[Elecraft] easy source of static dissipating work mat?

[Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy]

Ron AC7AC wrote:

> Crafts stores that sell supplies for those making stained glass windows
> generally carry narrow rolls of copper strip with adhesive on one side. It
> seems to me that would make a nice grounding strip. Solder a 1 meg 
> resistor
> at one end with a wire to ground.

-----------------------------------------------------

Another use for that type of copper strip is to make traces on 'prototype' 
single sided pcbs by cutting it into narrower stips. This removes the need 
to etch a pcb until the design is complete. I am still using some 
'prototype' pcbs built 20+ years ago, and there is no sign yet of any strip 
lifting off the fibreglass board.



Bill W4ZV wrote:

> I lay some black
> ESD foam (supplied with something I've now forgotten about) on the liner 
> if
> I'm concerned about scratching anything.

-----------------------------------------------------

To prevent scratching anything when building a pcb assembly I add 4 legs to 
the pcb (5 for large pcbs) made from metal spacers, each threaded at one end 
and tapped at the other end, attached through holes where the pcb's 
groundplane is visible. The pcb then looks like an oil rig with a sort of 
four square on top. This removes any need to touch the pcb while building or 
turning it upside down, and prevents scratches. Whenever possible I populate 
a pcb with all of its resistors before installing any static sensitive 
devices. For insurance I ground one of the legs via a resistor.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD