anti-static foam?

Try skip raiding, there used to be a HD refurb co near where I live that
dumped sheets of cardboard backed anti-static foam by the skip load. If you
find a suitable factory the skip should contain plentiful anti-static bags
and usually some foam as well.

"Pink" foam is useles for storing IC's. So are the pink "anti-static"
and "static-dissipitive" bags.

Dave :)

Where did I mention ANYTHING pink?!

Oops, sorry, I've had pink foam on the mind all day long... Right now
I'm measuring the vibration transfer function of pink foam, exciting
stuff...

My point is the same though. Any form of "Anti-static" foam is useless
for storing IC's, you've got to use the conductive stuff.

Dave :)

You don't want "anti-static" foam, you want "conductive foam".

Jaycar, Altronics, Farnell, and RS all have it, so what's the issue?

Dave :)

Places like DSE and Jarcar may carry it

David

Simon wrote:

just wrap them in alfoil

What actually damages the chips is the current spike as the electrostatic
charge is suddenly discharged - which is what happens if they are put into
contact with aluminium foil without any other precautions!

Foil protection is fine if the ESC is discharged before wrapping the pins, a
handy trick is to breathe on the chip just as you would breathe on a pair of
spectacles before polishing the lenses with a handkerchief - the moisture in
the breath dissipates the charge safely.

Good idea, here in 70% plus humidity country, the only
time I can get a good static charge is by pulling sticky
tape off the roll.

here where it's often much lower humidity I was able to
get a static discharge by handling a certain smartcard...
(skin to plastic friction), the card in question was
already dead, and now I think I know how!

Bye.
   Jasen

In case you still need the "foam" to hold your IC's, try Jaycar Electronics.
Dick Smith might sell the stuff and also Altronics or one of it's
re-sellers.
Dick Smith Electronics also sell anti-static bags.
I always keep the anti-static bags when I buy add-on cards, RAM etc for
my PC. The bags are usually marked as such.

Good luck, Boozo.

This stuff is expensive in Australia at the usual haunts.

you could try:
<http://www.clctech.com.au/fsk%20&%20foam.htm
but I have never priced it there.

or in the US:
<http://www.all-spec.com/1/category/Miscellaneous%7CFoam%2Band%2BBubble%2BWrap/ALLSPEC/?OVRAW=Anti-Static%20Foam&OVKEY=anti%20static%20foam&OVMTC=standard
at what appears to be good prices.

If you follow through, please let me know how you get on, as I may need
some in future.
Don...