[Elecraft] Antistatic Silicon Mat?

[Dale Chayes]

I think might (in some way) OT except that folks here build kits…..

No knocks on ebay - like everywhere else, if you are careful, you can get what you pay for.  I’ve found great things there for very little money on ebay.

For comparison, a range of bench mats from Newark:
http://www.newark.com/c/static-control-site-safety-clean-room-products/esd-protection-products/anti-static-mats

I’ve installed and used a wide range of antistatic mats on benches (and far less optimum locations including on the deck, in the snow, and the ground) in lots of places for work.

I bought a pair for my benches at home and a 3M portable (field kit):
https://www.cdw.com/shop/products/3M-TELCOM-STATIC-FIELD-SERVICE-KIT/2316620.aspx
with seems to come from SCS these days (are they spun off of 3M?)

Whatever you buy, don’t forget (the obvious, but often overlooked):
- at least one wrist strap
- and you have to ground the mat

I’m relatively new to the amateur radio hobby and I find it fascinating that many of us (this is the Elecraft list after all) are willing to pay nontrivial money for the best radios but at least some find it hard to justify paying for quality for the supporting infrastructure/equipment.

YMWV,

-Dale
KB1ZKD



> On Jan 12, 2018, at 12:00 , Kevin Cozens <kevin at ve3syb.ca> wrote:
> 
> On 2018-01-12 01:32 AM, F5vjc wrote:
>> Found on Amazon, looks very handy but is it really antistatic (ESD safe)
>> for our purposes?
> 
> I wouldn't touch that type of mat if you are working with static sensitive electronics.
> 
> For a proper ESD mat take a look at this:
>   https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=272253182084
> 
> A top half that is dissapative, can't easily be punctured, can handle high temperature for a short time without burning for a short term. The bottom half is conductive. It has attachment points for a wrist strap and for the wire that should be connected to ground to get rid of any charge build up.
> 
> --
> Cheers!
> 
> Kevin.
> 
> http://www.ve3syb.ca/           |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract
> Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172      | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're
>                               | powerful!"
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