[Elecraft] Re: Things to sort kit parts into

[Larry Phipps]

I got some conductive foam for shipping of parts from these guys...

http://www.staticspecialists.com/esdbags.htm#Foam%20and%20Bubble

They have a couple choices in the $13-14 range for a sheet 2' x 3' x 1/4"

Not free, but at least it's a source.

Larry N8LP



Carl, n5wn wrote:

> A good material for holding sorted parts is EPP anti-static foam.  
> This is a stiff foam, not squishy, and is a pink color.  Cut it down 
> to about 1/2" thick slabs and stick component leads straight into it.  
> I usually take small "sticky notes" and tack them onto the side of the 
> slab with the parts values penciled in for what is stuck into the 
> foam.  I group all the similar parts together.  These slabs with parts 
> stuck in them can easily be moved around between building sessions and 
> if tilted or tipped won't spill like tins or sheets.  I don't know a 
> specific source for this material but I have obtained more than enough 
> of it over the years from the inside of packing boxes for CRTs and 
> other computer equipment.
>
> EPP stands for Expanded Polypropylene and is a stiff and kind of 
> glossy foam with large air cells.  If you press hard on the foam will 
> rebound to it's original shape slowly.  It is a great packing material 
> for filling space and absorbing shock.  Maybe someday Elecraft will 
> use it to pack kits and we would be able to use the packing material 
> to sort the parts....
>
> Another good sorting container is the recycled cardboard separator 
> trays for bulk packs of jelly packages (the kind you use in the 
> restaurant).  I use these separators to hold hardware, cores, wire, 
> switches, etc. that are not susceptible to static.  These work better 
> than egg cartons because they are typically only about 1/2" deep and 
> have circular or rectangular depressions about 2-4 sq inches in size.  
> It is easy to see what you have and get it out.  The separators I like 
> the best are for round jelly packages and the whole tray is about 
> 8"x10".  You can get these separators from coffee shops or breakfast 
> restaurants who use hundreds of jelly packages a day and just throw 
> away these packing items.  Because they are cardboard you can write in 
> the bottom of the depression what size screw or part is in that 
> depression. When loaded with parts these trays can be stacked and 
> picked up as a group to set aside between build sessions.  I built my 
> K2 using 4 of these for all the non-static parts.
>
> 73,
>
> Carl S.    N5WN    K2 #1241
>