Last edited by Oneslowz28; 10-07-2010 at 10:23 AM.
Hmm, I've never really bothered because they're usually either a pain to work with (I used to have a cloth one...never again) or just crazy expensive. I might pick one of these up for my new workshop though..I've only ever had 1 (maybe 2) components die on me that could have possibly been from ESD, but it never hurts to be sure.
On a side note, I never work in just socks..either shoes or barefoot. Either way, you're generating a lot less charge.
N3KK1D PH34R!
TBCS 5TB Club :: coilgun :: bench PSU :: mightyMite :: Zeus :: E15 Magna EVThat we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.
--Benjamin Franklin
LOL!
I am actually getting ready to drop a purchase order for 12 esd stations including mats.
The only thing that bugs me so far, are the location of the snaps. Putting them in the middle edge of the mat limits the work area. I may pick one up for travel though since I do a lot of work at customers sites.
"...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...
I did forget to mention that in the review. I would much rather seen them placed in the top left corner about 2" from each edge.
Charles (CJ) Gantt: Coil Gun // Biohazard // Circuits // 3D Printer // CoD MW2 Case // TBCS 4GHz Club
Sites: The Makers WorkBench // CJ Gantt Photography
I have had no problems with static damage, and have never used anti-static straps. I just install the PSU first, plug it in, and touch it before I pick up parts. I also try to only pick up stuff by the edges and not touch the the contacs, although I don't know if that helps. In Youtube videos I have seen tonnes of people manhandling their high end video cards and motherboards, without doing anything whatsoever to protect the parts.
I just grab stuff and toss it around. never had an issue (knock on wood) If I had a workspace big enough to put that I might consider it though, it's sweet
Arctic Cat * Maximum Security * Cribbage Board * Rockin Case * Armor Redux
Tempest SXR * Power House * Red Comet * ICHIWZ * Acrylic Headphone Hook
Continuing sponsorship support from PCBoard.ca
I leave some things unprotected on my carpeted floor for sometimes years, and they're always fine; I don't exactly take any static precautions, and have never killed anything. Even when I worked for my school district, they took no precautions against it, and out of the few thousand computers serviced, none were damaged. This involved pulling the hard drives out, carrying them around, and dropping the newly imaged hard drives back in. Even at the school where I seemed to get a shock from any metal I touched (other than the grounded computers), everything was fine.
I may still jump on one of these, anyway.
An ESD matt is like insurance. You really should have it. You probably will never need it. But the one time you DO need it, you'd be seriously sorry if you didn't have it.
Go with the Condom philosophy. It's better to have one and not need it, than need one and not have it....
Saying that, I don't have a ESD Matt and don't plan on buying one anytime soon unless I happen to see one at a can't-say-no price. Then again, I don't have home, life, or pet insurance either....
I'MA LIVIN' ON THE EDGE BABY!!!!
Current Projects: Lobo | Unimatrix | High Voltage | Antec 900 Revamp (Phase 2)
Completed Projects: General Lee | Synergy Green | Liquid Yellow
Planned Projects: K-9-PC | Limey