Make Conductive Glue and Glue a Circuit

Step 3 Applying the Glue

If you want to apply it in one coat You need to apply the glue when it is almost the thickness of peanut butter. You can use the Toluol paint thinner to thin the mix if it starts to get too gummy or if you want to paint it on thin. Toluol can dissolve some plastics, so you should mix it in a glass container. The thinner the coat the higher the resistance you will get. This is ideal for painting resistors. Generally, if you paint on a second coat you will cut the resistance in half. Up to a point, each successive coat will reduce the resistance of the conductive line or resistor.

Like most conductors, the resistance of the glue is roughly proportional to the cross sectional area of the conductor. In this case, a glue line about 1/4" wide by about 1/16" inch thick will have a resistance of about 32 ohms per inch. While this is not that good for running power to the main circuit, it quite fine to run digital signals or to light LEDs. By comparison, an equal amount of "Wire Glue" has a resistance of about 90 ohms per inch.

Comments

[SilentDirge]

I'm curious, would Isopropyl Alcohol work as a proper solvent substitute? The closest thing to toluene in my hardware store is Lacquer Thinner which is actually an exotic mix of number chemicals so I'd prefer to avoid it. Would Acetone work better?

[Doc_W]

Why toluene as the solvent? According to the MSDS for liquid electrical tape, MEK is the most abundant (and noxious!) solvent, followed by toluene, then acetone. Given the relative toxicity of each of these three solvents, it seems that acetone would clearly be the 'lesser evil'....or did your research discover something that I'm mising?

[adnimo]

 And after being so careful in your solvent decision, you died the following day ran over by a car. You see, it's all relative.

[mikey77]

You are right, other solvents can be used. I stuck with the toluene because it works well, but acetone also works. I have found all of these petroleum based solvents to be very poisonous and dangerous to ones health if not used with proper ventilation and with solvent proof gloves. So, because they are all seriously noxious, I don't prefer one over the other and only use them when nothing else will work.