Inexpensive Anti-Fatigue Mats

[HMF]

Try horse stall mats. They run 5/8" thick X 4' x 6 and have small dimples on them. The cost is around $38. It has a good feel to stand on and is large enough that when you drop parts they should land on the mat.

 

[pdentrem]

We use cutoffs from conveyor belts, usually 4 ft wide by whatever length you want. Around chip making machines like lathes and mills we use the preforated mats.

Conveyor stuff comes from Quality Belt Maintainence. They service ships and mines etc.

 

[dmac]

I wait for HF to have there mats on sale or 20%off. 3x3mats 4 in bundle. Usually get several. use in garage and shop. Good for knelling on when working on knees also

 

[dmac]

Usually between 9-13$ each package that is a 6x6" square. They are tabbed to hook together. I curenty have most off area covered
When done sweep or vacumn. Keeps wife happy.

 

[rleete]

Where do you source those horse stall mats? I am in dire need of something to cover the bare concrete of the basement floor.

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

I have a tabbed rubber mat in front of my lathe, origins unknown. It's quite hard and works fine for me, but at work we have some soft commercial anti-fatigue mats in front of the machines and they make my knees hurt and are anything but anti-fatigue. I often drag the thing out of the way before turning anything. IMO, investing money in good shoes can get your further than investing in mats.

Conrad

 

[HMF]

Where do you source those horse stall mats? I am in dire need of something to cover the bare concrete of the basement floor.

There is a supply place around the racetrack here, but farm suppliers have them.


Nelson

 

[Cyclotronguy]

Rubber mats are all well and good, unless you really make chips... then they're more trouble than their worth.

I find them just fine around grinders, not so good around machines where you're throwing volumes of chips.

What I rather like is a wooden mat, built kind of like a scaled down pallet. Couple of 3/4" thick plywood crosspieces with open latice of salvage hardwood (old pallet lumber ripped) on top. Suspended wood has some give, chips fall through.

Cyclotronguy

 

[rleete]

I just bought 5 of the mats from Lowe's Hardware. $17 each. I could really get by with 3 cut up into smaller sections, but I figure to use the others in the garage. These are the ones that have many 1" holes in them, and interlock together along 2 edges.

After spending an hour or so making a part for a friend, I think they are worth it. We'll see how much I like them once I get cutting metal again. At least my feet aren't cold and sore.

 

[rustybearing]

I bought two of the Lowe's mats and they work well and a second advantage is when I drop something it usually stays in one of the holes and doesn't bounce UNDER the bench. The small shavings don't stick to the bottom of my shoes and get tracked into the house.