Stupid question: Can I DIY convert a mouse pad to ESD pad? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: stafil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 07:34:36 pm
content: As the subject says, is it possible for me to DIY convert my mousepad to an ESD pad?If not, any one has any good recommendations for ESD mat brands?

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2020, 09:02:40 pm
content: No, the material itself has to be very slightly conductive, and while you could theoretically coat the surface with some graphite paint etc., it would suck beyond imagination.The brand isn't that important, just pick something off Ebay or Amazon maybe? You can verify it isn't a scam with a multimeter: At least the bottom layer needs to be conductive when measured with the highest ohm range of a multimeter. Just probe between two points, it will show some tens or hundreds of kilo-ohms.The upper layer is less conductive (possibly even called "static dissipative", which isalmostnon-conducting), some multimeters can't read some ESD mats but it's OK if the layer facing the table clearly conducts.Remember to actually ground the ESD mat.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 02:59:21 am
content: Quote from: stafil on April 04, 2020, 07:34:36 pmSiwastaja is just plain wrong here, sorry, even if I actually agree with his implicit recommendation to just buy a mat.It wouldn’t “suck beyond imagination”. Yes, sprays exist to make plastics ESD-safe, and no, they don’t have to be carbon or metal coated. Here’s one example:https://www.techspray.com/licron-crystal-esd-safe-coating-3However, I wouldn’t advise doing it. Just get an ESD mat. Why? Those sprays are damned expensive! And I’m sure such a coating isn’t nearly as durable as an ESD mat. They don’t cost much, so why not just get the right thing?

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 06:27:19 am
content: I wouldn't go so far as to call him wrong, since nobody's defined the mouse pad yet.I've got a mouse pad that's fabric on top of rubber. I don't see any reasonable way to convert that.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 08:45:35 am
content: Quote from: tooki on April 06, 2020, 02:59:21 amThanks, but you are equally "plain wrong" saying itwouldn'tsuck beyond imagination, the chances really are it either sucks or doesn't, also depending on the level of that imagination-defined suckery threshold. Neither of us really knows what happens if the OP tries it.Do you really think most such sprays are designed to be used on working surfaces exposed to a lot of wear and tear? I could think about coating a table with such material, but then I'd use another layer of static-dissipative plastic or whatever. Mouse pads specifically use plastics that are easy to clean, i.e., the adhesion may suck, maybe do a high-voltage corona discharge treatment to it before coating? And as Nusa says, some are fabric-covered.Maybe a carefully selected product could impregnate a wooden table like a good layer of lacquer and stay there, yes, but if you just spray "Licron Crystal ESD-Safe Coating" on a standard mousepad, I don't feel very confident it won't start flaking off after a few months of heavy use, but maybe I'm wrong. You also need to consider the chances that the OP is limited to buying something that is easily available to them at a sane cost. This would be a huge experiment with no guarantee about the result.I have one such spray bottle (graphite-based) for adding ESD protection to those places which arenotworking surfaces (which would be easily protected by half a square meter of off-the-shelf cheap ESD mat), and where some flaking or wear isn't catastrophic, like shelves, chairs, etc. ESD safe furniture, OTOH, costs ridiculous sums of money, so I very well understand why the products you linked exist.Also note the product is just static dissipative, meaning it's not generating a charge when you rub against it. It likely isn't conductive enough to sink a charge through the material to a ground connection point unless you give it a lot of time. I have never seen such an ESD mat; ESD mats always seem to have a more conductive bottom layer (with a connection point for grounding). They are actually able to sink a charge. Ithinkthere might be reasons why they are that way. My guess is that the importance of the ESD mat being actually conductive is paramount when the ESD procedures are lacking elsewhere, i.e., no ESD floor, shoes, furniture, etc. The mat is finally the place where you drop your component packaging, rest your hands, and being able to discharge plays a role here.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 08:55:05 am
content: A mouse mat probably isn't going to withstand the occasional accidental contact with a hot soldering iron, a fairly fundamental requirement.

author: stafil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 09:08:11 am
content: Ended up going for a mat. It wasn't as expensive as I original thought. I was mixing up the feet (') and inches (")

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 06, 2020, 10:16:23 am
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on April 06, 2020, 08:45:35 amThe question was “do such sprays exist?” You said no, which is demonstrably wrong.The original question wasn’t whether it makes sense to do so. You and I are in total agreement that it does not.You then continued to go on about graphite coatings and how they’d suck, but that’s not what is at hand here.As for your implication that I didn’t think about durability: I expressly addressed the unknown durability of the antistatic sprays. So you really can’t accuse me of not thinking about that.