> Tracking down some 5mm solid copper rod for the electrodes is alsos a bit
> tricky.. no-one seems to sell anything above 2.5mm around here.

I find that amazing.  I can drive over to the local hobby shop and buy solid
copper rods from 1/32" (possibly even 1/64") up to (at least) 3/8".

Even if I were only able to get 1/4", that still meets your 5mm needs.  Don't
hobby shops where you are stock similar scale materials?

Mike H.

PS- In the wake of DT's excellent soldering gun idea, this may be a
superfluous post, but still, I'd like to know.

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