[Elecraft] easy source of static dissipating work mat?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Missouri Guy
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 4:48 PM
To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] easy source of static dissipating work mat?

 

I haven't done this, but here's some info:

I *think* there was a "Hints and Kinks" article in QST

quite awhile ago where a guy made a "mat" using

some Masonite (tempered hardboard, etc) and a

quantity of India Ink.  He said (as I recall) that the 

India Ink has a lot of carbon in it.  When applied to

the hardboard, it drains off any static (provided it's

grounded of course)..

 

Just to throw more meat into the ring.....

While building the K3, the instructions never tell 

you to power up any "bare" circuit boards that are just laying on

any mat or bench.  For temporary use what would be 

wrong with, say taking some aluminum foil, and gluing 

it to "whatever" and grounding the aluminum

via a megohm resistor?   

 

73,

Charlie, N0TT

 

 

Genuine O.T.s (I have to admit I've done this) used to make high-value
resistors by drawing a line with india ink on a piece of paper. An inch or
so of such ink, perhaps 1/8" wide, produced a resistor typically between 10
and 50 megohms - a perfect "grid leak" resistor for a vacuum tube
regenerative detector. 

 

In my defense, I'll say that I did *not* do this back in the heyday of the
regenerative detector as the state of the art. I happen to be interested in
vintage circuits and gear ;-)

 

But why bother, with the extremely low cost of either mats or wrist straps -
especially compared to what you've got in a K3?

 

Ron AC7AC 

 

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