Where to source copper strips

I’m having issues getting clearance for emitter wires under wide reflectors. Where do you source the thin copper that many use for that purpose?

i got some pieces left

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Copper-Sheet-4-12-x-2-strips-16-ounce-24-gauge-crafts-HURRY-WHILE-LAST-/251875953408?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa4fa0b00

would u like me to send u some ? no charge

Thanks! That’d be great. I’ll send you a PM

For anyone else looking, thin copper and brass sheet can be had at some hardware and hobby stores from K&S Precision Metals. Scrap metal yards might also have tons of stuff priced by the pound. I get many brass fittings this way.

If you can find scraps of household wiring, you might try flattening some 12AWG copper with a hammer.

You can go to Etsy and type in copper sheet. Lots of hits for small amounts.

What’s a proper gauge to use?

Old laptop battery packs, i’ve used the thin flat strips of copper from those

No hard and fast rule but it should probably be similar in cross sectional area to the wire you are using. For example, awg18 is 1.02mm in diameter or ~ .8 mm^2. If the solder pad and strip are 2mm across then sheet thickness could be .4 mm or .008” (8mil) thick which is 32 guage so pretty darn thin. If you use a wider strip then you could go even thinner since the area of the solder pads is much greater than the cross section of the strip.