Using copper tape for wiring.

[Terry Toenges]

I discovered copper tape last year. I didn't know it existed. Copper tape can used instead of wire for some things. It's flat and doesn't take up much room. I bought a couple of rolls and put it to good use.

[Terry Toenges]

I had some passenger cars that I wanted to light up. I bought light strips for them. This is the bottom off of a passenger car. I added a piece of copper tape under the metal wheel "wiper" for better conductivity. The screw is what carries the current through the floor. The wiper is against the tape and the tape is right up against the screw.  I had to bend the ends of the wipers up some so there wasn't so much rolling resistance. To make sure I was still getting good contact, I wrapped the middle axle with the tape. The tape is really slick so there's not much drag there.

[Terry Toenges]

The is the above view of the floor. I use pieces of bronze that I cut to connect to the screws that carry the current up from the wheels. They will carry the current to the end of the car.

[Terry Toenges]

Once the interior is in place, I bent the metal strips up. I wanted to be able to remove the body on the cars without having to disconnect electrical connectors. That would have meant adding more wiring. The wires would have had to be long enough for me to get the body off far enough to be able to get to the connectors. Then there was the chance of pulling wires loose when trying to disconnect them.

[Terry Toenges]

This is the passenger car body. After I secured the light bar in the roof, I ran the wires on each side of the door. Then, I put the copper tape over them. When I put the body on the frame, the bent metal strips on the frame are against the copper tape making the electric connection to the light bar.

[Terry Toenges]

All of these street light wires are connected to a couple of strips of cardboard that have strips of copper tape on them. The cardboard is behind the buildings and covered with white cloth.

[Terry Toenges]

All of these lights had boxes attached to them so they could be used with batteries or a power supply plug. I ran the two strips of copper tape on a piece of cardboard. On the end, I connected the two leads from a power supply. I cut the boxes off of the lights. I used pieces of copper tape to secure the light wires to the strips. I was able to use two strips of cardboard to light 17 streetlights. By doing that, I was able to get rid of about ten boxes that would have taken up a lot of room. And, I didn't have to do any soldering. :-)

[Ken Huck]

WOW !  That's a really great product.  Where can I find it ? 
Is the 'sticky' side insulated, or does electric current pass through ?

This gives me all kind of ideas !

Thanks,
Ken

[Terry Toenges]

I got mine from Amazon but a number of places have it. It comes in different widths also. Current will pass through sticky side also. I love it because it's flat and you don't have bumps from wires. It would be good if you have a town with lighted buildings. Rather than drill holes for wires, you can run this tape and light multiple buildings like I did with the street lights.
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22copper+tape%22&lr=&safe=images&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwim9ZuCgOH8AhWID1kFHSjoBQ4Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1119&bih=526&dpr=1.71

[MidWestMikeGT]

Wonderful idea.  I love how you got power up to the shell using the brass tabs.  I have installed LEDs into some of my older shells and the disconnect is a pain when I remove the shell.  May I steal your ideas please? 

[Terry Toenges]

Go for it Mike(?). I put things on here so others can benefit from what I've learned.