surface covering for work bench

[diy didi]

Hi All!
I have been doing electronic repairs for about 4 years now. Thing is, many times I end up scratching peoples stuff due to debris on my bench, leftover from previous repairs. Little pieces of solder or wire etc.
What could I use as a surface covering. Carpet perhaps?
Any ideas will be appreciated.

 

[Reloadron]

I wouldn't carpet a bench surface, but that being just me. I have used bench surfaces of plywood that I poly urethane coated as well as I have a bench with a formica top. Your problem as you describe it seems more an issue of needing to fix the work habits rather than a bench surface issue.

Just My Take
Ron

 

[strantor]

tile it with mousepads

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Agree wit Ron. It's a housekeeping issue.

Start with a clean bench.

You should ALWAYS put your parts into something. It used to be bowl, then a compartmentalized plastic thing. For the hard things, tiny Ziploc bags (about 3" x 5") with labels as to where the screws go.

I have masonite at home and have used Formica.

 

[Mosaic]

Formica, 'Formplac' synthetic stone, even gypsum board (sheet rock) can work.

 

[crutschow]

Working with electronics it would be a good idea to use an ESD bench pad. They are rubbery, so will protect the equipment from scratches, and you can connect a wrist-strap to them to minimize any possible ESD damage. The ESD mat can be connected to earth ground or the ground pin on the AC outlet, but that's not mandatory as long as you and the mat are at the same voltage using the wrist-strap.

 

[Dean Huster]

My benches have always had either painted steel tops or Formica tops. The key to not damaging the item being worked on can be the use of a turntable -- a lazy susan. Then rather than moving the product against the bench surface, you're rotating the surface it's on. A turntable is also great when the products is heavy -- oscilloscope mainframes, communication receivers, etc.

A mentioned, it's prudent to use a foxtail to clean off a benchtop between jobs. There's more advantages to doing that than there are arguments against. Laziness is usually the only con argument.

 

[strantor]

it's prudent to use a foxtail .

I've only ever heard it called that in the Navy

 

[ghostman11]

if its that messy when you work use cheap old newspaper! then all you got to do is roll it up and throw away after you finish each job. i have a ESD mat but can rarely find it under the piles of junk that seem to inhabit my bench

 

[strantor]

if its that messy when you work use cheap old newspaper! then all you got to do is roll it up and throw away after you finish each job. i have a ESD mat but can rarely find it under the piles of junk that seem to inhabit my bench

I heard one guy say that he has a roll of white butchers paper mounted on a roller at the end edge of his work bench. When he starts a new project, he pulls the paper aross, tapes it down, and gets started. He said its nice because he can see all the parts against the white background, and he makes all his notes & scribblings right there on the desk. when he's done, he does just what you said, pick up the paper with all the loose crap and throw it right in the trash.

 

[mikeinkcmo]

I have used tempered Masonite on my personal benches forever, guess its a holdover from my first elect job in a TV repair shop.

**broken link removed**

 

[tvtech]

Hi All!
I have been doing electronic repairs for about 4 years now. Thing is, many times I end up scratching peoples stuff due to debris on my bench, leftover from previous repairs. Little pieces of solder or wire etc.
What could I use as a surface covering. Carpet perhaps?
Any ideas will be appreciated.

The way I work could solve your problem.

Keep a clean and tidy work area....after every job you complete...cost the job and throw away all the blown/replaced spares.

Start the new job with a clean bench. No rubbish from the previous job lying all over the show just waiting to cause problems. Like pieces of solder wire,screws etc under the new job PCB.....

Good housekeeping is the key to all.

If your bench looks like a pigsty...you will end up working like a pig.

20+ years and going strong.....I am never wrong.

@ OP...bench covering. Carpeting is not good. ESD is an issue. Synthetics/nylon etc will cause many issues with sensitive components.

Try any type of surface except synthetic ones....rubber/wooden and so on.

Regards.
tv tech

 

[bountyhunter]

I bought a sheet of 1/16" thick rubber pad for desk tops for my work bench.

 

[Sceadwian]

Rubber is a bad idea for a bench you intend to solder on it, and it catches and holds pointy things badly.
I'm 100% with Mike, though not masonite specifically. Tempered Hardboard is what it's called generically. I picked some up for some partitioning to keep my ferret out of some off limits areas and it's great. **broken link removed** to what I think I may have used that I picked up an Home Depot.

It was extremely dark brown, and was almost as stiff as sheet metal, it was full hard all the way through and both sides were as smooth as glass. You can get cheaper stuff that's fuzzy on one side and only surface tempered on the other but the full tempered is incredible, I had some scrap leftover after I was done and tried to use it as a cabinet backing and it kept bending the finishing nails I was trying to use...

I picked up some cheaper stuff on accident for my bench (which still works fine) it's just not as bullet and scratch proof as the full hardened stuff. All that takes to clean it up is a couple swipes with a rag, nothing sticks to it, it's not really moisture friendly (especially the cheaper stuff) but that's generally not an issue.