I have chips that have been stuck in the black anti-static foam for years and the legs are still nice and shiny. (Just checked). Perhaps it is a particular brand of foam?
Jeff Birt From: M100 <m100-boun...@lists.bitchin100.com> On Behalf Of Peter Noeth Sent: Monday, October 30, 2023 6:16 PM To: Model 100 Discussion <m100@lists.bitchin100.com> Subject: Re: [M100] Anti-static foam types I would NOT recommend the black carbonized foam for storage. We used to use that type where I worked as a Component Level computer tech for our "Component Inventory" many decades ago. It will turn the legs of I.C.s and transistors black after a few months if you stick them into the foam, requiring cleaning with a mild abrasive before soldering (risking static damage). It may be a solution for shipment only. The other foam looks like High Density Styrofoam, as used in the building trades for wall insulation. I have seen it both light blue and pink, used for the purposes you mention, and have never trusted it as styrofoam is inherently very staticy, even with anti-static additives. I have seen some people wrap that foam in aluminum foil first before poking any leaded components into it. This may be a shipment only solution. I have always used the plastic anti static tubes (rails) that the manufacturers sell their components in, or the anti-static poly and mylar bags that DigiKey and other distributors use. With "through hole" components not being as popular as they once were, and "surface mount" components now the "norm", your best solution would be the anti-static poly and mylar bags easily found with an Internet search. Regards, PeterN On Mon, Oct 30, 2023 at 2:42 PM <m100-requ...@lists.bitchin100.com <mailto:m100-requ...@lists.bitchin100.com> > wrote: Message: 1 Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2023 14:25:24 -0700 From: Gary Weber <g...@web8201.com <mailto:g...@web8201.com> > To: M100 <m100@lists.bitchin100.com <mailto:m100@lists.bitchin100.com> > Subject: [M100] Anti-static foam types Message-ID: <caajazkoqdyapx1godpsvutedor+x1npum1isuhrv+udoman...@mail.gmail.com <mailto:caajazkoqdyapx1godpsvutedor%2bx1npum1isuhrv%2budomane%...@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Question for anyone out there familiar -- There's a few kinds of antistatic foams out there that I've come across which have had DIP chips stuck into them for storage, and the ones I currently have on hand is the black stuff which is very porous, and this other very stiff stuff that almost has the feeling of styrofoam. (Not bendable.) Here's the two I have on hand: [image: image.png] Is anyone else familiar with the light colored antistatic "hard" foam that's in the right of this photo? What's it called and where would you obtain more of it? It seems to protect a DIP chip's pins much better for long term storage or shipping and I'd like to have some on hand. Thanks, -- Gary Weber g...@web8201.com <mailto:g...@web8201.com> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.bitchin100.com/private.cgi/m100-bitchin100.com/attachments/20231030/b21a215a/attachment.htm> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 557591 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.bitchin100.com/private.cgi/m100-bitchin100.com/attachments/20231030/b21a215a/attachment.png>
