Copper braid and Copper strap (was Re: About copper strap)

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Copper braid and Copper strap (was Re: About copper strap)
From: "Reinhard Walter Buchner" <rw.buchner-at-verbund-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 12:02:06 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hello Brent, all,

>Original Poster: Brent L Caldwell <stretchmonster-at-juno-dot-com> 
> I've been watching this thread about what copper strap is, and just
>thought I might add something.  
> Copper strap (if you guys who know what it is are thinking of the same
>stuff I'm thinking of) looks just like the copper braided stuff you clean
>the tip of a soldering iron with, except the braid you guys are referring
>to for an RF ground cable is much bigger and thicker.  I am guessing that
>some of you who don't know what the copper strap looks like might know
>what the copper braid for cleaning soldering irons looks like.

There is obviously some confusion going on here. The desoldering wick you
describe is called copper BRAID. This is crisscross woven copper wires (and
coated with rosin in the de-soldering case). This stuff is worthless for RF
usage, because the wires weaving in and out act like a short circuit at each
point. Using this stuff will create lower spark output (losses) and get mighty
hot. The word braid comes from the woven wires. Just like braided hair 
(okay, no gals on this list, but you know what I mean).

Copper STRAP is just that. A flat piece of copper in long lengths. It comes
in a various widths and thicknesses. The real important factor here is that
it is made out of a SOLID piece of copper (and not out of woven wires).
Due to the skin effect at RF frequencies there is no need for a thick
conductor, as there is no real current flowing inside of the material.

I hope this clears the problem...:o))

Coiler greets from germany,
Reinhard