DIY anti-static mat material? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 06:12:51 am
content: I haven't seen anyone make a diy anti-static mat. I was thinking the raw material would might be cheap, and you could cover your entire bench as a both work mat, and an anti-static mat?Thoughts?EDIT: Concrete thinking. Urrr. Ok. I'll specifyno cardboard, artist pencils, room humidifiers, or wrist straps.Just a normal, old school mat - DIY style - not links to a mat anyone can buy. Ya know. I just thought it would be a worthwhile thread to see if there is a source for resistive/conductive type of mat that can be a DIY project. Thanks for the suggestion on everything other then a diy mat. It's really appreciated.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 06:25:57 am
content: I'd take a piece of cardboard and paint it completely with graphite (e.g. one of those THICK art pencils). Then run a thin grounding wire around the circumference. Then glue this thing graphite face up to the underside of my work mat. It should work pretty well.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 06:49:43 am
content: Thanks! But...I was kinda thinking something a bit more durable then cardboard. Not to mention, the graphite would continually rub off on your hands, and things you are working on.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 07:03:53 am
content: Quote from: george graves on August 15, 2011, 06:49:43 amWell that's why I said glue it to theundersideof the working mat.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 07:17:23 am
content: Quote from: george graves on August 15, 2011, 06:12:51 amSaw your post and thought "what a good idea", however while a quick search reveals lots of options for conductive and antistatic flooring sheet etc. None of it is looking cheap. Perhaps if you can a find a flooring supplier near you you may be able to locate an offcut for the right price. Custom fitted would certainly be preferable to the budget antistatic mats.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 07:35:30 am
content: Quote from: HAL-42b on August 15, 2011, 07:03:53 amSomeone correct me if I'm wrong, I believe that an antistatic mat isn't there just to absorb spark type discharge like you might get when you rub your feet on a carpet and touch a door knob. But the way it works is that it will bleed off static electricity slowly through the high resistance of the mat before it builds up. So if the cardboard material was under non-conductive mat, the charge would need to build up very large before it would discharge.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 08:24:13 am
content: Since the resistance of your work mat is not infinite (a few hundred MOhm-ish) there will be enough charge flow to prevent static build up, yet it won't act as a ground plane.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 09:09:35 am
content: Thanks HAL-42b. But I don't think we're on the same page. Please let other people chime in. Thanks!

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 09:45:57 am
content: The super cheap version: get a small room humidifier. At 40-50% RH, every surface in your room will be covered with a few monolayers of water and will dissipate static before it can build up. It is like covering your entire room in anti-static mats. Actually, that should be considered in addition to anti-static mats and wrist straps anywhere that has frequent low humidity. Anti-static mats are meant primarily to keep static from building up, and to dissipate it slowly in case it does. They cannot really protect against you scuffing your shoes on carpet and then touching something with a ground connection.Generally I would say the #1 priority is wrist straps, #2 is humidity control, and #3 is anti-static work bench.

author: metalphreak
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 12:53:27 pm
content: I've got the 30x60cm version of this:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Anti-static-High-Temperature-Resistance-Mat-60cm-100cm-/190535552460?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5ccdcdcc#ht_1887wt_905It's great for soldering on and does a good job of protecting my nice new desk. Not too sure about its anti-static properties since it doesn't have a ground clip snap on connector on it...