Conductive Glue?

[gavino200]

Anyone have a good supplier for conductive glue? I've bought some in the past that wasn't good. This may have been because I didn't use it immediately but there's no way to know. I'd prefer to buy in future from a source that's been reliable for someone else. 

[Kiha66]

I'm going to be doing some (about 2k) resistor wheel sets for a friend.  I'll let you know what we find works for us as we try a few options.

[gavino200]

51 minutes ago, Kiha66 said:

I'm going to be doing some (about 2k) resistor wheel sets for a friend.  I'll let you know what we find works for us as we try a few options.

 

I'm guessing that's HO? Every heard of anyone making resistor wheel sets in n scale?

[Kiha66]

Yep, these will be in HO.  Fox Valley Models makes/made resistor wheel sets in N but they haven't had any in stock for years, I believe they have severe production issues.  You can make your own in N as well, but its quite a tedious process! 

[chadbag]

This guy references a "wire glue" which is conductive

 

https://jamestrainparts.com/2015/12/07/adding-n-scale-wheelset-resistors-for-circuit-detection/

 

An idea for making resistance wheel sets using conductive paint

 

http://sbs4dcc.com/znhoresistancewheels.html

Edited January 22, 2021 by chadbag

[cteno4]

I’ve seen the thick liquid solder meant to use on big wires and always meant to grab some to see if maybe thicker and easier to apply to small things than the circuit repair glue that’s mainly meant for circuit repair.
 

So I dug out a syringe of conductive glue from the last batch I bought maybe a year ago (I usually buy 2 or 3 for $1-2 each on ebay when I run out). The tube a year old worked great.

 

one issue again is this glue is not meant to take any strain or jump any large distance, but just basically be like a solder on an already contact joint. It’s kind of like a very thin/weak rubber cement glue. it’s best to have your wire glued in place just away from your contact glue joint so it does not wiggle around and remains in contact with what ever when you apply the conductive glue. Best to use very thick ca or epoxy as thinner ca glue can wick into everything and get in between your contact joint.

 

I’ve been meaning to look at the circuit pens that can actually lay down a conductive line. They use them for kids to make circuits on paper by just drawing them.
 

also found a tube on the soldering bench  I had opened in the fall and recapped but it was hardened. I’m trying to think back how long they have lasted once it’s opened, but my best guess was able to reuse w/in a couple of weeks. I’ve thought of just poking the needle into some rubber to see if it will stop the glue in the needle from hardening for a while. I use the stuff infrequently though.

 

So looking at the magnet to wire issue it dawned on me that there is a very simple solution that does not require the conductive glue! I just stripped about 15mm of my 30g wire and wrapped it once around a 1.8mm rod and then twisted it several times to make a nice little eye loop at the end of the wire. Then just pressure fitted it over the glued magnet. It holds really well and great electrical contact. Then just a dot of thick ca glue or epoxy at the twisted bit to lock it down! The once glue is dry drill a convenient hole and snake the lead thru. Really is faster and easier than trying to loop the wire along the edge of the magnet and then conductive glue it and no messy conductive glue to mess with! I expect I could make a ton of these loop leads in an evening watching tv, then super fast to slip on around a glued magnet and glue wire.

 

I love it when solutions get simpler!

 

jeff