Looking for cheap source for shielding paint ...

[Rob DiStefano]

... there's gotta be better prices than Stew-Mac!

[CAFeathers]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

... there's gotta be better prices than Stew-Mac!

I bought a can of the shielding paint from Stew-Mac, so far I have done 2 Strats (pickguard and cavity), 1 Epi, 1 Aria and I still have 3/4 of a can left. I would say it is worth the price.


Chet

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by CAFeathers

I bought a can of the shielding paint from Stew-Mac, so far I have done 2 Strats (pickguard and cavity), 1 Epi, 1 Aria and I still have 3/4 of a can left. I would say it is worth the price.
Chet

I need to have enuf on hand to at least triple shield (three thick coats) a minimum of several dozen guitars over a period of a few months. That's where the Stew-Mac prices are just too high, for me. YMMV.

[CAFeathers]

I did some research and found that conductive shielding paint normally runs right at $399.00 a gallon. The company that makes the stuff I got from Stew-Mac is "Acheson". Your local hardware store may be able to order it for you, but you will pay high dollar for it.

Hope this helps
Chet

[Leoisgod]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...lenotsupported

[KevinB]

Yikes!

The eBay seller wants $13 for one fluid ounce! StewMac's price doesn't look so bad at $33 for 1/2 pint ($4.13 per ounce).

[Leoisgod]

Originally Posted by KevinB

Yikes!

The eBay seller wants $13 for one fluid ounce! StewMac's price doesn't look so bad at $33 for 1/2 pint ($4.13 per ounce).

True, but if you only need enough for 1 or 2 guitars (are not a tech or builder) this maybe a better deal. Remember StewMac has a minimum shipping charge of $8.50.

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by Leoisgod

True, but if you only need enough for 1 or 2 guitars (are not a tech or builder) this maybe a better deal. Remember StewMac has a minimum shipping charge of $8.50.

Yes, StewMac shipping is not cheap, but the eBay guy wants $3.95 for shipping too!

The paint, wherever you buy it from, is excellent. I've done several guitars with it and have been very happy with the results.

[Leoisgod]

Very true again KevinB! This guy is in Michigan. Maybe a laid off auto worker??? Don't know, ( just speculating as that state is about the hardset hit with this "Great Recession", but would rather give him my money instead of the corporate fat cats. I only need to shield one guitar anyway. Not cheaper for me if it just sits in the can for the rest of my life. YMMV. Cheers.

[superhand]

How do you ground the paint? Do you solder a wire to it or what?

[David Collins]

I use the nickel based "Super Shield" from MG Chemicals.

http://elexp.com/che_5944.htm

I haven't done the $/ounce analysis, but at $25-$30 a can (aerosol), I'd say it's not bad at all. I chose nickel years back by recommendation of Roger Sadowsky.

Keep in mind that building extra thick layers isn't always going to progressively diminish what noise gets through. As long as you're using a solid layer, there will still be eddy currents in the shielding which will re-induce at least some noise on the inside, no matter how thick you paint it on. You could go so far as to etch a cut pattern in to the paint to break up these currents, or use a perforated or woven material for shielding, but I think that may be going a bit over the top in terms of diminishing return.

2 or 3 sprayed coats of this nickel paint has always yielded great results for me.

It's also good to remember that most shielding systems are designed for high frequency interference, up in to the high khz and mhz. What we are trying to eliminate in guitars is primarily in the extreme low frequency range (50-60hz). I don't know a great deal about science of shielding alloys other than traits I've noticed in materials designed for different uses. Aluminum for example is very good at high frequencies, but often described as "transparent" to lower frequencies. I have no idea where copper falls in these properties, but I have noticed that alloys sold for extreme low frequency shielding tend to include a very high nickel content, along the lines of 80% nickel, 20% iron. I don't know what base metal is used in StewMac's shielding paint.

Edit: Oh my, I just noticed this was a dead thread revived from the past. Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here.

[superhand]

Originally Posted by David Collins

Edit: Oh my, I just noticed this was a dead thread revived from the past. Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here.

Yeah I dug it up. I'm trying to educate myself about shielding. The paint sounds like an interesting option, but I can't seem to find much helpful info about it.

[Marc Rutters]

Originally Posted by David Collins

I use the nickel based "Super Shield" from MG Chemicals.

Hey David using three coats approximately how many guitars will this stuff do? Say Tele's, control and pickup cavity's for general purpose.

[Geo]

Anyone know what is in the paint that does the shielding?

[Brian blaut]

Originally Posted by superhand

How do you ground the paint? Do you solder a wire to it or what?

I overlap the paint onto an area where the pickguard will touch (in and around a pickguard screw hole). Then the copper tape under the pickguard will ground the painted cavity. Make sure the copper tape itself is grounded by stringing it along and connecting it the underside of your control plate.

the paint inside the control can be grounded by simply running the paint up over the edge, contacting the control plate.

My question is how well is the paint doing it's job? My multimeter doesn't register any conductivity through the paint. Is it (the stew mac stuff) conductive enough? Or is my multimeter just not sensitive enough? I remember reading on guitarnutz that they don't like it for this very reason. But I will say my guitars are quiet.

[Vizcaster]

The grounding lug that Fender uses is hard to find, although you can make one from a ring terminal out of a crimp connector set. I got a bag of them from antique electronic supply (tubesandmore.com). it allows you to screw the lug to the paint, then solder a ground wire to it, usually from the volume pot on its way over to the trem cavity to connect to the spring claw.

From what I understand, it works because there's conductive carbon in the paint, similar to the carbon trace in a potentiometer. And don't take everything you read at guitarnuts as gospel. I'd say Lindy Fralin is a much better authority, and he recommends paint over tape. My reason for liking the paint is simple: I don't like to cut myself trying to smooth the edges of copper tape with my fingers.

[DavidP]

I only need 2-3 coats for one guitar so this may be the most cost effective solution... Anyone know if this is the same stuff as StewMac sells?

[flyingbanana]

Originally Posted by DavidP

I only need 2-3 coats for one guitar so this may be the most cost effective solution... Anyone know if this is the same stuff as StewMac sells?

No. The Acheson product is also really hard to get, but it is superior to the one from Stew Mac.

The nickel spray coating sounds interesting. I may buy some of it to try.