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I read about this stuff in Popular Mechanics. It's called the Bare Conductive Electric Paint Pen. It can transmit up to 12v DC. You draw the circuit and wait for it to dry. It is water soluble and can be removed. If sealed with a waterproof paint it can last a year.

One of the difficulties I have had with adding lights to a slot car is finding room to stuff the wires. If this stuff can be connected to the LEDs and the power source it might make adding lights to a slot car a breeze.

I have ordered a pen and after I try it I will report back.

Here is a link.
http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/cart/ba ... 7AodWAoAyQ

We started using these for repairing copper tape a few years back. They work fine, but you really have to be careful about them drying out. I keep them in a rolled up zip lock bag.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/CW2000 ... OgodHVIA7g

I thought about that application too. From time to time, especially after a major temperature swing in the weather my mdf track has developed cracks in the copper tape which we have successfully repaired with hot solder but there are places where getting a hot iron to the tape is difficult.

Yep. And the hot iron can do some weird stuff to the glue under the tape, too.

Bobby, the tension on the tape when it was laid, the thickness of the tape itself, the temperature when it was laid, all kinds of things can produce effects. Fortunately, most are easily and even obviously repaired, quick and easy. You need not worry. Its good to keep one of these pens around, but you are just as well to just bookmark where to buy them and wait to see if you need it.

By the way Bob, have you seen the new Italian step climbing chairs? I saw an article a couple of months ago and they caught my attention because one of the jobs I had while I was in college was wheelchair and other training for guys with new spinal cord injuries. These chairs have a triangular sprocket-looking arrays of wheels on all four points, and the damned things actually climb stairs. When I think of all the guys I have known with lumps on the backs of their heads from learning to hop curbs and to decompress, that thing looked pretty impressive. You don't need one for a new house obviously, since you know how to set up for access, but its a neat idea.

Bob - that is pretty slick! Will definitely be interested to hear how you make out with it!
:D

I've also used this to repair split in my copper tape also. My house is 150 yrs old and the track is located in the basement which has hand laid stone walls. So we have temperature and humidity issues affecting the copper tape which requires a lot of maintenance and repairs.

This stuff carries enough current for a set of LED lights but smokes when the load of a motor is applied.

copper tape works well also. you can either run it alongthe inside of the body and attatch with lead wires to motor or guide. Or run along the chassis floor.