Bench padding?

[Matt Bach]

Hi guys

Just wondering what people use for padding on their final setup benches. Currently I have some pads made up with towelling over yoga mats and they are good, but a bit small, and I'd like to cover a larger area (maybe 1mx2m - a whole table top) with something that's not too difficult to clean etc (and I'll probably still use the pads I have now on top of it). I've got some carpet remnants but they aren't really floating my boat so I'm all ears to suggestions. I did "steal" some really nice thick felt with a cloth top which was lying around unused until the studio owner pointed out it was acoustic treatment and about $100/sqm and guilt made me put it back. Whoops.

1% of me wants to get astro turf

[kiwigeo]

I use carpet where I need a protective surface on my bench. If using yoga mats watch out for any residual silicone based release agent on the mat....if it gets on a guitar then finishing the instrument may become a nightmare.

[Matt Bach]

Yep - I have covered the mats with some nice toweling I got from Spotlight. Maybe I should look at some nicer carpet...

Actually last time I was in Spotlight buying white flannel (for rags, I like how I can tell when it's dirty) I went to the counter with it and there was about 20 kids lined up with white cloth and they all looked at me like a weirdo (which I guess I am) and pointed and giggled. I went to the pub later that night and there was a massive toga party happening, they must have thought I was making a flannelette toga.

[matthew]

thin foam "skins" from reverse garbage - $6 each. Like thin camping mats.

[Allen]

I've got some carpet underlay that has a thin rubberised membrane holding the chopped up foam together. So far has worked well for me.

[Lillian]

thin foam "skins" from reverse garbage - $6 each. Like thin camping mats.

Scrounging? Recycled?

[P Bill]

As well as padding keep the bench grott free.

[kiwigeo]

Do you actually need permanent padding all over your work bench???

The only time I need padding is when I'm finishing my instruments or doing set up. For this I keep a small piece of carpet sample which I roll out when needed. When working on tops I have a piece of cardboard or corking I put down on the bench.

I reiterate my warning about the residual silicone release agent commnonly present on plastic/rubber matting. The non slip mats you get at your supermarket are especially bad for this.

[matthew]

Reverse Garbage in Sydney is a not for profit organisation that takes industrial offcuts, surplus and domestic discards, ewaste, etc and resells it cheaply as craft/costume/decorating etc materials.

if you facebook, then http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reverse-G ... 7627634292

its the best use of facebook I've seen, I think.

[kiwigeo]

if you facebook, then http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reverse-G ... 7627634292

its the best use of facebook I've seen, I think.

Facebook and Garbage...made for each other

[Matt Bach]

Haha yep we've got a reverse garbage up here too, it's great.

I'd like permanent padding on it because it's only used for setup stuff. It's not a workbench as such - just a table (actually it's more of an old blue-print machine base with ply on top ). I've got other more robust benches for other stuff. Might have another look at carpets...

I reiterate my warning about the residual silicone release agent commnonly present on plastic/rubber matting. The non slip mats you get at your supermarket are especially bad for this.

Do you reckon the non slip router mats @ carbatec (which seem to be the same thing) are safer? I don't actually use them for anything serious but you've make me think.

[Lillian]

Thanks Matthew.

[kiwigeo]

Do you reckon the non slip router mats @ carbatec (which seem to be the same thing) are safer? I don't actually use them for anything serious but you've make me think.

Not sure Matt. I play it safe and avoid any plastic/rubber material. I got caught out with a classical that I had sitting on a non slip mat....the french polish job was a failure due to silicone getting on the wood.

[Puff]

Sheepskin rug. All you need is a device to fit something up the end pin hole at one end and something to quietly clamp the neck at the other to stop things moving around too much or getting away on you.

[Nick]

I've used carpet but you have to make sure it's clean & doesn't contain any lurking 'hard bits' e.g old solder, that would damage a finish. I've also used old bath towels (You can shake these out inbetween guitars) but I'm currently using bubble wrap, just chuck it away after each guitar.

[matthew]

Sheepskin rug. All you need is a device to fit something up the end pin hole at one end and something to quietly clamp the neck at the other to stop things moving around too much or getting away on you.

Ah .. so you're a New Zealander too, eh?

[rocket]

I use a couple of doona's under the instrument at fit off.I also have some carpet squares to put on the bench during construction if i feel the need.
Cheers,, Rod.

[kiwigeo]

Sheepskin rug. All you need is a device to fit something up the end pin hole at one end and something to quietly clamp the neck at the other to stop things moving around too much or getting away on you.

Ah .. so you're a New Zealander too, eh?

That's an assumption.....there was no specific mention of a "shag pile".

[Peter T]

Hi guys, thought I'd add my 2 cents.
My padding of choice is a piece of sound proofing foam. These have a series of reasonably high pyramid shaped peaks which means that any debris that may end up on the mat will fall safely away to the valleys reducing the risk of scratches.

Pete.

[Kim]

Very clever Pete...so where do we get it??

Cheers

Kim

[Peter T]

Sorry for the late reply Kim, busy times.

Like many of the solutions mentioned above, my sound proofing foam was scrounged, one of the advantages of being in the building game. You would be surprised at what gets thrown out. In fact Ive lined my whole shed ceiling shed ceiling with this stuff. I have seen it on eBay before but it's not particularly cheap. [img]cid:A6D3D9A9-2170-4A09-943A-150FB7CFB2D5/photo%25201.JPG[/img]
[img]cid:A6D3D9A9-2170-4A09-943A-150FB7CFB2D5/photo%25201.JPG[/img]

Looks like I may have lost my ability to upload pics when I lost all my post numbers in the legendary crash of 010. I must be part of the new stolen generation.

[Kim]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the info.

I have just had a look at the image code you have used and that appears to be an issue. I adopted your permissions and it looks like your OK to upload images but the forum software is new since the hack so here is a quick and dirt tute. Give it a go.

Cheers

Kim

[DarwinStrings]

That is a good idea Peter, I saw some at the tip a few months back and almost grabbed it, but then considered my storage space and could not think of a use for it at the time so will be keeping my eyes open from now on.

Jim

[Peter T]

mail-1.jpeg (5.24 KiB) Viewed 22600 times

Take 2. Thanks heaps for the tute Kim.

Pic 1 is a shot of my shed ceiling. A tin shed can be a noisy place once you get a router or table saw fired up. This stuff helps a heap to deaden the sound. Also helps to insulate as well when I need to get my little heater going in winter.

Pic 2 is a shot of one of the several pieces of foam I throw around on my benches to protect the odd bit of spruce etc.

[Kim]

Thanks Peter....we do have a restriction for image size of under 10k for avatars, but its OK to go a lot bigger for the forum mate

800 x 600 is good or even a bit bigger is OK and they will upload just fine.

I can see the stuff you are talking about so will keep and eye open...great idea

Cheers

Kim