mixing console bus bar

[argonrepublic]

What material should be used for bus bar. It is 1mm solid core and goes across all 24 channels. I couldn't tell if original was aluminum or silver. I bought aluminum filler rod from welding shop. Is that OK. Is bus bar important compared with straded wire?

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

Copper

[pinkmouse]

Bus bar for what? Power, signal, ground?

BTW, I'm with Bill; copper.

[argonrepublic]

The bus bar runs through a terminal on each of 24 channels. It is the ground. The original was silver in colour so I assumed it was aluminum. I bought a 1/16 inch aluminum filler rod and ran it through. It wouldn't solder at all using Rosin 44 solder. I began to wonder if it was Silver as some higher end boards are. When describing the circuit above, I realized it returns signal to ground so I guess copper would be fine. At the time I was not thinking. I just wanted my faders in and board working.
THANKS

[resolution]

Tinned Copper Wire.

What make of console?
Older Soundcraft & Studiomasters will probably be 22 swg TCW
Available from RS Components www.rswww.com.
Part No: 355-079 which is a fine guage (approx 1mm dia)
If this is for a ground bus then you may need to use something thicker 16 or 18 guage.
Got to the RS site > Advanced search. Enter the RS part no above & you'll see their complete range of TCW.

No console manufacture uses solid silver buss bars (Too expensive)
Even top end Neve's or SSL's use copper.

The easy way to check if it's TCW is to either cut it or scrape the tin plate. You'll see the copper underneith.

regards

res

[argonrepublic]

Thanks Res
You are right!
I have finished this overhaul. I will know in the future when/if I build one. I really, really want to build one