Solder Station with Silicone Mat - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 05:30:36 pm
content: This does not quite fit into the General chat area where Watches and Teslas are topics.This is also less about electronics themselves.But probably a better crowd here to answer.I making a small solder station area on a desl in small 12x10 room. Above the area are some office style cabinets across the wall. Under the cab above work area I will create a filter system to suck up solder fumes, along with some proper LED lighting. This is all hobby style soldering, etc.To protect my desk work area I put down a 3mm thick silicone mat.Problem is, silicone mats like to be very staticky (static-eee). Could possibly pop holes in FETs if they are laid down onto the mat is high static area.So, best way to keep that static down? Is there fabric that uses some metal threading, I use that as a top layer? I certainly can hook a grounding fabric or the like to earth ground via my PSU. I just not sure easiest way to shield or ground static from silicone mat.Tinfoil sheet works, but kinda too fragile and rips easily.Suggestions?

author: Veteran68
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 06:18:54 pm
content: There's a few discussions threads here about silicone mats and ESD protection, but I'll go out on a limb and say you'll be hard pressed to find evidence of a silicone soldering mat destroying any components. There's more a likelihood that YOU would fry something with a static discharge from your finger than from your soldering mat.That said, if ESD is a concern I'd suggest a quality dissipative rubber ESD mat. You can get them much larger than silicone mats and are moderately heat resistant. In fact you can buy a bulk roll and cut them to fit whatever work areas you have, and then crimp snap attachments on them for ground strapping. I have two, one six feet long for my static workbench and another three feet long on my 4' rolling cart worktop. If I'm concerned about damaging it with something I'm working on, I'll toss either a cutting mat or a silicone mat on top of it.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 06:26:57 pm
content: I would recommend a proper ESD mat. And you will not need any adhesive to glue it down.I can recommend these FT Series 2-Layer Rubber Worktop Mats:https://www.hisco.com/Catalog/Static-Control/Static-Control-Matting/ESD-Safe-Rubber-Benchtop-Mats/FTW100BThis is an outstanding price!!!

author: Shay
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 08:04:57 pm
content: If you are going to buy a proper ESD mat, I can recommend buying it second-hand. New ones are expensive as hell!Bought a nice esd mat for 20$ second hand. Gave it a good clean and it as good as new.

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 10:15:47 pm
content: Quote from: Shay on January 19, 2024, 08:04:57 pmThe ESD mat from Hiso (texas) is large, and only $14(us), and appears to come with gnd strap accessories too.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2024, 10:45:49 pm
content: I also recommend ESD mats and not this silicone crap. The silicone mats may seem all great and convenient, but I wouldn't trust them in the least for ESD reasons.

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 12:18:44 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 19, 2024, 10:45:49 pmI did not buy silicone for an ESD mat. I got 3mm silicone just to protect my desk from dropped solder and such.Perhaps I buy the $14 Hiso item (or the like) and just use it when needed.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 09:41:16 am
content: Quote from: Veteran68 on January 19, 2024, 06:18:54 pm”no evidence” ≠ not happening.True professionals buy ESD mats, not silicone hobbyist junk.ESD damage is very hard to prove. Usually, the evidence that ESD was the problem is when, in a production environment (=an environment with enough volume to have statistically valid failure rates) the failure rate plummets after taking ESD countermeasures.The fact is, chances are we’ve all experienced failures caused by ESD, but simply attribute them to random mystery failure.In any case, the fact that a silicone mat can generate and hold onto static charge is enough to prove it’s not ESD-safe, because what you want in ESD-safe products is for them to at minimum not generate charge, and better to dissipate them by being slightly conductive.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 09:42:04 am
content: Quote from: Shay on January 19, 2024, 08:04:57 pmNo they’re not, I paid something like $50 new.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 09:43:50 am
content: Quote from: Randy222 on January 19, 2024, 05:30:36 pmJust get an ESD mat like others have said.

author: Shay
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 10:59:26 am
content: Quote from: tooki on January 20, 2024, 09:42:04 amNice. From my experience, when I looked around for a decent-sized ESD mat that would fit my bench (about 3 meters in length, 1 meter in width), they were quite expensive (for hobby use):https://il.farnell.com/multicomp/082-0002f5/conductive-mat-1-1m-x-2-4m/dp/1687911The point is that buying a second-hand ESD mat poses no harm, as it is essentially a rubber mat with dissipative properties.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 07:04:36 pm
content: Fresh from the editing table...

author: Randy222
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 11:10:45 pm
content: Good video.I will perhaps put an ESD mat over my silicone mat, maybe with tinfoil between.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2024, 11:36:51 am
content: Quote from: Randy222 on January 20, 2024, 11:10:45 pmNo, just don’t use the silicone mat at all.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2024, 10:21:50 pm
content: Quote from: Randy222 on January 20, 2024, 11:10:45 pmThe ESD mat will easily withstand drops of solder, and also brief accidental touches with the soldering iron. As long as you don't make it a habit to put, say, a piece of wire you want to tin directly down onto the ESD mat and press your iron onto it, you will be fine. No need for the silicone mat at all.