If you are in a historical area check with a roofer as copper flashing is
used on restorations. Get what you need and cut with shears. Silver plating
them is only good for photographs.
Ive also used copper refrigeration tubing for interconnects as well as
coils.
Carl
KM1H
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Thomson" <jim.thom@telus.net>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 1:01 PM
Subject: [Amps] Silver plated copper strap source anyone?
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 22:29:32 -0500
> From: "bob" <w9zv@comcast.net>
> Subject: [Amps] Silver plated copper strap source anyone?
>
>
> Anyone have a good source for some new 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" silver
> plated
> copper strap suitable for use in wiring the bandswitch/tank-circuit up or
> creating a coil on an amp/tuner?
>
> -bob
>
> ## I have looked and looked over the years myself...and found the odd
> surplus scaps gere and there..and usually at wicked prices. I gave up on
> that
> and instead just silver plate the straps myself. Our local super
> metal market
> [franchised all over NA] has 3' x 7' sheets of CU in various
> thickness's from
> .005" up to .125" and everything in-between. I get them to shear me off
> several
> 3' lengths' and usually in 3/4" and 1" widths. The best trhickness's
> that are strong, yet
> thin enough to easily work with are .028" up to no more than .032" .
> [ I use those
> thickness's for tank coil taps to the model 88/85 bandswitch's I use,
> etc]
>
> ## for winding stuff like 10/12/6m tank coils..made from strap wound
> flat... like
> a paraistic suppressor... the thickness is increased a bit...to .048" to
> .065" That makes
> it more ridgid.
>
> ## I silver plat all my vatious straps and hb tubing tank coils, and
> strap coils with this
> goop called... 'cool-amp' ..made by the cool-amp co in Ore.
>
> http://www.cool-amp.com/ They make a 2nd product... called
> "conducto-lube"..and I use
> that stuff, [which is just grnd up pure silver powder in grease] for any
> sliding contacts on
> relays and contacts on contactors, bnadswitch contacts, etc. For
> relay's etc, I clean the contacts
> 1st..then silver plate em with cool-amp. Then a tiny layer of
> conducto-lube is applied. Then
> you end up with a zero ohm joint every time. You will end up with zero
> ohms with just the silver plating alone.
> If you had heat build up before cuz of losuy contacts, you won't after
> this stuff is applied.
>
> ## When applied to Cu straps and hb tubing/strap tank coils..like the typ
> 1/4"- 3/8' 1/2" variety..the finish comes out
> superb. It actually looks a lot better than if the same piece was silver
> plated by the dip in tank method. It doesn't really
> tarnish either. I bought a 1/2 lb jar of the cool-amp powder. it has an
> indefinate shelf life. I use a tiny spoon and place
> some of the powder onto the side of the SS sink...then apply a few drops
> of water. it's then mixed really good, until I get a
> good liquidy paste, but not too dry or wet.
>
> ## ALL the cu straps HAVE to be clean before hand. I use those
> scouring pads..that look like bulldog steel wool pads..but
> smaller...and they come soaked in this dry blue powder stuff. The
> cleaning pads are used by the wife for cleaning SS pots
> and pans etc. Typ go by the name of 'jet pads'....and 'SOS pads' in
> the cleaning section of any grocery store. Use a tiny bit of water
> on the cleaning pad..and scrub the cu straps and coils really good, until
> they are squeaky clean. then rinse in warm water, and dry em
> really good. Ok, the conducto-lube paste mix is then applied to the 1st
> piece. Factory sez to use a small cloth to apply, but I found that
> the best method appears to be when you get in there with all 10 x fingers.
> I wear some latex/vinyl gloves... like your dentist uses..and
> then you can apply the glop a lot better..and faster. When you are
> satisfied that you didn't miss any where..then the excess glop is
> removed..
> and applied to the next CU strap..with ur fingers. The finsished piece
> is then simply rinsed under warm water..and CAREFULLY dried..by initally
> placing finished pieces on some paper toweling [ bounty brand works the
> best]... and patting it dry.
>
> ## of course, the various straps are 1st prepped with the required
> hole[S] punched into each end with a #5 roper whitney hand punch tool.
> Those #5 hand punch's come with 7 x punch's and dies..and range from
> 3/32" up to 9/32"...[in 1/32" increments] I found long ago that you
> can't
> drill holes in thin CU strap worth a damn..even when done carefully in a
> drill press. Also, the straps are 1st cut with chromolly tin snips [
> they come in red/yellow/green]
> to the desired length . Georgia copper sells Cu strap, in rolls in
> various thickness's and widths.
>
> later....... Jim VE7RF
>
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