Mats for the top of your workbench... any suggestions?

[Jake]

I was putzing around in the shop this morning tearing some electronics...

Anyhow, I got a little 'frustrated' because the mats we use on our bench-tops have gotten so old and grimy that I really wasn't happy laying all these nice clean electrical innards on the bench. I went and cut a piece of cardboard to use today, but I though some new bench mats would be nice. We used to use them even in field tear-downs sometimes to keep screws and stuff from rolling into the numerous 'Bermuda Triangles' where small parts seem to just disappear (-:.

I spent an hour just now Googling for these things and am having no luck, and damned if I can remember where they came from originally.

Do any of you guys use these things, and who sells them? Some of ours had a flat magnetic edge-side to hold stuff, which is also nice.

I went so far as to look at the Snap-On on line cat, but didn't find anything close.

Anybody got any ideas?

Jake

[Jim Yanik]

Jake wrote in news:Vkzxe.113607$_o.109644@attbi_s71:

For electronics,you want ANTI-STATIC bench mats,to dissipate static charges before they destroy your electronics.

3M makes a good one.They can be cleaned with ordinary household chemicals.

[RicodJour]

Masonite. And use fiddles to keep parts from rolling off the bench. For disposable covers, buy a roll of paper from a restaurant supply house. They use them as tablecloths in the greasy places. Mount the roll next to the bench so you can rip off a length easily. Recycle the paper when done.

R

[Colbyt]

electronics...

The no slip carpet padding that is typically used under area rugs. Comes in

2 styles as I recall. One is a heavy open weave like burlap and the other is a solid. Both are about 3/16 inch thick. Cut to fit or just make placemats.

Colbyt