I'm going to be doing quite a lot of work on computers (repairs, upgrades etc) and I have a desk that will be ideal as a workbench. What is the best type of material to cover the top of the desk so that I don't scratch the computer cases or the top of the desk itself, and also taking into account electrical requirements as well, ie, static, earthing and the avoidance of short circuits?
TIA
That's easy - unobtanium. Next best bet is probably wood, but it will get scratched up by case corners.
NT
rubber
Without a doubt the best workbenches for electronics are covered with rubber sheet and, if there is enough carbon in it, earth it via L angle edge strips.
There may in fact be rubber made exactly for this.
Not ideal but I use 'table protector' obtainable from furniture shops. I have a proper antistatic mat on one part of it.
Whatever you've got (wood, metal, rubber) covered in a roll of foam rubber netting, sold cheaply as anti-slip mat. This allows a bit of space for loose screws and wire ends to sit, without poking up and scratching cases.
Rubber sheet is a good topping, if you're building. Most black rubber (i.e. not vinyl) is sufficiently conductive to avoid static problems. Static is over-rated as a problem these days, unless you're handling at the bare chip level.
Brilliant, thanks everyone.
I wouldn't worry about it.
Whatever the bench is already covered with will be OK, unless it's a metal bench connected to your van-der-graff generator, of course.
As to the suggestions of rubber being anti-static, than I say bollocks. Rubber is an insulator, and provides no anti-static properties.
If you want to go with anti-static kit ( which is over-rated for the most part IMHO ), then the 'rubber' mats they provide are impregnated to make them slightly conductive, and they have a snap-on connector which needs to be earthed. That's totally different from a plain rubber mat.
My workbench is covered with an off-cut of grey flooring vinyl, which serves for electronic, electrical, and mechanical work.
Mine is covered in cuts and holes, burn marks from welding etc.
If I'm doing something clean, I put a small sheet of 4mm hardboard down.
I agree about static being a low risk - never encountered any problems
shows how totally ignorant you are.
Rubber is loaded more, or less, with carbon to make it conduct.
V important in tyres to prevent static buildup.
Not necessarily deliberately with that intention, but often conductive.
A locomotive electrical cabinet was once under test. On top was a device with three incoming electrical connections, spaced 120 degrees apart. It had a transparent protective dome, with a rubber sealing strip around its circular bottom edge.
During the test, the dome suddenly burst into flames. Upon measuring a rubber strip from stock, its resistance was about
1K0, so students can work out for themselves what that would dissipate connected in delta across a three phase supply. ;-)As it was a bought-in component, we manufactured a more compliant no-flammable cover. I gather the scrapped ones were popular in Loughborough veg plots as individual cloches.
Chris
Industry standard for this is Linoleum/ Marmoleum (Lino to you and me) Its often specified for workbenches in the electronics industry
Is that linoleum with Marmite as an additive? (along the lines of Creomite).
And they even do a special anti-static version
I've used offcuts of the normal stuff as a bench top The computer I'm using sits on one (with a wood front edge to make it look neat.)
Jim Chisholm
The mil spec aircraft I used to work on had conductive rubber between each spine panel and the structure so as to make a conductive path to the airframe. All the rest of the airframe was carefully bonded together.
As you say, the tyres had to be conductive to prevent a static build up that could track across and strike an arc on landing. All sorts of nasties on an aircraft can ignite.
In flight, the static was never a problem, as it was discharge through sacrificial trailing wires on the wings etc. On landing, the only way to get rid of it was through the tyres.
Dave
In message , John writes
I use something like this
? which is Marmite with added creosote?
I actually thought it wasn't marmite - some of it looks like like =
marmalade spread on the floor.
A length of chain attached to an anvil would be cheaper.
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