Desk Mat .... Silicon/rubber/vinyl/Esd???

[ChrisGreece52]

Hello i need to buy a mat to put on my desk so i can solder move things and work without damaging the wood below.
i need it to be
1) Heat resistant to solder - soldering iron (i searched and got confused i know that the rubber is better at resisting heat but i would like your mind too)
2)Thick so if i drop something slightly heavy wont damage the desk.
3) Steady so it wont slide of the desk,
4) Nice color (black,green,blue its ok but NOT yellow or even pink...)
5) And as cheap as it can get. I found one on the ebay it was 30 usd with shipping fees.
I found these on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-Rubber-Silicon-FDA-Black-Mat-Sheet-3mm-Thick-X-170mm-X-200mm-Brand-New-/221137096605?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item337ccc4f9d
http://www.ebay.com/itm/370564096073?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648


I also need to know the difference of mats made out of
silicon rubber , rubber and vinyl and whatever the esd mats are made of.(i am pretty sure about the thing that they do)

So thank you and hope to hear from all of you soon.

[robrenz]

Silicone is great for the heat, and not much sticking to it. But it is very grippy and can be a pain to move things on. It is impossible to wipe off with a dry towel, you have to use a wet towel or wet microfiber covered sponge to clean. With all that said I have Silicone mats on all my bench tops including one on top of my rubber ESD mat. If I need ESD I just take the silicone off.  I get .030" thick 24" x 70" Silicone mats with fiberglass reinforcement from my local QVC shopping channel outlet store for about $15.00.

[nanofrog]

For an ESD mat that can take the heat of solder (i.e. what Dave has on his bench), is rubber (NBR or Nitrile Rubber) and ideally what you want (typically 2 layer products, but sometimes 3). It resists heat, chemicals, abrasion, cut resistant, and will offer surface protection for the surface beneath it (not as soft as vinyl for example, but will take impacts). Has some grip to it, but not as much as silicone. Colors for this stuff are usually limited to one or two shades of blue (blue and/or light blue), grey, and green (to indicate lead-free). 3M and Sierra are rather common brands for these (get the kit, as it includes the grounding plugs and the mat will be fitted with a snap connector rather than buying a roll). Unfortunately, its not exactly cheap.

Silicone can be had cheaply, but isn't ESD rated (baking mats or place mats for example). Projects won't really be able to slide around on it either. Colors can be pretty much anything.

Vinyl, ESD rated or otherwise, will melt when exposed to solder.

[EEVblog]

For an ESD mat that can take the heat of solder (i.e. what Dave has on his bench), is rubber (NBR or Nitrile Rubber) and ideally what you want (typically 2 layer products, but sometimes 3). It resists heat, chemicals, abrasion, cut resistant, and will offer surface protection for the surface beneath it (not as soft as vinyl for example, but will take impacts).

Yep, don't get anything else, the blue rubber mats are the way to go.

Dave.

[IanB]

I don't think rubber ESD mats are affordable for the high school student.

An inexpensive option for work surface protection is the standard "table felt" that used under a tablecloth to protect a polished table. You can get thick versions of it with a textured vinyl top that is easy to work on. Don't worry too much about soldering iron burns--unless you are super clumsy it will never happen. The worst hazard is drops of molten solder landing on the surface.

What I do to protect against solder drips is get a large flat sheet of cardboard, either cut from an old packing box or even bought from a craft store, and I solder on that. Solder drips will not get through cardboard, and if it gets tatty just replace it.

This is the kind of thing I mean, you should be able to find something similar in local shops:

http://www.amazon.com/Cushioned-Heavy-Duty-Table-Pad/dp/B00406U7WQ

[IanB]

Here's another kind of product to look out for:

http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Products-LT-91S-Rhinolin-Conference/dp/B0006HUX4A

[ddavidebor]

I've a vinyl one. I'm pretty happy, is very solid. Yes, it melt with solder, but slowly so you really want to damage it for do it.

[ChrisGreece52]

Thanks to all of you for your interest.
Ill go with blue rubber mat as solder does not stick to it and stuff wont fall of from it.
Thank you gain

[reagle]

A pretty large 2 layer rubber mat  mat on http://www.all-spec.com  is about $50, including wiring and wristrap.