Thread: anti-fatigue mats

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

The four packs of interlocking foam matting sold at Bunnings are a cheap way of doing it - $14 gives you close to four square meters.

I have about 30 of these squares for our camping gear. I use them in the workshop when I have a lot of standing to do and they do make a difference to my bad back and knees. I reckon the heavy duty ones used by the "beer wenches" would be better but these are better than a bare concrete floor.

Cheers

Doug

A few spares of the soft foam ones come in handy when you're working on your knees. The concrete in the house is not as soft as it used to be!

I have one of the propper industrial mats at the lathe and use the foam squares ar the bench. Feet wise I find little difference. Both do the job. The aldi foam squares are easier to lift for sweeping up however. The heavy mat will last a few lifetimes but the foam squares have held up fine for more than 3 years now and still look ok for a few more. As others have said the foam mats have a very wide range of uses.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

The four packs of interlocking foam matting sold at Bunnings are a cheap way of doing it - $14 gives you one and a half square meters.

I've got them too, but I prefer a double layer as to give more comfort and I use the ones without holes, so the turning chips are easier to clean up.

Peter.

RESA mat better value than Bunnings.
Knee pads for about $9 from Bunnings have saved my knees. Sometimes spend hours on them. (Females like a man on his knees. )

Originally Posted by Bob38S

I use the same. They are often referred to as camping or annex mats. Get the ones with the holes in them rather than the solid type.

I use them in the "standing" areas of the shed but also have 2 "clean" sets which don't go on the floor but are used on the bench to protect the job, especially prior to finishing when all the sanding etc has been done. Have you ever had an unexplained ding or scratch appear in your job? If you need to slide or turn your job and there happens to be the smallest speck of wood, chip or dust you will know what I mean.

My neighbour had a stack doing nothing in shed so I took them off his hands yesterday. There's some with holes and without. I've put the ones without holes around the bench that gets messy on the floor and the others where is not so much sawdust. It was handy they interlock. Now to just make sure I don't trip on them until I get used to them being there

+1 for duc board.
First job as apprentice patternmaker was to build a duc board for you're bench they work a treat a couple of gluts and slats of a crate and you have it or a packing sheet and gluts.
Regards Rod.

Issatree and Rod, the duck boards look likes good idea.

Make them thin enough and they should have some movement and bounce without collapsing under my immensity.

I'll make a few up. Many thanks for the wisdom.

Again, issatree helps me again!

Cheap/ economical doesn't cut it. Maybe you buy cheap crap and it is cheap crap to stand on.
Whose legs and feet are they? Don't you put any value on your own well-being outside of the shop? Look after yourself, first.

We had 4 Biology lab techs who made their living on their feet. They had foot mats from Fisher Scientific and VWR Science. The last thing I ever needed was a crabby, foot-sore tech (and a Workers' Comp claim.).

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Cheap/ economical doesn't cut it.

Actually, mine have been fine. Had them down for 2+ years so far and they feel just like they used to; a bit grubbier maybe. They're softer underfoot than the carpet tiles at work; I'd probably say softer than the feel of regular carpet and underlay, too. For the price (now $12 for a four pack), excellent value!

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

The four packs of interlocking foam matting sold at Bunnings are a cheap way of doing it - $14 gives you close to four square meters.

I use those, 1 mat folded 3 times and duct tape around 2 ends, perfect for any jobs that need a lot of kneeling, mats also good for protecting finished surfaces and placing tools on

They help most on concrete or asphalt. Not as much on carpet but still some. I'm on my feet five hours a night five nights a week. You don't have to spend that much for one. I have a flat mat I picked up at Home Depot for under $20. A bigger help to me was when I started wearing foam and rubber soled running shoes on stage. I'm still running a little (mostly trail hiking these days), and when I started wearing my running shoes at the club it helped more than rubber mats.

Originally Posted by Evanism

Kyaden, I've now used mine for 2 hours and I can tell you I not just feeling better, I recon I'm actually healing.

I found these identical items by Matpro at TBGS: Matpro 900 x 1500mm Large Safety Cushion Mat I/N 4490006 | Bunnings Warehouse

Same brand, same price.

I put on some very loud techno/trance, my best earmuffs and did some turning and wow, what a difference. After 2 hours I don't have Ye Olde Left Kneeache or a need to stretch.

100 thumbs up.

Buy one....or as I did, two. Very worth it.

I have two of those in the shed but I find this one is better
http://www.bunnings.com.au/matpro-ed...s-p-m_p4490270

As above Duc boards there was a time when a factory was not considered complete without them