How to prevent static discharge when working with electronic components?
I guess theoretically you could build one, but the stuff is pretty cheap so it’s more efficient to buy it. It will last longer and be more ergonomic (i.e. less annoying). Wriststrap: The commercial wriststraps and cords are cheap. Buy one. You can ground yourself with a piece of wire, but for safety the commercial wriststraps have 1 Meg of resistance in series with you in case you accidentally connect yourself to a power line. Mat: Get a really large antistatic bag. Slit it open to make a sheet and use what was originally the inside. Next thing you need to know: antistatic design requires that materials not build up static, plus whatever static is built up is discharged *slowly*. A dead-short to safety ground will discharge it as fast as possible.
