I'm not an expert, but when I put foil in a single coil bass that had previously been insulated (and properly grounded) with Stew Mac paint, the noise problem cleared up completely.  I also suspect that insulating paint may have a greater degree of quality variation, depending on the metal in the paint.  On the other hand, I've read procedures recommended by otherwise credible luthiers that claim to use ordinary aluminum foil with good results.  Go figure.  I'd love to hear anyone else's insights into guitar/bass insulating materials.    
Bill

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: dfung60 on April 03, 2006, 11:16:15 AM

bassman10096-
 
Foil is definitely more effective as a shield than the carbon conducting paint that you buy for guitars.  The good stuff is equal to foil, but is really expensive ($150+/liter).  This stuff has metal (copper, silver, or aluminum) in it and it's what you used to see inside the cases of plastic computer cases (if you ever saw the inside of an old Mac, for instance).  It's sprayed in a very thin film, and in more modern electronic stuff that has a non-metal case, it's vapor deposited as part of the case manufacturing process.
 
 
Conductive paint is a lot less work to apply and will yield more complete shielding than foil which isn't trimmed and joined around the edges really well.  
 
Aluminum foil should work just fine, but it's hard to solder to the surface which makes for more work or leaks between the pieces.

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: jacko on April 04, 2006, 12:57:35 AM

I used aluminium foil for the control cavity of my homemade bass (a long time ago). Never had a noise problem with it.
I remember an old magazine article showing martin peterson building one of his Sei basses and he used a really heavy duty foil insert as he was glueing the body together.
 
Graeme

Title: Shielding paint
Post by: terryc on October 18, 2006, 08:14:05 AM

If you are clever enough and have the correct metalworkers tools(tinsnips, planishing hammers) you can make a faraday box from thin guage aluminium...this will certainly stop any radio/electrical interference completely