Neander shop and floor comfort

[Scott Stafford]

Okay Mike, here is what I have. It is sold in the USA by International Vinyl Corporation and I believe the product name may be Flextech. I comes in 13' 2" widths but is easily seemed of just butted up next to the next piece. Here's the poor website for it: http://www.ivcgroup.com/us/Products-...ode=selection# They have a specification link on this page.

I find that it is just the right amount of padding for me. However I mainly bought it initially for protecting chisels I might drop and for easy clean up. It had a bit of static cling for the first week or two but that subsided to zero. In your humidity I doubt you will ever see any.

If I am flattening a large piece of material with a plane or standing relatively still for long periods of time working on inlays, I will pull out my thick 30" x 50" anti-fatigue mat that I bought before I found the Flextech. I find it too small and too cushy for everyday use... and it was a couple hundred dollars.

Hope this helps you find the product.


Scott in Montana

[Scott Stafford]

Mike,

I was wrong on the Flex Tech name. That's the adhesive they use if you should need to stick it down in a commercial use. Mine is free floating and doesn't move.

Scott in Montana

[Scott Stafford]

One further addendum.

I just got a return call from my flooring retailer. The product's actual name is Flexitec. Too similar to the adhesive's name if you ask me. Here's a link to one of the internet dealers: http://vinylflooring.org/ I see that some patterns are much cheaper than what I paid; some at .84 per foot.

Scott in Montana

[Dominic Greco]

A lot of people seem to like horse stall mats. By default, they've got to be pretty easy to clean, but I wonder if they get slippery when you add sawdust?

I've gotten my horse stall mats wet plenty of times. Especially when turning wet wood. I never had a problem with slipping on them. Plus their weight makes vacuuming up a breeze. You can't say that about those light weight floor mats. What a PITA they are! Every time I'd use a shopvac it's pick them up!

[jamie shard]

+1 on horse stall mats... except I call them cow mats <shrug>

[Fitzhugh Freeman]

My shop is the sunroom of my rental house, which has ceramic tile flooring on a concrete slab. Rental means changing the floor is out. I keep wanting to put something down there, but have yet to find anything SWMBO approves of. Apparently, the room must remain "presentable." Frankly, I see nothing un-presentable about shavings and tools and half-finished projects, but that's another argument.

I'm interested to see if anyone has an inventive solution.

Ha, that's the same situation I have. Only swap "guest room" for "sun room." Right now our "guest room" is about a foot deep in shavings! I guess I'll tell her we're having a giant hamster visit. Luckily I'd just finished trying out my new shop vac a couple weeks ago when the landlord's fixit guy came by to check our smoke detectors. You could see the floor then.

Only thing I can add here is that I keep a big piece of half inch thick hard foam insulation I had left over from lining a shipping crate. I stand on it for both the padding and the difference in height when needed. I'm working on a poorly sized "bench" so it helps. Not ideal but having something soft makes a big difference.

[Zahid Naqvi]

So I guess the best option for me right now is to get old of some crocs, that is until I can find a local source of horse/cow mats. Considering I live in Texas I should be able to find something locally.

[McKay Sleight]

I have used horse stall mats at the jointer and the planer. IMHO they do not get slippery. I have used the interlocking mats at the workbench but every time I use the #5 and #6 to plane, the stupid things would move and un-lock. I taught high school shop for 31 years and my legs and feet always killed me. I finally found a pair of shoes that work extremely well. I do not think that we can name brands on this blog, but having said that, I will chance being censored. Reebok makes a shoe called the ZIGTECH. They are about $100 dollars. I bought another pair yesterday. Cleaning the shop floor is SOOOO much easier now without those stupid mats in the way. I gave my mats to a fellow shop teacher. He can now cuss them instead of me.

[Mike Olson]

I just checked out the tractor supply web site and it's $40 for a 4' x 6' horse stall mat. I'm going to be heading out to the store maybe this weekend and take a look. I used to use Crocks in the shop but a little bit of sawdust under them and they slipped. I now use an old pair of loafers, not as comfy but much more traction.

[Jay Maiers]

I just checked out the tractor supply web site and it's $40 for a 4' x 6' horse stall mat. I'm going to be heading out to the store maybe this weekend and take a look. I used to use Crocks in the shop but a little bit of sawdust under them and they slipped. I now use an old pair of loafers, not as comfy but much more traction.

I'm sure you're planning on it, but please post your opinion. I think the nearest Tractor Supply store is an hour from my house, but I'll be passing by in a couple of weeks and will make plans to swing by if it is worthwhile.

[jamie shard]

Agree, cow mats aren't that bad when covered with sawdust and shavings. The concrete floor in my basement (pre- mat covered) would get very slick with a little sawdust. Wasn't kind to dropped chisels either, not that ever happened. Just one word of warning: they are stinky until they air out. Kinda like car tires... probably what they're made of!