Bench Mat

[jdm]

7 hours ago, MechanicMike said:

wonder why I don't get notifications of replies anymore it seems?

Check these settings at: https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/followed/

[Tiny]

I don't where I read or seen on a video but one watchmaker was using a velvet mat for his work bench.

well I have a velvet mat AND what a waste of time yep little fibers (black) every where so I've been over to cousins and had a look at there mats.

but before I buy would this be any good, I only ask because I have two and not using one but I could use it on my bench it's 3mm thick no-slip, rubber backed and doesn't shed fibers I have also see leather used.

[Klassiker]

I would just give it a try. Some parts might be hard to spot on a black background, but apart from that I cannot see a problem.

[Neverenoughwatches]

20 minutes ago, Tiny said:

I don't where I read or seen on a video but one watchmaker was using a velvet mat for his work bench.

well I have a velvet mat AND what a waste of time yep little fibers (black) every where so I've been over to cousins and had a look at there mats.

but before I buy would this be any good, I only ask because I have two and not using one but I could use it on my bench it's 3mm thick no-slip, rubber backed and doesn't shed fibers I have also see leather used.

Eyup tiny. The green is easy on your eyes

[Tiny]

thank you Neverenoughwatches 

[Neverenoughwatches]

50 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Eyup tiny. The green is easy on your eyes

 

31 minutes ago, Tiny said:

thank you Neverenoughwatches 

As klassiker suggested though. If you have it try it. you may get on ok with it. Have you seen the rubber mats with the dividers, a bit gimmicky but I found it helpful to start with. I'll see if I have a photo for you to look at. Useful for part grouping. The rubber prob silicone actually, I found the softer surface a bit easier on some parts and also helps to stop the movement holder from skidding around too much.

Edited April 18, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[watchweasol]

Hi T there is always the Hobby style cutting mats, available at Hobby shop and The range.   Ok they have yellow lines all over but a wipe over with white spirit removes them and you have a green mat, they are in various sizes. I use one and thay work ok soft enough to poke the tweezer points in when picking up bits and bits are easily seen.   Give them a look before spending money.

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi T there is always the Hobby style cutting mats, available at Hobby shop and The range.   Ok they have yellow lines all over but a wipe over with white spirit removes them and you have a green mat, they are in various sizes. I use one and thay work ok soft enough to poke the tweezer points in when picking up bits and bits are easily seen.   Give them a look before spending money.

Yep tiny. I'd also go with ww on that, I got one for trimming up bits and pieces, it's my second use mat. A4 size around 5 quid, the rubber one was around 18

[watchweasol]

I actually use on and have not trouble with it at all.  Took off the lines though to save confusion.

[jdrichard]

On 5/6/2015 at 8:34 AM, cdjswiss said:

Cousins sell an antistatic bench mat with the label A*F Switzerland. It consists of two layers the upper green and lower white. Between the two is a space that in the sample that I purchased contained some air. If it was made in Switzerland there would be less of a problem, but it was probably made at sea level, perhaps the South China Sea? At our altitude of 720 m it inflated like a flat balloon. The solution was simple, just a hole in the lower white skin. Anyone tempted to buy this 'Swiss' version and living at high altitude, for example Denver, should note this fix. Or try the cheaper Cousins model.

I use bench mats from the dollar store that were recommended by my wife and they’re used for Lining kitchen drawers. They’re great because they are non-slip and your parts don’t go rolling off your table check out my videos and you’ll see the use of of these Mats

[DigitalM]

 

Noob purchase query: M44135 Green Bench Mat, Horotec

This thing is terrible. Granted - it was cheap (less than £10 from Cousins) but I thought as a name brand from a decent supplier it would be useful. But – it's never been flat, and stacking books on it doesn't seem to persuade it. One of the photos shows how high off the table it is in comparison to a screwdriver. It doesn't stick either. You can easily push it around the desk. In fact, it seems to attract dirt, You're not supposed to iron it down or something are you? It has some sort of poorly gummed surface on the back that I'd describe as 20% as useful against friction as the rubber feet you might get on a piece of electronic equipment. It's more like the gum that they put on envelopes.

It's so useless, it's literally an impediment to work.

It's too late to send it back (it's been months). Am I doing something wrong or should I just bin it and buy something else. If so, what?

Thanks!

Edited April 20, 2022 by DigitalM
typo

[Neverenoughwatches]

43 minutes ago, DigitalM said:

 

Noob purchase query: M44135 Green Bench Mat, Horotec

This thing is terrible. Granted - it was cheap (less than £10 from Cousins) but I thought as a name brand from a decent supplier it would be useful. But – it's never been flat, and stacking books on it doesn't seem to persuade it. One of the photos shows how high off the table it is in comparison to a screwdriver. It doesn't stick either. You can easily push it around the desk. In fact, it seems to attract dirt, You're not supposed to iron it down or something are you? It has some sort of poorly gummed surface on the back that I'd describe as 20% as useful against friction as the rubber feet you might get on a piece of electronic equipment. It's more like the gum that they put on envelopes.

It's so useless, it's literally an impediment to work.

It's too late to send it back (it's been months). Am I doing something wrong or should I just bin it and buy something else. If so, what?

Thanks!

Whats it made of? Assuming it can stay in place. Double sided carpet tape should work, a decent one will stick like doodoo to a blanket. Wipe what is already there off with solvent and start again.

[DigitalM]

I Think it's too thin to be putting tape under it, it's 0.5mm or something. I was under the impression from the description that it could be moved about if need be. I think I'm just going to bin it, it's about the worst thing I've ever bought for expectation vs. reality 

[grsnovi]

What happens if you soak it in really hot water then lay it out flat under some weight (books)?

[LittleWatchShop]

Here is what I use.  Bought one...liked it.  Bought another...still liked it.  I have four.  One on each bench.

Posting a picture because the link will not live forever.

 

Specifications:
Materials:PU Leather
Color:Brown-Grey
Size:32” x 16”x 0.8"

Edited April 20, 2022 by LittleWatchShop

[Neverenoughwatches]

30 minutes ago, DigitalM said:

I Think it's too thin to be putting tape under it, it's 0.5mm or something. I was under the impression from the description that it could be moved about if need be. I think I'm just going to bin it, it's about the worst thing I've ever bought for expectation vs. reality 

Half a mil is very thin. It looks naff mate . Something with a bit of friction I find helps to keep your movement holder from skidding about.  What about a silicone mat, you can get them for cooking.

Edited April 20, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[grsnovi]

Years ago I worked as a draftsman on a drawing board with a pencil (way before CAD/CAM). Our boards were covered with a light green colored material. I can attest to the fact that the color is easy on the eyes for 8 to 12 hours per day. I purchased a small mat for $11 USD from these guys. It's doing me just fine.

[Neverenoughwatches]

40 minutes ago, grsnovi said:

Years ago I worked as a draftsman on a drawing board with a pencil (way before CAD/CAM). Our boards were covered with a light green colored material. I can attest to the fact that the color is easy on the eyes for 8 to 12 hours per day. I purchased a small mat for $11 USD from these guys. It's doing me just fine.

Hi Gary. Are you still waiting on materials? 

[mikepilk]

I tried the blue rubber mat (silicone) but found it too soft. And the hobby style cutting mats too hard.

When handling small parts (especially cap jewels) you need a surface with just a little 'give'. I imagine the drawing board covering is about right.

I use an offcut of vinyl flooring. It has just enough 'give' to stop parts pinging off, and is cheap ! 

[Paul80]

I now use two different mats, at first I tried one of the blue silicone mats shown a couple of posts up but found them too bouncy, with screws flying of to infinity and beyond 

The two I settled on was the Bergeon 7808 which for £25 from Cousins is not too bad for a Bergeon product and Cousins own brand mat which is a tenner.

Both seem to work well with parts easy to see and not vanishing into the beyond when dropped.

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 minutes ago, Paul80 said:

I now use two different mats, at first I tried one of the blue silicone mats shown a couple of posts up but found them too bouncy, with screws flying of to infinity and beyond 

The two I settled on was the Bergeon 7808 which for £25 from Cousins is not too bad for a Bergeon product and Cousins own brand mat which is a tenner.

Both seem to work well with parts easy to see and not vanishing into the beyond when dropped.

The silicone mats are a bit bouncy, it forces me not to drop anything small. Haha

[TimpanogosSlim]

On 5/2/2022 at 3:01 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

The silicone mats are a bit bouncy, it forces me not to drop anything small. Haha

 

Silicone comes in a lot of forms. Dycem silicone mat is marketed for things like keeping tall glasses of water from getting knocked off of tables by people with parkinsons. It's a lint magnet, but if you drop a watch part on it, they tend to stick and just stand there oddly at whatever angle they were at when they struck. 

 

On 4/20/2022 at 1:14 PM, grsnovi said:

Years ago I worked as a draftsman on a drawing board with a pencil (way before CAD/CAM). Our boards were covered with a light green colored material. I can attest to the fact that the color is easy on the eyes for 8 to 12 hours per day. I purchased a small mat for $11 USD from these guys. It's doing me just fine.

The drafting board cover is called Vyco or Borco. Vyco drafting table mat is still available - Alvin discontinued it but someone else bought the IP i guess? A few watchmakers have recommended it to me. I have a piece i need to stick to my movable bench. I need to cut it down first. 

On 4/20/2022 at 12:44 PM, DigitalM said:

I Think it's too thin to be putting tape under it, it's 0.5mm or something. I was under the impression from the description that it could be moved about if need be. I think I'm just going to bin it, it's about the worst thing I've ever bought for expectation vs. reality 

For whatever it is worth, 3M 467MP double-sided transfer tape would be the answer. Available in really large sizes. You might talk a sign shop into applying it to the back of your mat, or selling you a piece. I've personally held pieces as big as 330mm square - sold as intended to stick print surfaces to 3d printer heatbeds. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by TimpanogosSlim

[Gramham]

Hello,

I have a little question for the experts here.  Aside from the ideal material - how about the ideal size?

What is your opinion on the ideal size for a bench mat?

g.
----

[Kalanag]

On 7/21/2022 at 9:25 PM, Gramham said:

What is your opinion on the ideal size for a bench mat?
 

The Bergeon mat has the dimensions (L x B x H): 320 x 240 x 2 mm. You should not go smaller.

Don’t buy a no name so called „watch repair mat“ on Amazon. They have a stinky chemical odor and are never flat on the table. Silicone mats are not a good choice also because they are springy for small parts dropping down.

Edited July 23, 2022 by Kalanag

[Gramham]

16 hours ago, Kalanag said:

The Bergeon mat has the dimensions (L x B x H): 320 x 240 x 2 mm. You should not go smaller.

Don’t buy a no name so called „watch repair mat“ on Amazon. They have a stinky chemical odor and are never flat on the table. Silicone mats are not a good choice also because they are springy for small parts dropping down.

Aaaak!  Too late!   

(I actually bought this blue silicone mat years ago for working on microelectronics, and I absolutely hate its color, feel, dimensions, etc.  However, it does not smell bad).

I've seen various types of materials quoted (Formica, vinyl flooring, green cutting mats, fancy drafting table materials).  I suppose the perfect watchmaking mat should have minimal "dead bounce" but not be so hard as to be uncomfortable as a long-term hand rest.  Paper is no good (fibres), silicone is no good (bounce)...so what is?

I see that people tend to like the 2mm thickness as well, and some have expressed a preference for 2-ply construction with some kind of anti-slip on the back and a more yielding, non-fibrous, cleanable top surface.

Assuming the ideal mat is

- 2mm thick
- 2-ply w/
  - non-slip bottom
  - M top material
- Dimensions of L x W

@Kalanag- what would be your ideal dimensions and material?  Is neoprene no good?

What would be your best advice regarding M, L and W?

g.
----

Edited July 24, 2022 by Gramham