To get the small amount of copper sulphate and sulphuric acid that you need, why don't you contact your local high school and arrange to give a demo of 3D printing in exchange for the chemicals from their science lab stocks?

Roxy, Yes, the copper wire would get a plating of silver, but only a few millimetres of copper wire would be exposed, so it would be no problem.

Using graphite, just check the conductivity of a heaped teaspoon of it with your multimeter.

OME