Anyone Use an Anti-Static/Grounding Mat?

[Dutch3]

I know the subject of grounding and static has been discussed ad nauseum here, but I am curious if anyone is using a grounded mat on their bench.

My press is grounded (easy because there is an electrical panel 2 ft away), but my bench has a wood top that is not very smooth. I was thinking about using some sort of mat to provide a better surface and thought about one of those static-dissipating mats with a ground wire.

I'd love to have a stainless benchtop, but it isn't exactly in the budget.

Suggestions?

[HighLander51]

There was alot of discussion on this thread

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=495909

[Dutch3]

Thankfully, grant22 ended up without permanent injury.

I am just asking if anyone is using a grounded mat and can offer recommendations for a particular model that may be better suited or more durable than another, etc.

[lpspinner]

I don't, I find myself constantly touching the grounded wall outlet next to me to possibly discharge any static before i load the primer tubes.

Even since that post, I've been even more careful loading the primer tubes. I've always wore safety glasses or a face shield during the primer tube phase before, so nothing new there, but I have started to wear a leather work glove when handling the tubes.

Other then that, it's business as usual.

[Dutch3]

I have a single stage press. Sometimes I prime on the press, other times I use a hand primer.

Ever since grant22's incident, I think about static and humidity whenever my hand gets anywhere near a tray of primers. Since I want to improve the work surface of my bench, I though I might as well make it grounded.

[stilly]

How abouts do you go about grounding a press? I use that Lee Classic Turret mounted to the quick change block mounted to my mostly wood workbench and I was REALLY wanting to purchase a lock n load (shhh don't tell Lee or they will excommunicate me) but I told Hornady that those metal primer tubes were bad news and potentially dangerous (cause I am a good BoLee student) and they told me no, not really, we have no plans to change priming systems at this point... I REALLY like that APS strip thing that I saw and I was hoping that Hornady would include that in the near future. Maybe I will purchase a LNL progressive but not put it together until they upgrade the priming system. Then I can still send in for them 500 240gr bullets...

A wire going from the press to what? makes no sense to me.

[Dutch3]

How abouts do you go about grounding a press?


A wire going from the press to what? makes no sense to me.

In my case, my press is mounted to a bench located in a shed. The electrical subpanel that feeds the shed is located right next to the bench. One day, I was bored and happened to have a scrap of #8 bare copper wire, so connected it from the press to the ground bus bar in the panel.

The ground bus in the panel is connected with #6 wire to the main panel, which is grounded by two 5/8" ground rods driven 8" deep.

[NoJoke]

I use a mat.

It's probably not necessary for where I live but better safe than sorry - plus it isn't very hard to put together so why not?

...and Dutch, you might wanna check (I'm no power expert) but I believe you should have a resistor in there.

[DJ Skillz]

This is the ESD mat that I use at work:

http://www.hmcelectronics.com/product/3M/8811

It has a nice surface to it and it's extremely durable. It is a little pricey though.

[mud99]

Grounding your press will only increase sparking from static electricity, as you are providing a better current path for static to jump to ground

An ESD mat is resistive and is the proper solution as it will slowly discharge static, preventing sparking.

[morrow]

I've never understood press grounding, see no reason for it personally. Just seems like another step OCD people do.

[Fractured]

...and Dutch, you might wanna check (I'm no power expert) but I believe you should have a resistor in there.

No need on the ground wire. If anything, there is a little bit of resistance in the wire. I forget what the specific resistivity of #8 bare copper is.

Dutch's setup is perfect, albeit a bit overkill but better safe than sorry.

Dutch, did you grind the paint off the press where the grounding screw/washer is ?

[Milsurps]

This is the ESD mat that I use at work:

http://www.hmcelectronics.com/product/3M/8811

It has a nice surface to it and it's extremely durable. It is a little pricey though.

Same ESD system used at my work.

Grounding your press will only increase sparking from static electricity, as you are providing a better current path for static to jump to ground

An ESD mat is resistive and is the proper solution as it will slowly discharge static, preventing sparking.

Yup, it's not supposed to be a dead short to ground.

Wrist straps have "resistive buttons" that you replace if they fail.